Los Angeles Avengers

AFL team
name =Los Angeles Avengers
color1 =#008
color2 =#d00
logo =LosAngelesAvengers.pngconference =American
division =Western
founded =2000
arena =Staples Center
location =Los Angeles, California
coach =Pat O'Hara
wild card titles =4:
2002, 2003, 2004, 2007
division titles =1:
2005
conference titles =none
ArenaBowl championships =none
owner =Casey Wasserman
uniform =
The Los Angeles Avengers is an Arena Football League (AFL) team based in Los Angeles, California and they began play as a 2000 expansion team.

History

The Los Angeles Avengers play 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 compete in the Western Division of the American Conference. Since its inception in 2000, the Avengers have 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 is 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 fatality in the history of the AFL. There is also an award in the AFL named after him.

The Avengers official mascot is a superhero-like character named TD. [ [http://www.laavengers.com/fans/kids/ LA Avengers: Kids] ]

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 TD 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 now coaches special teams for the Avengers where he forces his players to do push-ups if they do not know the answers to his questions. [ [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 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] ]

eason-by-season

-
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)
-
2003 || 11 || 5 || 0 || 2nd AC Western || Lost Quarterfinals (Arizona)
-
2004 || 9 || 7 || 0 || 3rd AC Western || Lost Week 1 (Arizona)
-
2005 || 10 || 6 || 0 || 1st AC Western || Lost Week 1 (Chicago)
-
2006 || 5 || 11 || 0 || 5th AC Western || --
-
2007 || 9 || 7 || 0 || 2nd AC Western || Won Wild Card (Utah)
Lost Divisional (Chicago)
-
2008 || 5 || 11 || 0 || 4th AC Western || --
-!Totals || 63 || 77 || 0
colspan="2"| (including playoffs)
###@@@KEYEND@@@###

Past players

* Antoine Burns - WR/LB
* Chris Butterfield - OL/DL
* Shannon Culver -WR/LB
* Anthony Derricks - DS
* Jim Druckenmiller - QB
* Chad Dukes - FB/LB
* Mark Estelle - DS
* Tony Graziani - QB
* Darius Hadley - DS
* Travis Hannah - WR
* Greg Hopkins - WR/LB
* Chris Jackson - OS
* Lenzie Jackson - WR/DB
* John Kaleo - QB
* Greg Krause - OL
* Tony Locke - WR/DB
* Al Lucas - OL/DL (died of a spinal cord injury)
* Brian Mann - QB
* Reggie Rhodes - DL/OL
* Ryan Riddle - DE
* Ricky Sharpe - WR/DB
* Kevin Ingram - WR/DB
* Lonnie Ford - FB
* David Davis - K

Retired numbers

* #76 Al Lucas – June 17, 2007
* #82 Greg Hopkins – June 17, 2007

References

External links

* [http://www.laavengers.com/ Official Website]
* [http://www.arenafan.com/teams/?page=clubhouse&team=44 Los Angeles Avengers at ArenaFan]