04/19/24
September 30, 2008
Tony Mandarich Admits Steroid Abuse: Mandarich, the No. 2 overall draft pick in 1989 and "best offensive line prospect ever" according to an infamous Sports Illustrated cover, admitted on this week's Inside the NFL that he abused steroids at Michigan State and faked a drug test before the Rose Bowl. These days, Mandarich is a decade out of football and runs a photography studio in Scottsdale, Ariz.
I'm supposed to believe he used steroids through his college career and then stopped when he got to the NFL. Give me a break!
posted by BikeNut at 08:50 AM on October 01, 2008
I remember when Mandarich said on a radio show that he aside from his NFL plans he was considering a run at beating Mike Tyson (who was then in his prime) for the heavyweight boxing title. When asked why he thought he could do this, his answer was something like, I'm 6'6", 315 pounds and can verticle jump X number of inches, and run a four something forty and bench press almost 600 pounds. I couldn't help but think his verticle jump would be good for jumping over the ropes, the forty speed would be good for sprinting to the locker room, and that bench just might help him keep pushing the door closed so Tyson would bust in there and kick the crap out of him.
He was a nothing player, just a jucied up monster with little or no skills. I can't decide who was the bigger bust him or Brian Bosworth.
posted by Atheist at 10:34 AM on October 01, 2008
I can't decide who was the bigger bust him or Brian Bosworth
Hey, leave the Boz out of this discussion. Have you forgotten about his movie career after playing in the NFL?
'Stone Cold' anyone?
posted by BornIcon at 11:26 AM on October 01, 2008
Doesn't surprise me. I was only 7 in 1989 and I remember my dad stating several times that Mandarich was a waste of time. (We're life long packer fans) For some reason my dad just knew. Why tell now, why not keep it to yourself. Didn't think he could make himself seem like a bigger idiot but he did.
posted by amatzek at 06:37 PM on October 01, 2008
I'm supposed to believe he used steroids through his college career and then stopped when he got to the NFL. Give me a break!
He was dominating in college; he was shit in the NFL. Makes it at least a little plausible.
posted by The_Black_Hand at 08:00 PM on October 01, 2008
Past Steroid usage in baseball=Outrage. Controversy. Firestorm.
Past Steroid usage in football=Ehhhh. Move along.
Granted, Mandarich sucked as a pro, but it is fascinating how steroid use is treated in football and baseball.
posted by Bonkers at 08:22 AM on October 03, 2008
Granted, Mandarich sucked as a pro, but it is fascinating how steroid use is treated in football and baseball
I thought about this statement and some might not agree with my opinion on this but I'm going to give it anyways.
In football, the name of the game is pretty much "brute strength". Sure, you have to be fast and agile but the majority of plays that takes place in football is all about who the stronger person is and taking advantage of that and if a player is using steriods, it's not really something where it's going to be the sole reason as to why a team won or loss.
In baseball, even though it may be a team sport, an individual player may be the main reason as to why a team won or loss instead of it being a true collective effort. Of course it is a team sport, don't get it twisted, but if both teams are tied in the 9th inning with two outs and (for arguments sake, let's just say) the cleanup hitter is on and he bangs out a 3-2 pitch out of the ballpark, nowadays people will speculate whether that player is juicing or not.
No one questions whether the left tackle on the offensive line for the Dallas Cowboys is juicing because IMO, no one really cares since that player isn't going to be the reason as to why a team is winning or losing...or at least no one thinks so because he's not the main attraction.
posted by BornIcon at 09:18 AM on October 03, 2008
Mandarich was practically the poster child for steroid abuse. Big, ugly (though that may not be the steroids fault), zits all over, bald. What he really could have used was an injection of NFL football talent, because he was also the poster child for a professional "bust."