Orlando Thunder

Last updated
Orlando Thunder
Founded1991
Closed1992
Based in Orlando, Florida
League World League of American Football (NFL Europe)
ColorsLime Green, Royal Blue, Light Blue, Yellow, White [1]
     
Franchise recordRegular Season: 13–7
Postseason: 1–1

The Orlando Thunder was a member of the World League of American Football from 1991 to 1992 (known as NFL Europe from 1995 onwards). The team played their games in the 70,000 seat Florida Citrus Bowl, and was coached by Don Matthews in 1991 and Galen Hall in 1992. The team's most visible point was their colors – the League wanted to develop new colors which hadn't been used for teams before, hence the vermilion and green that the Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks wore, and the fluorescent green jerseys that the Thunder sported.

Contents

The team's general managers were Lee Corso and Dick Beam. In 1991 the team played to a 5–5 record, and in 1992 the team had an outstanding 8–2 record, and made it to the World Bowl II championship game before losing to the Sacramento Surge 21–17. The Thunder's attendance figures fell from over 19,000 per game in its first year to just over 16,000 per game in 1992. The team folded after the 1992 season with the rest of the WLAF's North American operations. The league would later use the team's name (but not its colors or history) for the Berlin Thunder.

Notable players include Kerwin Bell and Scott Mitchell, a left-handed quarterback who went on to play in the NFL for the Miami Dolphins and Detroit Lions and Dan Sileo, who went on to become a famous sports talk radio host.

In 2006, readers of ESPN's Uni Watch column voted the team's jersey 2nd worst football jersey of all-time. [2]

Season-by-season

SeasonLeagueRegular seasonPostseason
WonLostTiesWin %FinishWonLostWin %Result
1991 WLAF 550.5002nd (North American East)
1992 WLAF 820.8001st (North American East)11.500Lost to Sacramento Surge in World Bowl '92
Total1370.65011.500

1991 season

1991 Orlando Thunder season
General manager Lee Corso & Dick Beam
Head coach Don Matthews
Home field Florida Citrus Bowl
Results
Record5-5
Division place2nd (North American East)
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Pro Bowlers N/A

Personnel

Staff

1991 Orlando Thunder staff
Front office
  • Majority Owner – Raj Bhathal
  • General Manager – Lee Corso
  • Director of Player Personnel – Jeff Beathard

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

Defensive coaches
  • Defensive Coordinator – Dan Daniel
  • Defensive Line – Pete Catan

Strength and conditioning

Roster

1991 Orlando Thunder roster
Quarterbacks

Running Backs

Wide Receivers

Tight Ends

  • 80 Dennis Smith RB/TE
  • 85 Dewayne Harrison
Offensive Linemen
  • 65 Doug Aronson G
  • 73 John Durden T
  • 61 John Guerrero G
  • 52 Rodney Lossow C
  • 77 Mike Withycombe T

Defensive Linemen

  • 72 Robert Presbury DE
  • 70 Winfred Bryant DE
  • 94 Charles Jackson NT
  • 91 Duane Duncum OLB/DE
Linebackers
  • 57 Wayne Davis ILB
  • 55 Matt Devine ILB
  • 56 Wayne Dickson OLB
  • 95 Willie Walker OLB
  • 58 Greg Carpenter MLB

Defensive Backs

  • 26 Brian Covington CB
  • 24 Bob Flenoid CB
  • 23 Mike Nettles S
  • 42 Billy Owens S
  • 31 Rob Sterling S
  • 20 Erroll Tucker CB/PR

Special Teams

Operation Discovery
  • 94Helmut Joder DE Flag of Germany.svg
  • 82Steffen Nagurski WR Flag of Germany.svg
  • 53Dirk Reessing LB Flag of Germany.svg


Rookies in italics

Results

WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenueAttendance
1March 25 San Antonio Riders W 35–341–0 Florida Citrus Bowl 21,714
2March 30 Raleigh–Durham Skyhawks W 58–202–0Florida Citrus Bowl20,811
3April 6at London Monarchs L 12–352–1 Wembley Stadium 35,327
4April 14at Barcelona Dragons L 13–332–2 Montjuic Stadium 40,875
5April 21 Birmingham Fire L 6–312–3Florida Citrus Bowl21,249
6April 27at New York/New Jersey Knights L 6–422–4 Giants Stadium 30,046
7May 4 Frankfurt Galaxy L 14–172–5Florida Citrus Bowl11,270
8May 11 Sacramento Surge W 45–333–5Florida Citrus Bowl20,048
9May 20at Raleigh–Durham Skyhawks W 20–144–5 Carter–Finley Stadium 4,207
10May 27at Montreal Machine W 33–27 (OT)5–5 Olympic Stadium 23,493

1992 season

1992 Orlando Thunder season
General manager Lee Corso & Dick Beam
Head coach Galen Hall
Home field Florida Citrus Bowl
Results
Record8-2
Division place2nd (North American East)
Playoff finish1-1 (.500), Lost to Sacramento Surge in World Bowl '92
Pro Bowlers N/A

Results

WeekOpponentResultsGame site
Final scoreTeam record
1 Ohio Glory W 13–91–0 Florida Citrus Bowl
2at Montreal Machine L 29–311–1 Olympic Stadium
3at Ohio GloryW 28–32–1 Ohio Stadium
4 New York/New Jersey Knights W 39–213–1Florida Citrus Bowl
5Montreal MachineW 16–84–1Florida Citrus Bowl
6at Frankfurt Galaxy W 38–05–1 Waldstadion
7at San Antonio Riders W 39–216–1 Bobcat Stadium
8 London Monarchs W 9–07–1Florida Citrus Bowl
9at Birmingham Fire L 23–247–2 Legion Field
10 Barcelona Dragons W 13–108–2Florida Citrus Bowl
Postseason
SemifinalBirmingham FireW 45–79–2Florida Citrus Bowl
World Bowl Sacramento Surge L 17–219–3 Olympic Stadium

Staff

1992 Orlando Thunder staff
Front office
  • Majority Owner – Raj Bhathal
  • Chief Operating Officer/General Manager – Dick Beam
  • Director of Player Personnel – Pete Levine
  • Director of Public Relations - John Giantonio

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

Defensive coaches


Roster

1992 Orlando Thunder roster

Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

  • 89 Michael Titley

Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

Operation Discovery

Rookies in italics

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References

  1. "Team Colors – WLAF". SSUR.org. Retrieved January 16, 2010.
  2. "ESPN.com: Page 2 : The ugliest ducklings in sports". www.espn.com.