Tag Archives: sacramento goldminers

CFL, NFL, WLAF

Wallace, Jason

Card: Ultimate World League 1992
Acquired: TTM 2019, C/o Home
Sent: 10/7 Received: 8/17 (315 days)
Failure: TTM 2013, C/o Work

Jason Wallace played defensive back and returned kicks for the Virigina Cavaliers from 1988 to 1990. He finished his college career with 11 interceptions for 72 yards and a TD. Against Maryland he took a punt 60 yards for a TD in 1990- while tallying 32 punt returns for 410 yards on the year.

Wallace was heartbroken not to make the Colts as a free agent in 1991. He signed with the Ohio Glory of the World League in 1992. He matured quickly under the tutelage of positional coach Dennis Thurman, but during the 3rd quarter of the opening game, he tore ligaments in his left ankle. The doctors didn’t believe he’d play again, but somehow Jason only missed 5 games, and intercepted 3 passes over the back half of the season. The Glory elected to protect him going into 1993, but the league suspended operations, and wouldn’t be seen again until 1995.

He joined the Arizona Cardinals but did not make the squad, so he hopped on over to join the CFL revolution with the Sacramento Gold Miners in 1993 and 94, and then joined the franchise when it moved to San Antonio in 1995.

Retired, he lives in Texas, where he is involved in a variety of football and sports related initiatives.

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CFL, NFL, WLAF

Buddenberg, John

Cards: Ultimate World League 1992, Jogo 1994, Jogo 1995
Acquired: TTM 2019, C/o Home
Sent: 8/29 Received: 10/8 (40 days)

A three year starter at the University of Akron at tackle, John Buddenberg clocked in at 6’5″, 279. He’d be selected in the 10th round of the 1989 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns and then later spent time on the rosters of the Minnesota Vikings (1989) and Pittsburgh Steelers (1990). During his time in the NFL, Buddenberg was shifted inside to play guard.

In 1991 John was selected by the Sacramento Surge of the World League of American Football. A stalwart member of the Surge’s offensive line front, he played in all 20 regular season games for the franchise over the lifetime of the World League (1991-1992), earning first-team All-World League in ’92. For both years he’d return to the NFL and was on the practice squad of the Atlanta Falcons.

After the World League reorganized following the 1992 season- the Sacramento Surge jumped to the CFL and became the Goldminers. John joined the franchise and played both guard and tackle for Sacramento in 1994, and (for the franchise when it moved to San Antonio and became) the Texans in 1995.

John currently lives in Ohio. He responded with a nice note and two extra autographed cards (the Jogo ones) thanking me for being a fan of the World League.

CFL, NFL, WLAF

Archer, David (2)

ultwlaf92 surgeCards: Ultimate WLAF 1992, Ultimate WLAF 1992 team card
Acquired: TTM 2014, C/o Home
Sent: 5/23    Received: 8/8  (78 days)
See also: David Archer

I was kicking myself after getting David Archer’s autograph on some cards a few years ago. I realized that I didn’t get his Ultimate WLAF Sacramento Surge card signed. My general rule of thumb is to wait a few years before and if I contact a player again. I just feel like it is appropriate not to spam players with requests, so I put myself in my self-imposed penalty box and waited on this one. I sweated it out for a while but after a 3+ month wait he signed these two cards for me.

ultwlaf92 archerUltimate and ProSet went head to head during year two of the WLAF, with Wild Card showing up near the end. None of them found traction in the market, and today they are easily found in the secondary market. While ProSet focused on year one players, Ultimate was peppered with rookies and new names giving a nice blend to go along with ProSet. Wild Card showed up at the tail end of the 1992 season or had a weaker distribution network, so for autograph purposes it was completely out of the mix.

Archer was the quintessential journeyman quarterback, or one of the greatest third string QBs you’d ever seen. He played for no less than 7 teams during a 14 season football career spanning the NFL, WLAF, and CFL. He won World Bowl II with the Sacramento Surge in 1992, and later lost in the playoffs to the Jeff Garcia led Calgary Stampeders in his final game with the Edmonton Eskimos in 1998.

He still does radio today for the ACC in Atlanta and hosts an afternoon radio show.