Tag Archives: Atlanta Falcons

WLAF

Baker, Tony


Cards: ProSet WLAF 1991, ProSet WLAF LL 1991, Ultimate WLAF LL 1991, Ultimate 1991, Wildcard WLAF 1992.
Acquired: TTM 2010, C/o Home
Sent: 7/30   Received:   8/7   (8 days)

After debuting with the Atlanta Falcons out of the 1986 draft Tony Baker would hop over to the Browns that year where he’d sit out two seasons rehabbing, and then played with the Cardinals in 1989. The Frankfurt Galaxy of the WLAF drafted him in the first round of the league’s positional draft. He’d provide the third best team in the league in 1991 a shot in the arm as their workhorse utility back, leading the WLAF in rushing attempts, yards from scrimmage and two point conversions. (Baker would be the only player in the league that year to have over 1,000 yards in 1991 with 648 on the ground, 423 through receptions and 296 in kick return yards.)  He would also be named WLAF player of the week (7) for his preposterous performance against the Orlando Thunder where he notched 192 total yards.  In the 1992 season, the Frankfurt offensive line would be decimated by injuries and this would hamper Baker’s average per carry and receiving average drastically.  He’d finish 11th in rushing yards that year and had only 857 yards from scrimmage. (The Galaxy would also slump to a 3-7 record.)  Baker would finish his WLAF career far and away the leader in yards from scrimmage with 2,224 yards while the league reorganized after the 1992 season.

Games 20   Att 322  Yds 995  Avg 3.1  Lg 26  Td 7
Rec 78   Yds 745  Avg 9.6  Lg 35  Td  1
Ret  14   Yds 478  Avg  19.9   Lg 49   Td 0

NFL

Green, Harold

Card: Action Packed 1992, Action Packed Rookies 1990
Acquired: TTM 1993, C/o The Cincinnati Bengals

Harold Green was selected in the second round of the 1990 draft by the Bengals, who were concerned about Ickey Woods rehabilitation from a knee injury. A slashing style runner with good hands, Green was an imposing player from South Carolina.  He played 6 years for the Bengals, 1 for the Rams, and 2 for the Atlanta Falcons before retiring in 1998.

In his best year in 1992, Green ran for over 1,000 yards and was named to the Pro Bowl. In 1993 the Bengals offensive line was decimated, and the offense was criticized for being predictable under second year head coach Dave Shula.  Harold’s statistics and average per carry nosedived  from 4.4 to 2.7. Harold’s role in the Bengals offense would continue to decline until his departure in 1996, after the team drafted cursed Ki-Jana Carter in 1995 number 1 overall.  Green during his tenure with the Rams won the team’s ‘Carl Ekern Spirit of the Game Award’ and it was his last modestly productive season, before toiling away his final one and a half seasons on the Atlanta Falcons whom he played for in Superbowl XXXIII. Harold was inducted into the South Carolina 100th Anniversary Team in 1992, and has worked with South Carolina’s athletic department. He owns two car dealerships.

G/Gs 124/81   Att 1151   Yds  4365   Avg 3.8   Td 13   Lg 75t  |
Rec  213    Yds  1644    Avg  7.7    Td  4    Lg  47

 

NFL, WLAF

Johnson, Undra

Card: ProSet WLAF 1991
Acquired: TTM 2010, C/o Work.
Sent: 5/10  Received: 5/17  (7 days)

Undra Johnson played college ball for the West Virginia Mountaineers where he led them in rushing as a senior to the Fiesta Bowl in 1989. Johnson then earned a 7th round choice out of the strong 1989 draft pool. Selected by the Falcons, he played for the Saints and Cowboys also that season. He’d then be drafted by the Riders with their #1 choice of the WLAF positional draft for runningbacks. Undra was a shifty halfback, and worked well in tandem with the power of Ricky Blake, eventually finishing the season with 258 yards and 2 touchdowns in 1991. He was also the team leader in kickoff returns. Undra had already started selling real estate and dabbling in finance and left the league behind for it full time in 1992. He currently is a securities advisor in Bridgeport, WV.

The first season of the WLAF in San Antonio had the Riders playing in dilapidated Alamo Stadium, (home of the Gunslingers of the USFL who even thought it was old,) where they went 4-6. It took them a bit of time to discover their defensive rhythm, and establish consistency under center, but once this had been done, season 2 was a vast improvement as Undra would finish behind teammate Ricky Blake in rushing that season. I sent out for his autograph after discovering his address with the help once again of Wikipedia and a small bit of detective work. He responded quite quickly signing this card that I had enclosed.

Games 10    Att  76    Yds 258     Avg 3.4   Lg 17    Td 2
Rec 10    Yds 55       Avg  5.5    Lg 12   Td 0
Ret 14     Yds 305     Avg 21.8   Lg  36   Td 0