Players from the past you thought were better than they actually were.

[K_C_]

Drunk here at a pub in Oxford, England and admittedly this thread is likely idiotic. We are at table 54 in a pub and it made me think of former Steelers linebacker Zack Valentine.

I remembered him as a pretty good player.

Looked up his stats. 3 year player (2 for the Steelers and 1 for the Eagles) and he finished with 1 career sack and 2 fumble recoveries.

Any other players you have fond memories of, who actually did virtually nothing (and I’m excited for how many people say “Kenny Pickett.” That’ll be a sick burn.)

[Pabst]

This isn't a recent epiphany, but here's a name: Bubby Brister

I was just barely old enough to start paying attention when he got benched for Neil O'Donnell. Didn't understand why he wasn't playing even though everyone loved him and was calling for him to start.

[Pabst]

More recent example: Verron Haynes

[Steeldrama]

Andre Hastings WR Georgia

Made Dr Z’s all decade team before even getting into the NFL

Played well on that fun ‘95 Chan Gailey fun and gun offense with Neil O’ Toole and Slash Stewart

[swissvale72]

Andre Hastings WR Georgia

Made Dr Z’s all decade team before even getting into the NFL

Played well on that fun ‘95 Chan Gailey fun and gun offense with Neil O’ Toole and Slash Stewart

Dropped a pass play before final Larry brown pic of Neil o’fuckin donnell in SB XXX. He makes that catch, game might turn out differently

[Steeldrama]

Andre Hastings WR Georgia

Made Dr Z’s all decade team before even getting into the NFL

Played well on that fun ‘95 Chan Gailey fun and gun offense with Neil O’ Toole and Slash Stewart

Dropped a pass play before final Larry brown pic of Neil o’fuckin donnell in SB XXX. He makes that catch, game might turn out differently

I’ll take your word for it
My recollection of that game is quite hazy
And i steadfastly refuse to ever rewatch it

[TimmayLake]

Ben Roethlisberger

[Ice]

Pick almost any of the TEs?

[fractalsteel]

Mike Merriweather.

Had an incredible year in 1084 with 15 sacks.
Never had more than 6 any season afterwards.

[RemoAZ]

This isn't a recent epiphany, but here's a name: Bubby Brister

I was just barely old enough to start paying attention when he got benched for Neil O'Donnell. Didn't understand why he wasn't playing even though everyone loved him and was calling for him to start.

I thought Bubby was the better QB then and I still think that now.

I guess if I were to choose one little known guy I'd say it was Jim Miller. I thought he had the tools to be really good and at least deserved more than the one half of football Cowher gave him only to go back to Mike fucking Tomczak.

[Obviously]

Joe Gilliam. Actually it isn't me who thinks he was better than he actually was. It's a shit ton of idiots in the various Classic/Old School NFL groups I belong to on Facebook. People saying dumb shit like he was better than Bradshaw and was screwed by Noll and the Steelers organization. Then I post his career stats and it's crickets in the field.

[CKSteeler]

KC's should be much longer and much more embarrassing than just Zack Valentine.

[Louis Lipps Service]

Jerricho Cotchery







*runs*

[steelclan]

Pouncey

[anpsteel]

This isn't a recent epiphany, but here's a name: Bubby Brister

I was just barely old enough to start paying attention when he got benched for Neil O'Donnell. Didn't understand why he wasn't playing even though everyone loved him and was calling for him to start.

I thought Bubby was the better QB then and I still think that now.

I guess if I were to choose one little known guy I'd say it was Jim Miller. I thought he had the tools to be really good and at least deserved more than the one half of football Cowher gave him only to go back to Mike fucking Tomczak.

That has always been a head scratcher to me...

It was a surprise that Cowher was going with Miller to start, and to then only give him one half???

I'm guessing Cowher was taking someone else's recommendation, and then ... had enough. Clearly, Bill wasn't completely sold lol

[Dan Smith--BYU]

Which pub? I tried an Oxford pub crawl last year and didn't get past the third one.

Try Jude the Obscure The Bear Inn The Turf.

I think I remember Randy Grossman being better than he was.

John Banaszak and Chad Brown probably in that category too.

Definitely Tommy Maddox in 2002.

[langer]

Cam Sutton?

[cop1211]

Walton’s offense screwed Brister.

[MJG75]

Good one, KC. Zack Valentine, hadn't thought of him for quite a while. I agree, he always seemed to be making ST plays around that time.

I'll have to jog the old memory here, but I'll go with TE John McMakin. He always seemed to be in and around plays (he laid a key block in the Immaculate Reception game, just as an example). I swear he was often in the highlight reels from 72 and 73, but in 74, you barely heard his number called. His career was mostly meh. Played TE for us from 72-74, and has one of our SB rings. Only lasted until 76.

[swissvale72]

How about the opposite….players who were BETTER than advertised. For that I’m choosing glen edwards, who was a nasty mother fucker at safety until traded to San Diego and Donnie shell took over.

Edwards was voted team MVP in ‘74 and is prob best remembered for laying John Gilliam the fuck OUT late 2q in SB IX, resulting in a Mel Blount pick and preserving the Steelers lead at the half.

Glen edwards…one badass dude.

[MJG75]

How about the opposite….players who were BETTER than advertised. For that I’m choosing glen edwards, who was a nasty mother fucker at safety until traded to San Diego and Donnie shell took over.

Edwards was voted team MVP in ‘74 and is prob best remembered for laying John Gilliam the fuck OUT late 2q in SB IX, resulting in a Mel Blount pick and preserving the Steelers lead at the half.

Glen edwards…one badass dude.

Absolutely. For those who didn't see them play, I often compare Donnie to Ronnie Lott, while Pine Edwards to Tatum/Atkinson. He was a mean MF as you say. I thought our D slipped as much from Edwards, Holmes and Russell no longer being part of it as much as rules changes in 78.

[fractalsteel]

How about the opposite….players who were BETTER than advertised. For that I’m choosing glen edwards, who was a nasty mother fucker at safety until traded to San Diego and Donnie shell took over.

Edwards was voted team MVP in ‘74 and is prob best remembered for laying John Gilliam the fuck OUT late 2q in SB IX, resulting in a Mel Blount pick and preserving the Steelers lead at the half.

Glen edwards…one badass dude.

My favorite GE #27 moment was the game against the Bengals where Ken Anderson was shredding the Steelers D. Something like 23 of 26 on his way to a record completion day.
Later in the game and the Steelers humbled, Anderson took off running and went to the sideline. Edwards was in chase and he clobbered Anderson upside the head with a forearm shiver two yards out of bounds.
Total cheap shot but it was a beautiful moment.

Edwards was nasty.

[Pabst]

How about the opposite….players who were BETTER than advertised

Aaron Smith

[swissvale72]

How about the opposite….players who were BETTER than advertised. For that I’m choosing glen edwards, who was a nasty mother fucker at safety until traded to San Diego and Donnie shell took over.

Edwards was voted team MVP in ‘74 and is prob best remembered for laying John Gilliam the fuck OUT late 2q in SB IX, resulting in a Mel Blount pick and preserving the Steelers lead at the half.

Glen edwards…one badass dude.

My favorite GE #27 moment was the game against the Bengals where Ken Anderson was shredding the Steelers D. Something like 23 of 26 on his way to a record completion day.
Later in the game and the Steelers humbled, Anderson took off running and went to the sideline. Edwards was in chase and he clobbered Anderson upside the head with a forearm shiver two yards out of bounds.
Total cheap shot but it was a beautiful moment.

Edwards was nasty.

“…a beautiful moment.” LOL

Wish there was vid of that !!

[swissvale72]

And here it is…

https://twitter.com/Ol_TimeFootball/sta ... 04?lang=en

[Stillenigma]

Kimi Von Oelhoffen. Immortalized for the Carson Palmer hit, he was supposed to be a much better player overall and was a disappointment.

[MJG75]

How about the opposite….players who were BETTER than advertised. For that I’m choosing glen edwards, who was a nasty mother fucker at safety until traded to San Diego and Donnie shell took over.

Edwards was voted team MVP in ‘74 and is prob best remembered for laying John Gilliam the fuck OUT late 2q in SB IX, resulting in a Mel Blount pick and preserving the Steelers lead at the half.

Glen edwards…one badass dude.

My favorite GE #27 moment was the game against the Bengals where Ken Anderson was shredding the Steelers D. Something like 23 of 26 on his way to a record completion day.
Later in the game and the Steelers humbled, Anderson took off running and went to the sideline. Edwards was in chase and he clobbered Anderson upside the head with a forearm shiver two yards out of bounds.
Total cheap shot but it was a beautiful moment.

Edwards was nasty.

Without a doubt. That was a great game, from 74, I believe. Wish we could get more of those on tape from those earlier years. Pine Edwards would hit you soon as look at you. Pine=Hard Wood.

[Pabst]

Kimi Von Oelhoffen. Immortalized for the Carson Palmer hit, he was supposed to be a much better player overall and was a disappointment.

I'm not following this one.....

[Dan Smith--BYU]

James Farrior has be in the better than we thought category as well

[Ice]

Which pub? I tried an Oxford pub crawl last year and didn't get past the third one.

Try Jude the Obscure The Bear Inn The Turf.

I think I remember Randy Grossman being better than he was.

John Banaszak and Chad Brown probably in that category too.

Definitely Tommy Maddox in 2002.

The Eagle and Child (The Bird and the Baby to the locals) was a fun pub, and certainly cool for the historical/literary significance (C.S. Lewis and Tolkien drank there, and Tolkien did a little writing.