The Los Angeles Cobras were a professional

arena football Indoor American football, or arena football, is a variation of gridiron football played at ice hockey-sized indoor arenas. While varying in details from league to league, the rules of indoor football are designed to allow for play in a smaller ...

team based in

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

that played one season (1988) in the

Arena Football League The Arena Football League (AFL) was a professional arena football league in the United States. It was founded in 1986, but played its first official games in the 1987 season, making it the third longest-running professional football league in ...

History

On March 16, 1988, it was announced that team would be nicknamed the Cobras, as well as the introduction of head coach

Ray Willsey Ray may refer to: Fish * Ray (fish), any cartilaginous fish of the superorder Batoidea * Ray (fish fin anatomy), a bony or horny spine on a fin Science and mathematics * Ray (geometry), half of a line proceeding from an initial point * Ray (gra ...

. The Cobras played their home games at the

Los Angeles Sports Arena The Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena was a multi-purpose arena at Exposition Park, in the University Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. It was located next to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and just south of the campus of the University of ...

, which they shared with the

Los Angeles Clippers The Los Angeles Clippers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Clippers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division in the league's Western Conference. The Clipper ...

of the

National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United S ...

. 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. The Cobras started the season 0–3, but finished the season 5–3–1, clinching a playoff spot. Despite a lineup that featured former NFL all-pro receiver

Cliff Branch Clifford Branch Jr. (August 1, 1948 – August 3, 2019) was an American professional football player who was a wide receiver with the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders during his entire 14-year National Football League (NFL) career. He won three NF ...

, ex-

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quarterback Matt Stevens 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 The Chicago Bruisers were a professional arena football team based in Rosemont, Illinois. They were founded in 1987 as a charter member of the Arena Football League (AFL). They played their home games at Rosemont Horizon. History Founding (1987) ...

, 29–16. 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

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Notable players

Roster

Arena Football League Hall of Famers

All-Arena players

The following Cobras players were named to All-Arena Teams: *QB Matt Stevens *WR/DB Gary Mullen

Notable coaches

Head coaches

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

External links

L.A. Cobras at ArenaFan.com
{{Defunct Arena Football League franchises Defunct Arena Football League teams American football teams established in 1988 Sports clubs disestablished in 1988 1988 establishments in California 1988 disestablishments in California Cobras Cobras Defunct American football teams in California