Category Archives: WLAF

NFL, WLAF

Norgard, Erik

Card: Wild Card Wlaf 1992
Acquired: TTM 2010, C/o Home
Sent: 8/27  Received: 12/16 (105 days)

Young offensive lineman Erik Norgard was signed by the Houston Oilers as a free agent in 1989. A gem in the rough, at 6-1, 290, Norgard posessed the size, strength, and mobility, to play any position on the line in the Oilers’ run ‘n shoot offense. After he sat out his whole rookie season due to injury, Norgard was assigned by the team to the World League Allocation draft for 1992.

The San Antonio Riders stuck him right into the starting lineup and he’d play at guard blocking for Ivory Lee Brown. It paid off as Brown would lead the league in rushing yardage behind Erik and the team plowed ahead to a 7-3 record.

After the dissolution of the WLAF in 1992, Norgard returned to the Oilers, starting four games in 1993, and seven in 1994, before returning to being a key backup offensive lineman for the team. He’d move with the team to Tennessee in 1997 and play there through 1998. In 1999 he’d sign with the New York Jets and retire soon thereafter.  Over 9 seasons and 108 contests,  Erik caught 2 tackle eligible touchdowns, and started 12 games in the NFL.

 

NFL, WLAF

Dilweg, Anthony

Card: Proset 1989, Fleer Update 1990, Wild Card WLAF 1992
Acquired: TTM 2010, C/o Work
Sent: 7/30   Received: 9/14  (45 days)

Anthony Dilweg is a rarety- a player from Duke drafted to play in the NFL. A monster quarterback when he got his chance to play at the college level under Steve Spurrier, he once threw for 450 yards in a game against Wake Forest, a record that still stands to this day. He’d be drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the 3rd round of the 1989 draft. A notoriously weak draft after Troy Aikman at quarterback- Dilweg would perform well enough to grab the backup job behind Don Majkowski by 1990. Anthony’s moment in the spotlight would be opening day of that season where he’d throw for 250 yards and 2 touchdowns against a sleepwalking Los Angeles Rams defense in substitution for recently resigned holdout Majikowski. He’d be rebenched shortly after but would end up starting the last 5 and a half games after a rotator cuff injury set back Don.  Dilweg would be hot and cold throughout the rest of the season putting up a 119.9 qb rating against the Buccaneers, but would also put up a 33.2 rating against Minnesota as well and 22 sacks on the season. That second season however would end respectably enough as he threw for 1200 yards and 8 touchdowns, but with the team slumping to a 6-10 record that season, Lindy Infante would be released and the organization would clean house. New GM Ron Wolf would go in a new direction with a new head coach- Mike Holmgren. The team was determined to improve the quarterback situation and brought in Mike Tomczak from Chicago, who beat out the young Dilweg at QB. Anthony would be quickly signed by the Los Angeles Raiders, but would not make a start for the franchise.

The WLAF and the NFL agreed to allocate young talent to the WLAF starting with the 1992 season. With this decision the Raiders allocated Dilweg to the Montreal Machine. The Machine were lead by a stable of runningbacks, and a strong back 7 on defense. The problem with the Machine always seemed to be their lines, and especially on offense their quarterbacks ended up paying the price. Montreal in 1992 drafted the young Dilweg to fix their problems at quarterback after the retirement of Kevin Sweeney. They’d go with Dilweg right out of the gate for a road opener against the San Antonio Riders blitzing defense. -He wouldn’t even make it out of the first half succumbing to injury and being taken to the locker room.  Anthony would play sparingly after that for the rest of the season and retire after the WLAF went on hiatus.

Anthony after football has been able to parlay his brief NFL career into the financial industry where he has been highly successful in real estate. I sent these cards to him via his company and received these autographs in under 60 days.  He also included a nice thank you for being a fan- of the Packers, even though I had only mentioned my experiences in the World League. Below are his WLAF statistics for the Machine.

G/Gs N/a    Att 75     Comp 43     Yds 468      Td 2     Int 1     Rat 79.2

NFL, WLAF

Elkins, Mike


Card: Proset WLAF 1991
Acquired: In Person 1992, Houston Oilers Training Camp

Mike Elkins went to Wake Forest, where he raised the Demon Deacons from the dead. His impressive play allowed him to parlay his game into the 34th pick, (near the top of the second round) for the Kansas City Chiefs. The 1989 draft was an incredible draft, and Elkins was thought to perhaps be the quarterback of the future for the team. He’d be the second quarterback taken off the board after Troy Aikman (who went #1 overall), but after Aikman, the only names that came off the board that year that was worth mentioning at quarterback was Detroit quarterback Rodney Peete and San Diego draftee Billy Joe Tolliver. In fact, combining all the statistics of the quarterbacks in that draft, does not even come close to Aikman’s final numbers. In essence this draft- despite the names that came out had one Super Bowl winning quarterback and two journeymen. That is really it.

Elkins was the consensus number two by scouts, with his strong arm, quick release, and intelligence that impressed the scouts. Yet the view of him that emerged was of a raw talent from a small school, and an enthusiastic kid who toiled in two different offensive schemes—pro-style, followed by the option—during the four seasons he played at Wake. Elkins attempted 2 passes in his NFL career throwing one for a pick. He would be cut after the 1990 season.

He’d sign with the WLAF playing for the Sacramento Surge in 1991 in a quarterback rotation with Ben Bennett. Mike had a relatively decent season for the team throwing for 13 touchdowns on 312 attempts. This would be the highlight of his professional football career. After his lone season in the WLAF, Elkins signed with the Cleveland Browns where he played 1 season, before the Oilers signed him in 1992 where I got his autograph on his WLAF card at training camp. He never attempted another pass in the NFL.

Although not drafted in the 1st round, many consider Elkins’ career a bust because of his lofty rating behind Troy Aikman and his high second round card. Elkins at last glance since football has a small band and lives in Central Texas.

Att 312   Comp 153   Yds 2068   Pct 49%
Td 13     Int 13     Rat 67.1   Lg  60t