Gil Brandt on Marino from NFL.com

['Phins & 'Canes]

Sorry if it was posted but I didn't see it anywhere and it didn't come up in my search either. That bad Pitt senior year gave us our QB for the next 17 years! Does anyone who was familiar with the Panthers in 1981 and 1982 know why that '82 team of Dan's just didn't quite have it? They were pretty good in '81 but seemed to peak then. Did they lose a ton of seniors or what? Not that I'm complaining mind you! :)

http://nfl.com/news/story/8695929

 

[Despacio]

From what I can remember from a ESPn Marino biography, Marino and that Pitt team lost focus off the field, not surprisingly considering the high expectations. I faintly remember some allusions to drug use??? :confused: I could be 100% off base, but the doc skidded on the surface of that year and Marino.

 

[jzolnowski]

I read awhile back(sorry no link) that Marino was thought to be real into cocaine and that was the main reason for his slide. I also read that he was really pissed off everytime a pick went by and he was not selected(rumor is he even through a chair across the room at one point)

 

[zimm]

As a Pitt grad, albeit I arrived one year after the '82 lost season, I was told by quite a few players that the '82 seniors had the National Championship already won before the first snap, therefore a lot of them partied REAL hard.

 

[Mike13]

Good read.