Houston Hurricane

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The Houston Hurricane was a soccer team based out of Houston that played in the NASL. They played from 1978 to 1980. Their home field was the Astrodome. Their colors were orange, white and red.

The team was the last of 6 expansion teams granted for the season and had about 3 months to sign players and sell tickets. Though the coach, Timo Liekoski, who had been an assistant with the Dallas Tornado, was capable, assembling a competitive team in so short a time would be daunting. In any case, the Hurricane placed last in its first season with 10 wins of 30 matches (there were no draws allowed in the NASL) and drew a miserable average attendance of 5,806, with only Chicago Sting and San Diego Sockers drawing worse in the 30-team league.

For 1979, the Hurricane did much better, winning the division with 22 wins in 30 matches, and Liekoski was awarded Coach of the Year honors. But the Hurricane could not do as well in the playoffs, losing to Philadelphia Fury in two straight losses. Attendance was better at 6,211 a match but still was next to last in the league - the worst, ironically, was Philadelphia. Considering that Kyle Rote, Jr. had joined the Hurricane that season, it would have to have to have been a disappointment. In any case, Rote left the Hurricane on a relief mission to Cambodia and later retired.

The Hurricane didn't do as well in what turned out to be their final season, placing second in the division and again losing in the playoffs versus Edmonton Drillers. They won 14 and lost 18 in the expanded schedule (now 32 matches) and attendance fell to 5,818 a match, with only Atlanta Chiefs and again, Philadelphia being the only teams with worse gates. That was enough for the Hurricane's owners (who were actually based in Denver, Colorado) and the team folded in late 1980.

[edit] Year-by-year

Year	League	W	L	T	Pts	Reg. Season	Playoffs
1978	NASL	10	20	—	96	4th, American Conference, Central Division	Did not qualify
1979	NASL	22	8	—	187	1st, American Conference, Central Division	Lost Conference Quarterfinal (Philadelphia)
1979/80	NASL Indoor	Did not enter
1980	NASL	14	18	—	130	2nd, American Conference, Central Division	Lost 1st Round (Edmonton)