1 9 8 2
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May 11 - At "21" in New York City, the United States Football League announces its plans to begin play with the 1983 season.  Over the next six weeks, television packages with ABC and ESPN are also announced.
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July 20 - Former Philadelphia Eagles assistant Dick Coury is named head coach and General Manager.
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August 26 - The Boston franchise announces it will be known as the "Boston Breakers."
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August 31 - The Breakers are aligned in the USFL's Atlantic Division for 1983 along with the New Jersey Generals, Philadelphia Stars and Washington Federals
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December 17 - The Breakers learn that they will draft 11th in odd numbered rounds of the upcoming USFL Collegiate Draft, and 2nd in even numbered rounds.
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1 9 8 3
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January 4 - The Breakers trade their first round draft choice to the Chicago Blitz in exchange for three later round draft choices.
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March 6 - Tim Mazzetti scores the first points in USFL history, kicking a 30 yard field goal against the Tampa Bay Bandits.  The Bandits go on to win the game however, 21-17.
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January 4 - The Breakers trade their first round draft choice to the Chicago Blitz in exchange for three later round draft choices.

To see more of the
Breakers timeline, visit the
USFL.INFO
Timeline of the USFL
Years Played in USFL: 1983, 1984, 1985.
Club Owner(s): George Matthews and Randy Vataha (1983); Joseph Canizaro (1984-85)
Playing Site: Nickerson Field, Boston Massachusetts (1983); Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans Louisiana (1984); Civic Stadium, Portland Oregon (1985)
Head Coach(es): Dick Coury
Overall Record: 25-29-0
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Year Head Coach W L T Pct. Finish Post-Season Notes
1983 Dick Coury 11 7 0 .611 2nd, Atlantic Div. Failed to Qualify
1984 Dick Coury 8 10 0 .444 3rd, Southern Div. Failed to Qualify
1985 Dick Coury 6 12 0 .333 5th, Western Conf. Failed to Qualify
Team Totals 25 29 0 .463 --- -

Boston was intended to be a key market in David Dixon's plans for the United States Football League almost from the very beginning.  As a "top ten" market in terms of television audience, Dixon felt it critical that a franchise be placed there as part of the league's effort to secure a network television contract.
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Former New England Patriot wide receiver Randy Vataha partnered with George Matthews to bring the USFL to Boston for 1983.  The pair had previously been partners in a chain of local racquetball centers, selling them in order to finance the Breakers inaugural season.  Almost immediately though, forces beyond their control would push the Breakers out of Boston, most notable among them the inability to successfully negotiate a lease agreement for either Foxboro (then Sullivan) Stadium nor Harvard Stadium.  This inability forced the Breakers to call Nickerson Field home.  Located on the campus of Boston University, it was the USFL's smallest venue, with a seating capacity of less than 25,000.  On the field the Breakers exceeded all expectations in their inaugural season, going 11-7-0 and missing a playoff berth by just one win.

After continued efforts to secure either Foxboro or Harvard Stadiums for 1984 failed, Matthews and Vataha decided to sell the franchise to Louisiana real estate developer Joseph Canizaro, who would move the club to his hometown, New Orleans.  There the team would call the spacious Louisiana Superdome home, and there the team would achieve its greatest success in terms of attendance, averaging roughly 30,000 per game - 50% more than the capacity of Nickerson Field.  Buoyed by their new home and a small but rabid fan base, the Breakers won their first 5 games in 1984... only to lose 10 of their remaining 13 games.  The 8-10-0 season wasn't stellar by any measure, but New Orleans seemed to have a popular spring pro football team.

And then the decision was made to move the USFL to a fall schedule beginning in 1986.  Understandably not wishing to compete head-to-head with the NFL's Saints, Canizaro opted to move the team again after just one year rather than play a "lame duck" 1985 season in New Orleans.  He eventually would settle the team in Portland, Oregon of all places, surmising that it was a region where there would be no competition for pro football for at least a hundred miles in every direction.

Canizaro was right, but there was a reason for it - there was little if any interest in pro football in the city of roses.  Playing in 59 year old Civic Stadium, the team played poorly on the field (finishing the season at 6-12-0), and drew poorly at the gate (averaging under 20,000 fans per home game).  The coast to coast move of the Breakers had taken its toll, as Portland fans joked where the team would move for the 1986 season.  Hawaii?  Alaska?  The options to move further west were somewhat limited.

Following the 1985 season the Breakers were intended to be one of nine USFL teams to play in the fall 1986 season, but following the verdict in USFL v. NFL, Canizaro had seen enough and pulled the plug.  The Breakers had washed ashore. 
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