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1988 Los Angeles Cobras season

{{short description|Arena Football League team season}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}

{{Infobox NFL team season

| team = Los Angeles Cobras

| year = 1988

| record = 5–6–1

| division_place = 4th

| coach = Ray Willsey

| stadium = Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena

| playoffs = L semifinals vs. Chicago Bruisers 29–16

| no_prevseason = true

| no_nextseason = true

}}

The 1988 Los Angeles Cobras season was the first and only season for the Cobras.

On March 16, 1988, it was announced that team would be nicknamed the Cobras, as well as the introduction of head coach Ray Willsey.{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-03-17-sp-1980-story.html |title=Arena Football : Ray Willsey Will Coach L.A.'s Cobras |author=Lonnie White |date=March 17, 1988 |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=September 23, 2013}} The Cobras played their home games at the Los Angeles Sports Arena, which they shared with the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association. The team's logo consisted of an interlocking "LA" in which the left upright of the "A" was formed by the hooded head and "neck" of a cobra.

The team debuted April 30, 1988, against the New York Knights.{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-04-30-sp-1824-story.html |title=Cobras, Arena Football Make L.A. Debut Tonight |author=Lonnie White |date=April 30, 2013 |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=September 23, 2013}} The Cobras started the season 0–3,{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-05-21-sp-3049-story.html |title=Now, Matt Stevens' Job Is to Turn the Cobras Around |author=Lonnie White |date=May 21, 1988 |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=September 23, 2013}} but finished the season 5-3-1, clinching a playoff spot.{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-07-23-sp-6441-story.html |title=L.A. Is a Tough Arena for Indoor Football : Cobras Are Still Making Some Gains Despite Competition for Sports Dollar |author=Lonnie White |date=July 23, 1988 |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=September 23, 2013}}

Despite a lineup that featured former NFL all-pro receiver Cliff Branch, ex-UCLA quarterback Matt Stevens{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-04-06-sp-680-story.html |title=Branch, Stevens Head Cobra Picks |author=Lonnie White |date=April 6, 1988 |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=September 23, 2013}} and future Arena Football Hall of Fame Gary Mullen, Los Angeles drew dismal crowds: just 7,507 per game, second-worst in the AFL. The Cobras lost in the semifinals to the Chicago Bruisers, 29–16.{{cite web |url=http://www.arenafan.com/statistics/?page=boxscore&gameid=51 |title=Box Score LA @ Chicago July 23, 1988 |work=ArenaFan |access-date=September 23, 2013}} It turned out to be their last game ever as the Cobras (as well as the New York Knights and the New England Steamrollers) folded after the 1988 season, temporarily cutting the league down to just three teams.

Regular season

=Schedule=

class="wikitable" align="center" style="font-size: 92%"
rowspan="2" | Weekrowspan="2" | Daterowspan="2" | Opponentcolspan="2" | Resultsrowspan="2" | Game site
Final scoreTeam record
style="background:#fcc"

! 1

|style="text-align:center;"| April 30

|style="text-align:center;"| New York Knights

|style="text-align:center;"| L 52–60

|style="text-align:center;"| 0–1

|style="text-align:center;"| Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena

style="background:#fcc"

! 2

|style="text-align:center;"| May 6

|style="text-align:center;"| at Chicago Bruisers

|style="text-align:center;"| L 35–46

|style="text-align:center;"| 0–2

|style="text-align:center;"| Rosemont Horizon

style="background:#fcc"

! 3

|style="text-align:center;"| May 14

|style="text-align:center;"| at Pittsburgh Gladiators

|style="text-align:center;"| L 43–61

|style="text-align:center;"| 0–3

|style="text-align:center;"| Civic Arena

style="background:#cfc"

! 4

|style="text-align:center;"| May 21

|style="text-align:center;"| Pittsburgh Gladiators

|style="text-align:center;"| W 66–32

|style="text-align:center;"| 1–3

|style="text-align:center;"| Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena

style="background:#cfc"

! 5

|style="text-align:center;"| May 26

|style="text-align:center;"| New England Steamrollers

|style="text-align:center;"| W 27–20

|style="text-align:center;"| 2–3

|style="text-align:center;"| Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena

style="background:#cfc"

! 6

|style="text-align:center;"| June 6

|style="text-align:center;"| at New York Knights

|style="text-align:center;"| W 36–22

|style="text-align:center;"| 3–3

|style="text-align:center;"| Madison Square Garden

style="background:#fcc"

! 7

|style="text-align:center;"| June 10

|style="text-align:center;"| at Detroit Drive

|style="text-align:center;"| L 26–39

|style="text-align:center;"| 3–4

|style="text-align:center;"| Joe Louis Arena

style="background:#fcc"

! 8

|style="text-align:center;"| June 16

|style="text-align:center;"| Detroit Drive

|style="text-align:center;"| L 14–38

|style="text-align:center;"| 3–5

|style="text-align:center;"| Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena

style="background:#cfc"

! 9

|style="text-align:center;"| June 25

|style="text-align:center;"| at New England Steamrollers

|style="text-align:center;"| W 49–34

|style="text-align:center;"| 4–5

|style="text-align:center;"| Providence Civic Center

style="background:#fcc"

! 10

|style="text-align:center;"| July 2

|style="text-align:center;"| New York Knights

|style="text-align:center;"| L 30–40

|style="text-align:center;"| 4–6

|style="text-align:center;"| Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena

style="background:#cfc"

! 11

|style="text-align:center;"| July 9

|style="text-align:center;"| at Chicago Bruisers

|style="text-align:center;"| W 48–28

|style="text-align:center;"| 5–6

|style="text-align:center;"| Rosemont Horizon

style="background:#ffeeaa"

! 12

|style="text-align:center;"| July 14

|style="text-align:center;"| Chicago Bruisers

|style="text-align:center;"| T 37–37 (OT)

|style="text-align:center;"| 5–6–1

|style="text-align:center;"| Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena

=Standings=

{{1988 Arena Football League Standings|team=Cobras}}

Playoffs

class="wikitable" align="center" style="font-size: 92%"
rowspan="2" | Roundrowspan="2" | Daterowspan="2" | Opponentcolspan="2" | Resultsrowspan="2" | Game site
Final scoreTeam record
style="background:#fcc"

! Semi-finals

|style="text-align:center;"| July 23

|style="text-align:center;"| at Chicago Bruisers

|style="text-align:center;"| L 16–29

|style="text-align:center;"| 0–1

|style="text-align:center;"| Rosemont Horizon

Roster

class="toccolours" style="text-align: left"
colspan="7" style="background:navy; border:2px solid goldenrod; color:white; text-align:center;"| 1988 Los Angeles Cobras roster
style="font-size: 95%;" valign="top" | Quarterbacks

Wide Receivers/Defensive Backs

| style="font-size: 95%;" valign="top" | Running Backs/Linebackers

Offensive Linemen/Defensive Linemen

  • {{player
-}} Eric Arrington
  • {{player|55}} Brian Clark
  • {{player|60}} Chuck Harris
  • {{player|72}} Dwayne Jackson
  • {{player|84}} Michael Jones
  • {{player|80}} Tony Palamara
  • {{player|82}} Louis Sorrentino
  • {{player|64}} Dester Stowers
  • {{player|66}} Wes Walton

    • | style="font-size: 95%;" valign="top" | Wide Receivers/Linebackers

    Kickers

    Rookies in italics
    [http://www.arenafan.com/teams/?page=history&team=7&year=1988 Roster] updated February 5, 2013

    28 Active, 0 Inactive, 0 PS

    → More rosters

    Awards

    class="wikitable sortable"
    bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="20%" | Position

    ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="20%" | Player

    ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="20%" | Award

    ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="20%" | All-Arena team

    align="center"

    | Wide Receiver/Defensive Back

    		Gary Mullennone1st
    align="center"

    | Quarterback

    		Matt Stevensnone2nd

    References

    {{reflist|30em}}

    {{Los Angeles Cobras}}

    {{1988 Arena Football League}}

    Los Angeles Cobras Season, 1988

    Los Angeles Cobras