Los Angeles Cobras
{{short description|Arena football team}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox indoor American football team
| name = Los Angeles Cobras
| current =
| logo = LosAngelesCobras.png
| helmet = Los Angeles Cobras helmet logo 1988.png
| founded = 1988
| folded = 1988
| city = Los Angeles Sports Arena in Los Angeles, California
| misc =
| uniform =
| colors = Navy, goldenrod, white
{{Color box|navy}} {{Color box|goldenrod}} {{Color box|white}}
| coach = Ray Willsey
| owner =
| chairman =
| president =
| general manager =
| mascot =
| nicknames =
| league =
Arena Football League ({{AFL Year|1988}})
| team_history =
- Los Angeles Cobras (1988)
| no_league_champs = 0
| no_conf_champs = 0
| no_div_champs = 0
| league_champs =
| conf_champs =
| div_champs =
| playoff_appearances =
- {{AFL Year|1988}}
| no_playoff_appearances = 1
| arena_years =
}}
The Los Angeles Cobras were a professional arena football team based in Los Angeles, California that played one season (1988) in the Arena Football League.
History
{{main|1988 Los Angeles Cobras season}}
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 Famer 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 |publisher=ArenaFan |work=www.arenafan.com |access-date=September 23, 2013}} It turned out to be their last game ever as the Cobras folded after the 1988 season, temporarily cutting the league down
Season-by-season
{{Start NFL SBS}}
|-
|1988 || 5 || 6|| 1 || 4th || Lost Week 1 (Chicago 29-16)
|-
!Totals || 5 || 7 || 1
|colspan="2"| (including playoffs)
|}
Notable players
=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
|
| -}} Eric Arrington
| 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 |
=Arena Football League Hall of Famers=
| class="wikitable sortable"
| colspan="5" style= "background: navy; color: goldenrod" align="center"| Los Angeles Cobras Hall of Famers | ||||
| width=60px style="background: goldenrod; color: navy" |No.
!style="background: goldenrod; color: navy" |Name !style="background: goldenrod; color: navy" |Year inducted !style="background: goldenrod; color: navy" |Position(s) !style="background: goldenrod; color: navy" |Years w/ Cobras | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| style="text-align:center;"| 1 | Gary Mullen | style="text-align:center;"| 1995 | style="text-align:center;"|WR/DB | style="text-align:center;"| 1988 |
=All-Arena players=
The following Cobras players were named to All-Arena Teams:
- QB Matt Stevens
- WR/DB Gary Mullen
Notable coaches
=Head coaches=
| class="wikitable" |
| rowspan="2" style="width:140px;"|Name
! rowspan="2" | Term ! colspan="4" | Regular season ! colspan="2" | Playoffs ! rowspan="2" | Awards |
|---|
| W
! L ! T ! Win% ! W ! L |
| style="text-align:center;"|Ray Willsey
| style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Year|1988}} | style="text-align:center;"|5 | style="text-align:center;"|6 | style="text-align:center;"|1 | style="text-align:center;"|{{winperc|5|6|1}} | style="text-align:center;"|0 | style="text-align:center;"|1 | style="text-align:center;"| |
=Staff=
- Head coach: Ray Willsey
- Assistant coach: Lew Erber
- Running back & special teams coach: Russ Steele
- Football operations coordinator: Larry Westbrook
- Trainer: Nick Ortenzo
- Equipment manager: Marty Hopkins
Media
- The Cobras are also featured in the film Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects starring Charles Bronson. One scene takes place during a Cobras/Bruisers game, presumably the final regular season contest played July 14, 1988 (this game also had the distinction of ending 37-37, making it the first tie game in arena football history). The film was released in early 1989.
- The Cobras were also featured as an unlockable team in EA Sports' Arena Football.
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- [http://www.arenafan.com/teams/?page=history&team=7&year=1988 L.A. Cobras at ArenaFan.com]
{{Los Angeles Cobras}}
{{Defunct Arena Football League franchises}}
Category:Defunct Arena Football League teams
Category:American football teams established in 1988
Category:Sports clubs and teams disestablished in 1988
Category:1988 establishments in California