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**jacks02** · 06-09-2005, 11:21 AM

Re: Brief feature on Connot...

Congrats to Scott also for being named to NFL Europe "Prp Bowl/ All Star Team"

NFL EUROPE LEAGUE HONORS 2005

COACH OF THE YEAR
Bart Andrus (Amsterdam Admirals)

OFFENSIVE MVP (Selected by the NFL Europe head coaches)
Dave Ragone (QB, Berlin Thunder)

DEFENSIVE MVP (Selected by the NFL Europe head coaches)
Rich Scanlon (LB, Berlin Thunder)

ALL-NFL EUROPE LEAGUE TEAM
(Selected by the NFLEL coaching staffs, media and by fans voting online at NFLeurope.com)

OFFENSE DEFENSE
QB Dave Ragone (Berlin) DE Antonio Smith (Hamburg)
RB Jarrett Payton (Amsterdam) DT Tim McGill (Hamburg)
WR Ruvell Martin (Amsterdam) DT Aaron Hunt (Hamburg)
WR Cedric James (Rhein) DE Greg White (Cologne)
WR Aaron Boone (Berlin) LB Rich Scanlon (Berlin)
TE Bobby Blizzard (Hamburg) LB Nick McNeil (Hamburg)
T Tony Pape (Berlin) LB Bobby Brooks (Cologne) **
G Dante Ellington (Berlin) CB B.J. Tucker (Amsterdam)
C Ben Claxton (Berlin) S Scott Connot (Amsterdam)
G Chad Setterstrom (Amsterdam) S Shawn Mayer (Hamburg)
T Tyson Clabo (Hamburg) CB Blue Adams (Rhein)

Nat. Scott McCready (Hamburg) * Nat. Christian Mohr (Berlin)
K Todd France (Hamburg) P Travis Dorsch (Rhein)
ST Lamont Brightful (Frankfurt)

(Nat - National player; ST - Special Teams player)

* Selected in 2002, 2004
** Selected in 2004

**JackTwice** · 06-10-2005, 07:51 AM

Re: Brief feature on Connot...

Just a note. Saturday late morning (I can't remember the exact time) FOX will be broadcasting the World Bowl. It should be fun seeing Scott play again. I know I have it TIVO'd already!

**Rabbitlivinginverm** · 06-10-2005, 09:10 AM

Re: Brief feature on Connot...

Originally posted by JackTwice

Just a note. �Saturday late morning (I can't remember the exact time) FOX will be broadcasting the World Bowl. �It should be fun seeing Scott play again. �I know I have it TIVO'd already!

10 am central time

**Mavericks#1** · 06-11-2005, 01:42 AM

Re: Brief feature on Connot...

Published Saturday
June 11, 2005

From eight-man to NFL Europe, Connot succeeds

BY NEIL REYNOLDS

NFL EUROPE

Growing up in the tiny Spencer, Neb., a young Scott Connot would sit in front of his television and watch games from around the NFL each Sunday.

He would cheer along with the rest of America when big plays were made, but what really excited him were the bone-jarring hits delivered by San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame safety Ronnie Lott.

Fast forward to his college years at South Dakota State, and you would find Connot spending his Sundays watching Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety John Lynch leave his hard-hitting mark on the rest of the NFL.

With a fierce desire to emulate role models such as Lott and Lynch, it is no surprise that Connot has become exactly that type of player - a smart, ball-hawking safety who is not shy about putting his helmet in the center of a receiver's chest should an opponent dare to stray into his area of the field.

"Those guys like to hit and they inspired me because I wanted to be that type of player," Connot admitted. "I wanted to be someone who was always around the football and hitting receivers and running backs."

Connot, of the Kansas City Chiefs, has used a heady mixture of brains and brawn to star in the NFL Europe League this season and stands 60 minutes away from winning a championship ring in today's World Bowl XIII as a member of the Amsterdam Admirals.

Connot recorded 66 tackles, four interceptions, 10 pass break-ups and two forced fumbles during the regular season and was named to the All-NFL Europe League team Thursday.

Speaking of his achievements this season, Connot said: "It's gone pretty well for me personally but football is not about one person and what they can accomplish. It's about being part of a team and that has been the most pleasing aspect of this season.

"Things have gone really well for the team and we are right where we wanted to be from the very first day of training camp. We're shooting for the championship."

For Connot, playing in the World Bowl is a far cry from his football beginnings at Spencer-Naper High School. During his high school career, Connot played quarterback and linebacker in eight-man football.

But, as Connot explains, it helped him prepare for life on the defensive side of the ball.

"Eight-man football features a lot more running and can be a bit more physical," he said. "I played quarterback and a little bit of running back on offense and linebacker on defense. It was back then that I realized I loved playing defense because I got to hit a lot of people while I was growing up."

From eight-man football, Connot progressed to the college ranks but the national spotlight was never pointed in his direction as he played at a lower-echelon school.

Connot explained: "Coming from a small school, you really don't get the recognition a lot of players get. My school was a fair size for a Division II school but nowhere near as big as some that my team mates here in Amsterdam attended.

"Playing in NFL Europe has been a great experience and has really helped me develop my game and raise my profile even further. NFL Europe is, in my opinion, full of players good enough to be playing in the NFL right now - they just need the opportunity."

Given the opportunity in NFL Europe, Connot has been a blue-chip performer and has drawn praise from Admirals defensive backs coach Richard Kent.

Kent, who has coached in NFL Europe since 2000, says: "Scott is a really smart, hard-working and instinctive player who always seems to be around the football. He thinks like a coach, understands the game and has a feel for where he needs to be when the football is in the air. He's also not afraid to stick his head in there and make a big hit.

"He is one of the best defensive backs I have ever coached during my time in NFL Europe. I have coached some good ones, but Scott really is top notch."

**89rabbit** · 06-11-2005, 04:17 AM

Re: Brief feature on Connot...

Highlights from an Argus story:

http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs...11/1002/SPORTS

SDSU grad will play in World Bowl XIII

From college to NFL Europe title game, Connot has come a long way

CHRIS SOLARI
csolari@argusleader.com

Published: 06/11/05

Scott Connot's route to a professional football career is about as winding as they come.

Dusseldorf, Germany, is just another surprising stop along the road.

The former South Dakota State star has spent his summer in the Netherlands, playing in the NFL's developmental league. He and his Amsterdam Admirals (6-4) will take on the Berlin Thunder today in World Bowl XIII in Dusseldorf. The game begins at 11 a.m. CDT and will be televised on KTTW-TV.

"For me it is a dream come true," said Connot, a Spencer, Neb., native who was assigned to NFL Europe by the Kansas City Chiefs. "I have been playing sports since I was real young, and in all my years I never really got to play in a game this big. I am very excited and hope to make my first experience a great one."

The 6-foot-3, 216-pound strong safety leads the Admirals with 66 tackles, 57 of them unassisted. In Amsterdam's 10 games, he has contributed four interceptions, 10 pass deflections and two forced fumbles.

Connot was named to the All-NFL Europe team Thursday, two weeks shy of his 24th birthday. . . .

"To come from a little bitty town and eight-man football, he set his goals," said Connot's mom, Sue, who spent Mother's Day in Amsterdam. "He always said that, 'Someday, I'm going to play pro football.'

"He's worked very hard, and we're proud of him."

At SDSU, where he started every game of his junior and senior seasons, Connot was named first-team all-North Central Conference and to the Daktronics All-Midwest region squad.

After going undrafted, Connot signed a free-agent contract with the Chiefs last spring. Though cut after training camp in the fall, he impressed Kansas City enough to earn a spot on the team's developmental squad.

Then, on Dec. 13, Connot was placed on the Chiefs' active roster. He eventually played in two games and made a tackle on special teams.

"He does everything to the max. He's using all of his God-given ability, and that's what we're all called to do," SDSU football coach John Stiegelmeier said. "Scott is a very humble person, but after spending one season (in Kansas City), he knows he can play. He just needs a shot to play more, because the game moves a little faster."

Then came Connot's chance to go overseas to improve upon his skills and show the Chiefs he was "willing to do whatever it takes." He plays in front of crowds with minimal understanding of the American version of football, but says they are louder than most U.S. crowds with all of the whistles and noisemakers they blow.

"As far as the game itself," he said, "it's still just football."

Connot and his wife, the former Lisa Karriman from Sioux Falls, haven't had a lot of time for site-seeing with his work and travel schedule. They did take a train to Paris for a two-day excursion, but mostly spent their days off in the historic towns near Amsterdam.

"I never expected that, at this point in my life, I would still be playing football and be living in Europe for three months," Connot said. "It has been a very fun time, and we'll have many memories."

And perhaps the football championship he has wanted his entire life. Connot's teammates include Atlanta Falcons backup quarterback Kurt Kittner and Tennessee running back Jarrett Payton, who is the son of NFL Hall-of-Famer Walter Payton.

Today, they all get the chance to make a statement together that they are ready to make an impact in the big-time.

"Making it to the championship game is what you play for," Connot said. "It is not personal recognition - it is accomplishing the championship as a team, doing the best you can at your profession, and it just so happens my profession is football.

"It definitely doesn't hurt to show the guys in K.C. that you have what it takes to make it to the big game."

Go State! ;D

**tony** · 06-11-2005, 02:29 PM

Re: Brief feature on Connot...

It must have been a repeat but I saw the end of the World Bowl just now and with his team up by 6, Connot ripped a pass from a WR in the end zone in the closing seconds - just a fantastic play.

Go Amsterdam!

**Rabbitlivinginverm** · 06-11-2005, 03:05 PM

Re: Brief feature on Connot...

Originally posted by tony

It must have been a repeat but I saw the end of the World Bowl just now and with his team up by 6, Connot ripped a �pass from a WR in the end zone in the closing seconds - just a fantastic play.

Go Amsterdam!

That was a fantastic play. The only problem with it was the right tackle jumped so it wouldn't have mattered if he broke it up or if had been a TD. Still, a great play! Way to go Scott on winning the World Bowl.

Another great play of note: Berlin was driving and had a 3rd and 1 in the first half. They attempted to run up the middle and Connot came up and just stuffed it. Berlin then tried a sneak on 4th and a foot but didn't get it. The announcers had plenty of good things to say about Connot after he made that play! ;D

**89rabbit** · 06-12-2005, 11:46 AM

Re: Brief feature on Connot...

The Fox announcers talked to Carl Peterson (GM of the Chiefs) early in the third quarter and they talked about Scott and Carl mentioned South Dakota State by name. �Pretty cool stuff! �8)

Go State! �;D

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