Washington Commandos

The Washington Commandos were an arena football team based in Fairfax, Virginia. The Commandos were founded in 1987 and were an inaugural member of the Arena Football League (AFL), and were based in Landover, Maryland. After not playing during the 1988 season, the team returned for the 1989 season as the Maryland Commandos. Following the 1989 season, the Commandos moved to Fairfax, Virginia, where they once again became known as the Washington Commandos. The team never achieved much success at either of its locations, winning four games in three seasons, including a winless 1989 season.

History

Inaugural season (1987)

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} The Commandos had the honor of playing in the first AFL regular season game on June 19, 1987, losing to the Pittsburgh Gladiators 48–46 at the Civic Arena.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Commandos picked up their first win in franchise history the following week, when they defeated the Denver Dynamite, by a score of 36–20 in their home opener.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Commandos finished the season with a 2–4 record,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> a disappointment, but the team was in every game except one, losing three games by a total of six points.

Move to Maryland (1989)

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} After a one-year hiatus, the Commandos returned to play in 1989 and operated as the "Maryland Commandos", playing their only home game that year at the same venue as in 1987, Landover's Capital Centre.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The team went 0–4 in the abbreviated 'travelin' season of 1989. The Commandos coaching staff consisted of Ray Willsey, Mike Hohensee, Mike Dailey, and Jerry Kurz. Hohensee, Dailey, and Kurz would all become members of the Arena Football Hall of Fame.

Return to Virginia (1990)

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} The team returned to the Washington name for their final season in 1990. They were coached by Hohensee, who had been promoted from his assistant position.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Commandos started the season 0–3.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 1987 and 1989, the team played its home games at the Capital Centre (later known as USAir Arena) in Landover, Maryland. For the 1990 season, the team was based at the Patriot Center on the campus of George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Return of the AFL in Washington

In 1999, Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder announced that he would bring an expansion team to DC to be called the Washington Warriors.<ref>Are You Ready for the Washington Warriors?, Bryan Curtis, Slate.com, May 6, 2002</ref> (At the time, there was speculation in the media that Snyder actually wanted to change the name of the Redskins to the Warriors, due to the controversy over the NFL's team monicker.) But after a ten-year wait and the AFL's canceling its season in 2009, that never materialized.<ref>Cheap Seats Daily: Washington Warriors Won't Ever Play in the AFL?, Dave McKenna, Washington City Paper, August 5, 2009</ref>

In 2016, it was announced that Ted Leonsis of Monumental Sports, owner of the NBA's Washington Wizards, WNBA's Washington Mystics and the NHL's Washington Capitals was launching an expansion franchise that would play at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC in 2017.<ref>Leonsis close to securing Arena Football League team for D.C., WTOP Radio website, February 10, 2016</ref><ref>Template:Usurped, ArenaFootball.com, March 10, 2016</ref> The Washington Valor played from 2017 until 2019, when the league was suspended.

Notable players

Final roster

Washington Commandos roster
Quarterbacks -- Tony Burris -- Mike Rhodes Wide receivers/Defensive backs -- Chris Armstrong -- Charlie Brown -- Derrick Donald -- Russell Hairston -- Ray Puryear -- Jim Rafferty -- Rob Sterling	Running backs/Linebackers -- Jeff Blankenship -- Mickey Paige -- John Rymiszewski -- Fred Smalls -- Fernando McWherter Offensive linemen/Defensive linemen -- Patrick Cain -- Matt Conerly -- Anthony Corvino -- Rod Ferguson -- Jeff Garneca -- Chuck Harris -- Bill Leach -- Andrew Marlatt -- Rodney Smith	Wide receivers/Linebackers -- Dan Burmeister -- Alvin Blount 20 Wade Lockett Kickers -- Dan Plocki Rookies in italics Roster updated March 13, 2013 26 Active, 0 Inactive, 0 PS

Arena Football League Hall of Famers

Washington Commandos Hall of Famers
No.	Name	Year Inducted	Position(s)	Years w/ Commandos
--	Mike Dailey	2012	Assistant Coach	1989–1990
--	Dwayne Dixon	1998	WR/DB	1987
--	Mike Hohensee	2012	Asst./Head Coach	1989–1990
67	Jon Roehlk	1999	OL/DL	1987

All-Arena players

The following Commandos players were named to All-Arena Teams:

• QB Rich Ingold (1)
• WR/DB Dwayne Dixon (1), Lenny Taylor (1), Chris Armstrong (1)
• OL/DL Jon Roehlk (1), Michael Witteck (1), Chuck Harris (2)
• K Dale Castro (1)

Head coaches

Name	Term	Regular season				Playoffs		Awards
		W	L	T	Win%	W	L
Bob Harrison	Template:AFL Year	2	4	0	Template:Winperc	0	0
Ray Willsey	Template:AFL Year	0	4	0	Template:Winperc	0	0
Mike Hohensee	Template:AFL Year	2	6	0	Template:Winperc	0	0

Season-by-season results

ArenaBowl Champions

Division Champions

Wild Card Berth

League Leader

Season	Team	League	Division	Regular season				Postseason results
				Finish	Wins	Losses	Ties
Washington Commandos
Template:AFL Year	1987	AFL	--	3rd	2	4	0
Maryland Commandos
Template:AFL Year	1989	AFL	--	5th	0	4	0
Washington Commandos
Template:AFL Year	1990	AFL		6th	2	6	0
Totals					4	14	0	All-time regular season record (1987–1990)
					0	0	-	All-time postseason record (1987–1990)
					4	14	0	All-time regular season and postseason record (1987–1990)

External links

• Washington Commandos at ArenaFan.com
• Maryland Commandos at ArenaFan.com