Montreal Machine

The Montreal Machine were the sole Canadian (and non-U.S. based North American) team in the World League of American Football (WLAF), a springtime developmental professional league set up by the National Football League (NFL) that played in 1991 and 1992. There were also three European teams and six United States-based teams. Like all WLAF teams, the Machine played American rules football, 11 players per side on a 100-yard long/53 1/3-yard wide field, rather than Canadian rules football of 12 players per side on a 110-yard long/65-yard wide field.

Montreal Machine
Team logo
Founded1991
Closed1992
Based inMontreal, Quebec,
Canada
Home fieldOlympic Stadium
LeagueWorld League of American Football (NFL Europe)
ColorsMaroon, Silver, Navy, Red, White[1]
         
Franchise recordRegular Season: 6–14

The Machine filled a void created by the folding of the Canadian Football League's Montreal Alouettes in 1987. It was the first American football team in Canada since the Montreal Beavers, Toronto Rifles and Victoria Steelers, which all played in the Continental Football League in 1967. The NFL had also played two international preseason games in Montreal in 1988 and 1990 during the Alouettes' absence.

After two years, the Machine, and the entire WLAF, were put on "hiatus" by the NFL. In 1995, the three European-based franchises (and three more) were reconstituted as the World League (later known as NFL Europe); the North American teams were folded, thus becoming a purely European league. The Machine played their home games at Olympic Stadium in Montreal, which also hosted what would be the WLAF's last game in its original incarnation, World Bowl '92. A crowd of 43,789 watched the Sacramento Surge defeat the Orlando Thunder, 21–17.

The Machine's average game attendance was 31,888 in their first year of play, well above the league average and above expectations. It dropped to 25,254 in their second (and final) year, still in line with league average.

The end of the WLAF's North American operations was soon followed by the CFL commencing its own U.S. expansion experiment, which lasted for three seasons. The subsequent demise of the CFL's U.S. teams coincided with pro football's return to Montreal in 1996 when the third and current incarnation of the Montreal Alouettes commenced play. The Alouettes had been revived by the owners of the Baltimore Stallions, the most successful of the CFL's American franchises, who upon shuttering their U.S.-based team relocated their football organization to Montreal.

Season-by-season

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SeasonLeagueRegular seasonPostseason
WonLostTiesWin %FinishWonLostWin %Result
1991WLAF460.4003rd (North American East)
1992WLAF280.2003rd (North American East)
Total6140.300

1991 season

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1991 Montreal Machine season
OwnerRoger Dore
General managerGordon Cahill
Head coachJacques Dussault
Home fieldOlympic Stadium
Results
Record4–6
Division place3rd (North American)
Playoff finishdid not qualify

Personnel

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Staff

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1991 Montreal Machine staff
Front office
  • Owner/President – Roger Dore
  • General Manager – Gordon Cahill
  • Director of Player Personnel – Lionel Vital

Head coaches

  • Head Coach – Jacques Dussault

Offensive coaches

Defensive coaches
  • Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs – Don Sutherin
  • Defensive Line/Linebackers – Hank Hughes


[2][3][4]

Roster

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1991 Montreal Machine roster
Quarterbacks

Running Backs

Wide Receivers

  • 81 Michael A Cadore Sr.
  • 83 Gary Cooper
  • 82 Wyatt Harris
  • 84 Willie Snead
  • 82 Steve Williams

Tight Ends

Offensive Linemen

Defensive Linemen

Linebackers

Defensive Backs

Special Teams

Operation Discovery
  • Vacant


Rookies in italics

Results

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WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenueAttendance
1March 23at Birmingham FireW 20–51–0Legion Field52,942
2April 1Barcelona DragonsL 10–341–1Olympic Stadium53,238
3April 8Birmingham FireW 23–102–1Olympic Stadium27,766
4April 13New York/New Jersey KnightsL 0–442–2Olympic Stadium34,821
5April 20at London MonarchsL 7–452–3Wembley Stadium35,294
6April 27at Frankfurt GalaxyL 7–172–4Waldstadion25,269
7May 4at Sacramento SurgeW 26–23 (OT)3–4Charles C. Hughes Stadium17,326
8May 13Raleigh-Durham SkyhawksW 15–64–4Olympic Stadium20,123
9May 19at San Antonio RidersL 10–274–5Alamo Stadium20,234
10May 27Orlando ThunderL 27–33 (OT)4–6Olympic Stadium23,493

1992 season

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1992 Montreal Machine season
Home fieldOlympic Stadium
Local radioCKAC
Results
Record2–8
Division place3rd (North American)
Playoff finishdid not qualify

Personnel

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Roster

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1992 Montreal Machine roster
Quarterbacks

Running Backs

Wide Receivers

Tight Ends

Offensive Linemen
  • 69 Tom Backes G/C
  • 63 Jay Butler T
  • 73 Dave Desrochers T
  • 64 Bob Kula C
  • 75 Roman Matusz T
  • 77 Matt McCall G
  • 79 Jeff Novak G/C

Defensive Linemen

Linebackers

Defensive Backs

Special Teams

Operation Discovery
  • Vacant


Rookies in italics

Results

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  • Week 1: San Antonio Riders 17, Montreal 16
  • Week 2: Montreal 31, Orlando Thunder 29
  • Week 3: Sacramento Surge 14, Montreal 7
  • Week 4: Montreal 31, Ohio Glory 20
  • Week 5: Orlando Thunder 16, Montreal 8
  • Week 6: New York/New Jersey Knights 34, Montreal 11
  • Week 7: Sacramento Surge 35, Montreal 21
  • Week 8: Birmingham Fire 23, Montreal 16 (OT)
  • Week 9: London Monarchs 45, Montreal 13
  • Week 10: New York/New Jersey Knights 41, Montreal 21

References

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  1. ^ "Team Colors – WLAF". ColorWerx.us. Archived from the original on November 15, 2010. Retrieved January 17, 2010.
  2. ^ The Official 1991 World League of American Football Media Guide.
  3. ^ John Vellante (May 5, 1991). "Pawlak enjoying life with WLAF". The Boston Globe. Retrieved January 17, 2010.
  4. ^ Tom Boggie (March 30, 1991). "Tricario enjoying life with WLAF club". The Daily Gazette. Retrieved January 17, 2010.