The Washington County Grizzlies was well known as one of the classiest teams of the era and ran as close to a professional organization as possible.  According to Bob Cole, the team sported a paid 5-man coaching staff, equipment manager, trainer, and camp facility agreement with Concordia College.  The players were fully insured, a leased team bus complete with AC, and meals paid for while traveling.  In 1982 the home games were watched by a reported 3,500 fans per game.
 
Bob Cole and Charlier Ganter reunited once again after Cole, the former part owner of the Portland Thunderbirds, brought in Ganter, the one-time star QB of the Thunderbirds and assistant coach.  Cole played linebacker for Auburn University in the early 1960s.
 
Mike James caught 8 TD passes in the first 7 games of the 1982 season, and finished with 10 receiving scores and a kick return for a TD on the season.  Geoff Steenson, former Oregon City Steelhead back-up QB was the leading passer.
 
The team went on to upset the Oregon City Steelheads for the 1982 Championship and complete a cinderella story as the new team on the block winning the title and avenging the week two loss to the bitter rivals.
 
From first to worst explains the 1983 season as the wheels came off of the organization that year.  The Vikings moved from Burien, WA to Astoria, OR and the Steelheads moved into Portland.  The squeeze moved players to those other teams and the Grizzlies could not keep pace.  Steenson would lead the Steelheads to the 1983 League title claiming back-to-back championships as a starting quarterback under offensive coordinator Bob Lyons, who left the Grizzlies for Oregon City as well.
 
Following the death of Dr. Nash's wife in 1984, he lost interest in minor league football and sold the team gear to a new team in Bellevue called the Express which had former Grizzly nose guard Dee Strong as it's face. 
 
The Clark County-based Vancouver Grizzlies were a completely different team in 1984 and was not associated with the Washington County club.

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