The Los Angeles Avengers
were an Arena Football League team based in Los Angeles, California from 2000 through 2008. They folded on April 19, 2009. [1]
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LOS ANGELES AVENGERS TICKETS
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History
The
Los Angeles Avengers
played their home games at the
Staples Center, which is also the current home to the
Los Angeles Kings of the
National Hockey League, the
Los Angeles Lakers and
Los Angeles Clippers of the
National Basketball Association, the
Los Angeles Sparks of the
Women's National Basketball Association, and the
Los Angeles D-Fenders of the
NBA Development League. The team began play in the 2000 season. The Avengers competed in the Western Division of the American Conference. Since its inception in 2000, the Avengers had competed in postseason play five times. The Avengers earned American Conference wildcard playoff berths in 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2007, and won the American Conference Western Division Championship in 2005.
The Avengers franchise was owned by
Casey Wasserman, grandson of the late
MCA head
Lew Wasserman.
On April 10, 2005, Avengers defensive lineman
Al Lucas was injured attempting to make a tackle and later died at a nearby hospital. It is the only fatal injury incurred during a game in the history of the league. The Al Lucas Hero Award is named after him.
The Avengers annouced the termination of the program on April 20, 2009 after nine years of operation: "The LA Avengers has terminated its participation in the Arena Football League...."
The Avengers official mascot was a superhero-like character named
TD
.
[2]
Memorable Avengers' highlights
- On Sunday, March 30, 2003, in a Week 9 road game against the Orlando Predators, the Avengers trailed 63-58 late in the game. However, L.A. managed to recover an onside kick and on the very last play of the game, Quarterback Tony Graziani threw a 32-yard touchdown pass that flinged off the rebound net and was caught by WR/LB Greg Hopkins, giving the Avengers a 64-63 win. On the Arena Football League's 20 Greatest Highlights Countdown, this is at #19. Greg Hopkins would later coach special teams for the Avengers where he forced his players to do push-ups if they do not know the answers to his questions. [3]
Season-by-season
Note:
W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties''
Season
| W
| L
| T
| Finish
| Playoff results
|
2000
| 3
| 11
| 0
| 4th AC Western
| --
|
2001
| 5
| 9
| 0
| 3rd AC Western
| --
|
2002
| 8
| 6
| 0
| 3rd AC Western
| Lost Week 1 (Tampa Bay 66-41)
|
2003
| 11
| 5
| 0
| 2nd AC Western
| Lost Week 2 (Arizona 70-63)
|
2004
| 9
| 7
| 0
| 3rd AC Western
| Lost Week 1 (Arizona 59-42)
|
2005
| 10
| 6
| 0
| 1st AC Western
| Lost Week 1 (Chicago 52-45)
|
2006
| 5
| 11
| 0
| 5th AC Western
| --
|
2007
| 9
| 7
| 0
| 2nd AC Western
| Won Wild Card (Utah 64-42) Lost Divisional (Chicago 52-20)
|
2008
| 5
| 11
| 0
| 4th AC Western
| --
|
Totals
| 63
| 77
| 0
| (including playoffs)
|
Coaches
Head coach
| Tenure
| Regular season record (W-L)
| Post season record (W-L)
| Most recent coaching staff
| Notes
|
Stan Brock
| 2000 - 2001
| 3-14 [4]
| 0-0
|
| Let go after starting 0-3 during 2001.
|
Robert Lyles
| 2001 [5]
| 5-6
| 0-0
|
| Replaced Brock, was not retained after season.
|
Ed Hodgkiss
| 2002 - 2008
| 57-53 [6]
| 1-5
|
|
|
Pat O'Hara*
| 2009
| 0-0
| 0-0
| OC:Vacant DC / DB Coach: Maurice Blanding QB / WR Coach: Chad Salisbury DL / LB Coach: Leroy Thompson OL / FB Coach: Mark Tucker
| Team folded before he coached a game.
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Notable past players
- Shannon Culver -WR/LB
- Jim Druckenmiller - QB
- Tony Graziani - QB
- Greg Hopkins - WR/LB
- John Kaleo - QB
- Al Lucas - OL/DL
- Todd Marinovich - QB
- Chris Jackson - WR
Retired numbers
- #76 Al Lucas – June 17, 2007
- #82 Greg Hopkins – June 17, 2007
Notes
- http://www.bizjournals.com/losangeles/stories/2009/04/20/daily3.html
- LA Avengers: Kids
- http://www.arenafootball.com/mediaPlayer/video.dbml?DB_MENU_ID=&SPSID=38064&SPID=3172&DB_OEM_ID=3500&CLIP_ID=25766&CLIP_FILE_ID=29255&CONTENT_TYPE=ONDEMAND
- ArenaFan Online: AFL Coaches: Stan Brock
- ArenaFan Online: AFL Coaches: Robert Lyles
- ArenaFan Online: AFL Coaches: Ed Hodgkiss