A Fan's Heart, Divided Against Itself

[Maxie the Taxi]

I could name any number of players from the Glory Years team. Guys who were regarded as bigger than life and then slowly left or faded away. Jim Taylor lead the "betrayal" exiting to New Orleans. Herb Adderley left for the Cowboys!

Bart Starr was typical of the faders. It was sad seeing him hang on in his last year, getting pummeled and intercepted, surviving on pure guts, mainly just out of loyalty to the team.

As a fan, you went from rooting for the best football team on earth to being embarrassed by a team of has beens.

Then in 1971 the only bright spot on the team showed up. He was a powerful rookie running back from Ohio State named John Brockington. He gained over a thousand yards, was Rookie of the Year and was named an All-Pro. Finally it looked like we had some hope. "The Pack Was Back!" We all bought into the elation. We were high as kites.

Happily, Brockington and MacArthur Lane lead us to the playoffs in '72. But it was all down hill from there. Brockington lost his mojo and disappeared off the map a couple years later. Devine's dog got killed and the rest is history.

Disappointment? More like severe depression that lasted decades.

[Harlan Huckleby]

I'd have to 2nd Ted Hendricks. He became such a legend, so quickly, and then he was gone and agonizingly good on another team.

Tim Harris was a mini Ted Hendricks redux.


And now of course Josh Sitton. The long flowing hair. The bitching about coach Mac. Will we ever see another like Josh again?

[Bossman641]

Nick Collins

I still remember the shock and outrage when TT picked him. He grew from a guy who would be in position but almost never make the play to an outright ball hawk. I'll never forget his INT in week 17 against the Bears to clinch the playoff berth, or pick 6 against Pitt. Roughly 6 months later, his career was over on a freak play all because Jonathan Stewart hurdled Hawk. I truly believe Collins would have been remembered up there with Ed Reed and Polamalu.

[Harlan Huckleby]

Now I'm feeling all sentimental. There goes my mascara.

[Upnorth]

On this board how about Cullen Jenkins? Many thought he was key to the d's fall from grace (along with Collins injury). And many thought he was a jag

Also Leroy Butler (who belongs in the hall of fame). Not only was he phenomenonal but his legacy still shines with every packers him touchdown.

[Cheesehead Craig]

Forgot about Wayne Simmons. He helped give that defense some edge. Still remember him leveling Jerry Rice when he tried a short crossing route and didn't even have the ball. All within 5 yards and legal.

[Joemailman]

James Lofton - Truly one of the great Packers, even though he played on mostly mediocre teams. After the Packers traded him, it took me at least a year before I could watch a game with Lofton in a different uniform.

Nick Collins - 3 straight Pro Bowls and just entering the prime of his career when it ended. Watching him break on a deep pass was awesome. And it all ended on such a freakish injury.

Brett Favre - Not his whole career, but 2007-2008. 2007 was a magical year until the loss to the Giants, followed by the spring and summer of 2008.

[HowardRoark]

The peak of my elation was that Thursday when the first Sports Illustrated arrived.

[texaspackerbacker]

The guy I thought of first was Travis Williams. Nobody but nobody I have ever seen had acceleration and breakaway speed like he had. The second name that came to mind, Ted "the Mad Stork" Hendricks was mentioned by several. Same with Eddie Lee Ivery - so good then going down with injury and Ditto that for Tim Lewis fit the criteria - elation then disappointment they were gone. I did read we got two 1st round picks for Hendricks - I had forgotten that part - so that lessens the loss a little bit. Also, Brockington who was so good and then faded so fast. Big Mike McCoy deserves mention too - good for a while/never quite up to expectations/then poof!

Disappointment to me meant high hopes and then massive flop - nobody was that more than Mandarich. Brent Fullwood and Kenneth Davis came pretty close, though, for me. Also, Rich Campbell and another QB way back when I was a kid, Randy Duncan who went off to Canada I think. More recently, Jamal Reynolds - who I (foolishly?) thought would be like Lawrence Taylor or something, and last but not least, B.J. Raji - who I thought was gonna be the second coming of Reggie White or something.

[pbmax]

Also Leroy Butler (who belongs in the hall of fame). Not only was he phenomenonal but his legacy still shines with every packers him touchdown.

LeRoy Butler's career ending with a broken scapula. That was a punch to the gut.

Much like Rossum, Butler as edge rusher (versus Dave Meggett in the Super Bowl) was a great change of pace. They didn't just blitz him, he came of the edge like he was a miniature LT. That was fun.

[Maxie the Taxi]

And who could forget that great white hope Duke Carlisle?

[Joemailman]

And who could forget that great white hope Duke Carlisle?

I have. Who was he?

[Maxie the Taxi]

Duke Carlisle - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_Carlisle

Bart Starr's supposed successor.

The Green Bay Packers drafted Carlisle in the fifth round of the 1964 NFL Draft,[5] but he was cut in training camp.

[KYPack]

Great thread.

Wayne Simmons and Nick Collins came to mind, but other posters really nailed it on those two guys.

There are some other Holmy era players that also were great.

One is a tandem.

Doug Evans and Craig Newsome were two top flight hands and a top CB tandem for Fritz Shurmer back in the day.

Newsome was a classic cover corner who improved by leaps and bounds each game. Doug Evans was a solid cover guy who could hit like a linebacker.

The other brilliant player was OLB Brian Williams. Brian was very fast and he hit like a ton of bricks. The two solid corners with Williams were the foundation of a championship for seasons to come. With Lee Roy Butler running things from his safety position, this would have been an all-time great D.

then, in the blink of an eye it was all gone. Brian and Craig had their careers ended with crippling knee injuries. Evans went FA & only Lee Roy was left to hold things together.

P, Ted Hendricks signed with the World Football League, not the USFL, which was not formed yet.

Ah, what could have been.

[esoxx]

Sterling Sharpe. Few more seasons he's in the HOF and has a Super Bowl. Has neither.