Houston Gamblers
Houston Gamblers | |
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Established 1983 Folded 1986 PlayedinAstrodome inHouston, Texas | |
League/conference affiliations | |
United States Football League(1984–1985)
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Current uniform | |
Team colors | Black, Gambler Red, Gray, White, Yellow-Gold |
Personnel | |
Owner(s) | 1984 Alvin Lubetkin, Bernard Lerner, Dr. Jerry Argovitz, Fred Gerson 1985 Alvin Lubetkin, Dr. Jerry Argovitz, Jay Roulier |
Head coach | 1984–1985Jack Pardee(23-15) |
Team history | |
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Championships | |
League championships (0) | |
Conference championships (0) | |
Division championships (1) 1984 | |
Playoff appearances (2) | |
1984, 1985 | |
Home stadium(s) | |
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TheHouston Gamblerswere anAmerican footballteam that competed in theUnited States Football Leaguein 1984 and 1985. The Gamblers were coached by veteranNFLhead coachJack Pardeein both their seasons. They were noteworthy for introducing formerMiddletown (Ohio) High Schoolfootball coach Glenn "Tiger" Ellison'sRun & Shootoffense to the world of pro football.
The Run & Shoot puts the USFL on the map
[edit]Run & Shootadvocate and chief refinerDarell "Mouse" Daviswas hired by the progressive Pardee to install the offense as the team's Offensive Coordinator. (Davis was a former head coach atPortland State Universitywhere he developed theSt. Louis Cardinals' future two-timePro BowlquarterbackNeil Lomax.) Led by formerMiami HurricanesQBJim Kelly(who snubbed the NFL'sBuffalo Billsto play in the USFL) the Gamblers wrecked secondaries across the USFL, getting national media attention in demolishing the league's single-season scoring record (the Gamblers scored 618 points in 1984; the 1983 USFL record was 456). Kelly became the USFL's answer to the NFL'sDan Marino,and the league's second superstar player (afterHerschel Walker).
The Gamblers also got the attention of a few NFL teams. The run & shoot offense would be adopted as the base set for theDetroit Lions,Atlanta Falconsand theHouston Oilers.All three teams were in the upper half of the league in scoring while using the run & shoot. In spite of this fact, the offense was widely discredited as a gimmick in the NFL when none of the three teams won a Super Bowl. Even after those teams moved away from the run & shoot as their base sets, the influence ofMouse DavisandJim Kellyleft a lasting impact on the league. In the 1970s most teams ran the 2-back "pro-set" as their base offense with fixed routes. Today, almost all NFL teams incorporate extensive packages of 4-WR sets and option routes for WRs depending on coverages faced, innovations that are the basis of the run & shoot.
The playoffs, 1985, and beyond
[edit]The Gamblers appeared in theplayoffsin each of their two seasons, but suffered narrow first-round defeats both times. In 1984, the expansion Gamblers finished the regular season with the best record in the Western conference and were the favorites in the West to go to the championship game. They held a 16–3 lead overGeorge Allen's star ladenArizona Wranglerswith just 7 minutes remaining before falling 17–16 in a furious Wrangler comeback. The Wranglers would go on to play in the 1984 Championship Game.
Following the August 22, 1984 USFL owners meeting in which the majority of owners decided to move to playing in the fall, things started to crumble for the league, especially for teams in cities with existing NFL teams, like the Gamblers. Kelly, one of the more public faces of the USFL, voiced the concerns of many fans when he called the schedule switch"100 percent" wrong,saying,"It's the worst thing they could have done."
The Run N' Shoot attack of the Gamblers grew even stronger in 1985. Davis left to become head coach of theDenver Goldand was succeeded by special-teams coachJohn Jenkins.Jenkins's version of the Run N' Shoot brought more complexity and excitement to the Gamblers. In the first game of the season against theL.A. Express,down 31–13 with 8 minutes left in the 4th quarter, the Gamblers became the first professional football team to use ano-huddle offensebefore atwo-minute drill.The no-huddle would later become Kelly's base offense with theBuffalo Bills.The so-called "hurry-up offense" allowed the Gamblers to come back to win the game 34–33, whichSports Illustrateddubbed "The Greatest Game Never Seen" because it was not televised. In the first 5 games in 1985, Jim Kelly had one of the hottest starts in professional football history. In Week 4, the Gamblers beat Mouse Davis's Denver Gold 36–17 in the first pro game to match two Run N' Shoot offenses. After this game Jim Kelly was on pace to throw for 7,434 yards and 78 touchdowns. But Kelly suffered a leg injury that sidelined him for the last six games of the season. However, if you combine Kelly's and backup quarterbackTodd Dillon's stats together, they threw for a combined 6,118 yards (professional American-football record). The Gamblers offense set another record: for the first time ever in professional football, a team had 3 receivers each catch over 1,000 yards:Clarence Verdin,Gerald McNeil,andRichard Johnson.The Gamblers made the playoffs with a 10–8 record and again lost in a nailbiter to an excellent team, the 13–5 veteran,Cliff Stoudt/Joe Cribbs/Jim Smith-ledBirmingham Stallions,22–20.
As it turned out, that would be the last game the Gamblers would ever play. While the Gamblers had been a solid draw the year before, area fans were not about to abandon theHouston Oilers.Attendance dropped by almost 9,000 from 1984. The resulting financial problems were so severe that at one point, the Gamblers had trouble making payroll. They needed an advance from the league just to go to the playoffs. Although owner Jerry Argovitz had ultimately supported moving to the fall, he and his partners knew they could not even begin to compete with the Oilers and decided to get out.
After briefly entertaining an offer to move toNew York City,they agreed to sell controlling interest to real estate magnate and futureMiami DolphinsownerStephen Ross.Just days later, Ross announced he was merging the Gamblers with theNew Jersey Generals.Although the Generals were the surviving team, Ross would be a full partner with Generals ownerDonald Trump,and Argovitz became the merged team's president. However, Ross backed out of the merger after discovering the Gamblers' debt load was larger than he anticipated. Trump reimbursed Ross for his interest and became sole owner.[1]However, Trump retained the Gamblers' player contracts, so the deal was still widely reported as a merger. Trump immediately hired Pardee as coach. With an offense boasting Kelly and Walker, observers dubbed the new Generals the USFL's "dream team." Kelly was even featured on the cover ofSports Illustratedin a Generals uniform. That season however would never be played.[2]
The most notable players on the team were Kelly, futureWashington Redskinswide receiverRicky Sanders,futureDetroit Lionswide receiverRichard Johnson,future Indianapolis Colts kick returnerClarence Verdin,and futureCleveland Brownswide receiverGerald McNeil.Todd Fowler,the featured running back on the team, was also notable as the first USFL player the rivalNFLsigned away from the league in 1985 (by theDallas Cowboys).
Giant dice game
[edit]The Gamblers were well known for a7-Elevenpromotion in which two huge dice were dropped onto the field from the roof of the Astrodome.[3]
1984 schedule and results
[edit]Week | Day | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | TV | Venue | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Preseason | ||||||||
1 | Bye | |||||||
2 | Saturday | February 4, 1984 | vs.San Antonio Gunslingers | W19–17 | 1–0 | Harlingen, Texas | ||
3 | Saturday | February 11, 1984 | atJacksonville Bulls | W34–22 | 2–0 | Gator Bowl Stadium | 24,680 | |
4 | Saturday | February 18, 1984 | vs.Oklahoma Outlaws | W34–7 | 3–0 | Lewis Field Stillwater, Oklahoma |
6,120 | |
Regular season | ||||||||
1 | Sunday | February 26, 1984 | atTampa Bay Bandits | L17–20 | 0–1 | Tampa Stadium | 42,915 | |
2 | Monday | March 5, 1984 | atSan Antonio Gunslingers | W35–7 | 1–1 | ESPN | Alamo Stadium | 10,023 |
3 | Sunday | March 11, 1984 | atChicago Blitz | W45–36 | 2–1 | Soldier Field | 7,808 | |
4 | Sunday | March 18, 1984 | New Jersey Generals | W32–25 | 3–1 | ABC | Houston Astrodome | 35,532 |
5 | Monday | March 26, 1984 | Michigan Panthers | L34–52 | 3–2 | Houston Astrodome | 38,754 | |
6 | Saturday | March 31, 1984 | atOklahoma Outlaws | L28–31(OT) | 3–3 | Skelly Stadium | 17,266 | |
7 | Monday | April 9, 1984 | Washington Federals | W31–13 | 4–3 | Houston Astrodome | 16,710 | |
8 | Monday | April 16, 1984 | atOakland Invaders | W35–27 | 5–3 | Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum | 18,320 | |
9 | Saturday | April 21, 1984 | Arizona Wranglers | W37–24 | 6–3 | ESPN | Houston Astrodome | 23,117 |
10 | Monday | April 30, 1984 | Los Angeles Express | L24–27(OT) | 6–4 | ESPN | Houston Astrodome | 30,727 |
11 | Sunday | May 6, 1984 | atMichigan Panthers | L28–31(OT) | 6–5 | ABC | Pontiac Silverdome | 29,068 |
12 | Saturday | May 12, 1984 | atPittsburgh Maulers | W47–26 | 7–5 | ESPN | Three Rivers Stadium | 24,880 |
13 | Sunday | May 20, 1984 | Oklahoma Outlaws | W31–12 | 8–5 | ABC | Houston Astrodome | 31,142 |
14 | Friday | May 25, 1984 | atJacksonville Bulls | W54–7 | 9–5 | Gator Bowl Stadium | 31,638 | |
15 | Sunday | June 3, 1984 | atDenver Gold | W36–20 | 10–5 | ABC | Mile High Stadium | 50,057 |
16 | Sunday | June 10, 1984 | Chicago Blitz | W38–13 | 11–5 | ABC | Houston Astrodome | 24,243 |
17 | Monday | June 18, 1984 | San Antonio Gunslingers | W29–26 | 12–5 | ESPN | Houston Astrodome | 30,184 |
18 | Monday | June 25, 1984 | Memphis Showboats | W37–3 | 13–5 | ESPN | Houston Astrodome | 22,963 |
Postseason | ||||||||
Divisional Playoff |
Sunday | July 1, 1984 | Arizona Wranglers | L16–17 | — | ABC | Houston Astrodome | 32,713 |
1985 schedule and results
[edit]Week | Day | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | TV | Venue | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Preseason | ||||||||
1 | Bye | |||||||
2 | Saturday | February 9, 1985 | vs.San Antonio Gunslingers | W28–21 | 1–0 | McAllen, Texas | ||
3 | Saturday | February 16, 1985 | atBirmingham Stallions | W20–10 | 2–0 | KTXH | Legion Field | |
Regular season | ||||||||
1 | Sunday | February 24, 1985 | atLos Angeles Express | W34–33 | 1–0 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 18,828 | |
2 | Sunday | March 3, 1985 | atTampa Bay Bandits | W50–28 | 2–0 | ABC | Tampa Stadium | 42,291 |
3 | Sunday | March 10, 1985 | atOakland Invaders | W42–7 | 3–0 | Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum | 16,037 | |
4 | Monday | March 18, 1985 | Denver Gold | W36–17 | 4–0 | ESPN | Houston Astrodome | 33,747 |
5 | Sunday | March 24, 1985 | Portland Breakers | W27–20 | 5–0 | Houston Astrodome | 22,031 | |
6 | Sunday | March 31, 1985 | Baltimore Stars | L14–27 | 5–1 | ABC | Houston Astrodome | 24,166 |
7 | Sunday | April 7, 1985 | atNew Jersey Generals | L25–31 | 5–2 | ABC | Giants Stadium | 34,573 |
8 | Monday | April 14, 1985 | Los Angeles Express | L17–18 | 5–3 | Houston Astrodome | 20,193 | |
9 | Sunday | April 21, 1985 | atArizona Outlaws | W33–17 | 6–3 | ABC | Sun Devil Stadium | 16,640 |
10 | Sunday | April 28, 1985 | atSan Antonio Gunslingers | W38–29 | 7–3 | Alamo Stadium | 9,723 | |
11 | Monday | May 6, 1985 | atPortland Breakers | W45–7 | 8–3 | ESPN | Civic Stadium | 18,457 |
12 | Sunday | May 12, 1985 | atMemphis Showboats | L15–17 | 8–4 | ABC | Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium | 27,325 |
13 | Monday | May 20, 1985 | Jacksonville Bulls | L17–20 | 8–5 | ESPN | Houston Astrodome | 17,127 |
14 | Sunday | May 26, 1985 | Arizona Outlaws | W41–20 | 9–5 | Houston Astrodome | 12,696 | |
15 | Monday | June 3, 1985 | Birmingham Stallions | L27–29 | 9–6 | ESPN | Houston Astrodome | 13,202 |
16 | Sunday | June 9, 1985 | atDenver Gold | L13–16 | 9–7 | ABC | Mile High Stadium | 12,553 |
17 | Monday | June 17, 1985 | San Antonio Gunslingers | W49–21 | 10–7 | ESPN | Houston Astrodome | 11,780 |
18 | Monday | June 24, 1985 | Oakland Invaders | L21–31 | 10–8 | ESPN | Houston Astrodome | 15,797 |
Playoffs | ||||||||
Quarterfinal | Saturday | June 29, 1985 | atBirmingham Stallions | L20–22 | — | ABC | Legion Field | 18,500 |
Single-season leaders
[edit]- Rushing Yards: 1009 (1984),Todd Fowler
- Receiving Yards: 1445 (1984),Richard Johnson
- Passing Yards: 5219 (1984),Jim Kelly(also league record)
Season-by-season results
[edit]Season | W | L | T | Finish | Playoff results |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1984 | 13 | 5 | 0 | 1st in Western | Lost in Quarterfinals (Arizona) |
1985 | 10 | 8 | 0 | 3rd in Western | Lost in Quarterfinals (Birmingham) |
Totals | 23 | 13 | 0 |
References
[edit]- ^Reeths, Paul (2017).The United States Football League, 1982-1986.McFarland & Company.ISBN978-1476667447.
- ^"Archived copy".Archived fromthe originalon 2012-10-20.Retrieved2010-10-04.
{{cite web}}
:CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^"Site Builder".
- ^statscrew.com 1984 Houston Gamblers Game-by-Game Results Retrieved January 1, 2019
- ^usflsite.com 1984 USFL Season Retrieved January 1, 2019
- ^profootballarchives.com 1984 Houston Gamblers (USFL) Retrieved January 1, 2019
- ^statscrew.com 1985 Houston Gamblers Game-by-Game Results Retrieved January 1, 2019
- ^usflsite.com 1985 USFL Season Retrieved January 1, 2019
- ^profootballarchives.com 1985 Houston Gamblers (USFL) Retrieved January 1, 2019