Tag Archives: barcelona dragons

NFL, WLAF

Bell, Jim

Card: Proset WLAF 1991
Acquired: In Person, 1992 San Antonio Riders v Birmingham Fire

Jim Bell was originally drafted in the 11th round by the San Fransisco 49ers in 1989 where he was placed on the team’s practice squad. In 1991 the Barcelona Dragons drafted Jim in the 2nd round of the WLAF’s positional draft reuniting him with his former college coach from Boston College, Jack Bicknell. Bell led the Dragons in rushing in 1991, rushing for 367 yards but only on a measly 2.7 average. In 1992 Bell was traded to the Birmingham Fire who were looking for looking for a change of pace in their backfield. Jim averaged 4.2 yards a carry that season. When the league decided to reorganize after the 1992 season Jim hung up his cleats and retired.

Since football Jim has become the creator and co founder of the company Foamheads, which markets a variety of sports fan foam head wear and collectibles.

Games 10   Att  230  Yds  748  Avg 3.3  Lg 22  Td  6
Rec 16  Yds  116    Avg 7.5   Lg 21  Td 1

Arena, WLAF

Blake, Ricky

Cards: Ultimate WLAF 1991, Proset World League 1991
Acquired: In Person, Dallas Cowboys Training Camp 1992

Ricky Blake was an All-Pro WLAF Prospect when he made the jump from the San Antonio Riders to the Dallas Cowboys, after he ranked third in the WLAF with 554 yards.

A bruising fullback with deceptive speed, Blake was not drafted out of Alabama A&M. In fact, he opted to leave college and play in the CFL for Winnipeg. He then took a year off, but had already gotten the attention of head coach Mike Riley, who drafted him to play in San Antonio where he was the bell cow of the Riders offense.  Surprisingly nimble for his size, clocking in at near 250- Blake was compared to big bodied Saints’ RB Craig ‘Ironhead’ Heyward.

After transitioning to the Cowboys, Ricky started out with a bang in ’91, then was injured after 2 games on a long run against Phoenix. He never played again for the Cowboys, sustaining a hip pointer much like the one that ended Bo Jackson’s career.

Blake however would return to play for the Fort Worth Arena league team in 1994, notching 12 yards on 4 carries and one tackle that year.  Later then he was picked up by the Barcelona Dragons of the newly reconstituted NLFE in 1995, playing for one season, rushing for 398 yards on 98 carries before hanging up his cleats for good.   It should be noted that it is commonly mistaken that Blake returned to the Riders in 1992, but by that point, Ivory Lee Brown had taken over for him in SA.

WLAF Games  10     Att   120         Yds   554        Avg     4.6            TD  5
Rec 16      Yds 107       Avg 6.7      Lg 24      Td 1