Houston Outlaws (RFL team)
The Houston Outlaws were a professional American football team that played during the 1999 season as part of the Regional Football League. They played their home games at Pasadena Memorial Stadium in Pasadena, Texas, a suburb of Houston.[1][2]
Founded | 1998 |
---|---|
Folded | 1999 |
League | Regional Football League |
Based in | Houston, Texas |
Stadium | Pasadena Memorial Stadium |
Head coach | Ray Woodard |
The team was announced as one of the league's charter members on November 12, 1998.[3] Although Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Ernie Stautner was named head coach in February 1999,[4] there is no record of him acting in that capacity. For the team's lone season, former NFL defensive tackle Ray Woodard served as head coach.[5][1] Josh LaRocca, who had played college football for the Rice Owls, was the starting quarterback.[6]
Although the team was scheduled to play a 12-game regular season, poor attendance and sagging revenues would prove too much for the new league. In the shortened regular season, the Outlaws had a 6–2 record. In the postseason, the Outlaws were seeded second in the four-team playoff bracket. They defeated the Mississippi Pride in a home game, 27–3, to advance to the championship game against the top-seeded Mobile Admirals. In RFL Bowl I, played at the Admirals' home field, Ladd–Peebles Stadium, the Outlaws were edged by the Admirals, 14–12.[7] It was the third time the Admirals defeated the Outlaws, who did not lose to any other team. After the season, the team and league ceased operation.
1999 season schedule
Date | Opponent | Site | W/L | Score | Attnd. | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
April 18 | Ohio Cannon | Away | W | 18–17 | [8] | |
April 24 | Mississippi Pride | Away | W | 28–5 | 3,000 | [9] |
May 1 | Mobile Admirals | Away† | L | 7–10 | 10,432 | [10] |
May 8 | Shreveport Knights | Away | W | 17–14 | 2,000 | [11][12] |
May 15 | Ohio Cannon | Home | W | 27–3 | [13] | |
May 22 | New Orleans Thunder | Home | W | 31–12 | 1,500 | [6] |
May 30 | Shreveport Knights | Home | W | 17–7 | [14] | |
June 5 | Mobile Admirals | Away | L | 3–14 | [15] | |
Playoffs | ||||||
June 12 | Mississippi Pride | Home | W | 27–3 | [16] | |
June 20 | Mobile Admirals | Away | L | 12–14 | 5,571 | [7] |
† May 1 game played in Mobile due to schedule conflict with Houston's stadium[17]
References
- Richards, Joey D. (May 27, 1999). "Santa Fe's Wylie finds a football home with the Outlaws". The Daily News. Galveston, Texas. p. 17. Retrieved January 28, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
- "Professional Football in Texas" (PDF). texasalmanac.com. Texas State Historical Association. p. 5. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
- "League". Remember the RFL. Retrieved January 25, 2019 – via Google Sites.
- "Transactions: Football". The Daily Item. Sunbury, Pennsylvania. February 20, 1999. p. 20. Retrieved January 31, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
- Goolsby, Henry (April 25, 1999). "Pride: Scores safety, field goal". The Clarion-Ledger. Jackson, Mississippi. p. 36. Retrieved January 28, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
- Richards, Joey D. (May 27, 1999). "Santa Fe's Wylie finds a football home with the Outlaws". The Daily News. Galveston, Texas. p. 22. Retrieved January 25, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
- "Roller coaster ride ends with championship for Admirals". Pensacola News Journal. June 21, 1999. p. 5D. Retrieved January 23, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
- McCloskey, John (April 23, 1999). "RFL moving headquarters to Mobile, Ala". The Times. Shreveport, Louisiana. p. 27. Retrieved January 27, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
- Goolsby, Henry (April 25, 1999). "Outlaws victimize error-prone Pride 28-5". The Clarion-Ledger. Jackson, Mississippi. p. 35. Retrieved January 26, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
- Vilona, Bill (May 2, 1999). "Late field goal lifts Admirals to 10-7 win". Pensacola News Journal. Pensacola, Florida. p. 45. Retrieved January 26, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
- McCloskey, John (May 9, 1999). "Shreveport falls to Houston on late field goal". The Times. Shreveport, Louisiana. p. 43. Retrieved January 24, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
- McCloskey, John (May 9, 1999). "Knights Report". The Times. Shreveport, Louisiana. p. 45. Retrieved January 24, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
- "Weekly Results". Remember the RFL. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
- "Knights fall to Houston". The Times. Shreveport, Louisiana. June 1, 1999. p. 13. Retrieved January 24, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
- "Interception return lifts Admirals past Outlaws". Pensacola News Journal. June 6, 1999. p. 7D. Retrieved January 26, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
- Goolsby, Henry (June 15, 1999). "Curry: Pay woes contributed to Pride's losses". The Clarion-Ledger. Jackson, Mississippi. p. 23. Retrieved January 26, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
- "Game moved". Pensacola News Journal. Pensacola, Florida. April 25, 1999. p. 50. Retrieved January 26, 2019 – via newspapers.com.