Category Archives: CFL

CFL, NFL, WLAF

Bell, Kerwin (2)

Cards: WildCard WLAF 1992, Ultimate WLAF 1992
Acquired: TTM 2012, C/o Jacksonville University
Sent: 1/10        Received:  2/17  (38 days)
Previous Post: Kerwin Bell
Failure: TTM 2010, C/o Jacksonville University

I had tried previously in 2010 to get the former Florida and WLAF Orlando Thunder signal caller on a few additional cards, but didn’t have any luck there. Recently there have been a few signings by Bell passed through SportsCollectors.net so I decided to take another chance C/o Jacksonville University again. With these two cards being signed, I can officially close the book on Kerwin Bell, unless I was to stumble upon a Jogo card or two of him in his CFL gear.

A Florida Gators quarterback from the 80’s, Bell finished his Senior season with 2687 yards and 21 TDs. After bouncing around the NFL for a few seasons, the WLAF would call his number in the first round of their positional draft in 1991. He’d be on fire the first two weeks of the season and rake in Offensive Player of the Week honors both weeks for the Orlando Thunder. Kerwin set the league season game records for most completions (29), most TDs passing (5), most attempts (43), and most attempts without an interception (44).

Inexplicably, the Thunder turned around in 1992 and picked up Scott Mitchell from the Dolphins and gave him the keys to the car. Bell would ride the bench, but would go onto greater glory after the season, playing in the CFL for the Sacramento Goldminers, Edmonton Eskimos, Argos, and Blue Bombers. He’d also have a brief stop with the Colts during this period, completing 5 of 5 passes for a TD, retiring in 2001. Unofficially it is the highest QB rating among non-qualifying quarterbacks in NFL history.

Bell was inducted into the Gator HoF as a Gator Great in 1997.

 

CFL, NFL, University of Texas

Babers, Rod “Kool Aid” (2)

Cards: Topps Total 2005, UD UT 2011 CC
Acquired: In Person 2012, 1300 The Zone’s Houston Texans Playoff Viewing Party 1/7/12
Previous Post: Babers, Rod “Kool Aid”, Rod Babers (3)

At the University of Texas release party for the Upper Deck University of Texas cards last year, I met Rod who is a host of 1300 The Zone’s “The Afternoon Buffet”. He lamented to the people at UD about them not producing a card of him over the radio, – so I took it upon myself to produce a card for Rod. Off the cuff I had made a front, but had not produced a back due to time and printing constraints, and completely ripped off the UD design, just so that Rod could say he was part of the set.

When I met up with him at the Houston Texans’ Viewing Playoff Party at the Alamo Drafthouse, I asked for his autograph on a few more cards, which he had no problem doing. When I presented him with the custom fake I had made, he beamed and gave me a giant hug. Rod loved the shot from him versus Oklahoma, especially the fact that he was ‘Tebowing’ before it was cool.  Graciously, Rod told me the card truly made his afternoon even if the Texans didn’t win, and I told him that next time we’d meet up I hoped to have his trading card completed with a front and back for him to keep, which he told me I didn’t have to do.

After the Texans’ victory I talked to him a bit more, ribbing him for a few minutes and telling him that defensive lineman JJ Watt‘s interception for a touchdown, was already 1/4th Rod’s total number of picks at UT.  He laughed and stated that Watt was already one up on him in the pros, but he wouldn’t hold it against me since I gave him the custom.

Rod in his playboy way, also jokingly intimated that the card was so nice he was going to carry it around in his wallet, and use it to pick up women, to which I quipped to him, “That I was sure he had no problem with that!”

Arena, CFL, NFL, WLAF

Proctor, Michael “Field General”


Cards: ProSet WLAF 1991, Ultimate WLAF 1992, WildCard WLAF 1992
Acquired: TTM 2011, C/o Home
Sent: 7/19    Received: 12/3  (137 days)

Michael Proctor would set 10 Ohio Valley conference records for the Murray State Racers during his collegiate career, including total passing yards (8,210 yards), pass completions (578), and attempts (1148).  He’d be the first player in school history to net more than 1500 yards of total offense in 4 consecutive seasons. After completing college, Michael would sign with the New England Patriots in 1990, but not make the squad.

Taken in the 4th round of the WLAF draft by the Montreal Machine, he’d compete against Kevin Sweeney and Mike Johnson initially for the job. Beating out Johnson for the backup job to Sweeney, Proctor would be forced into the starting lineup after Kevin’s season would be ended prematurely due to ineffectiveness and injury.  Stepping into the lineup for the Machine, Proctor did more damage on the ground than he did in the air rushing for 247  yards on 41 carries (6.0 average) and 2 touchdowns. In the air, Michael completed 107 of his 224 attempts and net 1222 yards, to go along with 3 td passes as the team won 4 games that season.  It was enough to garner him an audition with the Cleveland Browns, but yet again Proctor would fail to make the squad.

In 1992 the WLAF, injected ‘future star prospects and rookies’ from the NFL into the league to try and increase the league viewership, level of play, and incentivize the NFL by scouts being able to get a glimpse of those players’ progress. Much to the Field General’s chagrin, the Machine went out and drafted Anthony Dilweg at quarterback to play for them. Dilweg would win out in camp and start for Montreal, but he’d get crushed on a blitz in the season opening game against the Riders in 1992. Once again, Proctor would ride in to the rescue. Proctor, with a season under his belt in Jacques Dussault‘s system actually had matured. While the team would lose against the Riders, and in fact, post a woeful 2-8 record- Proctor turned the corner and threw 8 tds to only 5 picks. He’d also finish with 113 completions and 1478 yards. On the ground the Field General was even more destructive, carving up teams for 207 yards (a 5.4 yard average) and 4 touchdowns rushing (which led the team).  Even though Dilweg, and even Craig Cupp would threaten him from time to time for the starting position, Michael maintained his hold over the QB spot.

After the failure of the WLAF, Michael would find a home briefly playing quarterback in the CFL for the Edmonton Eskimos in 1993. He’d move on from there to play for the Charlotte Rage of the AFL for 3 more seasons throwing 17 touchdowns to 3 picks in 1994 and rushing for 7 touchdowns on 25 attempts in 1995. His AFL totals were 486 attempts, 279 completions, 3492 yards, 51 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, and a 95.81 qb rating.

A Special shout out to Shadow from the Fanmail.biz message board who helped me track down this elusive member of the WLAF. As far as anybody there on that site that I absolutely have mad respect for in their ability to track down addresses and help out a fellow collector in need- he certainly is the guy to go to.  I had been searching for Proctor for some time and had heard that he was honored at Murray State recently as their Parade Marshall.  I had pretty much given up on this one since it was a Spokeo find, but after a bit over 4 months, the Field General rolled into my command, and wrote a small note, “Take care and be blessed! Jesus is real!!!”, Along with the cards.  Really pleased with this one.  Below are Michael’s WLAF statistics:

Att  417     Comp 220    Yds 2700     Pct 52.8     Td 11     Int 15    Rat  66.8
Rush 79    Yds 454     Avg 5.7     Td 6     Lg 31