Los Angeles Avengers

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]

Los Angeles Avengers
Established 2000
Folded 2009
Played in Staples Center
in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles Avengers logo
League/conference affiliations
Arena Football League (2000–2008)
  • American Conference (2000–2008)
    • Western (2000–2008)
Team colorsRed, blue, gold and white
                   
MascotTD
Personnel
Owner(s)Casey Wasserman
PresidentMatt Wikstrom
Head coachEd Hodgkiss
Team history
  • Los Angeles Avengers (2000–2008)
Championships
League championships (0)
Conference championships (0)
Prior to 2005, the AFL did not have conference championship games
Division championships (1)
Playoff appearances (5)
Home arena(s)

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. 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 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 announced the termination of the program on April 20, 2009 after nine years of operation. Four years later, it was announced that the Los Angeles KISS would join the AFL starting in the 2014 season making them the fourth team to set up shop in the Los Angeles area.

The Avengers' official mascot was a superhero-like character named T.D.[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, Los Angeles 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 bounced off the rebound net and was caught by WR/LB Greg Hopkins, giving the Avengers a 64–63 win.[3]
  • On Sunday, March 31, 2004, In the championship series taking place at Staples Center, Los Angeles, Ca. #98 John Garcia not only led the team in sacks on this day with 3 also blocked and returned a FG to win the game against the Chicago Rush. Final Score 24–26. Quarterback Tony Graziani threw for only 1 Touchdown pass and 3 INT's.

Season-by-season
Main article: List of Los Angeles Avengers seasons

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[4] Let go after starting 0-3 during 2001.[4]
Robert Lyles 2001[5] 5-6[5] 0-0 Replaced Brock, was not
retained after season.
Ed Hodgkiss 2002 - 2008 57-53[6] 1-5[6]
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.

Notable players

Final roster
Los Angeles Avengers roster
Quarterbacks
  • 16 Tim Hicks
  • 10 Jeff Smith

Fullbacks

  • 35 Michael Cobbins

Wide receivers

 Offensive linemen
  • 74 Sean McNamara
  • 66 Nick Mihlhauser

Defensive linemen

  • 58 Josh Jeffries
Linebackers

Defensive backs

  • -- Clarence Lawson
  • 29 Kabote Sikyala

Kickers

 Injured reserve
  • -- Branden Hall OL
  • -- Arnold Parker DB

Other league exempt

Practice Squad

  • -- Andy Collins QB
  • -- Matt McGhghy OL
  • -- Rob McMackin OL

Rookies in italics
Roster updated June 25, 2008
24 Active, 4 Inactive, 3 PS

Arena Football Hall of Famers
Los Angeles Avengers Hall of Famers
No. Name Year Inducted Position(s) Years w/ Avengers
82Greg Hopkins2013WR/LB2002-06

Individual awards

Retired uniform numbers
Los Angeles Avengers retired numbers
N° Player Position Seasons Ref.
76Al LucasDL2004−05
82Greg HopkinsWR2002-06

All-Arena players

The following Avengers players were named to All-Arena Teams:

All-Ironman players

The following Avengers players were named to All-Ironman Teams:

All-Rookie players

The following Avengers players were named to All-Rookie Teams:

Staff
Los Angeles Avengers staff
Front office
  • CEO / majority owner – Casey Wasserman
  • President – Matt Wikstrom
  • Senior Director of Ticket Sales & Service – James Jackson
  • Director of Marketing & Operations – Chris Holmes
  • Director of Group Sales – Jennifer Schwarzbach
  • Director of Corporate Partnerships – Evan Shapiro
  • Director of Corporate Partnerships – Ted Yeschin
  

Head Coach

Offensive Coaches

Defensive Coaches

  • Defensive coordinator / Defensive backs coach – Maurice Blanding
  • Defensive line / Linebackers coach – Leroy Thompson

[7]

References
  1. "Arena Football League's Los Angeles Avengers shut down". April 20, 2009.
  2. LA Avengers: Kids Archived 2006-03-27 at the Wayback Machine
  3. 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
  4. "ArenaFan Online: AFL Coaches: Stan Brock". Retrieved 2008-10-24.
  5. "ArenaFan Online: AFL Coaches: Robert Lyles". Retrieved 2008-10-24.
  6. "ArenaFan Online: AFL Coaches: Ed Hodgkiss". Retrieved 2008-10-24.
  7. "LA Avengers: Executive Bios". www.laavengers.com. Los Angeles Avengers. Archived from the original on December 23, 2008. Retrieved August 1, 2017.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
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