Tag Archives: barcelona dragons

Arena, NFL, NFLE

Kubiak, Jim

Playoff Contenders 2000, #166

Card: Panini Contenders 2000 European Ticket
Acquired: 2021, Future Considerations

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Jim Kubiak was a traditional dropback passer who played for Navy from 1991 to 1994.

  • Over 4 years he threw for 6008 yards (558/969) and 23 TDs. 

  • His career yardage and completion totals represented a school record.

  • Commitments to the Navy prevented him from playing immediately out of college.

  • As a member of the NFL, he was an off-season member of the Panthers (96), Colts (98-99), Jets (00), and Colts again (03).

  • Jim garnered extensive experience from his time in the World League playing for the Dragons (99) and Admirals (00).

  • Threw for 7 TDs and 2 INT for the Dragons in 99, and 4 TDs and 817 yards in 2000 for Amsterdam.

  • Over the next 5 years, Kubiak honed his skills in the Arena Football League, playing for the Buffalo Destroyers (01-02), Dallas Desperados (03), Detroit Fury (04), and Georgia Force (05).

  • Best year in the AFL came in ’03 with the Desperados, throwing for 4762 yards, 97TDs/17 Int, on 388 of 557 passing.

  • Spent the entire 2004 season on IR with the Fury. 

  • Retired after blowing out his knee early in the 2005 season with the Georgia Force, but worked in their front office in both 06 and 07.

  • After a few college stops, also worked with the Soul (05) and the Force (08-12) as their OC. 

NFLE

ATTCPDYDSPCTTDINTRAT
231124137058.211780.9

AFL

ATTCPDYDSPCTTDINTRAT
1242788998563.418936114.4

ACCOLADES:

  • 2nd Team All Arena 2003

NOTES:

Jim Kubiak is not related to Gary Kubiak. Kubiak spent time working as a color man for a few years in Buffalo for the Bills. Currently he is a director of the WNY QB Academy.

NFL, WLAF

Naposki, Eric

Card: Ultimate World League 1991
Acquired: TTM 2020, C/o Prison
Sent: 5/9 Received: 5/18 (9 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Eric Naposki played college football at UConn where he excelled as a hard hitting outside linebacker.
  • In 1988, as a street free agent, he literally slipped onto the Patriots, by sneaking a number from a registration table, getting a tryout and then later making the final cuts.

  • Appeared on special teams in 3 games, but injuries derailed his career from continuing forward. 

  • Eric went on to sign with the Colts Cowboys and the Jets, but did not see significant playing time.

  • Experienced his greatest success after joining the Barcelona Dragons of the World League of American Football in 1991.

  • In his first season with the team, Naposki recorded 51 total tackles, an interception for a TD, 2 forced fumbles, and 7 sacks. 

  • Was arguably one of the most popular players on the team and even had his own fan club thanks in part to his Spanish fluency.

  • Upon returning stateside injuries again prevented him from moving forward, although he was in camp with the Washington Redskins.
  • Returned to the Dragons in 1992  but the league reorganized after the season.

  • Retired later that year after injuries continued to dog him, this time in camp with the Seattle Seahawks. 

  • After a few years off, Naposki returned to the Dragons in 1996, winning World Bowl 97.
TACSACFUMINTYDSAVGTDLG
N/a16.5N/a12727.0127t

ACCOLADES:

  • Barcelona Dragons Hall of Fame

NOTES:

As this was a first for me, it should be noted, that yes, I wrote Eric in prison for his autograph. While this may seem wrong to many, I do not presume to give fame to him or the crimes that were committed in regards to this case- rather my solicitation for his signature is an attempt by me to frame a certain time in our lives when things were more simple and innocent.

Eric wrote me a long and impassioned letter on multiple slips of paper talking to me about the time he played in the World League. He also included a copy of these copies of his accomplishments from his playing days, and thanked me for writing him. Erik was convicted of murder in 2012, and received life without parole. The case itself is not without its warts, as he was convicted on purely circumstantial evidence, and a loss of exculpatory evidence, partially due to a delay in the prosecution of the case. -He has always maintained his innocence. Currently his case is under investigation by a 501 nonprofit legal organization

that is committed to exonerating individuals who claim to have been wrongly convicted. From what I understand he also passes the time working as a member of the California Wildfire Inmate team.

I am not sure if Eric’s card is an error card or not as it spells his name Erik, and so does the Barcelona Dragons article above, however in most media it is spelled Eric.

CFL, NFL, WLAF

Clark, Bruce

Cards: Topps 1985, ProSet World League 1991, Wild Card WL 1992
Acquired: TTM 2020, 2021 C/o Home
Sent: 9/9 Received: 9/25 (16 days)
Failure: TTM 2012, C/o Home

Bruce Clark was a consensus All-American defensive end for the Penn State Nittany Lions posting 19 sacks over his college career, winning the first Lombardi Award as a Junior in 1978. Originally a linebacker who converted to defensive tackle, Bruce was not only still extremely quick after packing on the extra bulk, he was incredibly strong.

He was selected in the first round (4th overall) of the 1980 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers, but opted in a shocker to play in Canada instead with the Toronto Argonauts. You see, Bruce was fine playing DT or DE, but with the Packers switching to a 3-4 alignment, they had this idea that at 6’2″, 260, Clark was going to play nose. He didn’t want that, and he didn’t like how the Pack was being run from an organizational standpoint.

After two stellar seasons in the CFL, Bruce decided to play in the NFL. Reiterating his desire to play somewhere else than the ‘Siberia’ of the NFL or nose tackle, the Packers traded Bruce to the Saints for their #1 pick in the 1983 draft.


Much maligned for his surgically repaired knee coming out of Penn State, Bruce started 88 consecutive games for the Saints and was an anchor for the Saints defense at left defensive end. His best season came in 1984 when he earned his only pro bowl appearance, racking up 10.5 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, and his only career interception. He’d join the Chiefs in 1989 for his final season, dressing for 11 contests.

Bruce opted to play in the World League of American Football in 1991 and declared for the league’s supplemental pool of eligible players and was selected in the first round by the Barcelona Dragons. As one of the oldest players in the WLAF, Bruce’s leadership and experience was appreciated by the Dragons’ defense, as he paced their solid team with 7 sacks. He opted to retire after the 1991 season.

Bruce has been on my long short list for a while, and his name popped up recently, so I was ecstatic to shoot something out to him. He signed these two cards quickly, but I had to try him again, since the sharpie quality is poor, his autograph look like it smudged slightly, and he switched out my Wild Card WL 92 for a Topps 85. Early in 2021, I decided to try again, and he graciously signed the Wild Card WL I still needed for the set.

CFL G/GsTACSACFUM
N/aN/a5
INTYDSAVGTDLG
100.000
NFL G/GsTACSACFUM
113/88N/a39.59
INTYDSAVGTDLG
199.009
WLAF G/GsTACSACFUM
10/10347.01