1994 Shreveport Pirates season

The 1994 Shreveport Pirates season was the first season in the teams franchise history. They finished last place in the East division with a 3–15 record and failed to make the playoffs.

1994 Shreveport Pirates season
Head coachJohn Huard (released during training camp), Forrest Gregg
Home fieldIndependence Stadium
Results
Record3–15
Division place6th, East
Playoff finishdid not qualify
Uniform

Offseason

During the 1993 season, Bernie Glieberman was the owner of the Ottawa Rough Riders franchise. The city refused to renegotiate the terms of the lease for Frank Clair Stadium and Glieberman threatened to move the franchise. Instead, Glieberman sold the franchise to local businessman Bruce Firestone.[1] Glieberman was offered the opportunity to start a new franchise and the Shreveport Pirates were born.[1] His son Lonie was named team president and the Gliebermans were leased Independence Stadium at a 10-year lease for $2,500 a game.[2] Lonie Glieberman boasted that the Pirates would be the first US based CFL franchise to win the Grey Cup.[2]

Training camp

The Pirates first training camp was meant to be on the grounds at Louisiana State University. Instead, there was a scheduling error and the Pirates were forced to hold their training camp on the grounds of the Louisiana State Fair.[3] The players were housed in a large barracks style room that housed 12 to 18 players, and were on the second level, while animals were on the first level.[3] Pirates player Joe Mero would book a nearby hotel room at his own expense.[4] Head coach John Huard was the former football coach at the Maine Maritime Academy and he would be fired during training camp. An incident occurred where Huard berated a volunteer athletic therapist. The therapist left training camp and Huard was released from his coaching duties.[4] Huard was replaced by NFL Hall of Famer and former Cincinnati Bengals and Toronto Argonauts head coach Forrest Gregg. Gregg convinced the Gliebermans to remove the Vice President of Operations and the General Manager.[5]

Preseason
Week Date Opponent Score Result Attendance Record
A Fri, June 24 vs. Baltimore CFLers 33–18 Loss 19,000 0–1
B Tue, June 28 at Toronto Argonauts 24–1 Loss 12,712 0–2

Regular season

Despite the losing, Shreveport averaged a respectable attendance of 17,871 fans per game.[6] The Pirates set a CFL record with the longest losing streak in history (14 consecutive losses).[5]

Schedule
Week Date Opponent Score Result Attendance Record
1 Wed, July 6 at Ottawa Rough Riders 40–10 Loss 18,134 0–1
2 Sat, July 16 vs. Toronto Argonauts 35–34 Loss 20,634 0–2
3 Sat, July 23 at Baltimore CFLers 40–24 Loss 31,172 0–3
4 Sat, July 30 vs. Edmonton Eskimos 24–10 Loss 17,434 0–4
5 Fri, Aug 5 at Hamilton Tiger-Cats 38–15 Loss 12,612 0–5
6 Sat, Aug 13 vs. Las Vegas Posse 49–13 Loss 18,011 0–6
7 Sat, Aug 20 vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats 30–26 Loss 14,364 0–7
8 Sat, Aug 27 at BC Lions 67–15 Loss 20,398 0–8
9 Sat, Sept 3 vs. Baltimore Stallions 28–16 Loss 16,332 0–9
10 Sat, Sept 10 at Las Vegas Posse 34–21 Loss 9467 0–10
11 Sat, Sept 17 at Sacramento Gold Miners 56–3 Loss 13,747 0–11
12 Sat, Sept 24 vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders 29–11 Loss 15,502 0–12
13 Sat, Oct 1 at Winnipeg Blue Bombers 39–21 Loss 20,426 0–13
14 Sat, Oct 8 vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers 38–22 Loss 14,088 0–14
15 Sun, Oct 16 vs. Sacramento Gold Miners 24–12 Win 12,465 1–14
16 Fri, Oct 21 at Calgary Stampeders 52–8 Loss 21,317 1–15
17 Fri, Oct 28 at Toronto Argonauts 29–27 Win 20,328 2–15
18 Fri, Nov 4 vs. Ottawa Rough Riders 28–24 Win 32,011 3–15

[6]

Awards and honors
  • Ben Williams, Defensive Tackle, CFL Eastern All-Star
  • Joe Fuller, Defensive Back, CFL Eastern All-Star

References
  1. Weird Facts about Canadian Football, p.77, Overtime Books, First Printing 2009, ISBN 978-1-897277-26-3
  2. Weird Facts about Canadian Football, p.78, Overtime Books, First Printing 2009, ISBN 978-1-897277-26-3
  3. Weird Facts about Canadian Football, p.193, Overtime Books, First Printing 2009, ISBN 978-1-897277-26-3
  4. Weird Facts about Canadian Football, p.194, Overtime Books, First Printing 2009, ISBN 978-1-897277-26-3
  5. Weird Facts about Canadian Football, p.195, Overtime Books, First Printing 2009, ISBN 978-1-897277-26-3
  6. http://www.profootballarchives.com/1994cflshr.html
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