:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/d1vhqlrjc8h82r.cloudfront.net/03-19-2019/t_191106e52eca4b84965159b4445a9ba5_name_maxresdefault.jpg)
December 19th, 2005
The Houston Gamblers held on to win Sunday against the Sun 20-17 in Southern California. 51,721 fans filled Anaheim Stadium as the 2-13 Sun gave the 13-2 Gamblers one heck of a scare.
The win clinched the bye for Houston for the 2nd time in the last 3 seasons where the team will get a week off to get healthy before starting their run for a 9th Championship.
Gamblers starting QB Dale Barber led the league in passing yards, passing TDs & QBR setting the team record for passing yards (5,712) while finishing 2nd Alltime in team passing TDs (51). Barber has established himself as the next great Gambler QB, following Tony Dean & Bryan Franklin but lacks one more accolade the precious two QBs accomplished...A Championship!
Tony Dean is considered by most as the best QB in USFL history based on his stats plus his 6 Titles while Bryan Franklin had the unenviable task of replacing a legend but managed to do enough to win a Title in 1999.
It's now 2005 and the Gamblers haven't won a Title in half a dozen seasons which matches the longest Title drought for the francise since winning thier first Title in 1982.
Dale Barber is in just his 2nd season as starter for the Gamblers after signing a mega 6 year/352 million dollar free agenct contract in 2004. It hasn't taken him long to establish himself as a true Gambler QB and is already 4th Alltime in team passing yards & tied for 3rd Alltime in team passing TDs. Now it's time to cement his legacy and bring the Title back to Houston!
DRAFT STORYGus "Highest" Gas was relaxing at home during the last draft playing with his kids while casually paying attention to the 1st round of the draft. When Houston was on the clock, he took a timeout from playtime and sat down to watch and heard this:
"With the 26th pick of the 1st round in the 2004 USFL draft, the Houston Gamblers select RB/WR Randy Savage out of Texas A&M"
Gus Gas thought to himself well I guess this is the guy who will replace me since he would be entering his 7th season with the team after he himself was was drafted in the 2nd round of the 1999 draft. Gas would lead the team in rushing in 1999 as QB Bryan Franklin had the task of replacing a Gambler legend for the first season. That 1999 team went on to win the francises 8th Title and Gas was a key component to that teams success.
Within minutes of Savage being selected, Gas received a phone call from Gambler's head coach Dorian Peters. Peters has been the Gambler's head coach for 17 seasons and has 4 Titles under his command. He wanted to let Gas know how much the Savage selection would help him in the upcoming season. He explained how Savage would take some of the load off of him in the running game which would open up more mismatches in the passing game. By the end of the phone call, Gas was convinced he would have a great season.
Gas would go on to still finish 2nd on the team in rushing but he carries would he the 2nd lowest of his career. Gas did have his best receiving season of his career, setting career highs in receiving yards (966) & TD receptions (9). Perhaps the biggest benefit to the reduced workload showed up in tge return game. Gas tied a USFL record with 6 KO return TDs on 20 KO returns and eclipsed 1,500 yards in combined return yards.
Gas also set a career high in Total yards with 3,195 Total yards & 21 Total TDs which places him 2nd Alltime in team Total yards & 3rd Alltime in team Total TDs. In fact, he ranks 6th Alltime in USFL history for Total yards, tied for 1st Alltime in KO return TDs & 8th Alltime in punt return yards for a season.
