Tag Archives: Wild Card WLAF 1992

NFL, WLAF

Goebel, Brad

Cards: WildCard WLAF 1992, Pinnacle 1991
Acquired: TTM 2011, C/o Home
Sent: 3/12/10     Received: 4/25/11 (409 days)

Brad Goebel sets the new standard for the longest wait, clocking in a mere 409 days, hence why I hesitate to cross players off my list when I’ve waited a particularly long time.  (I’ve heard of collectors waiting almost 2 years for autographs in some cases.)

Brad Goebel was another great quarterback to come out of Baylor in Waco, Tx. (The other recent quarterback being Houston Oiler Cody Carlson). Brad’s strengths were that he had a quick release, a good arm, and a tremendous amount of focus. The Philadelphia Eagles, under coach Rich Kotite would note his performance at Baylor, where he’d finish first in attempts (790) and completions, (375) and second in school history in career total offense upon graduation in 1990.  The Eagles would sign Brad to a free agent contract where he’d compete in camp for a backup job. After a scintilating performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the preseason where Brad would lead the Eagles back engineering 2 game winning drives in the 4th quarter, he’d unseat Don McPherson for 3rd string on the Eagles roster. In fact, the buzz around Brad was so strong that fans were suggesting that he should start at quarterback for the Eagles over Randall Cunningham.  They wouldn’t have to wait that long as the quarterback of the future plucked from the ranks of free agency would be forced into the lineup in 1991.

A series of bizarre injuries would befall the Eagles quarterback rotation, as starter Randall Cunningham would go down for the season in week 1. Jim McMahon would step in and lead the team but he’d go down to injury too forcing the Eagles to go ahead with Pat Ryan, who forced Philadelphia’s hand with his poor play to start Brad in week 5. The team would narrowly lose against the Saints, and then the next week as well against Tampa Bay before McMahon would return to the lineup. Goebel throughout the remainder of the season would see a bit of garbage time, but would not throw a touchdown.

In 1992, the NFL agreed to allocate 4 players from each team as ‘future stars’ to the WLAF for the season. The Eagles requested to have Brad placed with San Antonio due to its proximity to his home in Cuero, Tx. With Jason Garrett no longer with the franchise,  Brad would compete against  incumbent  quarterback Mike Johnson. He would throw for a touchdown and 408 yards during the season, starting against the Machine, Fire, and Knights before Johnson would return to the starting lineup. At the conclusion of the 1992 WLAF season, Goebel returned to the Eagles.

Caught in a numbers game, the Eagles were not able to provide Brad enough reps in camp, so before the 1992 NFL season even really began, the Eagles quarterback of the future would be traded to the Cleveland Browns for a 7th round choice.  Brad would make the roster of the team playing sparingly over the next 3 seasons before retiring after the 1994 season.

Brad since retirement has become a successful real estate developer and rancher back in his hometown of Cuero. He also hosts a football camp in Horseshoe Bay, Tx.

This would be the only WLAF card printed of Brad, and the Pinnacle card was one that I found a few weeks after the 1992 season had concluded.  The Pinnacle card is quite a nice layout with copious amounts of space on it. Unfortunately the Wild Card just looks ugly. The large ‘stamp’ and numbers on the side just don’t complement this otherwise very nice looking photo of Brad that well. The back is even more repugnant. Regardless I was glad to get these two signed. Below are his statistics from the WLAF.

G/Gs  N/a     Att  66     Comp  40    Yds 404   Pct 60.6    Td 1      Int 2       Rat  64.5 |
Rush 6    Yds 18      Avg  3.0      Td  2     Lg 7

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

NFL, WLAF

Norgard, Erik

Card: Wild Card Wlaf 1992
Acquired: TTM 2010, C/o Home
Sent: 8/27  Received: 12/16 (105 days)

Young offensive lineman Erik Norgard was signed by the Houston Oilers as a free agent in 1989. A gem in the rough, at 6-1, 290, Norgard posessed the size, strength, and mobility, to play any position on the line in the Oilers’ run ‘n shoot offense. After he sat out his whole rookie season due to injury, Norgard was assigned by the team to the World League Allocation draft for 1992.

The San Antonio Riders stuck him right into the starting lineup and he’d play at guard blocking for Ivory Lee Brown. It paid off as Brown would lead the league in rushing yardage behind Erik and the team plowed ahead to a 7-3 record.

After the dissolution of the WLAF in 1992, Norgard returned to the Oilers, starting four games in 1993, and seven in 1994, before returning to being a key backup offensive lineman for the team. He’d move with the team to Tennessee in 1997 and play there through 1998. In 1999 he’d sign with the New York Jets and retire soon thereafter.  Over 9 seasons and 108 contests,  Erik caught 2 tackle eligible touchdowns, and started 12 games in the NFL.