Tag Archives: proset wlaf 1991

CFL, NFL, WLAF

Williams, Byron

Cards: ProSet WLAF 1991 LL, ProSet WLAF 1991, ProSet WLAF TC 1991, Ultimate WLAF 1992, Wild Card WLAF 1992
Acquired: TTM 2011, C/o Work
Sent: 4/8    Received: 4/14   (6 days)

Byron Williams is a player I’ve been trying to track down since the beginning of this insane project, so I was really happy to locate him and get in touch with him via email about signing these cards. In the end it worked out really nicely, as he signed these cards in a short 6 days. He also included information about his football camps “The Timeout Guys”.

After being taken out of Texas-Arlington in the 10th round of the 1983 draft by the Green Bay Packers, Byron would see time on the roster of the Eagles before finally getting some playing time with the New York Giants that season.  (Incredibly fast, Williams ran a 4.23 40 and 10.13 in the 100 during college.) Playing in 5 games he’d make 20 catches for 346 yards and a touchdown his rookie season.  In his sophomore campaign he’d make 24 receptions for 471 yardspset91wl by williams LL and 2 touchdowns, averaging a sizzling 19.6 yards a reception including a 65 yard grab.  In the season opener against the Eagles he pulled down a career high 5 catches for 167 yards and a touchdown to help the Giants win 28-27.  Given the opportunity to start 5 games in 1985, Williams would make 15 receptions for 280 yards.

He’d head North in 1987 to the CFL and play for the British Columbia Lions and the Ottawa Rough Riders in 1989.

Byron Williams would be drafted in the 3rd round of the supplemental draft by the Orlando Thunder of the WLAF in 1991. At 6’1″, 178, Byron provided a big and fast veteran target for quarterback Kerwin Bell in the spread/ run ‘n shoot offense of the Orlando Thunder. Byron would also provide a barometer of leadership for the team,- at 30 he was one of the oldest players in the league.

He’d split the scoring title in 1991 with Eric Wilkerson (Knights)ult92 by williams after he made 11 touchdown receptions on the season. I remember the league season opener when he made 3 touchdown grabs against a beleaguered San Antonio secondary.  He’d end up with 113 yards on 4 catches, with touchdown grabs of 23, 37, and 42 in the Thunder’s 35-34 win. Williams would make also 2 touchdown receptions against the Skyhawks the next week and the Machine in the final game of the season.  Byron in fact was the primary beneficiary of quarterback Kerwin Bell’s touchdown passes and finished second in the league in receiving yardage with 811 yards in 1991 after scoring in 7 out of 10 games.  He’d be named to first team All-World Honors following the season.

He’d return to the CFL after the 1991 season and play for the Saskatchewan Roughriders from 1991-1993, but playing his 1992 summer in the WLAF. Byron, like Stan Gelbaugh would be involved in a dispute over contract rights between the World League and the CFL /NFL (,much like the one involving the fees the UFL is requiring the NFL to pay for the conditional release of a player).

wcard92wl by williamsThe Thunder meanwhile would stock up on wide receivers in the off season and trade Williams to the New York New Jersey Knights. In limited action Byron would grab 11 receptions for 166 yards and a touchdown before the WLAF reorganized after the 1992 season. In the meantime Byron would play 1993 with the Roughriders.

In 1994 CFL expanded southward into the United states. Byron would sign with the Baltimore Colts that season and play through 1995 earning a Grey Cup championship and retiring after the season.

Byron has remained active in football, running his own business (BW Sports, TimeOut Guys) and is a big proponent of giving back through teaching and coaching young fans and athletes in football. Williams’ camps are considered amongst the elite for training young athletes and they not only provide training but venues for young athletes and fans to meet former and current players. Byron has also spent time working with the American Youth Football organization and gives an immense amount of time to charity. Below are his WLAF statistics.

G/Gs N/a    Rec  70    Yds   977    Avg 14.0    Td  12    Lg  46t

CFL, WLAF

Dussault, Jacques “Air Assault”

Card: ProSet WLAF 1991
Acquired: In person 1992, San Antonio Riders v. Montreal Machine

Jacques Dussault is probably one of the one of the most recognizable French Canadian American football coaches. An offensive guru nicknamed ‘Air Assault’, Dussault wore those 80s shades with the leather sides on them.  I met him after the Machine lost to the Riders 17-16, during the season opener of 1992.  I was only able to get him to sign one card, and he was engaging enough to thank me in English, smiling kindly at me.

Jacques Dussault was an assistant way back in 1984 with the Montreal Concordes. He’d be there with the team through name changes and the teams folding in 1986/87 spending the off-season of 1986 coaching at Michigan State.  Jacques would then move onto coach American Football in Paris, France for Anges Bleus, a first division team. Dussault would return stateside in 1989 to coach for Mount Allison University in New Jersey through 1990. He’d be named head coach of the Montreal Machine- a shrewd move by the league considering that the league wanted fans in Montreal to relate to its new team, -that happened to be led by a French speaking coach.

The team finished a respectable 4-6 in 1991, despite being wracked by quarterback injuries. In 1992, the Montreal Machine slipped backwards to a 2-8 record, again, this time beset by injuries not only at quarterback but at runningback. Dussault fielded a very competitive team, losing 5 of those games by a total of 25 points.

After the WLAF folded and reorganized domestically, Dussault returned to Canada.  He remains quite active as a spokesperson promoting American and Canadian football to French Canadians, speaking at events, teaching football to students, making media appearances and coaching at a variety of college and CFL stops.

W  6       L  14       T 0      Pct  .300

 

CFL, NFL, WLAF

Savage, Ray

Card: Pro Set 1991 WLAF Insert
Acquired: In Person 1992, San Antonio Riders v. Montreal Machine

Ray Savage was originally an 8th round draft choice of the then Los Angeles Rams in 1990 after playing some standout ball for the University of Virginia, where he’d be beloved by fans and coaches alike for his tenacious play and – well- barking. He liked to bark like a dog before snaps.

Ray found himself on the short end of the stick after training camp with the Rams, but quickly was snapped up the next year by the Montreal Machine in the WLAF inaugural positional draft.  Savage went on to put up good numbers in the Machine’s 3-4 front with 6.5 sacks in 1991, and finishing as the team’s career leader with 11.

After the folding of the WLAF in 1992, Ray was picked up by the Eagles, before he caught on with the Shreveport Pirates of the CFL.

Upon his return to the NFL, Savage actually negotiated his own contract with the Indianapolis Colts. He liked it so much he began to handle the job for other players as well. He retired at the age of 26. 

Savage found his calling in contract negotiations for football players and had a small mortgage business at one point. In his spare time he also dabbled in coaching and has 2 great kids.

A hard fought game that included a punt return for a touchdown at Bobcat Stadium still resulted in victory for the San Antonio Riders, a staunch defensive WLAF team with a scrappy offense. The Machine were a fairly solid average team their first year, but slid in 1992 losing a few games by only a handful of points.

Games N/a     Tac   N/a   Sac  11.0    Fum  N/a   Int  0   Yds 0   Avg -.- Td 0