Orlando Renegades

The Renegades started out in 1983 as the Washington Federals and played in Washington, D.C.'s Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium under the ownership of prominent Washington attorney Berl Bernhard. The team lured Ray Jauch to be its head coach; he had previously guided the Winnipeg Blue Bombers to success in the Canadian Football League. At the time he was the fourth-winningest coach in CFL history.

The Federals finished 4-14, tied for the worst record in the league. However, they were far more competitive than their record indicated. Eight of their losses were by a touchdown or less. They had a fair amount of offensive talent skill players with comparatively good depth.

More than any other team in the league, the Federals seemed dogged by inconsistency, bad timing, and terrible luck. A week before the season even began, their player personnel expert bolted to the NFL's New York Jets. The first game in franchise history was a portent of things to..... Read more