Editing Washington Commandos (section)

==History==

===Inaugural season (1987)===
{{main|1987 Washington Commandos season}}
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 (Pittsburgh)|Civic Arena]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/06/21/sports/sports-people-arena-football-debuts.html |title=Arena Football Debuts |date=June 21, 1987 |work=The New York Times |access-date=September 19, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19870620&id=V-lRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ym4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5045,7032170 |title=Gladiators smashing in 48-46 win |author=Gary Tuma |date=June 20, 1987 |newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |access-date=September 19, 2013}}</ref> The Commandos picked up their first win in franchise history the following week, when they defeated the [[Denver Dynamite (arena football)|Denver Dynamite]], by a score of 36–20 in their home opener.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1298&dat=19870629&id=p-JNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YIsDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4551,5213762 |title=Commandos win home-opener |date=June 29, 1987 |newspaper=The Free Lance-Star |access-date=September 19, 2013}}</ref> The Commandos finished the season with a 2–4 record,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://apnews.com/7be57b88a59229cb760cfe221e0c89f4 |title=Commandos 52, Gladiators 31 |date=July 24, 1987 |agency=Associated Press |work=www.apnewsarchive.com |access-date=September 19, 2013}}</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)===
{{main|1989 Maryland Commandos season}}
After a one-year hiatus, the Commandos returned to play in [[1989 Arena Football League season|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 (Landover, Maryland)|Capital Centre]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gazette.net/article/20130903/NEWS/130909762/1033/arena-football-league-considering-putting-team-at-proposed-shady&template=gazette |title=Arena Football League considering putting team at proposed Shady Grove venue |author=Kevin James Shay |date=September 3, 2013 |publisher=Post-Newsweek Media, Inc./Gazette.Net |work=www.gazette.net |access-date=September 19, 2013}}</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)===
{{main|1990 Washington Commandos season}}
The team returned to the Washington name for their final season in [[1990 Arena Football League season|1990]]. They were coached by Hohensee, who had been promoted from his assistant position.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1957&dat=19900609&id=EHMhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=tIgFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3494,2390897 |title=Firebirds Host Commandos In Arena Football Opener |author=Tom Boggie |date=June 9, 1990 |newspaper=The Daily Gazette |access-date=September 19, 2013}}</ref> The Commandos started the season 0–3.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19900623&id=0fFRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=yG4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=3807,6482735 |title=Barretta leads Glads over Commandos |author=David Fink |date=June 23, 1990 |newspaper=Pittsburgh Post=Gazette |access-date=September 19, 2013}}</ref>

In 1987 and 1989, the team played its home games at the [[Capital Centre (Landover, Maryland)|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>{{cite web |url=http://www.arenafan.com/teams/Washington_Commandos-3/history/1990/ |title=ArenaFan Online : Washington Commandos - Team History - 1990 |publisher=ArenaFan |work=www.arenafan.com}}</ref>