Ironman Insider: Herkie Walls `Master of the Nets`
Tom Goodhines
Saturday May 27, 2000
You enter the "The Jungle" at the Orlando Arena during the early `90s to witness an Arena Football League game.
The stands are jam-packed with spectators waiting for another Predator game. There is an electric feeling in the air, but you can`t put your finger on the source of the excitement. As the firework smoke clears from all the pre-game festivities, your attention is drawn to the field.
The visiting team prepares to kickoff. The kicker tees-up the ball with the beginning guitar solo from "Welcome to the Jungle" blaring through the PA system and echoing throughout the building.
In the opposite end zone, a player with the No. 22 on his back - is standing alone, preparing himself in anticipation of the upcoming kick. The murmur that is heard from the crowd slowly increases as the kicker puts his toe to leather. The ball sails high and ricochets off the giant nets into the steady hands of No. 22.
He darts from the end zone with speed that would have left Carl Lewis in the dust. He reads his blockers and makes his way toward the far sideline. He breaks through the initial wall of defenders.
The crowd roars.
The return specialist slips by one would-be tackler - he sidesteps another. He then clears his final hurdle, the kicker, with a final burst of speed and begins his celebratory dance after he crosses the goal line.
The crowd erupts.
No. 22 is none other than McCurey M.N. Hercules Walls or to AFL fans across the country - Herkie Walls.
"Finding the holes and finding my blockers," Walls said as he leads us through his thoughts during a kick return. "The next thing I thought of was to decide which dance I was going to do once I scored. If I didn`t score - there is always next time!"
But the next thought for Herkie is to decide what it will say on his plaque when they hang it at the Arena Football League Hall of Fame in Iowa. Walls is one of this year`s class of inductees and he finds himself on the list with former Predators` head coach, Perry Moss; quarterback, Ben Bennett; wide receiver/defensive back, Carl Aikens; lineman Joe March; and Albany Firebird owner, Glenn Mazula.
The 5-foot-8, 180-pound speedster came out of the University of Texas as a two-sport star. Walls amassed 2,312 all-purpose yards for the football team while he also raced and defeated 10-time Olympic Gold Medalist Carl Lewis several times as a member of the track team. His most notable victory over Lewis took place at the South Western Conference championships in the early `80s. After his collegiate career, the Houston Oilers selected Walls during the seventh round of the 1983 NFL Draft.
One of Herkie`s career highlights came while playing for the Oilers when he returned a kickoff 101 yards for a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys. "I`m a return guy, so of course I think that there isn`t a more exciting play in the game of football then a punt return or kick return for a touchdown. I still get a charge out of thinking about doing that in front of the home crowd," the Texas native said.
Walls was with Houston until 1986 when he retired from the NFL, but made a brief comeback with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1987 before retiring again.
"One of the things that I enjoyed most was proving to everyone who thought I was undersized that I had talent," Walls said. "Critics thought I was too small - but they didn`t know the size of my heart. I had the desire and dedication that was needed to play at that level."
Herkie cites playing with legendary running back Earl Campbell as one of his biggest thrills from his NFL days. "I remember working out with Earl and not being able to believe how big his legs were," Walls recalled. "He was so powerful and I remember one of the coaches telling me `When you are blocking down field and you see `Big Earl` coming your way - get out of the way. He`ll run you over!"
Walls found himself getting used to his life out of football after his days in Tampa Bay. He was employed with Bally`s Health Club in Orlando and life was good - but the desire to play was still there. In 1991, Herkie stumbled across an advertisement about tryouts for Orlando`s newest football team - the Orlando Predators.
"I thought that I would give it a shot," Walls said about making the call to the Predators. "I was still in great shape and I wanted to see what this Arena Football was all about."
After talking to Orlando`s Director of Player Personnel Les Moss, Herkie was put in contact with the man who gave him his break in the AFL, head coach and fellow Hall of Famer, Perry Moss. The coach was familiar with Herkie`s abilities, so Walls was invited to the tryout and his AFL career began. "I have to give a lot of thanks to Coach [Moss] for giving me the chance to play," Walls said. "Without him, I wouldn`t be receiving the recognition that I am today."
Herkie said that his biggest adjustment to the indoor game was the nets. "When I first saw [the nets,] it was a little intimidating," Walls said. "But I knew right away that, if I wanted to be a great return man in this league, I was going to have to master the nets."
Walls credits assistant coach and current Predator General Manager Mark Novell with helping him work on his "net play."
"Coach Novell and I put in a lot of time working on catching the ball off the net," Walls said. "Getting the ball cleanly off the net is key. [Former teammate] Reggie Smith is another guy I learned a lot from. He was a guy that helped me with the nuances of the net - and he was a veteran with AFL and NFL experience."
Growing up, Walls looked to NFL stars like Walter Payton, Larry Csonka, Mecury Morris, Lynn Swann, and Billy "White Shoes" Johnson as role models, but it was a former Cowboy that influenced him the most. "Bob Hayes was incredible," Walls said. "He was lightning quick and he was playing for my home state team. He is the reason why I wore the No. 22."
Walls went on to play for the Predators until 1996 before retiring from football. His influence on the AFL has been felt by a number of players - most notably 1999 Ironman of the Year, Hunkie Cooper. "When I first came into the league, Herkie was one of the guys that I patterned my game after," said the Arizona Rattler star. "The Predators already had Barry [Wagner], so when you add Herkie to the mix with his return game - they were really tough to beat. That was when I thought they were the most dangerous - offensively."
Walls still owns a hand full of records for the Predators and is currently employed by the team as the Community Relations Director. Herkie possesses a communications degree from Texas and he hopes to become more involved with Predator television broadcasts on the Sunshine Network. But, one of his main focuses involves his work as a motivational speaker. It is rare to ever find the energetic, upbeat star without a smile on his face and seldom will you find Herkie turning down an opportunity to speak to youth groups in the Central Florida area.
Walls spearheaded two of the Predators` new community outreach programs in 2000 - "Fitness is Fun" and "Predators Adventure." The programs involve Herkie visiting Orange County schools twice a week to speak on the importance of physical education. On the third day, Herkie brings football equipment including six inflatable drill activities for the children to play with and hopefully gain some insight as to what the athletes do.
"I hope to get the message out to children that athletics is a great outlet for them now and when they get older," Walls said. "But, I also like to teach them that they must have balance in their lives. Having a strong faith in God and an education are also essential in today`s world."
If Herkie is having trouble with coming up with a line for his plaque at the Hall of Fame, I think I can help.
"Herkie Walls, Orlando Predators, 1991-1996, Speedster with a big heart, `Master of the Nets,` and a great Ambassador of Arena Football."
Players most respected: Herkie said that Hall of Famer Tate Randall from the Detroit Drive, Tampa Bay`s Corey Dowden and Tracey Perkins gave him the toughest time on the field. "Those guys knew the game and played hard all the time," Walls said. "I knew I was always in for a battle when we lined up against Detroit and Tampa Bay."
Memorable moment: One game that Herkie remembers is his first. In 1991, Herkie played wing back/jill linebacker. "That was a rude awakening," Walls said on the game against Tampa Bay. "[The Storm] kept running right at me. I don`t think that I have ever been hit so hard on consecutive plays in my career." Walls got the last laugh as his team grabbed the victory and he pulled in "Ironman of the Game" honors.
Tom Goodhines was a writer for ArenaFan Online during the 2000 season.
