Wikipedia

Oakland Invaders

The Oakland Invaders were a professional American football team that played in the United States Football League (USFL) from 1983 through 1985. Based in Oakland, California, they played at the Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum.

Oakland Invaders
Established 1977
Folded 1986
Played in Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum
in Oakland, California
League/conference affiliations
California Football League (1977–1982)

United States Football League (1983–1985)

  • Western Conference (1984–1985)
    • Pacific Division (1983–1984)
Current uniform
Team colorsAir Force Blue, Invader Gold, Navy, White
       
Personnel
Owner(s)1982–1985 Tad Taube
1985 A. Alfred Taubman and Tad Taube
Head coach1983–1984 John Ralston (9-12)
1984 Chuck Hutchison (7-8)
1985 Charlie Sumner (15-5-1)
Team history
  • Twin Cities Cougars (1977–1982)
  • Oakland Invaders (1983–1985)
Championships
League championships (0)
Conference championships (1)
1985
Division championships (1)
1983
Playoff appearances (2)
1983, 1985
Home stadium(s)

The team can trace its history to 1977 when they played in the California Football League as the Twin Cities Cougars, and won four league championships (1979–1982).[1] During that time, they played their home games at the Marysville High School field.[2]

History

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In reaction to the Raiders relocating to Los Angeles

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Oakland had been without a football team since the Oakland Raiders relocated to Los Angeles before the 1982 NFL season. The Invaders stepped in to fill the void; the similar name was no accident. One of the Invaders' first player signings was former Raider and 49er Cedrick Hardman, who came out of a one-year retirement to serve as player-coach.

The team was originally owned by Bay Area real estate magnates Jim Joseph and Tad Taube. However, after the original owner of the USFL's Los Angeles franchise, Alex Spanos, bought the San Diego Chargers instead, Joseph and Taube flipped a coin to decide who would buy the Los Angeles rights. Joseph won the toss, selling his stake in the Invaders to Taube. As it turned out, Joseph was forced to move his team to Phoenix, Arizona as the Arizona Wranglers.

1983 season

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Taube held fast to David Dixon's original blueprint for the USFL, heavily marketing the team in the Bay Area while keeping tight controls on spending (including player salaries).

Led by the league's 2nd ranked passer QB Fred Besana, WR Gordon Banks, and ex-Raiders HB Arthur Whittington and TE Raymond Chester, the Invaders finished with 9–9 record. However, in an extremely weak Pacific Division, this was enough to garner them the division title. In the playoffs, despite a valiant effort, they were overrun by the eventual league champion Michigan Panthers, 37–21 in front of 60,237 rabid fans in the Pontiac Silverdome (the largest crowd for any USFL game in the 1983 season).

1983 schedule and results

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Week Day Date Opponent Result Record TV Venue Attendance
Regular season
1 Sunday March 6 at Arizona Wranglers W 24–0 1–0 Sun Devil Stadium 45,167
2 Sunday March 13 Birmingham Stallions L 14–20 (OT) 1–1 Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum 47,344
3 Saturday March 19 at Michigan Panthers W 33–27 2–1 ESPN Pontiac Silverdome 28,952
4 Monday March 28 at Denver Gold L 12–22 2–2 ESPN Mile High Stadium 38,720
5 Sunday April 3 at Los Angeles Express L 7–10 2–3 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 23,538
6 Sunday April 10 at Boston Breakers W 26–7 3–3 ABC Nickerson Field 7,984
7 Saturday April 16 Philadelphia Stars L 7–17 3–4 ESPN Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum 34,901
8 Sunday April 24 at Birmingham Stallions L 9–21 3–5 Legion Field 18,500
9 Monday May 2 Arizona Wranglers W 34–20 4–5 ESPN Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum 27,460
10 Sunday May 8 Tampa Bay Bandits L 10–17 4–6 ABC Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum 26,989
11 Monday May 16 Washington Federals W 34–27 5–6 Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum 25,900
12 Saturday May 21 at Tampa Bay Bandits L 9–29 5–7 ESPN Tampa Stadium 43,389
13 Sunday May 29 Los Angeles Express W 20–10 6–7 Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum 28,967
14 Saturday June 4 New Jersey Generals W 34–21 7–7 ESPN Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum 32,908
15 Monday June 13 Denver Gold W 16–10 8–7 ESPN Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum 26,840
16 Monday June 20 at Philadelphia Stars L 6–12 8–8 ESPN Veterans Stadium 16,933
17 Saturday June 25 Boston Breakers W 17–16 9–8 ESPN Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum 30,396
18 Sunday July 3 at Chicago Blitz L 7–31 9–9 Soldier Field 12,346
Playoffs
Divisional
Playoff 		Sunday July 10 at Michigan Panthers L 21–37 — ABC Pontiac Silverdome 60,237

Sources[3][4][5]

1984 season

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The Invaders were picked by most to again challenge for a playoff spot in 1984, but their powerful offense fell apart in the first half of the season, scoring only 82 points. The team was unable to run the ball and lost nine straight to open the season. With the emergence of RB Eric Jordan, the Invaders′ running attack rebounded and the team won seven of its last nine games. The defense was strong throughout the season, finishing seventh in points allowed. However, attendance tumbled to 23,644 per game – nearly 8,000 fewer than in 1983.

1984 schedule and results

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Week Day Date Opponent Venue Attendance TV Result Record
Preseason
1 Sunday January 29 vs. Arizona Wranglers Sun Devil Stadium L 0–6 0–1
2 Saturday February 4 vs. Denver Gold Francisco Grande, Arizona L 6–12 0–2
3 Saturday February 11 vs. Chicago Blitz Mesa, Arizona L 21–31 0–3
4 Saturday February 18 vs. Michigan Panthers Mesa, Arizona KICU W 7–6 1–3
Regular season
1 Sunday February 26 at Arizona Wranglers Sun Devil Stadium 29,176 ABC L 7–35 0–1
2 Sunday March 4 New Orleans Breakers Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum 41,200 — L 0–13 0–2
3 Sunday March 11 Los Angeles Express Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum 23,479 ABC L 0–10 0–3
4 Sunday March 18 at Philadelphia Stars Veterans Stadium 30,284 — L 7–28 0–4
5 Saturday March 24 at San Antonio Gunslingers Alamo Stadium 11,012 KGGP L 10–14 0–5
6 Sunday April 1 at Pittsburgh Maulers Three Rivers Stadium 22,408 — L 14–28 0–6
7 Saturday April 7 at Tampa Bay Bandits Tampa Stadium 58,777 — L 0–24 0–7
8 Monday April 16 Houston Gamblers Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum 18,320 — L 27–35 0–8
9 Sunday April 22 Washington Federals Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum 14,828 — L 17–31 0–9
10 Sunday April 29 at Chicago Blitz Soldier Field 7,802 — W 17–13 1–9
11 Saturday May 5 Denver Gold Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum 19,331 — W 20–17 (OT) 2–9
12 Sunday May 13 Arizona Wranglers Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum 20,004 — W 14–3 3–9
13 Saturday May 19 Memphis Showboats Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum 22,030 — W 29–14 4–9
14 Saturday May 26 at Oklahoma Outlaws Skelly Stadium 16,378 — W 17–14 5–9
15 Saturday June 2 Jacksonville Bulls Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum 29,687 — W 17–12 6–9
16 Saturday June 9 Michigan Panthers Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum 23,918 ESPN W 20–13 7–9
17 Friday June 15 at Los Angeles Express Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 14,794 — L 19–24 7–10
18 Friday June 22 at Denver Gold Mile High Stadium 32,623 Local L 7–20 7–11

Sources[6][7][8]

1985 season

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As early as 1984, Taube had come to believe the USFL should move to the fall. He began looking for new investors when it became apparent that the USFL was going to vote to switch to fall play in 1986, knowing he would be competing directly with the San Francisco 49ers. However, unlike other USFL teams who would be going head-to-head against NFL teams, Taube had reason for optimism. The Raiders had successfully built their own niche market and fan base in Oakland for two decades, and there was at least a chance the Invaders could have survived in the same manner. He nearly merged his team with the Oklahoma Outlaws. However, talks collapsed when Outlaws owner William Tatham demanded that his son, Bill Jr., be given control over the merged team's football operations.

Taube then approached the Michigan Panthers, who had been one of the league's strongest teams during its first two years. Some observers reckoned them as an NFL-quality team; indeed, the Panthers had made a better account of themselves on the field than the Detroit Lions. However, Panthers owner A. Alfred Taubman was a strong supporter of spring football, and had no desire to directly compete with the Lions. Knowing that he would not even begin to be able to go head-to-head with the Lions even if he'd been inclined to do so, he had begun putting out feelers for a merger partner when it became clear that the move to the fall was a foregone conclusion.

Taubman and Taube and quickly reached a deal for a merger. The Invaders would be the surviving team, but Taube sold controlling interest in the merged team to Taubman while remaining chairman of the board. The merger was formally announced after the owners approved moving to the fall.

The new team, bolstered with key players from the Panthers such as Bobby Hebert, went a league-best 13–4–1 in the regular season and advanced all the way to the 1985 USFL championship game. The championship game was a rematch of sorts with Chuck Fusina's Stars, who now played in Baltimore; the Panthers had upended the Stars in the league's inaugural title game. The Invaders were in the midst of a potential game-winning drive when a personal-foul penalty derailed their momentum, allowing the Stars to defeat Hebert's Invaders 28–24, and claim indisputable bragging rights as the league's all-time best team.

Despite reaching the championship game, the team's attendance fell again, to a barely sustainable 17,509. Soon after the championship game, Taubman decided to pull out. The loss of Taubman's wealth left the Invaders without nearly enough resources for the move to the fall, and they suspended operations for the 1986 season. As it turned out, the championship game was the last USFL game ever played, as the league was effectively killed by an antitrust suit against the NFL in which it only won $3 in damages.

1985 schedule and results

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Week Day Date Opponent Venue Attendance TV Result Record
Preseason
1 Saturday February 2 vs. Arizona Outlaws Mesa, Arizona W 10–3 1–0
2 Saturday February 9 vs. Arizona Outlaws Mesa, Arizona W 12–0 2–0
3 Sunday February 17 vs. Arizona Outlaws Fresno, California 10,204 W 31–13 3–0
Regular Season
1 Sunday February 24 Denver Gold Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum 23,622 — W 31–10 1–0–0
2 Sunday March 3 Baltimore Stars Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum 20,495 — T 17–17 (OT) 1–0–1
3 Sunday March 10 Houston Gamblers Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum 16,037 — L 7–42 1–1–1
4 Sunday March 17 Jacksonville Bulls Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum 16,678 ABC W 42–36 2–1–1
5 Sunday March 24 at Memphis Showboats Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium 28,773 — W 31–19 3–1–1
6 Sunday March 31 at Los Angeles Express Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 11,619 — W 30–6 4–1–1
7 Saturday April 6 at Portland Breakers Civic Stadium 23,388 — L 17–30 4–2–1
8 Saturday April 13 at Birmingham Stallions Legion Field 44,500 ESPN L 17–20 4–3–1
9 Monday April 22 San Antonio Gunslingers Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum 18,215 ESPN W 27–20 5–3–1
10 Friday April 26 Arizona Outlaws Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum 12,972 ESPN W 27–11 6–3–1
11 Sunday May 5 at Orlando Renegades Florida Citrus Bowl 21,085 — W 21–7 7–3–1
12 Saturday May 11 Los Angeles Express Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum 12,482 ESPN W 27–6 8–3–1
13 Saturday May 18 at San Antonio Gunslingers Alamo Stadium 7,118 — W 24–21 9–3–1
14 Thursday May 23 at Denver Gold Mile High Stadium 12,372 ESPN W 31–16 10–3–1
15 Sunday June 2 Portland Breakers Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum 12,740 ESPN W 38–20 11–3–1
16 Saturday June 8 at Arizona Outlaws Sun Devil Stadium 10,591 — L 21–28 11–4–1
17 Saturday June 15 New Jersey Generals Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum 24,338 ESPN W 34–29 12–4–1
18 Monday June 24 at Houston Gamblers Houston Astrodome 15,797 ESPN W 31–21 13–4–1
Playoffs
Quarterfinal Sunday June 30 Tampa Bay Bandits Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum 19,346 ABC W 30–27 —
Semifinal Saturday July 6 at Memphis Showboats Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium 37,796 ABC W 28–19 —
USFL
Championship 		Sunday July 14 vs. Baltimore Stars Giants Stadium 49,263 ABC L 24–28 —

Sources[9][10][11]

Past and future National Football League players

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Invaders executive William Hambrecht later emerged as a founder of the United Football League.

Single-season leaders

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Rushing Yards: 1,045 (1983), Arthur Whittington

Receiving Yards: 1,323 (1985), Anthony Carter

Passing Yards: 3,980 (1983), Fred Besana

Season-by-season

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Season records
Season W L T Finish Playoff results
1983 9 9 0 1st Pacific Lost Divisional (Michigan)
1984 7 11 0 4th WC Pacific
1985 13 4 1 1st WC Won Quarterfinal (Tampa Bay)
Won Semifinal (Memphis)
Lost USFL Championship (Baltimore)
Totals 31 26 1 (including playoffs)

References

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  1. ^ "In football, professionalism is a question of attitude" (PDF).
  2. ^ Barber, Phil. "Of Rattlers and Cougars". The Press Democrat.
  3. ^ statscrew.com 1983 Oakland Invaders Game-by-Game Results Retrieved December 30, 2018
  4. ^ usflsite.com 1983 USFL Season Retrieved December 30, 2018
  5. ^ profootballarchives.com 1983 Oakland Invaders (USFL) Retrieved December 30, 2018
  6. ^ statscrew.com 1984 Oakland Invaders Game-by-Game Results Retrieved December 30, 2018
  7. ^ usflsite.com 1984 USFL Season Retrieved December 30, 2018
  8. ^ profootballarchives.com 1984 Oakland Invaders (USFL) Retrieved December 30, 2018
  9. ^ statscrew.com 1985 Oakland Invaders Game-by-Game Results Retrieved December 30, 2018
  10. ^ usflsite.com 1985 USFL Season Retrieved December 30, 2018
  11. ^ profootballarchives.com 1985 Oakland Invaders (USFL) Retrieved December 30, 2018
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