Michigan Panthers
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The Michigan Panthers were a professional American football team that played in the United States Football League in the mid-1980s.
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[edit] Team history
The Michigan Panthers were named as a charter member of the United States Football League (USFL) on May 11, 1982.
A. Alfred Taubman, one of the nation's leading real estate developers, headed the ownership group that included Judge Peter B. Spivak and Max M. Fisher.
The Panthers named former CFL executive, Jim Spavital as its first General Manager on August 26, 1982. Michigan then hired Jim Stanley as its' first Head Coach on November 18, 1982. Stanley was head coach at Oklahoma State University. Stanley would be the only head coach for the club in the two years they were in Michigan.
The Pontiac Silverdome (Cap. 80,638) was home of the Panthers for each of the two seasons the club was active.
The Panthers held their first-ever collegiate draft, along with the other USFL teams, on January 4, 1983 where they selected Wisconsin SS David Greenwood with their first round (10th overall) selection.
They also tabbed Michigan WR Anthony Carter in the USFL Territorial Draft – a process whereby USFL teams could protect up to 25 graduating seniors from a series of local universities. The Panthers had territorial rights to the University of Michigan, Michigan State, Eastern Michigan, Central Michigan and Northern Michigan.
Michigan made a splash in signing some of the top young NCAA prospects in 1983 in Michigan WR Anthony Carter, Tulsa RB Ken Lacy, Wisconsin SS David Greenwood and QB Bobby Hebert of Northwestern State (La.).
[edit] 1983 season highlights
Michigan held their first training camp at City Island Stadium in Daytona Beach, FL sifting through over 75 players.
On Monday, March 7, 1983; they opened their 1983 schedule with a 9-7 win at Legion Field in Birmingham, AL. The game marked the first professional football game ever to be broadcast on ESPN. A Serbian kicker (via Central Michigan) named Novo Bojovic hit the winning field goal from 48 yards out in the waning moments to preserve the Panthers' road win.
The Panthers then dropped their next four contests losing on Sat. Mar. 12 to the Tampa Bay Bandits (7-19); Sat. Mar. 19 at home to the Oakland Invaders (27-33); Sun. Mar. 27 at the Washington Federals (16-22 OT) and Mon. Apr. 4 at home to the Denver Gold (21-29). Their slow start was attributed mostly due to a very porous offensive line that struggled to create holes or time for their offensive stars. Management addressed the issue by signing a bevy of experienced offensive linemen in OT Ray Pinney (Pittsburgh Steelers), OG Tyrone McGriff (NY Giants) at OG Thom Dornbrook (NY Giants).
After making those additions, the Panthers then won 11 of their next 13 contests and captured the Central Division Championship with a 12-6 record.
In the playoffs, the Panthers hosted the Western Division Champion Oakland Invaders before a then USFL-record crowd of 60,237. The Panthers' decisive 37-21 victory vaulted them to the inaugural USFL Championship Game in Denver, CO.
On July 17, 1983, the Panthers captured the USFL's first ever championship with a 24-22 win over the Atlantic Division Champion Philadelphia Stars. QB Bobby Hebert hit WR Anthony Carter on a 48-yard touchdown strike with 11:59 left in the fourth quarter for what proved to be the deciding score. Hebert was named MVP of the game, throwing for 319 yards and 3 TD.
[edit] 1984 season highlights
The Panthers won the first USFL championship in 1983. The team had reasonable fan support playing at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac. The championship game drew over 47,000 spectators. However after the 1984 season was over, the USFL, largely under the influence of New Jersey Generals owner Donald Trump, decided to go to a fall schedule, effective with the 1986 season. This would have meant the Panthers being locked out of the Silverdome, which was then also home to the NFL's Detroit Lions. The Panthers merged with the Oakland Invaders for the 1985 USFL season. After this season, when the USFL received only $3 in its antitrust lawsuit against the NFL, a lawsuit on which it had staked its survival, the USFL folded.
[edit] Single season leaders
Rushing Yards: 1182 (1983), Ken Lacy
Receiving Yards: 1220 (1984), Derek Holloway
Passing Yards: 3368 (1984), Bobby Hebert
[edit] Season-by-season
Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties
| Season | W | L | T | Finish | Playoff results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | 12 | 6 | 0 | 1st Central | Won Divisional (Oakland) Won USFL Championship (Philadelphia) |
| 1984 | 10 | 8 | 0 | 2nd WC Central | Lost Quarterfinal (Los Angeles) |
| Totals | 24 | 15 | 0 | (including playoffs) | |
[edit] Game-by-game results
1983
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Game site | Attendance | Television |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mon. Mar. 7 | Birmingham Stallions | W 9-7 | Legion Field | 30,305 | ESPN |
| 2 | Sat. Mar. 12 | Tampa Bay Bandits | L 7-19 | Tampa Stadium | 38,789 | abc |
| 3 | Sat. Mar. 19 | Oakland Invaders | L 27-33 | Pontiac Silverdome | 28,952 | ESPN |
| 4 | Sun. Mar. 27 | Washington Federals | L 16-22 (OT) | RFK Stadium | 11,404 | abc |
| 5 | Mon. Apr. 4 | Denver Gold | L 21-29 | Pontiac Silverdome | 11,279 | ESPN |
| 6 | Sun. Apr. 10 | New Jersey Generals | W 21-6 | Giants Stadium | 17,648 | abc |
| 7 | Sun. Apr. 17 | Chicago Blitz | W 17-12 | Pontiac Silverdome | 11,634 | abc |
| 8 | Sat. Apr. 23 | Los Angeles Express | W 34-24 | Pontiac Silverdome | 13,184 | ESPN |
| 9 | Sun. May 1 | Boston Breakers | W 28-24 | Nickerson Field | 10,971 | abc |
| 10 | Sat. May 7 | Arizona Wranglers | W 21-10 | Sun Devil Stadium | 20,423 | |
| 11 | Mon. May 16 | New Jersey Generals | W 31-24 | Pontiac Silverdome | 32,862 | ESPN |
| 12 | Mon. May 23 | Birmingham Stallions | L 20-23 (OT) | Pontiac Silverdome | 20,042 | ESPN |
| 13 | Mon. May 30 | Tampa Bay Bandits | W 43-7 | Pontiac Silverdome | 23,976 | ESPN |
| 14 | Sun. Jun. 5 | Philadelphia Stars | L 20-29 | Veterans Stadium | 19,727 | abc |
| 15 | Sun. Jun. 12 | Los Angeles Express | W 42-17 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 16,023 | |
| 16 | Sat. Jun. 18 | Washington Federals | W 27-25 | Pontiac Silverdome | 26,418 | |
| 17 | Sun. Jun. 26 | Chicago Blitz | W 34-19 | Soldier Field | 25,041 | abc |
| 18 | Sun. Jul. 3 | Arizona Wranglers | W 33-7 | Pontiac Silverdome | 31,905 | abc |
| SF | Sun. Jul. 10 | Oakland Invaders | W 37-21 | Pontiac Silverdome | 60,237 | abc |
| FL | Sun. Jul. 17 | Philadelphia Stars | W 24-22 | Mile High Stadium | 50,906 | abc |
1984
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Game site | Attendance | Television |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mon. Feb. 27 | Chicago Blitz | W 20-18 | Pontiac Silverdome | 22,428 | ESPN |
| 2 | Sat. Mar. 3 | Pittsburgh Maulers | W 27-24 | Pontiac Silverdome | 44,485 | ESPN |
| 3 | Sun. Mar. 11 | Denver Gold | W 28-0 | Mile High Stadium | 41,623 | abc |
| 4 | Sun. Mar. 18 | Arizona Wranglers | W 31-26 | Pontiac Silverdome | 43,130 | abc |
| 5 | Mon. Mar. 26 | Houston Gamblers | W 52-34 | Houston Astrodome | 38,754 | ESPN |
| 6 | Sun. Apr. 1 | San Antonio Gunslingers | W 26-10 | Pontiac Silverdome | 42,692 | abc |
| 7 | Sat. Apr. 7 | Oklahoma Outlaws | L 17-20 | Skelly Stadium | 21,510 | |
| 8 | Sun. Apr. 15 | Birmingham Stallions | L 17-28 | Pontiac Silverdome | 42,655 | abc |
| 9 | Mon. Apr. 23 | Tampa Bay Bandits | L 7-20 | Pontiac Silverdome | 31,433 | ESPN |
| 10 | Sun. Apr. 29 | New Jersey Generals | L 21-31 | New Jersey Meadowlands | 50,908 | abc |
| 11 | Sun. May 6 | Houston Gamblers | W 31-28 (OT) | Pontiac Silverdome | 29,068 | abc |
| 12 | Sun. May 13 | New Orleans Breakers | L 3-10 | Louisiana Superdome | 21,053 | abc |
| 13 | Sun. May 20 | Los Angeles Express | L 17-24 | LA Memorial Coliseum | 10,193 | abc |
| 14 | Sun. May 27 | Philadelphia Stars | L 13-31 | Pontiac Silverdome | 20,387 | abc |
| 15 | Fri. Jun. 1 | San Antonio Gunslingers | W 20-17 (OT) | Alamo Stadium | 16,384 | |
| 16 | Sat. Jun. 9 | Oakland Invaders | L 13-20 | Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum | 23,918 | ESPN |
| 17 | Mon. Jun. 18 | Oklahoma Outlaws | W 34-24 | Pontiac Silverdome | 15,838 | |
| 18 | Mon. June 24 | Chicago Blitz | W 20-17 | Soldier Field | 5,557 | |
| QF1 | June 30 | Los Angeles Express | L 21-27 (3OT) | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 7,409 | abc |
1 – Longest game in professional football history.
[edit] External links
| United States Football League Coaches | Players | Radio coverage | Seasons | Television coverage | Venues |
| Arizona Wranglers (1983-84) | Birmingham Stallions (1983-85) | Boston/New Orleans/Portland Breakers (1983-85) | Chicago Blitz (1983-84) | Denver Gold (1983-85) | Los Angeles Express (1983-85) | Michigan Panthers (1983-84) | New Jersey Generals (1983-85) | Oakland Invaders (1983-85) | Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars (1983-85) | Tampa Bay Bandits (1983-85) | Washington Federals/Orlando Renegades (1983-85) | Houston Gamblers (1984-85) | Jacksonville Bulls (1984-85) | Memphis Showboats (1984-85) | Oklahoma/Arizona Outlaws (1984-85) | Pittsburgh Maulers (1984) | San Antonio Gunslingers (1984-85) |
