Las Vegas Outlaws (XFL)
 | |
| Founded | 2001 |
|---|---|
| League | XFL |
| Team history | Las Vegas Outlaws (2001) |
| Based in | Las Vegas, Nevada |
| Arena | Sam Boyd Stadium |
| Colors |
Black, Gold, Red[1] |
| Head coach | Jim Criner |
The Las Vegas Outlaws were an American football team in the short-lived XFL. They played in the Western Division with the Los Angeles Xtreme, San Francisco Demons and Memphis Maniax. They played their home games at Sam Boyd Stadium. The Outlaws hosted the first nationally televised XFL game on NBC against the New York/New Jersey Hitmen.[2]
History
Background
Before the 2001 season began there was already question if Las Vegas could support a professional sports team due to past failed attempts with: Las Vegas Americans (Soccer 1984-85), Las Vegas Dustdevils (Soccer-CISL-1994-1995), Las Vegas Posse (Football-CFL-1994) Las Vegas Quicksilvers (Soccer-NASL-1976-1978), Las Vegas Seagulls (Soccer-ASL-1979), Las Vegas Sting (Football-Arena Football League-1994-1995) and Las Vegas Thunder (IHL-1993-1999)[3] The Outlaws were sponsored by Cox Communications, New York-New York Hotel & Casino, Station Casinos, PacifiCare Health Systems and Findlay Toyota. Just like the Posse (and the later Locomotives), the Outlaws had a difficult time selling tickets. The home opener against the Hitmen 13,700 tickets were sold in a stadium that holds 36,000. There was only an estimated 7,000 season ticket holders.
Players
Among the team's players were the XFL's most well-known, Rod Smart (later with the National Football League's Philadelphia Eagles, Carolina Panthers, and the Oakland Raiders), who went by the nickname of "He Hate Me", which appeared on the back of his jersey. (He was originally going to put "They Hate Me", but there wasn't enough room.) Coached by former Boise State and Scottish Claymores head coach Jim Criner, the Outlaws competed in the XFL's only season, held in the spring of 2001. The team encouraged their fans to come up with a nickname. They selected the "Dealers of Doom Defense". After a strong start, the Outlaws lost their last three games to finish in last place in the division with a record of 4-6-0, just one game out of a playoff spot.
Despite having a two-year contract, NBC announced shortly after the season that it was getting out, as the season's later games had garnered the lowest ratings for a major American television network since the Nielsen ratings had begun tracking them, and the league folded shortly afterwards.
The team was the centerpiece of the 2003 book about the XFL, Long Bomb: How the XFL Became TV's Biggest Fiasco. It was written by Brett Forrest of Details magazine.
Famous Las Vegas Outlaws players
- 87 Werner (Verne) Hippler, a German-born tight end who played 11 years in the NFL Europe League and has also been on the practice squads of the San Diego Chargers and Detroit Lions.
- 10 Mike Cawley (James Madison) - The quarterback played in the NFL for five seasons with four different teams, a season in the CFL with two different teams, a season in NFLE with the Amsterdam Admirals, and one year with the Af2 Quad City Steamwheelers.
- 81 Todd Floyd (UNLV) - The wide receiver played for the Frankfurt Galaxy of NFLE and was on the preseason rosters of the Jacksonville Jaguars and Buffalo Bills.
- 22 Chrys Chukwuma(Arkansas) -The running back was briefly on the Dallas Cowboys' roster.
- 30 Rod Smart (WKU) - "He Hate Me" became the first former XFL player to appear in a Super Bowl: Super Bowl XXXVIII for the Panthers.
- 82 Mike Furrey (Ohio State/Northern Iowa) - Like Smart, the receiver has enjoyed a long NFL career.
- 17 Paul McCallum - Kicker who played for NFLE's Scottish Claymores. Last played for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League.
- 92 Kelvin T.G. Kinney (Virginia State) - The defensive end has spent time with the Detroit Lions and Washington Redskins.
- 31 Kelly Herndon (Toledo) - The cornerback later landed with the Seattle Seahawks. In Super Bowl XL, he returned an interception for a then record of 76 yards. Since then it has been broken by Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison.
- 16 Mark Grieb - The quarterback would go on to win two ArenaBowls with the San Jose SaberCats. In the XFL, Grieb only got his chance when the starting quarterback Ryan Clement was injured.
Season-by-season
| Season | W | L | T | Finish | Playoff results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 4th Western | -- |
Personnel
Staff
| 2001 Las Vegas Outlaws staff | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Front Office
Head Coaches
Offensive Coaches
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Defensive Coaches
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Standings
| Western Division | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA | STK | ||
| Los Angeles Xtreme | 7 | 3 | 0 | .700 | 235 | 166 | W1 | ||
| San Francisco Demons | 5 | 5 | 0 | .500 | 156 | 161 | L1 | ||
| Memphis Maniax | 5 | 5 | 0 | .500 | 167 | 166 | W2 | ||
| Las Vegas Outlaws | 4 | 6 | 0 | .400 | 169 | 143 | L3 | ||
Team leaders
- Rushing Yards: 555, Rod "He Hate Me" Smart
- Receiving Yards: 273, Yo Murphy
- Passing Yards: 804, Ryan Clement
References
- ↑ "Team Colors – XFL". SSUR.org. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
- ↑ Las Vegas Outlaws still working to corral ticket buyers. Las Vegas Business Press [serial online]. January 29, 2001;18(5):6.
- ↑ Las Vegas Outlaws still working to corral ticket buyers. Las Vegas Business Press [serial online]. January 29, 2001;18(5):6.
- ↑ 2001 Las Vegas Outlaws Media Guide. XFL. pp. 4–11.
- ↑ "XFL Standings". USA Today. May 12, 2001. Retrieved February 18, 2011.
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