Category Archives: WLAF

NFL, WLAF

Brown, Ivory Lee

Card: StarPics 1991
Acquired: In Person 1992, San Antonio Riders v. Orlando Thunder
Failure:    TTM 2010, c/o home.

So there was no security at Bobcat Stadium in San Marcos where the Riders played. This allowed me to meander down to the  front of the stands and onto the field at half time. As Ivory Lee was galloping off to the locker room during half time, I crossed paths with him and asked him for his autograph. He smiled and kept jogging saying, “I got another half of work to do.” After the game he penned this Star Pics card for me.

Ivory Lee Brown graduated from tiny Arkansas-Pine Bluff where in his first season he rushed for an incredible 8.3 yards a carry and 1465 yards. An imposing powerback who could easily be mistaken for a fullback at 6’2″, 245, Brown was selected by the Phoenix Cardinals in the 7th round of the 1991 draft, where he’d be placed on the team’s developmental squad.

As the 1992 season opened up in the WLAF, the NFL made available many of its developmental squad members and future stars for the fledgling World League.  The San Antonio Riders were looking for a replacement for their previous runningback Ricky Blake– and found the upgrade in the form of Ivory Lee Brown.  The Riders were a classic offensive team built around a strong running game and tenacious defense. Ivory Lee would initially share the depth chart in the preseason with Tony Boles- but with Boles MIA by week 3, Brown would shoulder an increased workload for the team. By the end of the season Ivory Lee Brown would lead the WLAF in virtually all rushing categories with 767 yards, 166 carries, a 4.6 average, and 7 touchdowns.  His 767 yards would be a league record and he’d be named first team All World League. A big, shifty runner, Coach John Robinson during a broadcast remarked how Ivory Lee was more of a deceptive finesse runner in the open field.

As the season came to close against the Sacramento Surge, optimism was riding high for the 7-3 Riders that 1993 would be their season- but that would never be as the league folded North American operations and did not reemerge until it was retooled to a strictly European format in 1995.

Brown would return to the Cardinals where he’d emerge from the practice squad and be moved into the starting lineup for Phoenix while incumbent runningback  Johnny Johnson held out.  He’d start 5 games and run for 194 yards and 2 touchdowns in relief of Johnson, but would not be resigned after the season. Brown’s history from there is sort of… a mystery as he drops off the face of the Earth, but from time to time his name comes up in conversation as he’s the uncle to current Minnesota runningback Adrian Peterson.

I wrote Ivory in June of 2010 hoping to get the former All WLAF back’s signature on his Wild Card 92 WLAF card at his home address through the Meiselman list, but have been unable to reach him up to this point.

WLAF G/Gs 10/10    Att 166   Yds   767   Avg 4.6   Lg 54     Td 7   |
Rec 9     Yds  54     Avg   6.0      Lg 12    Td  0

NFL, WLAF

Coauette, Greg



Cards: ProSet WLAF 1991, Ultimate WLAF 1992
Acquired: TTM 2011, C/o Home
Sent:  4/20    Received :  5/11     (21 days)

After being converted from outside linebacker to cornerback by USC, Greg Coauette would  be a free agent signee with the Los Angeles Rams in 1989. After not making the squad,  Greg would be drafted by the Sacramento Surge of the WLAF during the 5th round of the league’s positional draft in 1991.

He’d lead the Surge secondary that season, grabbing first team All- WLAF honors at strong safety- despite only playing in 8 games, losing the final two contests to a groin injury. Coauette would have a banner season in 1991, notching 4 sacks, 3 interceptions and 40 tackles for the squad paired up with Tom Gerhart. After the season he’d hang up his cleats and retire.

With such a unique last name, the internet made it exceedingly easy to track down Greg to get his autograph on these two cards. I was happy that he responded in less than 30 days where he thanked me for the extra cards for him to keep that reminded him of his time in the league.

He currently lives in the Rancho Murieta area in California, and is a Sargent of the Sacramento Sheriff’s department.  Greg also enjoys coaching the defense on the police force’s charity football versus firefighters event every year (PIG Bowl/ Guns Versus Hoses).

ProSet found a pretty nice shot of Greg stalking the secondary for its card. It’s interesting to note that many of their cards focus on the eye level of the players and attempted to ignore the vacant stands. Greg’s Ultimate WLAF card is not so complimentary with him just sort of walking to probably fetch a Gatorade during a commercial timeout on the field. I like the general design though of the Ultimate card (minus the folding paper edges) and it feels acceptable to break a design tenant by utilizing vertical type in this fashion.

G/Gs 10/8     Tac   40    Sac  4.0    Fum 0     Int  3     Yds 24   Avg 8.0   Td  o

CFL, NFL, WLAF

Bouyer, Willie

Card: ProSet WLAF 1991
Acquired: In Person 1992, San Antonio Riders v. Birmingham Fire
Failure: TTM 2010, C/o Home

Willie Bouyer played along such notables as Andre Rison, Bobby McAllister and Lorenzo White, while being a part of the last great Michigan State Spartan football teams. Originally a free agent signee by the Seattle Seahawks after going undrafted in 1989, Bouyer played in one game, making one reception for 9 yards that season, and then spent the whole 1990 season on the practice squad.

In 1991, Head Coach Chan Gailey and the Birmingham Fire made him their first round choice of the positional draft and he’d become established as the team’s #1 receiver and speedster, making 28 receptions for 456 yards and a strong 16.3 yard average. Willie scored 2 touchdowns that season, both against Orlando  where he caught an 87 yard bomb and a 21 yarder to key the team’s 31-6 victory.  Against the Dragons in the playoffs Bouyer made 9 catches for 115 yards in a losing effort.

Willie continued to play for the WLAF in 1992. He’d have an impressive sophomore campaign making 57 receptions for 706 yards, leading the team once again in receptions and yards but would go without a touchdown. Willie made some spectacular plays over the 2 seasons with the Fire and was an important target for quarterbacks Mike Norseth, Brent Pease, and Eric Jones.

Bouyer signed with the Eagles in 1992 after the dismantling of the WLAF, but did not make the team. Later Willie re-emerged with the Sacramento Gold Miners of the CFL USA in 1993 and 1994. He’d make 15 receptions for 175 yards and 2 touchdowns in 1994 and retired from professional football after the season.

I’ve attempted on an occasion or two  to get Bouyer’s autograph on his remaining cards, but the mercurial receiver has yet to respond.

G/Gp  N/a     Rec  85      Yds 1162        Avg  13.7        Td  2           Lg   87t