Card: Ultimate World League 1991
Acquired: TTM 2020, C/o Prison
Sent: 5/9 Received: 5/18 (9 days)
CAREER SNAPSHOT:
- Eric Naposki played college football at UConn where he excelled as a hard hitting outside linebacker.
- In 1988, as a street free agent, he literally slipped onto the Patriots, by sneaking a number from a registration table, getting a tryout and then later making the final cuts.
- Appeared on special teams in 3 games, but injuries derailed his career from continuing forward.
- Eric went on to sign with the Colts Cowboys and the Jets, but did not see significant playing time.
- Experienced his greatest success after joining the Barcelona Dragons of the World League of American Football in 1991.
- In his first season with the team, Naposki recorded 51 total tackles, an interception for a TD, 2 forced fumbles, and 7 sacks.
- Was arguably one of the most popular players on the team and even had his own fan club thanks in part to his Spanish fluency.
- Upon returning stateside injuries again prevented him from moving forward, although he was in camp with the Washington Redskins.
- Returned to the Dragons in 1992 but the league reorganized after the season.
- Retired later that year after injuries continued to dog him, this time in camp with the Seattle Seahawks.
- After a few years off, Naposki returned to the Dragons in 1996, winning World Bowl 97.
| TAC | SAC | FUM | INT | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/a | 16.5 | N/a | 1 | 27 | 27.0 | 1 | 27t |
ACCOLADES:
- Barcelona Dragons Hall of Fame
NOTES:
As this was a first for me, it should be noted, that yes, I wrote Eric in prison for his autograph. While this may seem wrong to many, I do not presume to give fame to him or the crimes that were committed in regards to this case- rather my solicitation for his signature is an attempt by me to frame a certain time in our lives when things were more simple and innocent.
Eric wrote me a long and impassioned letter on multiple slips of paper talking to me about the time he played in the World League. He also included a copy of these copies of his accomplishments from his playing days, and thanked me for writing him. Erik was convicted of murder in 2012, and received life without parole. The case itself is not without its warts, as he was convicted on purely circumstantial evidence, and a loss of exculpatory evidence, partially due to a delay in the prosecution of the case. -He has always maintained his innocence. Currently his case is under investigation by a 501 nonprofit legal organization
that is committed to exonerating individuals who claim to have been wrongly convicted. From what I understand he also passes the time working as a member of the California Wildfire Inmate team.
I am not sure if Eric’s card is an error card or not as it spells his name Erik, and so does the Barcelona Dragons article above, however in most media it is spelled Eric.