Tag Archives: barcelona dragons

NFL, WLAF

Wiese, Brett

Card: Ultimate WLAF 1992
Acquired: TTM 2018, C/o Work
Sent: 10/8    Received: 10/23    (14 days)

Brett Wiese played collegiality for the Washington Huskies from 1985-1988. A blocker who was prized for his flexibility to play all positions on the line, Brett played alongside a studded team of prospects that included Bern Brostek, Cary Conklin, Greg Lewis, Andre Riley, and Mario Bailey. After going unselected in the 1989 NFL Draft, Brett signed with the New England Patriots, and then later played for the San Fransisco 49ers in 1990 and 1991. 

He’d be selected in the first round of the 1992 WLAF draft and play one season for the franchise overseas before returning stateside when the league reorganized. 

Wiese lives in Bellevue, Washington and is a real estate developer and business lawyer. A class act, he sent a really nice note, copy of the autograph, and the autographed card back with his correspondence. 

NFL, WLAF

Carr, Lydell

pswlaf91 lcarrCard: ProSet WLAF 1991
Acquired: 2016, EBay, TTM 2015, C/o Home
Sent:  7/7/15      Received:  7/25/2016   (374 days)
Failure: 2013 TTM, C/o Home

Lydell Carr was the lead blocking back in the Sooners Wishbone attack.  Still none the less, he still gained 2,584 yards (5.0 yards per carry) during his time at Oklahoma.  He’d be selected in the 4th round of the 1988 draft by the New Orleans Saints, but injuries would derail his career. After being cut by the Cardinals in 1990, Carr joined the WLAF in 1991.

Starting at fullback, Lydell blocked for both Paul Palmer and Jim Bell while playing for the Barcelona Dragons, and powering the duo to 725 total rushing yards. The short yardage back, Lydell had 8 TDs on a mere 27 carries. After the team failed to win the World Bowl, Lydell was signed by the expansion Ohio Glory in 1992.  Lydell’s contribution was a mere 57 yards on 20 carries and a TD, but he’d help the team to 873 total yards on the ground, and Amir Rasul to second in the league with 572 yards rushing.

I knew Lydell’s nephew (I believe) and he even went to high school and college with me, however I had stopped collecting autographs during that period of my life when I could have probably gotten Lydell. Even with the renewed interest in Lydell’s career (thanks in part to Upper Deck’s 2011 OU set), he’s sporadic through the mail at best, and I have failed to get him on 2 occasions already, so I threw in the towel and just EBayed this one through.

Amazingly though a few months after I had composed this entry, Carr came through with this card signed in a bit over a year- clocking in at a svelte 374 days.

WLAF     Rush 47       Yds  146          Avg 3.1      TD 9      Lg 24
Rec   9        Yds 65        Avg  7.2         TD 0          Lg  17

NFL, WLAF

Sign, Bobby

psetwlaf91 bsignCard: ProSet WLAF 1991
Acquired: TTM 2015,  C/o Work
Sent: 8/3    Received: 8/19
(16 days)

Bobby was considered one of the best centers in the country, playing 3 years for Pitt and a final year at Baylor. It made sense to Sign to play in the SWC since he was from Texas. Unfortunately in that final year at Baylor (1988), knee injuries sidelined him for a good portion of the season.

Undeterred, Bobby signed with the Oilers as an undrafted free agent in 1989, but was cut before the beginning of the season. Sign was definitely a WLAF candidate, and the Saints signed him in 1991 and sent him to the WLAF for experience.  The Barcelona Dragons signed him via the enhancement allocation draft.  He’d anchor down an impressive offensive line along with Barry Voorhess and Scott Adams. For the season the line only allowed 22 sacks- good for second best in the league. This allowed the team to advance all the way to World Bowl I against the London Monarchs.  Bobby returned to the WLAF for 1992, and helped the Dragons win the division. Barcelona lost in the playoffs again to the eventual champions- this time to the Sacramento Surge 17-15.

Bobby returned to the Dallas area. After a bit of detective work I found that he is working for a high end clothier and tailor of quality suits.  I sent this card to him via the store where he has built himself quite a reputation for customer service. He sent me back a nice note along with the signed card, where he told me that he was blessed to play in the WLAF and sad when the league decided to go on hiatus after the 1992 season.