| Memphis Showboats | |
| Founded | 1984 |
| Folded | 1985 |
| Based in | Memphis, TN, United States |
| Home field | Liberty Bowl |
| League | USFL |
| Conference | Eastern Conference |
| Division | Southern Division (1984) |
| Team History | Memphis Showboats (1984-5) |
| Team Colors | Scarlet, Silver, White
|
| Head coaches | 1984-5 Pepper Rodgers (19-19) |
| Owner(s) | 1984 Logan Young Jr. & William Dunavant 1985 William Dunavant |
The Memphis Showboats were a franchise in the United States Football League. They entered the league in its expansion in 1984 and made the 1985 playoffs, losing in the semifinal round to the Oakland Invaders. Perhaps the most prominent player on the Showboats' roster during their two seasons of existence was future Pro Football Hall of Fame member Reggie White. They were owned by cotton magnate William Dunavant and Logan Young; the head coach was Pepper Rodgers, who would later go on to coach another Memphis pro football team, the Memphis Mad Dogs, in 1995.
The Showboats played their home games in the Liberty Bowl. The Showboats franchise was one of the USFL's better fan draws as far as live gate was concerned, and seemed to have had a realistic chance to have been a viable business if the overall management of the USFL had been more realistic and financially sound. As it was, they ceased to exist, along with all other USFL franchises, when the league failed to collect significant damages in its 1986 anti-trust suit against the NFL.
In the SpongeBob SquarePants episode "Band Geeks", the band led by Squidward Tentacles plays at the "Bubble Bowl", during which clips of a Memphis Showboats game are shown.
A player from the Memphis Showboats appeared as a contestant on Press Your Luck in 1985.
Single season leaders
- Rushing Yards: 789 (1985), Tim Spencer
- Receiving Yards: 1143 (1985), Greg Moser
- Passing Yards: 2128 (1985), Mike Kelley (football player)
Season-by-season
Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties
| Season | W | L | T | Finish | Playoff results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 7 | 11 | 0 | 4th EC Southern | -- |
| 1985 | 11 | 7 | 0 | 3rd EC | Won Quarterfinal (Denver) Lost Semifinal (Oakland) |
| Totals | 19 | 19 | 0 | (including playoffs) | |
External links
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