Category Archives: WLAF

University of Texas, WLAF

Lilljedahl, Bobby

CARD: Pro Set WLAF 1991
ACQUIRED: Ebay, 2025
FAILURE: TTM 2013, C/o Home. TTM 2024, C/o Home

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Bob Lilljedahl played P primarily for Texas from 1986-’89.
  • He punted 156 times for 6498 yards (41.7 yards per punt).
  • Number one pick of punters during the 1991 World League draft by the Frankfurt Galaxy but was cut during the preseason.
  • The New York-New Jersey Knights picked up Bob prior to week 3.
  • Ended up being one of the league’s most effective punter, averaging 42.3 yards on 39 punts.
  • Had a 62 yard boomer against Birmingham during the season.
  • Did not return to franchise for the 1992 season and has lived in fair anonymity ever since.

NOTES:

I’ve tried Bobby a few times TTM with no success. What’s even more frustrating is that he resided somewhere in Central Texas- or at least used to. He’s a zero burger through the mail, but I just kept trying.

My reverse search led me to Facebook, and I realized he was friend with a mutual contact of mine, John Walker. John and I had built up a rapport. I had done some custom card work for him and in exchange he promised to help me get Bob’s autograph. That time has come and gone. What? A year? Two?

Anyway, I got tired of waiting so I secured Bob’s autograph on his Pro Set card via eBay, knocking out one of 3 set needs from this elusive Longhorn.

NFL, WLAF

Jones, Tony (WR-DB FL)

CARDS: Ultimate World League 1992, Wild Card World League 1992
ACQUIRED: TTM 2025, C/o Home
SENT: 6/10 RECEIVED: 6/20 (10 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • In college, playing at Florida, Tony split time at WR and DB.
  • Gifted with fleet speed as a track man, Tony finished second at the SEC indoor track championship in the 55 meter dash as a Sophomore.
  • Tony had a knack for blocking punts too- notching 4 during his college career.
  • Signed as a free agent by the Denver Broncos in 1990 but did not make the squad.
  • Selected in the second round of the World League Positional Draft by the New York- New Jersey Knights.
  • Tabbed 37 total tackles, 1 sack, and 2 picks in 1991.
  • Against Orlando that season, he blocked and returned a field goal 57 yards.
  • Followed that up in 1992 with 3 picks for 89 yards in 1992.

NOTES:

Tony Jones WR-DB from Florida (pictured here) is not to be confused with Tony Jones WR from Texas or Tony Jones who played for the Browns- that ALL played around this same era.

Tony’s Ultimate World League card is considered an error because he was listed as a WR, although it could probably be overlooked or forgiven since he did play WR in college. (It is an uncorrected error.)

Back around the time I had gotten ahold of Andre Alexander through Facebook I dug through his friends list and reached out to Tony. At that time I must have said the wrong thing or talked about the success of Fresno State at the World League level. He thumbs downed my conversation starter- so I took that as bad.

Later my Instagram friend Brent was able to get him TTM and said he was pretty cool and wrote him a nice note. I thought I should give him another shot and he signed these two cards for me in no time flat!

NFL, WLAF

Layfield, John ‘JBL’

CARD: WLAF Pro Set 1991
ACQUIRED: EBay, 2025

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • John Layfield played OT at tiny Abilene Christian.
  • Clocking in at 6-5, 278- he’d earn Division II first team All American Honors as a Senior, and All-Lone Star Conference Honors as both a Junior and Senior.
  • Undrafted in 1990, he’d sign with the Los Angeles Raiders but would be cut before camp began.
  • Selected by the San Antonio Riders of the WLAF in 1991.
  • Started all 10 games blocking up front for RB Ricky Blake– who finished 3rd in rushing.
  • Didn’t return for the 1992 season and quickly decided to chase his true passion: Pro Wrestling.
  • Over the next few years, Layfield would hone his game and persona in different leagues around the world.
  • John Layfield joined the WWE in 1995.
  • He won his first title- The European Continental Title in 2002, that he held for a bit over a week.
  • In 2004, he rebranded simply as ‘JBL’, a wrestling version of JR Ewing from the TV show ‘Dallas’.
  • JBL won the WWE Championship soon thereafter and held it for roughly 280 days.
  • Continued to wrestle through the Attitude era and into the family friendly Cena years.
  • Retired in 2009, but not before winning the Intercontinental Championship.
  • Joined ringside as a commentator.
  • Sporadically has returned to the ring and acts as a brand ambassador for the WWE and for other brands as well.
  • A successful investor, he’s a Senior VP at Northwest Securities and commentator on Fox News.
  • Lives in Bermuda and has been empowering the youth of the island through the sport of rugby.

ACCOLADES:

  • WWE Hardcore Championship
  • WWE European Championship
  • WWE Tag Team Championship
  • WWE Intercontinental Champion
  • WWE Champion
  • WWE US Championship
  • WWE Hall of Fame (2020)
  • Race to the Rumble Tournament

NOTES:

John is a non-signer TTM. I had however missed out on a paid signing for him back in 2014. I had gotten a bargain price on him and the promoter called me to tell me that they were unable to get him and that ‘they’d make it up to me’. -They never did.

Anyway, I had found John was in Bermuda, where he was really helping establish the sport of Rugby, but I couldn’t find a corresponding address to him and eventually gave up. He then later moved back into the wrestling world- which he honestly never left- and was touring all over Mexico and other countries.

I noticed a few certified encased autographs popped up of him on EBay, but in general they were running anywhere from 75-150 dollars, which honestly I thought was way too expensive for him. I got into a bidding war on one, but in the last 3 minutes of the battle, two other sellers zoomed it up well over 50 bucks which again was too rich for my blood.

It took a bit of patience, but it paid off as I sniped this Beckett certified autograph off of Ebay for 15 bucks when the day was done. I waited with baited breath that somehow this one would get lost, but credit the seller for getting it to me in this big win.

In 1992 after these cards were released, I went down to the field after the game where coach Riley offered to help me get autographs of any of the players he could identity from the set. When we got to Layfield- he obviously wasn’t happy about it and told me that JBL was no longer with the team.

Before he joined the WWF/E Layfield used to amuse his teammates with his impersonations of wrestlers and aspired to be one. This fact was so well known, it made it onto his Pro Set WLAF card.

A final note: Only true hard core fans are aware that JBL appeared in the 1991 World League set, but most aren’t aware either that if he was around for 1992, he’d have probably blocked against Bill Goldberg.

This photo is blurry because it’s still encased.