Former Eph football and track standout and All-American, Scott Farley has been drafted by the Rhein (Germany) Fire of NFL Europa. Farley will be in Tampa, beginning March 11th for a two-week tryout with the Rhein Fire in the hopes of securing his second contract to play in the league.
In 2004 Farley, a Williamstown native and Mt. Greylock graduate, played strong safety for the Berlin Thunder whens they won the World Bowl to become champions of NFL Europe. The head coach of the Thunder was Rick Lantz, who is currently the head coach of the Rhein Fire.
Farley was a free agent signee with the New England Patriots out of Williams and was in the Patriots Camp for two years, before being released in 2004. After leaving the Patriots Farley signed with the Carolina panthers and made it deep into training camp in 2005, before a serious hamstring injury curtailed his bid to make the team.
Over the last 18 months Farley had surgery on his hamstring, rehabilitated with a physical therapist, got cut from the Panthers, bought house, worked out on his own with the intention of making one last drive for the NFL and took a job as a co-teacher in an inner city kindergarten.
His decision to co-teach kindergarten was by design. "Co-teaching allowed me to get paid to practice patience and to see if I want to teach and coach later on," said Farley. "I thinking teaching and coaching the game I love is where I will end up when my playing days are over. It was a great introduction to teaching and it allowed me to have the kind of day that permitted me to set up a standard workout schedule."
"I have not played football or had any contact for 18 months, so I'm anxious to get down to Tampa and see what I can do," said Farley. "Not only will I be trying to win a spot on the Rhein Fire, but all of the NFL teams will have coaches there observing all of the NFL Europa tryouts, so I have a chance to make a statement."
Farley is in the best shape he can be, but he cannot simulate game experiences and judge his improvement against others until he gets to Tampa. "The last time I was in camp with the Panthers I weighed 215 and was in great shape, but I think my current weight of 205 gives me a little more quickness," Farley said.
Farley was named to three All-American football teams his senior year at Williams -- 1st Team AFCA, 1st Team D3football.com, and 2nd Team Hewlett Packard. He was also selected to play in the Aztec Bowl vs. Mexico, but had to decline the opportunity due to class conflicts.
He was also selected to play for the U.S. against Mexico in the Aztec Bowl, but Farley was unable to compete due to academic conflicts.
Farley did a little bit of everything for the Ephs in his senior year (2002). He kicked off, kicked FGs and PATs, punted, returned punts and kickoffs and lined up at WR and strong safety. He caught nine passes for 108 yards and one TD.
Farley returned 17 punts for 106 yards and two kickoffs for 25 yards. He converted 30 of 34 PAT and hit on four of six FG attempts. He tied for team-high in points with 48. He recorded 35 tackles on the year (17 solos) and he had two tackles for a loss. He posted team-highs in interceptions with four and in pass-breakups with 14.
He led NESCAC in punting with an average of 38.8 yards and 20 of his 31 punts went inside the opposition's 20-yard line. Farley was named was the NESCAC Defensive Player of the Year.
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Williamstown Select Board Plans Off-Camera Evaluation of Town Manager
By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Select Board plans to take extraordinary measures to avoid having its discussion of the town manager's performance recorded by the town's Public, Educational and Government cameras.
At its Sept. 28 meeting, the board decided to hold a special meeting in a room not covered by WilliNet cameras to complete its annual evaluation process of Town Manager Robert Menicocci.
Chair Peter Beck said that while the evaluation is "absolutely" to be conducted in an open meeting, the board could follow a process similar to the off site, unrecorded meetings that past Select Boards have characterized as "retreats," a term not contemplated by or included in the commonwealth's Open Meeting Law.
The current board met on June 29 for what it characterized as a "planning session" where no formal votes were taken. That meeting was held outside of Town Hall, at the new fire station on Main Street, in a room equipped with audio and video recording equipment that the Select Board chose not to use.
At the Sept. 28 meeting, one board member indicated that an unrecorded meeting was preferable to discuss the annual evaluation of the one town employee supervised by the board.
"I'd like to do it without all the Willinet stuff," Stephanie Boyd said in a discussion toward the end of a two-hour meeting. "I think it's more conducive to conversation."
With the board expected to meet just once in October — its "regular" meeting date coincides with Indigenous Peoples Day on Oct. 12 — Beck suggested that the panel could find a date for a special meeting, suggesting the third Monday of the month, Oct. 19.
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