Mandarich should be Top 10!

[LL2]

He is one of the worst picks ever! Especially considering we could've had Barry Sanders. If the Packers would've drafted Sanders Favre would've retired with at least 3 SB wins.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/draft08/news/story?id=3325687&campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines

[PlantPage55]

The media even tries to keep us down when they're picking the "worst" of something. :lol:

[oregonpackfan]

I agree. The article lists Packers QB Jerry Tagge as # 10. Mandarich was far more publicized. He even made the cover of Sports Illustrated when he was drafted.

He was a worst bust than Tagge, IMO.

[The Leaper]

I don't think he was one of the top 10 busts of all-time. Mandarich was a starting caliber OL in the league for some time, albeit at a very average level far beneath his draft position. He certainly was a bust...but there are quite a few that were even worse.

There are certainly more than 10 other top picks who never amounted to anything in the NFL...i.e. couldn't even crack the starting lineup on a regular basis. I can think of several just off the top of my head from just the last 10 or so years...Ryan Leaf, Ki-Jana Carter, Andre Wadsworth, Lawrence Phillips, Curtis Enis. These are guys who hardly ever played in the NFL whatsoever after being top 5 picks.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

I agree. The article lists Packers QB Jerry Tagge as # 10. Mandarich was far more publicized. He even made the cover of Sports Illustrated when he was drafted.

He was a worst bust than Tagge, IMO.

No way. Tagge wasn't even a decent player. 12 games started in 3 years.

Mandarich, while and underachiever, at least started 63 games in his career.

Mandarich has a couple of decent years with the colts as a starter.

And, while it may be an unpopular view, i give him some respect for having the guts to return to the game after for 5 years. That, to me, shows that he really did love the game.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

I don't think he was one of the top 10 busts of all-time. Mandarich was a starting caliber OL in the league for some time, albeit at a very average level far beneath his draft position. He certainly was a bust...but there are quite a few that were even worse.

There are certainly more than 10 other top picks who never amounted to anything in the NFL...i.e. couldn't even crack the starting lineup on a regular basis. I can think of several just off the top of my head from just the last 10 or so years...Ryan Leaf, Ki-Jana Carter, Andre Wadsworth, Lawrence Phillips, Curtis Enis. These are guys who hardly ever played in the NFL whatsoever after being top 5 picks.

Agreed.

But, i have a hard time with calling guys busts whose careers were derailed by injury...carter, wadsworth, emtman, etc.

Where is Rich Campbell? :roll:

[The Leaper]

If the Packers would've drafted Sanders Favre would've retired with at least 3 SB wins.

Could you imagine those early 90s offenses with Favre, Sharpe and Sanders? Yikes.

[Carolina_Packer]

I'm surprised that Rich Campbell didn't make the list. He was a first rounder and never did anything of note with the Packers. A total bust for sure. That was 1981. The Packers could have drafted Ronnie Lott instead. Oy!

[MadtownPacker]

The cleary stated that he redeemed himself with the Colts. I dont know much of the history but if he started for a few years he did alot better then other high picks.

But it does seem like everyone who writes one of these articles agrees leaf is the #1.

[sheepshead]

I dont know how they missed Mandarich, but we "had" to take him. Everyone had this guy pegged as reinventing the position etc etc. It was typical though of being a Packer Fan in those days. We hung our hopes on these guys as getting us over the hump and well....


I also thought Leaf was better than Manning--shows what I know.

[Iron Mike]

If the Packers would've drafted Sanders Favre would've retired with at least 3 SB wins.

Could you imagine those early 90s offenses with Favre, Sharpe and Sanders? Yikes.

Of course, you're presuming that had we drafted Barry Sanders, we would have been in a position to draft Sterling Sharpe and trade for Brett Favre. :wink:

[Joemailman]

If the Packers draft Barry Sanders, maybe Tom Braatz doesn't get fired, so therefore Ron Wolf doesn't get hired, which means no Favre, Holmgren, Reggie.

Thank God for Tony Mandarich. :wink:

[Scott Campbell]

If the Packers draft Barry Sanders, maybe Tom Braatz doesn't get fired, so therefore Ron Wolf doesn't get hired, which means no Favre, Holmgren, Reggie.

Thank God for Tony Mandarich. :wink:


Yeah, there's no telling the domino effect that Sanders in GB could have had.

[the_idle_threat]

Maybe we could have had Millen! :wow: Oh, to dream ...

[MJZiggy]

I wonder how long Millen would have lasted without the Ford Family Insulation...

[Fritz]

I dont know how they missed Mandarich, but we "had" to take him. Everyone had this guy pegged as reinventing the position etc etc. It was typical though of being a Packer Fan in those days. We hung our hopes on these guys as getting us over the hump and well....


I also thought Leaf was better than Manning--shows what I know.

I agree with this. Also, everyone keeps mentioning we could've had Barry Sanders - but couldn't the Packers also have had Deion Sanders or Derrick Thomas?

I think Mandarich was a huge, huge bust in part because, as stated above, he was supposed to completely re-invent the position, and he was also clear in stating that he was the next big thing. His cocky attitude and the hype he encouraged and received are factors that in my opinion add to his "bust" level. If he had come in quietly, and not done sh_t, he'd have been seen as less of a bust than he was, I think.