Hey, remember the Ville’s Arena Football team, the Louisville Fire? Well, our sports legend of the Ville today was the majority owner/operator of the Fire, as well as a pro-bowl NFL offensive lineman, I’m speaking of Will Wolford.
A graduate of St. X Wolford took his skills on the gridiron to Vanderbilt, where he was such a standout athlete that the Buffalo Bills used their first round draft pick in 1986 to pick up the young lineman. Earning the nickname “The Tractor” with the Commodores Wolford was inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2007, and is considered the greatest offensive lineman in the modern era of Vanderbilt football.
In Buffalo the Tractor didn’t slow down either being a major force in the Bills’ three back to back AFC championships, playing in three superbowls.
But, after six years in New York Wolford made his way closer to home to play for the Indianapolis Colts, it was during his time in Indy that Wolford went to his third and last pro-bowl in 1995; the previous two coming in 1990 and 1992 both of which were with the Bills.
Following his Colts stint Wolford joined the Pittsburg Steelers for two seasons which concluded in his retirement in 1998.
Switching to a broadcasting career after his football career, today, Wolford acts as a color commentator for radio broadcasts of Colts games and co-hosted the Bob and Will Show with Bob Valvano until November of 2008 on WQKC in Louisville.
When one analyzes a football offense it all comes back to the line, and the fact that every offense Wolford found himself on became a high powered one proves his own ability. And so, his stellar career and hometown pride make Will Wolford a sports legend of the Ville.
http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Will_Wolford
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Wolford
http://tshf.net/inductees/2007Wolford.htm
http://tshf.net/inductees/2007Wolford.htm
Image courtesy of Vanderbilt Hall of Fame
