|
BANDITS
TRIVIA |
| -- |
| Lee
Scarfone and Tony Cunningham purchased the
Bandits from John Bassett for a reported $3
million. |
| -- |
| The
sale of the team was closed on July 30, 1985,
just weeks after the league's final game. |
| -- |
| To
initially acquire rights to his franchise, John
Bassett was required only to post a $1.5 million
letter of credit, and agree to invest at least
$6 million in his team over three years. |
| -- |
| In
Week 5 of the 1983 season, the Chicago Blitz
Luther Bradley intercepted six passes
from Bandit quarterbacks - a pro football
record. |
| -- |
| The
Bandits 1983 media guide (pictured at right)
featured a picture of actor and team part-owner
Burt Reynolds. |
| -- |
| Had
the Bandits beaten the Birmingham Stallions in
the final game of their 1983 season, they would
have qualified for the USFL playoffs.
Instead, the Chicago Blitz earned the league's
only wild-card berth. |
| -- |
| The
35 wins posted by the Bandits over the team's
three year history was the second most among
USFL teams, eclipsed only by the
Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars. |
| -- |
| Team
founder John Bassett died of cancer on May 14,
1986 at the age of 47. |
| -- |
| A
number of the members of Football Partners,
Ltd., the group that brought the Bandits to
Tampa, were affiliated with ESM Securities,
which went bankrupt amid the 1985 scandal which
wiped out Birmingham Stallions owner Marvin
Warner. |
| -- |
| The
Bandits were one of more than a half-dozen teams
in the USFL to utilize silver among its team
colors. |
| -- |
| A
general partner of the Bandits until committing
suicide in July 1985, Stephen Arky originally
wanted to acquire a USFL franchise for
Miami. He would pool his resources with
those of John Bassett to build the Bandits. |
| -- |
