|
EXPRESS
TRIVIA |
| -- |
| Compared
to other USFL clubs, the L.A. Express had
relatively little turnover in its player
personnel during the team's three years. |
| -- |
| Of
the 50 players that composed the team's 40-man
roster and 10-man developmental squad in the
team's maiden 1983 season, 11 would be around to
see the start of the 1985 Express campaign. |
| -- |
| The
Los Angeles Express played in pro football's
longest game ever, a USFL Divisional Playoff
Game against the Michigan Panthers. |
| -- |
| The
game lasted over 93 minutes of playing time, and
was won by the Express, 27-21. |
| -- |
| The
Express would be knocked out of the 1984 playoff
the following week by the Arizona Wranglers. |
| -- |
| For
the Michigan Panthers though, it would be the
team's final game in the USFL, as the Michigan
franchise was merged with the Oakland Invaders
for 1985. |
| -- |
| Some
abbreviated the Los Angeles Express name down to
the three-letter symbol "LAX." |
| -- |
| LAX
today is better known as a three-letter
abbreviation for the sport of lacrosse. |
| -- |
| The
league takeover of the team following the 1984
season resulted in the team paring expenses in
any way humanly possible. |
| -- |
| The
league, in search of a buyer for the club once
J. William Oldenburg abandoned it, refused to
allow the Express to sign new players onto its
roster, even to replace injured ones. |
| -- |
| Early
on in the 1985 season, USFL Commissioner Harry
Usher visited the Express to give them an update
on the team's status. |
| -- |
| Usher
told the team that their contracts would be
guaranteed through the end of the 1985 season -
in essence, that they were all being released
(in the case of the players) or fired (in the
case of the coaches) once the season was over. |
| -- |
| The
Express had been in danger of folding after the
1984 season, but Usher persuaded the USFL's
owners to finance the operation of the team
through 1985 in order to preserve the league's
contract with ABC television. |
| -- |
| The
contract required the USFL to have franchises in
the New York, Chicago and Los Angeles media
markets. |
| -- |
| With
the Chicago Blitz having ceased operations after
the 1984 season, Usher felt the USFL was already
in breach of its contract with ABC, and while
ABC didn't seem to find the loss of the Blitz
particularly devastating, losing the Express
along with them would almost certainly trigger a
termination clause in the ABC deal. |
| -- |
| The
owners reluctantly gave Usher permission to
operate the club on behalf of the league for
1985 while he sought an owner for the franchise. |
| -- |
| Usher
ultimately was unsuccessful in finding a buyer
for the Express, and thanks to the reckless
spending of J. William Oldenburg the team lost
millions of dollars in 1985. |
| -- |
| The
losses were, per league rules, equally imposed
on each of the league's remaining
franchises. Usher nearly lost his job over
keeping the Express alive. |
|
| Player
Name |
Pos. |
College/University |
1983 |
1984 |
1985 |
| Abbott,
Vince |
K |
Cal
State Fullerton |
X |
- |
- |
| Ahica,
George |
DT |
Southern
California |
X |
X |
X |
| Adickes,
Mark |
T |
Baylor |
- |
X |
X |
| Alapa,
Clifton |
DE |
--- |
X |
- |
- |
| Alexander,
Robert |
RB |
West
Virginia |
- |
- |
X |
| Allen,
Anthony |
WR |
Washington |
X |
X |
- |
| Allen,
Carl |
C |
--- |
X |
- |
- |
| Aupiu,
David |
LB |
--- |
X |
- |
- |
| Barefield,
John |
LB |
--- |
X |
- |
- |
| Barnett,
John |
RB |
--- |
X |
X |
- |
| Boddie,
Tony |
RB |
Montana
State |
X |
X |
X |
| Broomeli,
Brian |
QB |
--- |
X |
- |
- |
| Brown,
Reggie |
RB |
Oregon |
- |
X |
- |
| Burleson,
Alvin |
DB |
Washington |
X |
- |
- |
| Byers,
Scott |
DB |
Cal
State Long Beach |
X |
- |
- |
| Campbell,
Leroy |
WR |
Sonoma
State |
- |
- |
X |
| Carson,
Howard |
LB |
Howard
Payne |
- |
X |
X |
| Cattage,
Ray |
DE |
Washington |
- |
- |
X |
| Coppens,
Gus |
T |
UCLA |
X |
X |
- |
| Cornelius,
Pat |
T |
--- |
X |
X |
- |
| Crouch,
Terry |
G |
--- |
- |
X |
- |
| Croudip,
David |
DB |
--- |
X |
X |
- |
| Davis,
Anthony |
RB |
Southern
California |
X |
- |
- |
| Dimler,
Rich |
DL |
Southern
California |
X |
- |
- |
| Doubiago,
Dan |
T |
Utah |
- |
- |
X |
| Drane,
Dwight |
S |
Oklahoma |
- |
X |
X |
| Durrette,
Mike |
G |
West
Virginia |
X |
X |
X |
| Edwards,
Dennis |
DE |
Southern
California |
X |
X |
- |
| Ellis,
Ricky |
TE |
Cal
State Fullerton |
X |
X |
- |
| Faalafua,
Wayne |
T |
Brigham
Young |
X |
- |
- |
| Fields,
Greg |
DE |
Grambling |
X |
- |
- |
| Fields,
Mike |
T |
--- |
X |
- |
- |
| Filaga,
Junior |
NG |
--- |
X |
- |
- |
| Fisher,
Ed |
G |
Arizona
State |
- |
- |
X |
| Foote,
Chris |
C |
Southern
California |
- |
X |
- |
| Forte,
Dewey |
C |
--- |
- |
X |
- |
| Fox,
Mike |
DB |
San
Diego State |
X |
X |
- |
| Franey,
Jerome |
LB |
San
Diego State |
X |
- |
- |
| Gray,
Mel |
RB |
Purdue |
X |
X |
X |
| Gunn,
Duane |
WR |
Indiana |
- |
X |
X |
| Haines,
Kris |
WR |
Notre
Dame |
X |
- |
- |
| Harrington,
LaRue |
RB |
Norfolk
State |
X |
X |
- |
| Harris,
Michael |
WR |
--- |
X |
- |
- |
| Hart,
Jeff |
T |
Oregon
State |
- |
X |
X |
| Haslip,
Wilbert |
RB |
--- |
X |
- |
- |
| Hayes,
Vister |
WR |
--- |
X |
- |
- |
| Henderson,
Wymon |
CB |
Nevada
- Las Vegas |
X |
X |
X |
| Hersey,
David |
RB |
Tulsa |
- |
X |
X |
| Higgins,
John |
CB |
Nevada
- Las Vegas |
- |
- |
X |
| Hosea,
Bobby |
DB |
--- |
X |
- |
- |
| Howard,
David |
LB |
Cal
State Long Beach |
- |
X |
X |
| Hudson,
Gordon |
TE |
Brigham
Young |
- |
X |
X |
| Jenkins,
Fletcher |
DE |
Washington |
- |
X |
X |
| Jensen,
Russ |
QB |
Cal
Lutheran |
X |
X |
X |
| Johnson,
Denver |
T |
--- |
X |
X |
- |
| Jones,
Wayne |
G |
Utah |
X |
X |
X |
| Justin,
Tyrone |
DB |
Cal
State Fullerton |
X |
X |
- |
| Kennard,
Derek |
G |
Nevada
- Reno |
- |
X |
X |
| Lesnik,
Ivan |
DT |
Arizona |
- |
X |
- |
| Loberg,
Greg |
C |
California |
- |
X |
X |
| Long,
Darren |
TE |
Cal
State Long Beach |
- |
X |
- |
| Lowell,
Gary |
WR |
Oklahoma |
- |
X |
X |
| Lukens,
Joe |
G |
Ohio
State |
- |
- |
X |
| Lute,
Dann |
LB |
North
Carolina State |
X |
X |
- |
| Mack,
Kevin |
RB |
Clemson |
- |
X |
- |
| Martin,
Ed |
LB |
Indiana
State |
- |
X |
- |
| Mitchell,
Aaron |
DB |
--- |
- |
X |
- |
| Melontree,
Andy |
LB |
Baylor |
- |
- |
X |
| Moore,
Malcolm |
WR |
Southern
California |
- |
X |
- |
| Moran,
Eric |
T |
Washington |
X |
- |
- |
| Moser,
Greg |
WR |
--- |
X |
- |
- |
| Moten,
Gary |
LB |
Southern
Methodist |
- |
- |
X |
| Murphy,
Phil |
T |
--- |
X |
- |
- |
| Nelson,
Kevin |
RB |
UCLA |
- |
X |
X |
| Norman,
Tommy |
WR |
Jackson
State |
- |
X |
- |
| Norris,
Sam |
LB |
--- |
- |
X |
- |
| O'Neal,
Kenny |
TE |
Idaho
State |
- |
- |
X |
| Orange,
Rickey |
LB |
--- |
X |
- |
- |
| Partridge,
Jeff |
P |
Washington |
- |
X |
X |
| Pattillo,
Darrell |
CB |
Cal
State Long Beach |
- |
- |
X |
| Philyaw,
Charles |
DE |
--- |
X |
- |
- |
| Pitcock,
Charles |
G |
--- |
X |
- |
- |
| Rackley,
David |
CB |
Texas
Southern |
- |
X |
- |
| Rae,
Mike |
QB |
Southern
California |
X |
- |
- |
| Rakhshani,
Vic |
TE |
--- |
X |
- |
- |
| Ramsey,
Tom |
QB |
UCLA |
X |
X |
- |
| Rich,
Danny |
LB |
Weber
State |
X |
X |
X |
| Richardson,
Grady |
TE |
--- |
X |
- |
- |
| Robinson,
James |
DT |
Clemson |
- |
X |
X |
| Rose,
Carlton |
LB |
Michigan |
- |
- |
X |
| Rudolph,
Ben |
DE |
Cal
State Long Beach |
- |
- |
X |
| Ruether,
Mike |
C |
Texas |
- |
X |
X |
| Ruyle,
Clay |
DE |
Stephen
F. Austin |
- |
- |
X |
| Scoggins,
Eric |
LB |
Southern
California |
X |
- |
- |
| Scott,
Edward |
CB |
Grambling |
- |
X |
X |
| Scott,
Freddie |
WR |
--- |
- |
X |
- |
| Seawell,
Ron |
LB |
--- |
X |
- |
- |
| Seurer,
Frank |
QB |
Kansas |
- |
X |
X |
| Sherrod,
Mike |
TE |
Illinois |
X |
X |
X |
| Smith,
Allanda |
S |
Texas
Christian |
- |
X |
X |
| Sparks,
Robert |
DB |
--- |
X |
- |
- |
| Townsell,
JoJo |
WR |
UCLA |
X |
X |
X |
| Truitt,
John |
DE-LB |
Oklahoma |
- |
X |
- |
| Turner,
Kevin |
LB |
Pacific |
- |
X |
- |
| Turner,
Lonnie |
WR |
--- |
X |
- |
- |
| Ussery,
Charles |
DT |
Southern
California |
- |
X |
X |
| Walker,
Glen |
P |
--- |
X |
- |
- |
| Warren,
John |
DB |
Virginia
Union |
- |
- |
X |
| Warren,
Kirby |
RB |
Pacific |
- |
X |
X |
| Weaver,
Eddie |
DT |
Georgia |
X |
X |
X |
| West,
Doug |
LB |
--- |
- |
X |
- |
| West,
Troy |
S |
Southern
California |
- |
X |
| |
