Memphis Maniax

The Memphis Maniax was an American football team based in Memphis, Tennessee. The team was part of the XFL begun by Vince McMahon of World Wrestling Entertainment and by NBC, a major television network in the United States. Home games were played at the Liberty Bowl.

Memphis Maniax
Established2001
Folded2001 (2001)
Based inMemphis, Tennessee
Home stadiumLiberty Bowl Memorial Stadium
Head coachKippy Brown
LeagueXFL
DivisionWestern
ColorsTeal, burgundy, gold, black[1]
       
League titles0
Division titles0

History

The team's name and logo were designed to lead the team's fans into calling the team "The Ax", a shortened form of the word "maniacs".

The Maniax Director of Player Personnel was Steve Ortmayer, who had become respected in the pro football world for helping to build the Super Bowl XVIII-champion Los Angeles Raiders. Steve Ehrhart, who had managed both the Memphis Showboats and Memphis Mad Dogs, returned as general manager for the Maniax. The head coach was Kippy Brown.

At slightly over 20,000 fans per game, the Maniax were in the lower half of league average attendance; this figure was higher than the Mad Dogs had drawn, and comparable to that of the NFL's Tennessee Oilers during their lone season in Memphis, but lower than the Showboats.

They were in the Western Division with the Los Angeles Xtreme, San Francisco Demons, and Las Vegas Outlaws. They finished tied for second place at 5-5 with the Demons, but did not make the playoffs as the Demons had the better division record during the season. The Maniax were one of two teams to beat the eventual league champion Xtreme, and the only team to beat them twice, going 2-0 vs. their divisional rivals in the regular season; not coincidentally, they, along with the Xtreme and Demons, were the only three XFL teams to maintain the same starting quarterback through the entire season.

NBC officials wanted to move the XFL games to afternoons after the first season (2001) due to dismal ratings, and when, somewhat to McMahon's surprise and disappointment the United Paramount Network (UPN) wanted to follow suit, the league was then folded and the team disbanded.

Season by season
Season records
SeasonWLTFinishPlayoff results
20015503rd Western--

Regular season
Date Opponent Result Record Game site
Sunday, February 4, 2001 at Birmingham Thunderbolts W 22-20 1-0 Legion Field
Sunday, February 11, 2001 Las Vegas Outlaws L 3-25 1-1 Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium
Saturday, February 17, 2001 San Francisco Demons L 6-13 1-2 Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium
Sunday, February 25, 2001 at Los Angeles Xtreme W 18-12 2-2 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Sunday, March 4, 2001 Orlando Rage L 19-21 2-3 Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium
Saturday, March 10, 2001 Chicago Enforcers W 29-23 3-3 Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium
Saturday, March 17, 2001 at New York/New Jersey Hitmen L 15-16 3-4 Giants Stadium
Saturday, March 24, 2001 at San Francisco Demons L 12-21 3-5 Pacific Bell Park
Sunday, April 1, 2001 Los Angeles Xtreme W 27-12 4-5 Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium
Saturday, April 7, 2001 at Las Vegas Outlaws W 16-3 5-5 Sam Boyd Stadium

Standings
Western Division
Team W L T PCT PF PA STK
Los Angeles Xtreme 7 3 0 .700 235 166 W1
San Francisco Demons 5 5 0 .500 156 161 L1
Memphis Maniax 5 5 0 .500 167 166 W2
Las Vegas Outlaws 4 6 0 .400 169 143 L3

[2]

Team leaders

Rushing yards: 528 – Rashaan Salaam

(1994 Heisman Trophy winner)

Receiving yards: 823 – Charles Jordan

Passing yards: 1,499 – Jim Druckenmiller

References
  1. "Memphis Maniax Logo Sheet". SSUR.org. Archived from the original on November 28, 2010. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
  2. "XFL Standings". USA Today. May 12, 2001. Retrieved February 18, 2011.
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