Meet our new TE from Europe! LIRO LUOTO

[Kentucky Jet]

-New post-

Welcome TE Iiro Luoto... newest member of the NY Jets

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From Finland... and was the 3rd string TE for the Rhein Fire

Can't find any stats in any category but I can tell you that he is 6-5, 257 pounds

http://www.nfleurope.com/players/playerpage/1101

International players join NFL practice squads

(July 9, 2007) -- Eleven of the best international football players from around the world will have an opportunity to make an impact on the NFL this season as part of the NFL International Development Practice Squad Program, the league announced.

The 11 players from five countries have earned positions on the practice-squad rosters of teams in the AFC East, AFC South and NFC North Divisions.

The players selected for the program, which is now in its fourth year, have all displayed outstanding potential and performance in NFL Europa, including German defensive end Ben Ishola. The NFL Europa National Defensive Player of the Year joins the Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts practice squad after helping the Hamburg Sea Devils to victory in World Bowl XV.

Five players -- Marvin Allen, Carl-Johan Bjork, Samuel Gutekunst, Daniel Watts and Ulrich Winkler -- participated in the program last year. One graduate of the initial class in 2004, Mexican guard Rolando Cantu, has already made his NFL debut, seeing action in the Arizona Cardinals' season-ending game against Indianapolis in 2005.

"The practice-squad program was an excellent experience for me," Cantu says. "The exposure to the NFL environment and having an entire year with a team really pushes you to perform at a high level."

A closer look at the 11 international players heading to 2007 AFC East, AFC South and NFC North practice squads:

PLAYER NFL TEAM COUNTRY BACKGROUND

RB Jermaine Allen Chicago UK Totaled 181 scrimmage yards and scored three touchdowns for World Bowl champion Hamburg.

WR Marvin Allen Miami UK Caught 21 passes for 222 yards with one touchdown for Rhein.

LB Carl-Johan Bjork Green Bay Sweden Ranked second on Amsterdam with 46 tackles and recorded one sack and two passes defensed.

LB Eduardo Castaneda Houston Mexico Recorded 10 tackles and added five special-teams tackles for Rhein.

T Seppo Ewvaraye Minnesota Finland Started seven games for Cologne and helped Offensive co-MVP Derrick Ross lead league in rushing.

T Samuel Gutekunst Jacksonville Germany Played in nine games and helped Berlin lead league in rushing.

DE Ben Ishola Indianapolis Germany Named NFL Europa National Defensive Player of the Year. Recorded 22 tackles, five sacks, one forced fumble, one pass defensed and three special-teams tackles for World Bowl champion Hamburg.

WR Iiro Luoto NY Jets Finland Caught five passes for 39 yards for Rhein.

DT Salomon Solano Detroit Mexico Recorded 15 tackles, one pass defensed and 0.5 sacks for Rhein.

DE Daniel Watts Buffalo UK Posted 10 tackles and one sack for Amsterdam and Rhein.

DE Ulrich Winkler Tennessee Germany Recorded 20 tackles, 4½ sacks and one pass defensed for Frankfurt.

[Barton]

His name backwards is oril otoul.

A real o tool. Interesting.

[green_blood]

Aren't we getting some great talent! Woo, the majority of these Euros were backups in NFL Europe, that is pretty ****ing pathetic. The Colts got the only practice squad capable player. I'll pass on the hidden treasure trove of international football talent. Oh, wait they already have football. Why the hell do the Jets get the big doofy Finnish guy for that barely played? WTF, I really don't give a damn, there is better talent in AF2 than these Euro Trash, why is the NFL trying to force the world to like football, the world doesn't like America and they have their own sports already. All people want from America around the world is McDonalds, Coca Cola, Baby Phat and David Hasselhoff.

[joebabyny]

Aren't we getting some great talent! Woo, the majority of these Euros were backups in NFL Europe, that is pretty ****ing pathetic. The Colts got the only practice squad capable player. I'll pass on the hidden treasure trove of international football talent. Oh, wait they already have football. Why the hell do the Jets get the big doofy Finnish guy for that barely played? WTF, I really don't give a damn, there is better talent in AF2 than these Euro Trash, why is the NFL trying to force the world to like football, the world doesn't like America and they have their own sports already. All people want from America around the world is McDonalds, Coca Cola, Baby Phat and David Hasselhoff.

At one time foreign basketball players sucked too, just sayin'.......

[Ten]

Aren't we getting some great talent! Woo, the majority of these Euros were backups in NFL Europe, that is pretty ****ing pathetic. The Colts got the only practice squad capable player. I'll pass on the hidden treasure trove of international football talent. Oh, wait they already have football. Why the hell do the Jets get the big doofy Finnish guy for that barely played? WTF, I really don't give a damn, there is better talent in AF2 than these Euro Trash, why is the NFL trying to force the world to like football, the world doesn't like America and they have their own sports already. All people want from America around the world is McDonalds, Coca Cola, Baby Phat and David Hasselhoff.

Starting positions are decided in the head office more often than on the training field in NFL Europe.NFL teams allocate guys over to Europe to get playing time and kick up a fuss when their guys don't see the field,pressure is put on the headcoaches to ensure that the allocated players get first crack at the starting positions.There has been a few decent national players over the years who maybe,with the right coaching,could make it onto an NFL team.And that's what this scheme is about.We're getting an extra spot on the practice squad because of this.

[#27TheDominator]

why is the NFL trying to force the world to like football, the world doesn't like America and they have their own sports already. All people want from America around the world is McDonalds, Coca Cola, Baby Phat and David Hasselhoff.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[flgreen]

your right it's no big deal....

The team is given an extra pratice squad slot.

Why not?

[raffyD]

At one time foreign basketball players sucked too, just sayin'.......

Actually Italy always had good ballers (but maybe I'm not thinking far enough back).

Great point though, didn't really think about it like this before. Your pops or uncle (whoever) teach you how to catch a football but if no one has ever played the sport before how would anyone be able to teach you? It takes a long time to develop players for a sport that has never been played in a particular area-like a generation length of time.

[joebabyny]

Actually Italy always had good ballers (but maybe I'm not thinking far enough back).

Great point though, didn't really think about it like this before. Your pops or uncle (whoever) teach you how to catch a football but if no one has ever played the sport before how would anyone be able to teach you? It takes a long time to develop players for a sport that has never been played in a particular area-like a generation length of time.

Yup, exactly. There was a time when no international team would have even came close to matching up with an nba allstar team, let alone beat one like happens now in the olympics, and there was a time not too long ago where there was not one foreign player on the roster of either nba allstar team. But things change. the same will happen with soccer and cycling here. it would be absolutely absurd and pigheaded to think there are not some possible pro-bowl caliber players that could come from outside of the us at some point.

I would suspect the people who knocked the nfl for europa and demand it stay an "american sport" are probably the same people who haven't spent much time out of this country, or probably out of their own town actually.

[Thai Jet]

BFD ........I guess sums up my feelings on the subject.

[green_blood]

Yup, exactly. There was a time when no international team would have even came close to matching up with an nba allstar team, let alone beat one like happens now in the olympics, and there was a time not too long ago where there was not one foreign player on the roster of either nba allstar team. But things change. the same will happen with soccer and cycling here. it would be absolutely absurd and pigheaded to think there are not some possible pro-bowl caliber players that could come from outside of the us at some point.

I would suspect the people who knocked the nfl for europa and demand it stay an "american sport" are probably the same people who haven't spent much time out of this country, or probably out of their own town actually.

Football is to DIFFERENT as a sport to ever be a world wide success with international players. Baseball and Basketball are not sports like Football. To see an influx of good talent from Europe(other than kickers and punters), a huge number of people would have to give a **** about North American Football. If tons of people aren't INTERESTED there is no point. Why did NFL Europe FAIL to begin with? Because people were not interested. Ever play Dick Curl's NFL Europa 2006? No jerseys, no lucrative contracts, no major TV deals=NO INTEREST. The NFL should just stick to North America right now because there is interest in Canada(CFL and their college football) and in Mexico there is growing interest. Right now, the NFL is not international, its AMERICAN. Over in Europe they call it "American Football", and they don't want anything to do with our obese, big belt buckled, 10 mpg suvs and a war that is going nowhere. I have been to Europe before, THEY HATE AMERICA AND AMERICANS. Germany was the only place where we didnt get **** thrown at us wherever we went and in Berlin we almost got mugged. In France, thugs mugged two gay guys from America right off of the plane. American football will always fail in Europe and it would be a worthless crapshoot for European players to be given spots when there are Canadian and American players that are better waiting for a call.

[Ten]

Football is to DIFFERENT as a sport to ever be a world wide success with international players. Baseball and Basketball are not sports like Football. To see an influx of good talent from Europe(other than kickers and punters), a huge number of people would have to give a **** about North American Football. If tons of people aren't INTERESTED there is no point. Why did NFL Europe FAIL to begin with? Because people were not interested. Ever play Dick Curl's NFL Europa 2006? No jerseys, no lucrative contracts, no major TV deals=NO INTEREST. The NFL should just stick to North America right now because there is interest in Canada(CFL and their college football) and in Mexico there is growing interest. Right now, the NFL is not international, its AMERICAN. Over in Europe they call it "American Football", and they don't want anything to do with our obese, big belt buckled, 10 mpg suvs and a war that is going nowhere. I have been to Europe before, THEY HATE AMERICA AND AMERICANS. Germany was the only place where we didnt get **** thrown at us wherever we went and in Berlin we almost got mugged. In France, thugs mugged two gay guys from America right off of the plane. American football will always fail in Europe and it would be a worthless crapshoot for European players to be given spots when there are Canadian and American players that are better waiting for a call.

NFL Europe failed because it was poorly run.The league was quite successful in raising the games profile.it's just too expensive to fly over hundreds of personnel to and about europe.Not to mention the costs of renting stadiums and accommodation.

[#27TheDominator]

Football is to DIFFERENT as a sport to ever be a world wide success with international players. Baseball and Basketball are not sports like Football. To see an influx of good talent from Europe(other than kickers and punters), a huge number of people would have to give a **** about North American Football. If tons of people aren't INTERESTED there is no point. Why did NFL Europe FAIL to begin with? Because people were not interested. Ever play Dick Curl's NFL Europa 2006? No jerseys, no lucrative contracts, no major TV deals=NO INTEREST. The NFL should just stick to North America right now because there is interest in Canada(CFL and their college football) and in Mexico there is growing interest. Right now, the NFL is not international, its AMERICAN. Over in Europe they call it "American Football", and they don't want anything to do with our obese, big belt buckled, 10 mpg suvs and a war that is going nowhere. I have been to Europe before, THEY HATE AMERICA AND AMERICANS. Germany was the only place where we didnt get **** thrown at us wherever we went and in Berlin we almost got mugged. In France, thugs mugged two gay guys from America right off of the plane. American football will always fail in Europe and it would be a worthless crapshoot for European players to be given spots when there are Canadian and American players that are better waiting for a call.

I'm not sure I know what I know what you're talking about. It will be a long time before European players will be assimilated into North American football. OTOH, I'm affiliated with the Milano NFLItaly team. Of 30 Italians working at the Consulate, at least 2 have played organized tackle American football regularly. Literally everybody (60 year old women included) have heard of it, understand it's a violent game similar to rugby and expressed interest in watching the super bowl-of which they are all quite aware. Several of the guys I play with have football tats - one has a Rhinos tattoo, one has a Niners tat (go figure) and the US players they sent over were minor celebrities. cool guys, but I think they are back in the States. They're not to the point of the basketball players, but they are all backseat to soccer here.

Football is a second or third class sport here, but it's certainly well liked and there is still money in it even at this level. I'm sure the NFL looks at it more as an opportunity to make money and expand rather than as a talent pool. FWIW, I've heard at the start of NFLE they tried to have a Milanese team. The reasons it supposedly didn't work at point to the mismanagement of the league: 1. They didn't pay the right people (if you know what I mean) and 2. Supposedly they did talk to Berlusconi, but they insisted on playing on the main field at San Siro and the Italians feared damaging the sod during soccer season. No reason to risk injuring the big money calcio players for a start up.

[R44]

Seppo Ewvaraye (OL) played collegiately at Nebraska and Ben Isohola (DE) played at Indiana, so they are at least viable practice squad types. The Swedish linebacker signed by Green Bay looks competent, but at 25 he's already old for a long shot.

Basically Green-Blood is correct: After almost 18 years of the N.F.L. toying with variations of the World League/NFL Europe, the results are not pretty at all, in terms of ratings, fan support and player development.....The idea that the the N.F.L. will get an influx of talented Euro's (i.e the N.B.A. & N.H.L.) seems remote....which is why they disbanded the league.

Several N.F.L. GM's and owners wanted to cut the cord on the league as far back as 2004, but the hope of finding Dirk Nowitzki or Andre Kirilenko

types in football down the road kept the league afloat with very tepid support...

The list of players signed this week clearly shows that the N.F.L. has pretty much wasted it's time and money in Europe for almost 20 years

[glenn212]

Aren't we getting some great talent! Woo, the majority of these Euros were backups in NFL Europe, that is pretty ****ing pathetic. The Colts got the only practice squad capable player. I'll pass on the hidden treasure trove of international football talent. Oh, wait they already have football. Why the hell do the Jets get the big doofy Finnish guy for that barely played? WTF, I really don't give a damn, there is better talent in AF2 than these Euro Trash, why is the NFL trying to force the world to like football, the world doesn't like America and they have their own sports already. All people want from America around the world is McDonalds, Coca Cola, Baby Phat and David Hasselhoff.

Well..Ben Graham sorta worked out here chief,wouldn't you say mate??..I'm psyched Tangini leaves no stone unturned on the ENTIRE earth looking for talent..Remember Graham is a Mangini find. Go DAS JETS.. POTW

[Gainzo]

Well..Ben Graham sorta worked out here chief,wouldn't you say mate??..I'm psyched Tangini leaves no stone unturned on the ENTIRE earth looking for talent..Remember Graham is a Mangini find. Go DAS JETS.. POTW

I was going to say the same thing.

Graham is a fantastic punter, but if came to the Jets 7 or 8 years ago, he could have been a TE or WR.

green_blood: While American football may never be a worldwide success there are plenty of athletes from all over the World who could play the game.

[glenn212]

I was going to say the same thing.

Graham is a fantastic punter, but if came to the Jets 7 or 8 years ago, he could have been a TE or WR.

green_blood: While American football may never be a worldwide success there are plenty of athletes from all over the World who could play the game.

How's St Kilda these days..my friend recently moved to a house in Britton..near the beach???

[Gainzo]

How's St Kilda these days..my friend recently moved to a house in Britton..near the beach???

Do you mean Brighton? It's right down the road from St. Kilda and very nice.

I'd rather not go on a rant and bore the good people on JN, but here is the condensed version about my beloved footy club:

The Sainters have had an injury marred season and with a new Coach have performed below expectations.

[green_blood]

Well..Ben Graham sorta worked out here chief,wouldn't you say mate??..I'm psyched Tangini leaves no stone unturned on the ENTIRE earth looking for talent..Remember Graham is a Mangini find. Go DAS JETS.. POTW

Umm, in post #2 of mine, I said that "kickers and punters" are the only reliable and valuable resource, a la Morten Andersen and Ben Graham. I am not your chief or mate, and if Mangini truly scoured the earth, there would be more internationals on the squad. Its all marketing, it makes the NFL look more powerful and welcoming to others in the world. Even if one of these schlubs make a squad, the NFL will shove this down everyone's throats for jersey sales. The NFL has finally figured out that American footballwill not succeed as teams over in Europe, but if even a mediocre player gets a spot, jersey sales and exposure will skyrocket. Look at Yao in China, he is just a big oaf, but now Kobe Bryant is the number 1 selling jersey over there, all because of Yao. Its not always about talent, its created perception of talent and how much money you have in your pocket.

[glenn212]

Umm, in post #2 of mine, I said that "kickers and punters" are the only reliable and valuable resource, a la Morten Andersen and Ben Graham. I am not your chief or mate, and if Mangini truly scoured the earth, there would be more internationals on the squad. Its all marketing, it makes the NFL look more powerful and welcoming to others in the world. Even if one of these schlubs make a squad, the NFL will shove this down everyone's throats for jersey sales. The NFL has finally figured out that American footballwill not succeed as teams over in Europe, but if even a mediocre player gets a spot, jersey sales and exposure will skyrocket. Look at Yao in China, he is just a big oaf, but now Kobe Bryant is the number 1 selling jersey over there, all because of Yao. Its not always about talent, its created perception of talent and how much money you have in your pocket.

Chief is an American colloquialism as is mate in Australia PAL..So Mangini is bringing in say wrestlers and basketball players (who have limited play in football) is some sort of marketing ploy as if he would bring in a out of USA players for publicity purposes??..From watching this coach for a year that is a highly doubtful scenerio..Not growing up playing the game is a big disadvantage to oversea's players but you keep looking because there really are good athletes outside the USA borders don't you know!

[glenn212]

Do you mean Brighton? It's right down the road from St. Kilda and very nice.

I'd rather not go on a rant and bore the good people on JN, but here is the condensed version about my beloved footy club:

The Sainters have had an injury marred season and with a new Coach have performed below expectations.

Yes Gainzo Brighton is where he now resides..quite beautiful and right near the beach,some great restaurants..I also have a friend thats owns a men's clothing shop in Melborne on whats that street where all the shops are..it ends (the street) right in St Kilda.

I've been twice to Australia..great place from Melbourne to Daintree rain forest..Gold Coast, Cairns and Sydney..Hope to make another trip soon even though I never look forward to the flight especially from the east coast.

[Brenjetsfan]

I would like to see a pic of tHIS tight - end............

[green_blood]

Chief is an American colloquialism as is mate in Australia PAL..So Mangini is bringing in say wrestlers and basketball players (who have limited play in football) is some sort of marketing ploy as if he would bring in a out of USA players for publicity purposes??..From watching this coach for a year that is a highly doubtful scenerio..Not growing up playing the game is a big disadvantage to oversea's players but you keep looking because there really are good athletes outside the USA borders don't you know!

Like Luoto is any good, HE WAS PRACTICE SQUAD NFL EUROPE! That is lower than AFL. The DE the Bears got sounds like the only one that could make a practice squad. By "looking" overseas, scouts are ignoring Canada, and before the NFL touches Europe again, there must be a stronger following in Mexico. Someone posted that NFL Europa failed because of poor management, if there were demand over there, it wouldn't be incompetents running the league. All that Mangini was doing was a publicity stunt with the wrestlers. But, it is easier and more cost effective to get athletes from here like the wrestlers and Jesse Pellot-Rosa. I guess in the end, it really doesn't matter with one extra spot made, because in the end, its just fodder.

[joebabyny]

Football is to DIFFERENT as a sport to ever be a world wide success with international players. Baseball and Basketball are not sports like Football. To see an influx of good talent from Europe(other than kickers and punters), a huge number of people would have to give a **** about North American Football. If tons of people aren't INTERESTED there is no point. Why did NFL Europe FAIL to begin with? Because people were not interested. Ever play Dick Curl's NFL Europa 2006? No jerseys, no lucrative contracts, no major TV deals=NO INTEREST. The NFL should just stick to North America right now because there is interest in Canada(CFL and their college football) and in Mexico there is growing interest. Right now, the NFL is not international, its AMERICAN. Over in Europe they call it "American Football", and they don't want anything to do with our obese, big belt buckled, 10 mpg suvs and a war that is going nowhere. I have been to Europe before, THEY HATE AMERICA AND AMERICANS. Germany was the only place where we didnt get **** thrown at us wherever we went and in Berlin we almost got mugged. In France, thugs mugged two gay guys from America right off of the plane. American football will always fail in Europe and it would be a worthless crapshoot for European players to be given spots when there are Canadian and American players that are better waiting for a call.

They were getting a solid 20,000 spectators per regular season game, I wouldn't call that nobody caring. Also, almost all the teams were concentrated in germany, if they spread it out a bit through europe it could have been even better. The league wasn't around nearly long enough to really take hold. You have to realize, it takes quite a while for a sport to indocrinate into popular culture, so that kids who watch it from a young age want to play it as they get older. It was just the first stepping stone, next would have been more organized camps and little leagues for children.

and dude, I highly doubt you have travelled nearly as much as I have, I am on my third passport book in 8 years. there is a HUGE difference between how people feel about americans and american politics. Last time I checked, american culture, music, and movies are loved by the whole world, so to think people don't care about american things is totally absurd. You do realize baseball, america's pasttime, is huge in asia and central and south america, and basketball is an american invention as well. Football is not any different other then the fact that it is a little harder to get organized games going because of equipment, but the NFL money machine has the means to make it happen.

Plain and simple, having a larger talent pool only makes the sport better. If someone said 10-15 years ago that very soon one of the starting allstar game centers would be from china, you would have laughed. Or when they had the original (and only true legit) Dream Team go overseas it would have been absurd to think there would be a time when another country would beat us.

[#27TheDominator]

They were getting a solid 20,000 spectators per regular season game, I wouldn't call that nobody caring. Also, almost all the teams were concentrated in germany, if they spread it out a bit through europe it could have been even better. The league wasn't around nearly long enough to really take hold. You have to realize, it takes quite a while for a sport to indocrinate into popular culture, so that kids who watch it from a young age want to play it as they get older. It was just the first stepping stone, next would have been more organized camps and little leagues for children.

and dude, I highly doubt you have travelled nearly as much as I have, I am on my third passport book in 8 years. there is a HUGE difference between how people feel about americans and american politics. Last time I checked, american culture, music, and movies are loved by the whole world, so to think people don't care about american things is totally absurd. You do realize baseball, america's pasttime, is huge in asia and central and south america, and basketball is an american invention as well. Football is not any different other then the fact that it is a little harder to get organized games going because of equipment, but the NFL money machine has the means to make it happen.

Plain and simple, having a larger talent pool only makes the sport better. If someone said 10-15 years ago that very soon one of the starting allstar game centers would be from china, you would have laughed. Or when they had the original (and only true legit) Dream Team go overseas it would have been absurd to think there would be a time when another country would beat us.

Excellent points. I can't tell you how much time I spend dealing with Italians trying to get stuff from the States. They love us over here. One other point about the mismanagement of NFLEuro. The NFL money machine is not infallable. It succeeds primarily because it's a monopoly. There is plenty of mismanagement in the regular NFL. No team in LA? The Cardinals? Those guys are not all geniuses. It's not easy to set up a league with Americans running businesses in Europe particularly trying to coordinate throughout several different countries, each with it's own commercial culture. Beleive me, there is a monumental attitude difference between Germany and Italy for instance. Given time I'm sure it would work, but it's not like starting a pop warner league on Long Island.

[Ten]

Like Luoto is any good, HE WAS PRACTICE SQUAD NFL EUROPE! That is lower than AFL. The DE the Bears got sounds like the only one that could make a practice squad. By "looking" overseas, scouts are ignoring Canada, and before the NFL touches Europe again, there must be a stronger following in Mexico. Someone posted that NFL Europa failed because of poor management, if there were demand over there, it wouldn't be incompetents running the league. All that Mangini was doing was a publicity stunt with the wrestlers. But, it is easier and more cost effective to get athletes from here like the wrestlers and Jesse Pellot-Rosa. I guess in the end, it really doesn't matter with one extra spot made, because in the end, its just fodder.

There is not going to be an instant demand when you try an incorporate something new.It will take decades to build up interest in am arket that is dominated by soccer and already has it's contact sport in rugby.

To go back on my original comments,the league did do a good job of introducing the game to Europe,attendances were generally good and they were raising awareness of the game.The problems were that there wasn't enough money when it came to advertising and the product on the field was poor.NFL Teams stopped sending over players with potential because all their playing experience will more than negated by missing valuable NFL off season work outs.NFL Europe should of been run along side the NFL season,meaning the late round draft picks and promising UDFA could been sent to Europe for game time and still get the off season workouts.More talented players on the field means a better product which means even better attendances.There would also be ab etter return on players coming through the league.

[green_blood]

Well, in the end, most teams found it better to rather have players on practice squads with experienced coaching. NFL Europa was a failure, let the Europeans make another league again, and then we'll see how that goes. The idea was a failure, it would be better to have the minor league in America, which the NFL has figured out. Why leave neighboring areas unturned like Canada, Mexico and even the Caribbean? Rohan Davey was from Jamaica, spread slowly, don't start across an ocean when it can start in one continent.