Does He Make Your Top 5?

Discussion in 'New York Jets' started by truthbtold, Dec 20, 2012.

  1. truthbtold

    truthbtold Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 22, 2008
    Messages:
    2,857
    Likes Received:
    1,549
    This week ranks among the most disappointing weeks of my 34 years as a Jet fan. Below is my list of the Top Five most disapointing players of the last 40 years. Not necessarily the worst players ... that might actually be Ron Faurot ... but the top five guys who disappointed me the most ... weighing their total production vs where they were drafted, level of talent and how high my expectations were when we drafted them.


    #5 Dewayne Robertson DT - 4th pick 2003
    When I saw that we traded two #1's to move up to get him, I was expecting a monster. As soon as I saw what the guy looked like I was scratching my head. Maybe the least physically imposing 300 lb guy I've ever seen. And not an ounce of mean in the guy. Never more than mediocre ... always the second or third guy to get there. My lasting memory of him is watching him extend a hand to help up the guy who actually MADE a play. Too bad for us he decided to come out early. Terrible return on a big investment


    #4 Blair Thomas RB - 2nd pick 1990
    Highly regarded, coming out of a good RB school - Penn State. Was hoping he'd grab the baton from my favorite Jet of all time - the great Freeman McNeil. Showed flashes for two years ... gaining around 1,400 yards and 50 receptions. People say he never recovered from the game-losing fumble against the bears, but I'm not sure that's 100% accurate. That was only game 4 and he was actually having a decent season after that, but he continued to have problems holding onto the ball. After the 1991 season he fell completely off the cliff into the abyss. Expected SO much more out of him.


    #3 Vernon Gholston DE - 6th pick 2008
    The Tin Man. No heart. A workout HOF'er who never had the desire to make it anywhere he landed. Was supposed to be the solution to a pass rush deficiency we still suffer from today. Was hoping he'd be our antidote to Brady. Produced ZERO for us.


    #2 Johnny Lam Jones WR - 2nd pick 1980
    World Class speed ... translated into 138 catches and 13 TDs in five seasons.
    I pictured him terrorizing the league as part of a lethal WR tandem paired with Wes Walker. Fast as lightning, but somehow could rarely get open ... and when he did, he'd drop the ball with alarming regularity. Caught a 55 yd TD his rookie season. Never equaled it again. Needless to say ... nobody was scared.


    #1 Mark Sanchez QB - 5th pick 2009
    Not much comment needed here. 4 years of QB play at the bottom of the league. I was so psyched when we picked this guy, thinking we could have our Brady or Manning for years to come. Despite getting to those two AFCCG's he's #1 on my list, simply because of how a badly a wasted QB pick cripples a franchise for years. We're living it now.


    Honorable Mentions ...

    Browning Nagle QB - 34th pick 1991
    Threw for 366 yards in his first start ... and I think 365 yards in the rest of them combined. I wanted to put him in the top 5, but I just couldn't bring myself to bump Robertson.

    Johnny Mitchell TE - 15th pick 1992
    The body of an Adonis, but tragically stricken with Kerry Rhodes disease.

    Russell Carter CB - 10th pick 1984
    Four INTs his rookie year. Never touched the football again.
     
  2. The_Darksider

    The_Darksider Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 27, 2011
    Messages:
    2,793
    Likes Received:
    2,330
    Gholston is LESS disappointing than Sanchez? C'mon man.
     
  3. rohirrim665

    rohirrim665 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 20, 2008
    Messages:
    2,740
    Likes Received:
    676
    Honestly, I never understood the Sanchez draft pick. I remember watching and being shocked. I never watched him much in College admittedly, but I felt like he was a guy you take in the 4th round or so. If that was the case Sanchez would be under much less scrutiny, we should have let him drop and if he was still around take him late.
     
  4. deathstar

    deathstar Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 24, 2010
    Messages:
    2,400
    Likes Received:
    266
    Be fair now...gholston did nothing while sanchez did help you win some playoff games...

    Your hatred of him clouded your judgment in making this list.
     
  5. truthbtold

    truthbtold Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 22, 2008
    Messages:
    2,857
    Likes Received:
    1,549
    Not hatred ... just perspective.

    If your DE pick bottoms out it's a punch to the gut. It hurts but you get up and catch your breath and move on.

    When your franchise QB pick bottoms out, it's like a Louisville Slugger to the knee caps. You're not walking away so easily.
     
  6. Br4d

    Br4d 2018 Weeb Ewbank Award

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2004
    Messages:
    36,670
    Likes Received:
    14,472
    It's a difference in generational perspective I think.

    My top 5 would be:

    1. Vernon Gholston.

    This pick destroyed the Jets chances at a Super Bowl in my opinion. The 2009 and 2010 squads were short the pass-rusher they needed to get over the hump.

    No fault on Tannenbaum and Mangini though. There was nobody else to take on that pick without reaching and nobody was willing to trade for the pick either. It was no-man's land and the Jets got caught dead in the middle of it.

    2. Richard Todd

    The QB who tried to replace Namath and instead just became an extension of the bad Namath years. Even in the end he was throwing picks as the ground repeatedly slid out from under him.

    3. Lam Jones

    So much hype so little return.

    4. Blair Thomas

    Could have been much more than he was. Just never really got it going and then it was gone.

    5. Roger Vick

    Fullback in the 1st round, wow.
     
  7. Jett

    Jett Member

    Joined:
    Aug 15, 2012
    Messages:
    145
    Likes Received:
    9
    Was going to post the same thing
     
  8. LongIslandBlitz

    LongIslandBlitz Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 2, 2011
    Messages:
    13,325
    Likes Received:
    4,083
    Even though he wasn't a first round pick Stephen Hill may soon be on this list
     
  9. RIPJimLeonhard

    RIPJimLeonhard Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 17, 2012
    Messages:
    1,232
    Likes Received:
    686
    Lam Jones sounds a lot like our wonderful friend who blew the Pats game for us.
     
  10. Zach

    Zach Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2002
    Messages:
    9,419
    Likes Received:
    2,238
    C'mon, man.

    Ok, Nacho sucked. That doesn't mean he didn't have his share of success. You can't say the same with the most of the bust fucks in that list. That's not fair to the kid. Get that?


    I still remember the "Oh NO!!" scream from the background during that selection.
     
  11. truthbtold

    truthbtold Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 22, 2008
    Messages:
    2,857
    Likes Received:
    1,549
    When we drafted Vick, I remember being pretty happy at the time. McNeil had been in the league for 6 years and was always getting banged up. I figured Vick's power would be a nice complement to Freeman's slashing style, and would soften up the defense for him.

    If you check 1988, they were a decent tandem ... 1,500 yards. The next season Walton minimized Freeman (that always annoyed me) and added Hector to the mix and the 3 of them combined for 1,500 yards. Vick actually caught 34 passes out of the backfield that season. The next year he was gone. I remember thinking they gave up on the guy too soon ... but then again, he only lasted one year in Philly and he was out of the league.
     
  12. truthbtold

    truthbtold Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 22, 2008
    Messages:
    2,857
    Likes Received:
    1,549
    The argument can be made, that everyone on that list, with the exception on Gholston, played their position just as well, or better than Sanchez played his. Since he's stepped on the field, the guy has more turnovers than any player in the league. He's graded at or near the bottom in every meaningful way QB play can be measured. If that's not disappointing, I don't know what is.
     
  13. Zach

    Zach Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2002
    Messages:
    9,419
    Likes Received:
    2,238
    When was the last time Dslob had an impact at all? He sucked as 3T, and even worse at NT. He repeatedly was pancaked on his ass when the other team chose to run up the gut. You know how important NT is? or 3T is in 4-3 scheme? Maybe not up to QB stratosphere, but if your NT/3T sucks, you know the entire defense is usually in for a long day.

    Ghost?

    With help, Sanchez DID lead a few come-from-behind victories for his own right.

    ------------------------------------------------------------

    I get it. I don't disagree with you. Sanchez sucks. But to compare him to such a sorry cluster of good-for-nothing losers is just unfair. That is the point. Dslob was nothing more than a warm sack of shit sitting in the middle of the line. Ghost rarely hit the field, so he was even worse. (And they played impact positions too, unlike the other two busts.)
     
  14. rinvesto

    rinvesto Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 28, 2009
    Messages:
    572
    Likes Received:
    337
    Ron Faurot, Mike Haight, Roger Vick, Kyle Brady, Johnny Mitchell, Dustin Keller(they traded up to get this guy), Dwayne Robertson, Gholston, Blair Thomas-ALL BUMS
     
  15. JetsUK

    JetsUK Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 23, 2003
    Messages:
    6,780
    Likes Received:
    2,726
    going into the draft Sanchez was a consensus top 10 pick in the first round and most commentators said you would probably need to trade into the top 5 to be sure of getting him. the move was applauded by most commentators on the draft at the time in terms of value and we all laughed at how we had ripped off the Browns.....those were happier times.
     
  16. I Am The Stig

    I Am The Stig Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 24, 2011
    Messages:
    357
    Likes Received:
    28
    No Mike Nugent in this thread?

    2nd round draft pick?

    Kicker?
     
  17. maynardsmyhero-uk

    maynardsmyhero-uk Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2007
    Messages:
    3,265
    Likes Received:
    61
    For me it has to be who we passed on / negative effect

    1) Kyle Brady.....part of a dreadful Jets draft strategy

    2) Vernon Gholston....partly forced to take him but the failed return set us back when all we needed was a pass rusher to take us over the edge...

    3) Blair Thomas...lacked heart when it was needed...I actually think he did have some talent but the fumble killed him ...a bit like no 4 on our hit parade..

    4) Mark Sanchez..was protected from having to carry us in his first two years when we were loaded talentwise ( except for no2)...since he has had to take on the mantle he has proved weak mentally and incapable of overcoming mediocrity

    5) Lam Jones....can still see him trying to run a route...he would jump early...late , drop the ball...frankly one of worst wr I have seen play the game
     
  18. nyjunc

    nyjunc 2008 TGG Bryan Cox "Most Argumentative" Award Winn

    Joined:
    Aug 28, 2002
    Messages:
    53,044
    Likes Received:
    1,434
    how the heck can a guy that has beena starter for 4 years and helped us win MORE playoff games than any QB in Jets history be the biggest bust in Jets history?
     
  19. 101GangGreen101

    101GangGreen101 2018 Thread of the Year Award Winner

    Joined:
    Aug 21, 2008
    Messages:
    22,232
    Likes Received:
    12,243
    Mark Sanchez isn't even in the top 7 of all time busts by the Jets.
     
  20. 5.Rick Terry- Was considered a draft day steal & he did absolutely nothing for the franchise. Was off the team by year 3. Brutal for a guy who was supposed to be a first rounder

    4. Mike Nugent- Great example of the jets trying to be the "Smartest kids in the classroom" & outsmart themselves. They really believed after the Doug Brien incident..that Nugent is what would throw the Jets over the top the following season. To Nugent's credit..he may have been the best college kicking prospect ever. Was a team captain for a top 5 team, routinely hit clutch game winning 50+ yard kicks, & had several coaches come out to see him for a pre draft workout. Then he came to New York & was just average. An average kicker taken in the 2nd round? Just brutal..

    3.Roger VIck- Like Brad said...a FB in the first round.Enough said.

    2. Kyle Brady- Passing on Sapp for a blocking Tight end when they already had johnny Mitchell was just assanine.

    1. Vernon Gholston- Just awful. Pure untapped brute strength..no athleticism or football IQ to speak of. I remember going to TC his rookie year & you could tell right away something wasn't right by how many coaches were offering him feedback & their body language throughout.They knew almost immediately the mistake they had made that prior April.



    On another note...I've been killed for this in the past, but I think Dewayne Robertson gets a raw deal by Jet fans. No he never lived up to his #4 pick or the trade the jets made to acquire him.But before he arrived the DT position was a disaster for the Jets. D rob started day 1 his rookie year & did make some nice progress. In his 2nd year during the Jets playoff run, both Bill Cowher & Marty Schottenheimer both raved about his impact.He was a very disruptive under tackle who at times required a double team. Unfortunately Mangini came in & moved to a 3-4 which made virtually no sense.Additionally the degenerative knee condition didn't help either
     

Share This Page