The Los Angeles Xtreme was a professional American football team based in Los Angeles, California. The team was a member of the original version of the XFL, begun by Vince McMahon of World Wrestling Entertainment and by NBC, a major television network in the United States. The team played its home games in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in the spring of 2001. They were in the XFL's Western Division with the San Francisco Demons, the Memphis Maniax, and the Las Vegas Outlaws. The team had the league's best passing offense and was nicknamed "L.A.X." as a pun on the IATA code for Los Angeles International Airport. They finished the season in 1st place with a 7–3 record and defeated the Chicago Enforcers in the Playoffs and the San Francisco Demons in the Million Dollar Game with a score of 38–6 to win the league's sole Championship.[2]
Established | 2001 |
---|---|
Folded | 2001 |
Based in | Los Angeles, California |
Home stadium | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum |
Head coach | Al Luginbill |
League | XFL |
Division | Western |
Colors | Navy, gold, silver, white[1] |
League titles | 1 Million Dollar Game (2001) |
Division titles | 1 (2001) |
History
editThe LA Xtreme were the sole champions of the original XFL because NBC dropped the XFL concept after the first season due to dismal ratings. Shortly after this, McMahon announced that the league would be dissolved. However, the Xtreme's quarterback, Tommy Maddox, subsequently caught on with the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League, later leading them into the playoffs in 2002 and winning a Super Bowl ring in 2005. Maddox also won the XFL's Most Valuable Player award. Jeremaine Copeland has achieved success in the CFL with the Montreal Alouettes, the Calgary Stampeders, and the Toronto Argonauts winning two Grey Cup championships.
Revival
editIn December 2018, a revival of the XFL announced its intention to return to Los Angeles. The new team was named the Los Angeles Wildcats, but would cease operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic; they would not return when the league was reactivated in 2023.[3]
Season-by-season
editSeason | W | L | T | Finish | Playoff results |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2001 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 1st Western | Won Semifinals (Chicago) Won Million Dollar Game (San Francisco) |
Totals | 9 | 3 | 0 | (including playoffs) |
Schedule
editRegular season
editWeek | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | February 4 | at San Francisco Demons | L 13–15 | 0–1 | Pacific Bell Park |
2 | February 10 | Chicago Enforcers | W 39–32 (2 OT) | 1–1 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum |
3 | February 17 | at Las Vegas Outlaws | W 12–9 | 2–1 | Sam Boyd Stadium |
4 | February 25 | Memphis Maniax | L 12–18 | 2–2 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum |
5 | March 3 | at New York/New Jersey Hitmen | W 22–7 | 3–2 | Giants Stadium |
6 | March 11 | at Birmingham Thunderbolts | W 35–26 | 4–2 | Legion Field |
7 | March 18 | Orlando Rage | W 31–6 | 5–2 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum |
8 | March 24 | Las Vegas Outlaws | W 35–26 | 6–2 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum |
9 | April 1 | at Memphis Maniax | L 12–27 | 6–3 | Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium |
10 | April 7 | San Francisco Demons | W 24–0 | 7–3 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum |
Post-season
editRound | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Semi-final | April 15 | Chicago Enforcers | W 33–16 | 1–0 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum |
Championship | April 21 | San Francisco Demons | W 38–6 | 2–0 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum |
Standings
editWestern 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 |
Personnel
editCoaches
edit- Al Luginbill, Head Coach (2001)
Roster
editQuarterbacks (QB)
Running backs (RB) Wide receivers (WR)
Tight ends (TE)
|
Offensive linemen (OL)
Defensive linemen (DL)
|
Linebackers (LB)
Defensive backs (DB)
|
Practice squad
Reserve
Rookies in italics
, 6 practice squad |
Other notable figures
edit- Bonnie-Jill Laflin – One of the team's cheerleaders is now a scout for the Los Angeles Lakers and a co-general manager of a minor league affiliate, the Los Angeles D-Fenders.
- Super Dave Osborne – The actor and stuntman was the sideline reporter on the radio broadcasts of the team on KLSX. The booth announcers were Geoff Nathanson and Craig Fertig (Fertig died in 2008).
Team leaders
edit- Rushing yards: 310, Saladin McCullough
- Receiving yards: 656, Jeremaine Copeland
- Passing yards: 2186, Tommy Maddox (also league leader)
References
edit- ^ "Los Angeles Xtreme Logo Sheet". SSUR.org. Archived from the original on March 14, 2007. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
- ^ "The XFL, a football oddity, played its first -- and last -- championship game 15 years ago". FOX Sports. 2016-04-21. Retrieved 2018-02-12.
- ^ Mitchell, Mike. "XFL 2023: The Pitfalls Of Abandoning What Made The 2020 League Great". Archived from the original on April 7, 2022. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
- ^ "XFL Standings". USA Today. May 12, 2001. Retrieved February 18, 2011.