If he had been drafted outside the top 10 I think most people would be calling it a good solid pick. The fact that everyone was expecting so much more out of him as a #5 overall pick is unfortunate for him.

Say what you will about his performance there were not many people who showed up and gave it their all like he did week after week and he took took it in the wallet a couple of times to stay in Green Bay.

Sure I would have liked to have seen a lot more out of him but I'm perfectly fine with the career he had here.

Originally Posted by: sschind 

I never really get that sentiment. If he was drafted in the 7th round, people would've called it an amazing pick, but he wasn't. He was drafted at a prime spot for impact players and failed to deliver. He had a solid career, but didn't deliver what the Pack hoped to get out of him.

That said, I agree that he was a good player for the Packers. His production here throughout his GB career is impressive and well worthy of a retirement contract.

Originally Posted by: Rockmolder 

I never understand how anchoring the defense for 9 years, becoming the teams leading tackler in history, and being available for every game during his time on the team is failing to deliver.

Originally Posted by: PackFanWithTwins 

Because when you buy an Audi at a cardealer for $40.000, you expect to get a high-end machine. If they then deliver a Suzuki SX4 to your house, you're going to be dissapointed regardless of how well it holds up for the car that it is.

Again, I'm not saying Hawk was a bad player. He was just a very average MLB/ILB. Dependable, with very few flashes of the guy he was at Ohio State, but a guy that did always play his heart out for us.

Also, I'm not that big a fan of longevity records.

With all due respect for Donald Driver, who was an excellent player and person, he's nowhere close to Sterling Sharpe or James Lofton in skill. A guy like Emmitt Smith looks average compared to Barry Sanders, skillwise.

A lack of longevity and availability is a big problem and there's something to be said about availability, but just being available is a feat a lot of players can do.

Originally Posted by: Rockmolder 

He was exactly what he was portrayed as during that draft. The safest pick, the most NFL ready, Blue collar. Its the people who have inflated what the expectations were.

Originally Posted by: PackFanWithTwins 

The inflation factor comes from where he was selected. People always hope that a #5 will be HoF- ish. If nothing else, the Hall of the pretty darn good. How many times did people complain that Hawk made the tackle but it was 6-7 yards down field? Some of that is on him and his pursuit angle. Some of it because he is a LBer not a DT.

Originally Posted by: wpr 

He was exactly what he was portrayed as during that draft. The safest pick, the most NFL ready, Blue collar. Its the people who have inflated what the expectations were.

Originally Posted by: PackFanWithTwins