The Gamblers were 15-1 during the regular season and will take on the New Jersey Generals in World Bowl IX on Monday. Houston also can stick out its chest a big while talking about the five players and three major award winners it placed on the 1982 USFL/WFL All-Pro Team.
 |
| Mario Valencia, QB, Houston |
Houston linebacker Roderick Carver (138 tackles, 8 INT) was voted defensive MVP by league coaches and WR Gabriel Ahrens was voted Offensive Rookie of the Year. Ahrens led the league in receiving yards (1,776) and TD receptions (25) while being nominated for Rookie of the Week 12 times.
Honolulu Hawaiians DB Thomas Franks (73 tackles, 2 INT, 31.6 catch allowed) was named Defensive Rookie of the Year. Michigan Panthers coach Hellbringer was voted Coach of the Year after he led his team to a franchise-record 11 victories, its first division title, first playoff appearance, and first playoff victory.
Three players were named All-Pro for a fourth time—Portland DL Norman Paulk, Washington DL John Broussard, and Cleveland P Dan Carr. The five-member All-Pro offensive line included three current Portland Storm players and one former Portland star (Tampa Bay OL Adam Bolding). Charlotte linebacker Thomas Allums became the first Hornets player to be voted All-Pro. DB Kelly Acosta, a Draft Day bust for Houston in 1980, intercepted 10 passes for Birmingham this season and was voted All-Pro for the first time. Arizona WR/RB Quincy White was voted All-Pro at WR in 1981 and at RB in 1982.
1982 USFL/WFL All-Pro Team
(Previous selections in parentheses)Offense: Mario Valencia, QB, Houston ('76); James Connelly, RB/WR, Houston ('78 KR); Quincy White, RB/WR, Arizona ('81 WR); Gabriel Ahrens, WR, Houston; Allan Boyer, WR, Washington; Mario Burton, TE, Birmingham; Thomas Bellanger, OL, Portland ('81); Adam Bolding, OL, Tampa Bay ('76, '80); Daniel Fears, OL, Portland; Randy Squires, OL, Portland; Michael Warren, OL, San Jose ('81).
Special Teams: Matthew Eno, K, Chicago; Dan Carr, P, Cleveland ('76, '79, '81); Kenneth Marks, KR, Detroit.
Defense: Norman Paulk, DL, Portland ('75, '76, '77); Jeffrey Lovelace, DT, Houston; John Broussard, DL, Washington ('79, '80, '81); Chris Smith, DL, Baltimore; Roderick Carver, LB, Houston; Thomas Allums, LB, Charlotte; Douglas Oneal, LB, Honolulu ('81); Mark Owens, LB, Oakland; Harold Lindsay, DB, Georgia; Kerry Justin, DB, New Jersey ('78, '81); Kelly Acosta, DB, Birmingham; Dennis Canning, DB, Chicago.
Offensive MVP: Mario Valencia, QB, Houston
Defensive MVP: Roderick Carver, LB, Houston
Coach of the Year: Hellbringer, Michigan
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Gabriel Ahrens, WR, Houston
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Thomas Franks, DB, Honolulu
Honorable Mention (in order of number of votes received):
QB: Jerry Ruiz, Michigan; Dustin Nichols, Denver.RB: Cory Martin, Washington; Michael Leonard, Portland; Max Howard, Chicago; Kenneth Anderson, San Jose; Patrick Hiebert, Oklahoma.
WR: Mark Moody, Honolulu; Quincy White, Arizona; Jerome Betancourt, Memphis; Damon Rosato, Memphis.
TE: Herbert Schuler, San Jose; Leroy Selmon, New Jersey; Chris Squire, San Antonio; Richard Glasscock, Portland.
OL: Elvis Presley, New Jersey; Frank Eddins, Oakland; Richard Mosley, San Jose; Leonard Putnam, Los Angeles; Jimmy Hoffa, New Jersey; Carl Lawlor, Houston; David Fowler, Jacksonville.
KR: Hector Morris, Baltimore; Allan Howard, New York.
DL: Douglas Couey, Michigan; Albert Cruz, Oklahoma; Jeffrey Alfaro, New Orleans.
LB: Timothy Hall, Oklahoma; Robert Tate, Chicago; Frederick Brown, Oakland; Curtis Bernard, Philadelphia; Phillip Williamson, Jacksonville.
DB: Rodney Preston, New York; Thomas Franks, Honolulu; Jim Morrison, San Antonio; Theodore McQueen, Jacksonville; Charles Bowles, Boston; Brent Sylvain, Houston; Ezra Baumgardner, San Jose; Francis Vanhoose, Washington; Gordon Wong, Jacksonville; Shelby Kemp, Florida.
Offensive MVP: James Connelly, RB/WR, Houston; Thomas Bellanger, OL, Portland; Gabriel Ahrens, WR, Houston; Jerry Ruiz, QB, Michigan.
Defensive MVP: Dennis Canning, DB, Chicago; John Broussard, DL, Washington; Harold Lindsay, DB, Georgia; Rodney Preston, DB, New York; Douglas Oneal, LB, Honolulu; Kerry Justin, DB, New Jersey; Douglas Couey, DL, Michigan; Phillip Williamson, LB, Jacksonville.
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Magic Johnson, RB, New Jersey; Mario Burton, TE, Birmingham; Charles Ahumada, WR/RB, Michigan.
Defensive Rookie of the Year: William Wallace, LB, Oklahoma; Ezra Baumgardner, DB, San Jose; Edward Harvey, DB, Philadelphia.
