Smokey
  • Smokey
  • Veteran Member Topic Starter
8 years ago
Tony Mandarich is considered by many to be GB's greatest Draft failure. The 6' 5" Offensive Lineman was Drafted by GB in 1989 out of Michigan State U. . The 324 pound prospect was GB's 1st round Draft pick .

Well , we all know the rest of the story, he failed to live up to the big build-up . Others have failed to live up to their expectations as well.

This thread is to discuss past Draft failures and how to avoid it from happening so much . Many of you should have much to say on this subject .






[cheers]
UserPostedImage
sschind
8 years ago
I my mind there is no question who was the Packers greatest draft failure and it wasn't Tony Mandarich. In 1980 they drafted Bruce Clark #4 over all after he said he wouldn't play in Green Bay and he didn't. He went to the Canadian league instead. I suppose, since they recouped the first round pick in 1983 by trading him to New Orleans it wasn't a total loss but I still think drafting a player that high who never puts on your uniform is worse than drafting a player that high who just didn't work out no mater what the hype was surrounding him.

Besides that the Mandarich pick was only a bust in hindsight. There were A LOT of people who said and a lot who still say the Packers made the right choice at the time.

I'm curious to know what you have to say on the matter or aren't you going to participate in your own discussion?
+1
nerdmann
8 years ago
Agreed, Mandarich actually played for us, although not very well. Came back later and had an adequate career with Indy.

I'd also add Rich Campbell to the list, althouh I've heard the coaches messed with his mechanics. Then Brent Fullwood and Terrell Buckley.
“Winning is not a sometime thing, it is an all the time thing. You don't do things right once in a while…you do them right all the time.”
wpr
  • wpr
  • Preferred Member
8 years ago
Mandarich is by far the bigger bust. I don't give a rats butt what he did for someone else. He was an absolute zero in GB. They had the #2 pick and could have taken Barry Sanders, Derrick Thomas or Neon Deion all HoFers taken with the next 3 selections. All can't miss prospects.

Clark was a #4 pick. Close but #2 is clearly a higher pick. The 1980 draft was a little weaker in that there were only 3 HoFers compared to 4 in 1989 plus 3 more that were not drafted. Clark may not have played in GB but he became Tim Lewis. He was pretty good but career cut short due to injury. Just bad luck.
UserPostedImage
Zero2Cool
8 years ago

Mandarich is by far the bigger bust. I don't give a rats butt what he did for someone else. He was an absolute zero in GB. They had the #2 pick and could have taken Barry Sanders, Derrick Thomas or Neon Deion all HoFers taken with the next 3 selections. All can't miss prospects.

Originally Posted by: wpr 



Tony Mandrich was THE can't miss prospect so that doesn't mean a damn thing, as we fortunately found out. If Packers had taken one of the other folks, you can bet we don't fire Lindy Infante, meaning we don't get Ron Wolf, meaning ... you get the drift.
UserPostedImage
+2
nerdmann
8 years ago

Mandarich is by far the bigger bust. I don't give a rats butt what he did for someone else. He was an absolute zero in GB. They had the #2 pick and could have taken Barry Sanders, Derrick Thomas or Neon Deion all HoFers taken with the next 3 selections. All can't miss prospects.

Clark was a #4 pick. Close but #2 is clearly a higher pick. The 1980 draft was a little weaker in that there were only 3 HoFers compared to 4 in 1989 plus 3 more that were not drafted. Clark may not have played in GB but he became Tim Lewis. He was pretty good but career cut short due to injury. Just bad luck.

Originally Posted by: wpr 



Prime Time wouldn't have played here, and Sanders wouldn't have done shit on the tundra. He made his living on the carpet. Derrick Thomas? Sure, he'd have been great here.
“Winning is not a sometime thing, it is an all the time thing. You don't do things right once in a while…you do them right all the time.”
Cheesey
8 years ago
"Bustin" Harrel belongs on that list, too.

The "Manwich" pick was made extra bad, by the fact we COULD have had Barry Sanders!!!!
UserPostedImage
+1
wpr
  • wpr
  • Preferred Member
8 years ago

Tony Mandrich was THE can't miss prospect so that doesn't mean a damn thing, as we fortunately found out. If Packers had taken one of the other folks, you can bet we don't fire Lindy Infante, meaning we don't get Ron Wolf, meaning ... you get the drift.

Originally Posted by: Zero2Cool 



I am well aware of the Wolf Factor but he is not relevant to this discussion any more than bringing Belichick would be.

Don't get me wrong, I wanted Mandrich. Build an OL wall. That doesn't change the fact he was a bust nor does it excuse the GB front office from doing their due diligence. They should have known he was pumping juice. The rumors where there. A judicious organization would have found out.
UserPostedImage
+1
wpr
  • wpr
  • Preferred Member
8 years ago

Prime Time wouldn't have played here, and Sanders wouldn't have done shit on the tundra. He made his living on the carpet. Derrick Thomas? Sure, he'd have been great here.

Originally Posted by: nerdmann 



Damn nerd I knew you were great. I just never knew the depths of your abilities. I didn't realize were psychic. I should have realized you can look at a guy and know what his stats and abilities would have been with a team he never played for. I bet you rock Vegas all day long.
UserPostedImage
Zero2Cool
8 years ago

I am well aware of the Wolf Factor but he is not relevant to this discussion any more than bringing Belichick would be.

Don't get me wrong, I wanted Mandrich. Build an OL wall. That doesn't change the fact he was a bust nor does it excuse the GB front office from doing their due diligence. They should have known he was pumping juice. The rumors where there. A judicious organization would have found out.

Originally Posted by: wpr 



Ron Wolf does factor into this because if Tony Mandrich wasn't selected, there's a good chance Tom Braatz doesn't get canned opening the door for Ron Wolf. Belichick? No clue why he'd be mentioned at all. He wasn't part of the Packers, Wolf was and it's easy to see the connection.

You mentioned the others as can't miss prospects as if Mandrich was not. He was THE can't miss prospect of the entire '89 draft. No one had a clue he was going to flop. No one.

I can't wait for the the Packers Greatest Draft Picks thread.
UserPostedImage
Similar Topics
Users browsing this topic
    Fan Shout
    dfosterf (14-Jun) : TWO magnificent strikes for touchdowns. Lose the pennstate semigeezer non nfl backup
    dfosterf (14-Jun) : There was minicamp Thursday. My man Taylor Engersma threw
    dfosterf (11-Jun) : There will be a mini camp practice Thursday.
    Zero2Cool (11-Jun) : He's been sporting a ring for a while now. It's probably Madonna.
    Martha Careful (10-Jun) : We only do the tea before whoopee, it relaxes me.
    wpr (10-Jun) : That's awesome Martha.
    Mucky Tundra (10-Jun) : How's the ayahuasca tea he makes, Martha?
    Martha Careful (10-Jun) : Turns out he like older women
    Martha Careful (10-Jun) : I wasn't supposed to say anything, but yes the word is out and we are happy 😂😂😂
    Mucky Tundra (10-Jun) : I might be late on this but Aaron Rodgers is now married
    Mucky Tundra (10-Jun) : Well he can always ask his brother for pointers
    Zero2Cool (10-Jun) : Bo Melton taking some reps at CB as well as WR
    Zero2Cool (10-Jun) : key transactions coming today at 3pm that will consume more cap in 2025
    Zero2Cool (9-Jun) : Jaire played in just 34 of a possible 68 games since the start of the 2021 season
    Zero2Cool (9-Jun) : reported, but not expected to practice
    Zero2Cool (9-Jun) : Jenkins has REPORTED for mandatory camp
    Zero2Cool (9-Jun) : I really thought he'd play for Packers.
    buckeyepackfan (9-Jun) : Packers releasing Jaire Alexander.
    Mucky Tundra (8-Jun) : (Context: he wants his defense to create turnovers)
    Mucky Tundra (8-Jun) : Giants DC Shane Bowen tells players to “be a damn pirate."
    dfosterf (6-Jun) : Semper fi !
    Cheesey (6-Jun) : This is why I have so much respect for those that have gone through battles
    Cheesey (6-Jun) : I can't even imagine what that would have been like
    wpr (6-Jun) : "Come on, you sons of bitches. Do you want to live forever?"
    wpr (6-Jun) : Facing a line of machine guns 2 time medal of Honor recipient, First Sergeant Dan Daly told his men,
    wpr (6-Jun) : Another detachment went into the Belleau Wood.
    wpr (6-Jun) : On the 6th the Marines took Hill 142 but suffered terrible losses.
    wpr (6-Jun) : It’s time to remember dfoster’s Marine brothers in Belleau Wood. The battle went on from June 1-26. Nearly 10,000 casualties.
    packerfanoutwest (6-Jun) : Nick Collins and Morgan Burnett have signed with the PACK
    packerfanoutwest (6-Jun) : he won't be wearing #12, maybe he will wear number two
    packerfanoutwest (6-Jun) : He will fail this season, should have retired
    Mucky Tundra (5-Jun) : Thus the cycle of Hall of Fame Packer QBs going to the Jets and then the Vikings is broken
    bboystyle (5-Jun) : Rodgers to steelers on 1 year contract
    Zero2Cool (5-Jun) : It's the cycle of civilizations. Get lazier, lazier, softer, softer and vanish.
    Martha Careful (5-Jun) : great point. every aspect of society, including art, culture and sports has degraded.
    dfosterf (4-Jun) : Green Bay sweep meant something to society about stopping pure excellence. We have the tush push now
    dfosterf (4-Jun) : We old Martha.
    Martha Careful (4-Jun) : *front four
    Martha Careful (4-Jun) : Re frout four, I wish we had some Green "People Eaters" or a fearsome foursome
    dfosterf (4-Jun) : *directions*
    dfosterf (4-Jun) : Just don't ask him for driving direct
    dfosterf (4-Jun) : Jim Marshall was an all-time great DE for the Purple People Eaters. Didn't like him. That's a compliment. RIP
    Zero2Cool (3-Jun) : ooppppss
    Zero2Cool (3-Jun) : “Kenny Clark played all of last season hurt by the way and got surgery to fix it in January”
    Mucky Tundra (3-Jun) : @ByRyanWood How much did the injury affect him last fall? “A lot.”
    Mucky Tundra (3-Jun) : @ByRyanWood Kenny Clark said he had foot surgery in January. Injured his foot in opener against Eagles and played through it all year.
    Zero2Cool (3-Jun) : Golden is wearing guardian cap again. I bet he plays with it on too.
    Mucky Tundra (3-Jun) : All the stuff I'm reading from Lions fans are pointing at his toe; he more or less has permanent turf toe in one of his big toes
    dfosterf (3-Jun) : Kenny played through it, and a shame he gets little credit for that, imo
    dfosterf (3-Jun) : Big men. I hope it's not the undoing of Kenny Clark
    Please sign in to use Fan Shout
    2025 Packers Schedule
    Sunday, Sep 7 @ 3:25 PM
    LIONS
    Thursday, Sep 11 @ 7:15 PM
    COMMANDERS
    Sunday, Sep 21 @ 12:00 PM
    Browns
    Sunday, Sep 28 @ 7:20 PM
    Cowboys
    Sunday, Oct 12 @ 3:25 PM
    BENGALS
    Sunday, Oct 19 @ 3:25 PM
    Cardinals
    Sunday, Oct 26 @ 7:20 PM
    Steelers
    Sunday, Nov 2 @ 12:00 PM
    PANTHERS
    Monday, Nov 10 @ 7:15 PM
    EAGLES
    Sunday, Nov 16 @ 12:00 PM
    Giants
    Sunday, Nov 23 @ 12:00 PM
    VIKINGS
    Thursday, Nov 27 @ 12:00 PM
    Lions
    Sunday, Dec 7 @ 12:00 PM
    BEARS
    Sunday, Dec 14 @ 3:25 PM
    Broncos
    Friday, Dec 19 @ 11:00 PM
    Bears
    Friday, Dec 26 @ 11:00 PM
    RAVENS
    Saturday, Jan 3 @ 11:00 PM
    Vikings
    Recent Topics
    2h / Random Babble / Zero2Cool

    16-Jun / Green Bay Packers Talk / dfosterf

    15-Jun / Random Babble / Martha Careful

    14-Jun / Around The NFL / beast

    14-Jun / Community Welcome! / dfosterf

    13-Jun / Green Bay Packers Talk / dfosterf

    13-Jun / Green Bay Packers Talk / Adam

    12-Jun / Random Babble / Martha Careful

    12-Jun / Green Bay Packers Talk / Zero2Cool

    12-Jun / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

    12-Jun / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

    11-Jun / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

    10-Jun / Green Bay Packers Talk / Martha Careful

    10-Jun / Green Bay Packers Talk / Zero2Cool

    7-Jun / Green Bay Packers Talk / Mucky Tundra

    Headlines
    Copyright © 2006 - 2025 PackersHome.com™. All Rights Reserved.