Monday Ramblings

John Lyons' defense played well for the NFL Europe's Cologne Centurions, but four missed field goals including one returned for a TD led to a 20-15 loss to the Amsterdam Admirals yesterday. ... In surfing for more Centurion information, I came up with a German link to a bio of Lyons, the former Dartmouth coach. For kicks, I translated it on the web. Here's the word-for-word translation, which makes a lot more sense than I expected:

John Lyons returns as defensive Coordinator to the Cologne Centurions, after he had trained the defensive Backs of the Cologne NFL Europe team in the past season. Lyons is not an unknown quantity in the professional football. From 1992 2004 he as Head coach worked on the Dartmouth college. During its time in Dartmouth Lyons booked 60 victories and won the Ivy league 1992 and 1996. 1993 and 1997 its team second became. By 1995 1997 Lyons team remained in 22 plays ungeschlagen about which it 15 plays in consequence won. Dartmouth remained ungeschlagen 1996 with a balance of 10-0 and Lyons became new England of sport Writers coach of the yearly. In addition it was selected of the metropolitan New York football Writers Association to division the 1-AA coach of the yearly. 1991 and 1992 Lyons the Ivy league with Dartmouth already won, at that time still as defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs coach. From 1985 1987 he worked to the Boston University as defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs coach. Its coach career already began 1974 as Assistant Freshman coach at the university to Pennsylvania before it of 1980-1983 as defensive Backs coach the university team cared for. One year later it ascended to defensive the Coordinator. With Pennsylvania Lyons won the Ivy league in the years 1982 and 1983. Its active career ended at the university to Pennsylvania after three successful years.

Brian Mann, Lyons' former quarterback at Dartmouth, watched from the sidelines again late Friday as the Los Angeles Avengers fell to the Arizona Rattlers, 58-45. Mann's successor as starting quarterback for the Arena League team, Sonny Cumbie, went 23-for-43 for 257 yards and four touchdowns, but was ineffective in the second half. Mann started at QB when the Avengers beat the Rattlers earlier this season. ...

The Cincinnati Bengals' web site has a full story on Reggie Williams and the talk that he could be a candidate for NFL commissioner. Here's an interesting quote from former Cincy teammate David Fulcher:

He would always wave at people or shake their hands. A smart guy, a smart player. He was like Peyton Manning on defense. Always getting people lined up. I say, ‘Wow,’ but when you think about it, it’s not surprising when you think back to what he’s done. You come out of Dartmouth and, well, that’s no fly-by-night school.