Tony Mandarich: Full Circle

Swan Vox · Post #1 » by **Swan Vox** » Fri May 7, 2010 10:45 pm

Seeing Jamarcus Russell getting released this week and the news about Brian Cushing made me think of Mandrich's time in Green Bay. After searching around a little I came across some pretty great videos that brought Tony's story full circle.

While we as Packer fans might never forgive his on-field transgressions, he seems to have really taken responsibility for his life and turned himself around. I thought it was inspiring to see. Hopefully Jamarcus and Brian have a similar revelation.

http://www.tonymandarich.com/category/tony-mandarich/

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPwhAMD1He8&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnvaBwl7OhQ&feature=player_embedded#![/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NojYyQWgmrs&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

Post #2 » by **paulpressey25** » Sun May 9, 2010 5:35 pm

I remember when that guy first lined up for some snaps after his holdout (Rams game??). And he looked awful. You just had a bad feeling that we had made an awful mistake.

And of course you had Barry, Derrick and Deon all as guys we passed on there.

Turk Nowitzki · Post #3 » by **Turk Nowitzki** » Sun May 9, 2010 8:59 pm

Thank the lord I'm too young to remember this debacle.

Nice to see him moving on with his life while taking responsibility for his actions.

Post #4 » by **ReasonablySober** » Mon May 10, 2010 4:21 am

The Mandarich pick is one I can't slam now that I have the 20/20 hindsight vision. The botching of that pick lead to Infante's canning, the hiring of Wolf and a Super Bowl in GB. Maybe if GB takes Sanders we never land Holmgren or Favre. I don't know.

Thunder Muscle · Post #5 » by **Thunder Muscle** » Mon May 10, 2010 4:35 pm

DrugBust wrote:The Mandarich pick is one I can't slam now that I have the 20/20 hindsight vision. The botching of that pick lead to Infante's canning, the hiring of Wolf and a Super Bowl in GB. Maybe if GB takes Sanders we never land Holmgren or Favre. I don't know.

Its funny how things like that worked out. And if Ron Pitts never runs back a touchdown in a meaningless game the Pack would've had Aikman and not Mandarich...and probably not Favre.

Didn't Mandarich come out with a book recently? Or is in the near future?

skitch815 · Post #6 » by **skitch815** » Tue May 11, 2010 12:36 am

N8Frog wrote:
DrugBust wrote:The Mandarich pick is one I can't slam now that I have the 20/20 hindsight vision. The botching of that pick lead to Infante's canning, the hiring of Wolf and a Super Bowl in GB. Maybe if GB takes Sanders we never land Holmgren or Favre. I don't know.

Its funny how things like that worked out. And if Ron Pitts never runs back a touchdown in a meaningless game the Pack would've had Aikman and not Mandarich...and probably not Favre.

Didn't Mandarich come out with a book recently? Or is in the near future?

"My Dirty Little Secrets". I read it last year and actually enjoyed it quite a bit. Hindsight is definitely 20/20 but the Packers shouldn't get nearly as much grief as fans like to give for that pick regardless of who went afterward. There were not many GM's at the time that would have passed over Mandarich at that pick.

Also like Nate said, if they somehow got Aikman they never make the trade 3 years later for Favre. Things seemed to work out pretty well.

Thunder Muscle · Post #7 » by **Thunder Muscle** » Mon May 24, 2010 4:58 pm

skitch815 wrote:
N8Frog wrote:
DrugBust wrote:The Mandarich pick is one I can't slam now that I have the 20/20 hindsight vision. The botching of that pick lead to Infante's canning, the hiring of Wolf and a Super Bowl in GB. Maybe if GB takes Sanders we never land Holmgren or Favre. I don't know.

Its funny how things like that worked out. And if Ron Pitts never runs back a touchdown in a meaningless game the Pack would've had Aikman and not Mandarich...and probably not Favre.

Didn't Mandarich come out with a book recently? Or is in the near future?

"My Dirty Little Secrets". I read it last year and actually enjoyed it quite a bit. Hindsight is definitely 20/20 but the Packers shouldn't get nearly as much grief as fans like to give for that pick regardless of who went afterward. There were not many GM's at the time that would have passed over Mandarich at that pick.

Also like Nate said, if they somehow got Aikman they never make the trade 3 years later for Favre. Things seemed to work out pretty well.

And some of those other guys wouldn't have been guarantees in Green Bay either. Would've Barry Sanders been as good playing on grass, in the winter, behind what was a suspect line at first, etc...? Its debatable. Deion Sanders would've never stuck around in small town midwestern Green Bay with his "Primetime" persona -- especially then when Green Bay had alot worse rep around the league.

WRau1 · Post #8 » by **WRau1** » Mon May 24, 2010 5:03 pm

Was GBs OLine any worse than DETs? I remember them having some pretty terrible people blocking for Sanders.

Thunder Muscle · Post #9 » by **Thunder Muscle** » Wed May 26, 2010 12:40 pm

WRau1 wrote:Was GBs OLine any worse than DETs? I remember them having some pretty terrible people blocking for Sanders.

I know Detroit had Lomas Brown who was a multi-time Pro Bowler, Kevin Glover was solid starter there for like 12+ years. Besides Ken Ruettgers the Packers OL was kind of an interchangable mix of players until the mid-90s. Was Detroit's OL that much better? I guess I don't know, but my memory wants to say yes...

Capital Edge · Post #10 » by **Capital Edge** » Wed May 26, 2010 7:34 pm

N8Frog wrote:
WRau1 wrote:Was GBs OLine any worse than DETs? I remember them having some pretty terrible people blocking for Sanders.

I know Detroit had Lomas Brown who was a multi-time Pro Bowler, Kevin Glover was solid starter there for like 12+ years. Besides Ken Ruettgers the Packers OL was kind of an interchangable mix of players until the mid-90s. Was Detroit's OL that much better? I guess I don't know, but my memory wants to say yes...

Nooooooo......Has Detriot ever had a good O-Line, I mean EVER? The Packers wasn't that much better but still Detriot for the last 20 or 25 years has had an atrocious O-Line. Just my two cents.