Canon Review List-A-Mania: The Ten Worst Trades in Atlanta Braves History

A few days ago, the Atlanta Braves pulled off a blockbuster deal, sending 2B/OF Omar Infante and RP Mike Dunn to the Florida Marlins for 2B Dan Uggla. Uggla, although not the best defensive player around, has shown rare power for a second baseman, becoming the only second baseman to put together four consecutive seasons of 30 or more home runs. Plus, the Braves get the added bonus of Uggla not killing them year after year, and if he comes anywhere close to his career .354/.399/.652 line at Turner Field, than the Braves should be very pleased with Uggla. Yes, on paper, the Uggla trade looks like a good idea and gives the Braves the right-handed power bat they've been looking for since Jeff Francoeur failed to emerge and was eventually traded. But often times, the trades that look good on paper turn look awful on the field. So, with that in mind, here are the ten worst trades in Atlanta Braves history. (Note: this list is the ten worst trades in Atlanta Braves history, so trades the Braves made while in Boston and Milwaukee were not considered).

Honorable Mention:

June 13, 1976: traded 1B Darrell Evans and INF Marty Perez to the San Francisco Giants for 1B Willie Montanez, SS Craig Robinson, INF Mike Eden, and OF Jake Brown 

Yes, the Braves did get a solid 2 years out of Montanez (.302/.339/.441), although it wasn't worth giving up a player the caliber of Evans, a power hitter who could play both third and first and was one of the most patient hitters of his era.

June 23, 1976: Traded OF Lee Lacy and RP Elias Sosa to the Los Angeles Dodgers for RP Mike Marshall

Marshall pitched well for the Braves, but only lasted three months with the team. Meanwhile, Lacy, although not a superstar, was a decent player with speed, while Sosa put up a 2.24 ERA out of the bullpen from 1977-1979.

September 8, 1969: Traded OF Mickey Rivers and P Cliff Compton to the California Angles for RP Hoyt Wilhelm and RP Bob Priddy 

While Wilhelm pitched well down the stretch for the 1969 Division Champion Braves (one earned run in 12.1 innings), Rivers went on to have a solid career, hitting .295 and stealing 269 bases as one of the best leadoff hitters of the 1970s.

10. August 3, 1990: Traded OF Dale Murphy and SP Tommy Greene to the Philadelphia Phillies for RP Jeff Parrett, OF Jim Vatcher, and INF Victor Rosario 

Anytime you trade your franchise player for over a decade, there will be some backlash from your fans. Needless to say, the Braves fans were less than thrilled about this trade, as many frustrated fans expressed anger over the deal, even chanting "We Want Murph" when Jeff Parrett made his Atlanta debut. Heck, I cried after hearing on the radio that Murphy was traded. Yes, Murphy wasn't the player he once was (.232/.312/.418 with the Braves in 1990), but it was just assumed by the Braves faithful that the Murph would finish his career in a Braves uniform. That said, what makes this trade bad is that the Braves got absolutely nothing in return for one of the best players in team history. Vatcher and Rosario combined for 36 plate appearances in a Braves uniform, while Parrett put up an ugly 6.33 ERA in 1991, earning his release. Murphy had a decent season and a half for the Phillies, but he was not the same player that dominated in the 1980s. To make matters worse, Greene turned into a good pitcher for the Phillies, throwing a no-hitter in 1991 and going 16-4 in 1993. He also won the clinching game in the 1993 NLCS for the Phillies against the very organization that traded him. The lesson here is, if you're going to trade your franchise player, you'd better get more out of him than two non-prospects and a middle reliever.

9. December 10, 1985 - Traded RP Steve Bedrosian and OF Milt Thompson to the Philadelphia Phillies for C Ozzie Virgil and SP Pete Smith

From 1982-1984, Bedrosian was a key part in the Braves bullpen. In 1985, the Braves made him a starter, and Bedrosian wasn't so good (111 walks, 7-15 record). As one of Bobby Cox' first moves as GM, he sent Bedrosian and speedy outfielder Milt Thompson to Philadelphia for C Ozzie Virgil and prospect Pete Smith. The Phillies put Bedrosian back in the bullpen, and 'Bedrock' excelled, winning the Cy Young Award in 1987 after a 40 save season. Thompson proved to be a solid outfielder for a number of seasons, providing his teams with top-notch defense and speed for a number of seasons, and hitting over .300 in 1987 and 1991. Virgil did make the All-Star Game in 1987, but his .242/.330/.411 hitting and sketchy defense over three seasons in Atlanta left something to be desired. Smith, meanwhile, would become one of the most frustrating players in Braves history, as he had great stuff and showed flashes of greatness (including a 7-0, 2.05 ERA in 12 games in 1992), but for whatever reason, just wasn't able to put it all together. Bedrosian, interestingly enough, would come back to the Braves in 1993, and put together two solid seasons before struggling in 1995 and retiring shortly after.

8. December 13, 2003 - traded SP Adam Wainwright, SP Jason Marquis, and RP Ray King to the St. Louis Cardinals for RF J.D. Drew and C Eli Marrero

The problem with this trade was not the players the Braves got, as Drew was awesome in 2004 (157 OPS+, 6th in the MVP voting) while Marrero hit .320 as a fourth outfielder. However, both Marrero and Drew left after the 2004 season. Meanwhile, Marquis went on to have a few solid years with a number of teams, but the one the Braves really miss is Wainwright, as he has become one of the best pitchers in the game for the Cardinals, finishing in the top thee in the Cy Young voting over the past two years. At 28, Wainwright is still in his prime, and should continue to dominate for the next few years, haunting Braves fans. That said, I can see why the Braves made the deal, as they needed a power bat and pitching prospects are iffy, but sometimes trades just go against you.

7. December 22, 1999 - traded LF Ryan Klesko and 2B Bret Boone to the San Diego Padres for OF Reggie Sanders, 2B Quilvio Veras, and 1B Wally Joyner

At the time, it seemed as if this was a rather even trade. The Padres traded for power in Boone and Klesko, while the Braves traded for speed in Veras and Sanders (also a power hitter) and in Joyner, the Braves got an insurance policy for Andres Galaaraga, who was recovering from a bout with cancer. While Galaaraga played strong in 2000, the players the Braves received in this trade didn't do so well. Sanders, in a stretch of playing for seven teams in seven years, hit well in every year except in 2000, where he hit .232/.302/.403 in 377 plate appearances. Joyner hit .281 off the bench, but had little power and just lasted one season with the Braves. Veras wasn't a bad player for the Braves (.376 OBP), but had trouble staying healthy, and after two years the Braves gave up on him. Meanwhile, Boone had a three-year stretch of 100 RBI seasons from 2001-2003, and Klesko proved to be a valuable player for the Padres, putting up a .279/.381/.491 line during his seven seasons in San Diego. If the Braves had elected to keep Boone and Klesko, they might have won another pennant or two under Bobby Cox.

6. March 25, 1997 - traded CF Marquis Grissom and OF David Justice to the Cleveland Indians for CF Kenny Lofton and RP Alan Embree

In Spring Training 1997, the Braves had a glut of outfielders. There were veterans Ryan Klesko, Marquis Grissom and David Justice, who was coming off of injury. Not only that, but youngsters Jermaine Dye and Andruw Jones were seemingly ready to play. The Braves decided to remedy this problem somewhat by trading two good outfielders in Grissom and Justice for one great one in center fielder Kenny Lofton. Entering 1997, Lofton had won four straight Gold Gloves, led the American league in stolen bases for five straight years, and at the age of 30 and entering a contract year, seemed poised to have the best year of his career. While Lofton did hit .333 and finished 8th in the NL with a .409 on-base percentage, he also led the league in caught stealing with 20, and just didn't seem to fit in with the ballclub. Embree, meanwhile, lasted a year and a half with the Braves and pitched well as a left handed specialist before moving on. While Grissom never was the same player after the trade, Justice continued to be a power threat for the Indians and Yankees, putting up a 1.013 OPS in 1997 for the Indians and hitting 41 home runs in 2000. Meanwhile, Lofton left the Braves after the 1997 season, only to sign with the very team that traded him, the Cleveland Indians.

5. March 27, 1997 - traded RF Jermaine Dye and RP Jamie Walker to the Kansas City Royals for OF Michael Tucker and 2B Keith Lockhart

Just two days later, the Braves still felt the need for a left-handed hitting outfielder, even though they just traded one in Justice. So a deal was struck with the Royals that send prospect Jermaine Dye, who had a solid rookie year in 1996, hitting .281 with power. But the Braves had Andruw Jones coming up and felt they needed a left-handed outfielder to platoon with Jones. So off Dye went, along with Rule 5 pick Walker, for Michael Tucker and Keith Lockhart. Tucker and Lockhart both had their moments with the Braves, as Tucker actually hit the first home run in Turner Field, while Lockhart lasted six years in Atlanta, primarily as an infield reserve. Meanwhile, while Walker would have some good years out of the bullpen, losing Dye really hurt, as Dye became a very good player. Dye is a two-time All Star, a former Gold Glove winner, has four 100+ RBI and four 30+ home run seasons to his credit, and also won the World Series MVP with the White Sox in 2005. Yes, the Braves did win nine division titles without Dye, but giving up a player of his caliber for two spare parts is never a good idea.

4. November 17, 1975 - traded OF Dusty Baker and 1B Ed Goodson to the Los Angeles Dodgers for OF Jimmy Wynn, OF Lee Lacy, OF Tom Pacoerick, and 2B Jerry Royster

Baker hit .321 in 1972, and over the next three seasons was a solid outfielder for the Braves. But the Braves felt they needed a power boost, so they sent Baker and bench player Goodson to the Dodgers for Wynn and the others. Wynn was the key player in the deal for the Braves, as the "Toy Cannon" was expected to give the team a bigger home run threat. Wynn lasted one season in Atlanta, and while he led the NL in walks with 127, he also hit a mere .207 with 17 home runs. As for the others, Lacy was shipped out of town in the middle of his first season, Pacoerick played two seasons for the Braves and had an OPS of .684, and Royster lasted nine seasons for the Braves, and in only one did he put up an OPS+ over 100. On the other hand, Baker had eight solid seasons for the Dodgers, winning two Silver Slugger awards and a Gold Glove and putting up a .281/343/.437 line with a 117 OPS+ during his stint in Los Angeles.

3. May 19, 1973 - traded 1B Andre Thornton to the Chicago Cubs for 1B Joe Pepitone

It's bad enough that the Braves didn't know what they had in Thornton, as they traded him away before his first major league at-bat. What made it worse was the fact that Pepitone played a grand total of three games for the Braves before deciding that he had had enough and decided to retire only a week after arriving in Atlanta. Meanwhile, Thornton put together a heck of a career, finishing with three 30 home run seasons, two All-Star game appearances, and a career line of .254/.360/.452 with a 122 OPS+. Not bad for a guy traded for a washed-up first baseman that lasted a week.

2. July 31, 2007 - traded SS Elvis Andrus, RP Neftali Feliz, P Beau Jones, SP Matt Harrison, and C Jarrod Saltalamacchia to the Texas Rangers for 1B Mark Teixeira and RP Ron Mahay

The problem with this trade was not the return. After all Teixeira played very well in his 1 year in Atlanta, hitting 37 home runs and driving in 134 runs in 157 games with the Braves. The problem was that not only did they get just one year out of Teixeira, but they gave up way too much for him. Although Jones has yet to reach the big leagues, and Harrison and Saltalamacchia have yet to stick in the bigs, there's still time for each player to reach their potential. As for the other two, Andrus made the All-Star team as a 21 year old and hit .294 with 8 steals in the postseason for the Rangers, while Feliz set a rookie record with 40 saves on his way to being named the 2010 rookie of the year award. With both Andrus and Feliz barely over drinking age, the sky's the limit for them, and if they continue to improve, this might become the worst trade in Braves history in a couple of years.

1. August 28, 1983 - traded CF Brett Butler, 3B Brook Jacoby, and P Rick Behenna to the Cleveland Indians for SP Len Barker and $150,000 

The Braves were in the middle of a pennant race and were desperate for pitching. When teams get desperate, they tend to do things such as trade for a pitcher with a 5.11 ERA and sign him to a multi-year deal well above market value. Furthermore, the Braves sent two future All-Stars in Butler and Jacoby to the Indians, although they were aloud to stay with the Braves until the end of the season. That probably made things a bit awkward for Butler, the team's starting left fielder at the time, as the Braves were trying to clinch a postseason berth. Anyway, Barker didn't last very long with the Braves, pitching until 1985 and putting up a 10-20 record with a 4.64 ERA while with the Braves. Meanwhile, Jacoby was a good, if not great, third baseman for a number of years with the Cleveland Indians, making a couple of appearances in the All-Star game. Butler, meanwhile, went on to become one of the best center fielders in the game, finishing his career with well over 2,000 and 554 stolen bases, which currently ranks 24th in MLB history. Because the Braves got so little in return for two future All-Stars, the Len Barker deal is the worst trade in the history of the Atlanta Braves.


Well, thanks for reading, and if you have any comments about this post or ideas for future posts, than send them this way either by commenting or by e-mail at KtheC2001@gmail.com.

Unhealthy Burger Review: Wendy's Triple Baconator

A few days ago, Men's Health released their list of the seven worst burgers for you in America for 2010. While most people would look at a list like this and rightfully steer clear of any of these burgers, I take it as a challenge, a quest if you will, to survive and thrive after eating all seven of these burgers, because by golly, I do love me some hamburgers. Will I do it? probably not, because a couple of those burgers are served in places that aren't very close to where I live. But by golly, I will try to conquer each and every one of the Worst Burgers in America. Up first is the Wendy's Triple Baconator, which ranked number 7 on the list and was named the "Worst fast food burger". Since I happened to be in the happening town of Royston, GA tonight, My sister Maggie and I decided to go to the Wendy's drive-thru and I prepared to conquer the Triple Baconator.

The Baconator is a burger designed for those that want a lot of bacon on their burgers. A regular Baconator is made out a quarter bound of beef, three strips of bacon, a slice of cheese with ketchup and mayonnaise topping the whole thing off. That's enough for one man in of itself, but the Triple Baconator is that multiplied by three. So that's 3/4ths a pound of beef, three slices of cheese, nine slices of bacon all in one burger. The burger in of itself contains a mere 1,350 calories, 90 grams of fat and over 100% of the daily recommended intake of sodium, cholesterol, and protein. Wow, I'm just glad I exercised before eating this burger, so at least that should counteract the effects somewhat.

Well, as bad as it may be, a quest is a quest, so I ordered the behemoth, along with a small order of fries and a Coca-Cola. The whole meal cost me about nine dollars, so I wouldn't exactly call it a bargain. We went to the drive-thru, Maggie dropped a quarter on the ground and had to open the car door to pick it up, but otherwise we had no issues and we drove our food back to Canon Review reader Dickson's house. The first impression I got from opening up the wrapper, and this probably doesn't speak well of my dieting habits, was that I expected it to be bigger. But once I started eating it, I quickly realized that it was more than big enough.

Before I get deeper into the burger, I must say something about the drink and fries first. The coke was not very good at all. Fast-food sodas are always a little hit or miss, and this coke would qualify as a miss. It was flat and had a weird taste to it as well. The fries were at least hot, but these fries had probably been under the heat lamp a little too long, so they weren't quite what I would call fresh, but at least they were better than the drink. Now onto the burger. The bacon was cooked at a proper level, not too cripsy but not all rubbery either, so that was nice, since I really never know about the quality I get from Wendy's (it seems like every other time I go there, something just doesn't taste right, and I guess tonight was no different). The beef was cooked quite well I must say, and all the cheese added a lot to the burger. As far as taste goes, it was actually very good.

After I finished eating the burger, I really didn't feel any different that usual, except for the fact that I had developed a headache somehow. But I guess I was blessed with a strong stomach or something, because other than that headache which has gone away, I haven't felt bad at all, no upset stomach or heartburn or anything like that. I'm not going to eat it again any time soon to see if that was a fluke or not, though. Overall, if you want nine pieces of bacon and half of a cow, than by golly the Triple Baconator is for you. I can't really reccomend the burger, however, unless it was going to be like your only meal of the day or something, and for seven dollars (the cost of the burger alone), you could probably get something better. But as far as taste and flavor go, I'll give the burger a 7 out of 10, and the other parts of my meal a 2.5 out of 10. One thing's for sure, if I'm going to continue with this list, I probably should exercise a lot. Just a thought.

Well, thanks for reading my tale of gluttony. Remember, if you have any ideas for future reviews, than send them to me either by e-mail at KtheC2001@gmail.com or by leaving a comment on the blog.

Worst NFL Draft Picks: 2000-2009

With the NFL Draft just three days away, The Canon Review is compiling a list of the worst draft picks over each of the past 30 years. This is the third of a three-part series. Before I begin, I must say that these selections are as of today, as players picked over the past three or four years still have a good chance of developing into solid players. So, without further adieu, here are the worst NFL Picks over the past 10 years.

2000: Courtney Brown, Cleveland Browns, DE, 1st Pick in the Draft

Brown and fellow Penn State teammate LB Lavar Arrington were the top two picks in the 2000 Draft. While Arrington had a star-crossed career, he at least made a couple of Pro Bowls and was generally considered an impact player during his tenure with the Washington Redskins. Brown, however, was never on the field long enough to make an impact, as he battled injury after injury during his pro football career. When he was on the field, Brown showed signs of the talent that made him an All-American at Penn State, but like a few others I've mentioned, Brown just could not stay on the field. After five years in Cleveland, Brown spent two years with the Broncos, missing one due to a torn ACL, before retiring in 2007.

2001: David Terrell, Chicago Bears, WR, 8th Pick

Coming out of Michigan, David Terrell was considered the best wide receiver prospect in the 2001 Draft, and some thought that other than Michael Vick, Terrell was the player most likely to become an NFL superstar out of this draft. Even more than LaDanian Tomlinson. Terrell did not become a superstar, or even a good NFL receiver. In five NFL seasons, Terrell caught a total of nine touchdown passes. To make matters worse, Terrell was the first receiver picked in a draft class that included wide receivers such as Santana Moss, Steve Smith, Chad Johnson (nee Ochocinco), Reggie Wayne, and Chris Chambers.

2002: David Carr, Houston Texans, QB, 1st Pick

I didn't want to put Carr on this list, as I feel like he got a raw deal. But when your a quarterback picked number one in the draft, and fail to lead your team to the postseason at least once, than you've got to be considered a disappointment. Carr was the Johnny Unitas Award winner for best college quarterback in 2001 for Fresno State, and had the size, arm, and mobility that all NFL teams look for when picking a quarterback. The expansion Houston Texans made Carr the first pick in the draft, and made Carr the starter instantly. In his first year, Carr was sacked a record 78 times, due to playing behind an inept offensive line, and over the next few years, Carr would continue to take a beating, partially due to a bad offensive line, and partially due to his tendency to hold on to the ball too long. In his five seasons with the Texans, Carr threw more interceptions than touchdowns and compiled a 22-53 record as a starter before the Texans moved in another direction. I wonder how Carr would have done with a more established team with a better offensive line, but I guess we'll never know.


2003: Charles Rogers, Detroit Lions, WR, 2nd Pick

Rogers was supposed to be the next Randy Moss after coming out of the draft from Michigan State, where he set all sorts of school records and won the Fred Biletnikoff Award for best collegiate wide receiver in 2002. Rogers instead became a spectacular failure. First, his first two seasons were ended due to a broken collarbone. Add to that a poor work ethic, and a drug problem which led to a suspension in 2005, and Rogers managed to flame out in three years, finishing his career with 36 catches and 4 touchdowns. Later, Rogers would admit that he smoked pot and drunk alcohol nearly every day during his playing days, which a judge would rule that, because the admitted drug use violated the terms of his contract, Rogers must pay the Lions back six million dollars. To make matters worse for the Lions, Andre Johnson was selected a pick after Rogers, and Johnson is now considered one of the best receivers in the NFL.


2004: Reggie Williams, Jacksonville Jaguars, WR, 9th Pick

The third wide receiver in the past four drafts to be featured, Williams was a huge target with the deep speed NFL teams covet from their wideouts. While Williams had a good season in 2007 (10 TDs), he largely failed to deliver on the promise that made him a first round pick. Williams has battled injuries, and has had multiple incidents with the law, mainly due to drugs. After five seasons in Jacksonville, the Jaguars let Williams go after the 2008 season. Just 26, Williams recently signed with the Seattle Seahawks, where he will try to make the team during training camp.

2005: Adam Jones, Tennessee Titans, CB, 6th Pick

The artist formerly known as Pacman has shown a lot of skill when on the field, as his three punt return touchdowns in 2006 show. The problem is, Jones hasn't been on the field too much, and didn't play at all in 2009. The reason why is simple, as Jones has a rap sheet at long as one of Manute Bol's legs. He was suspended for the 2007 season after one of his entourage members shot up a strip club, in which Pacman had assulted a stripper earlier that night. Like any normal person, Jones used this setback to his advantage, as he signed a contract with the wrestling organization TNA, where he was one-half of the world Tag Team champions. In 2008, Jones played for the Dallas Cowboys, and is looking to sign on with another team for the 2010 season. If he's serious, Jones still could become a very good player, but it remains to be seen if he can stay out of trouble.

2006: Michael Huff, Oakland Radiers, S, 7th Pick

Huff is still on the Raiders, but up until this point has not become the player the Raiders felt would solve their problems in the secondary. An All-American and the winner of the Jim Thorpe Award for best collegiate defensive back in 2005, the former Texas Longhorn was thought to have the versatility to play either cornerback or safety. The Raiders stuck him at safety, but by 2008 Huff had lost his starting position, due to a lack of big plays and poor tackling. 2009 was a step in the right direction, as Huff set a career high with three interceptions. Entering the 2010 season, Huff might not have a lot of chances left to prove that he is not a bust.

2007: JaMarcus Russell, Oakland Raiders, QB, 1st Pick

Russell was considered the next great quarterback coming out of LSU. He's a huge guy, with some mobility, and may have the strongest arm among all quarterbacks in the NFL. He was supposed to breathe new life into the Raiders, but instead all Russell has brought is a triple dose of frustration to the Raiders and their fans. While Russell can throw a pretty deep ball, he can't throw with any accuracy, has trouble dealing with a pass rush, and hasn't shown a great ability to read defenses. There have also been questions about Russell's conditioning and commitment to the game. Other than all of that, JaMarcus Russell is everything you could hope for in a quarterback picked number one. Coming into the 2010 season, Russell is now in a battle for his starting job with Bruce Gradkowski, a man with the fraction of Russell's talent but unlike Russell, he understands the game and seemed to gain the trust of his teammates last year.

2008: Vernon Gholston, New York Jets, OLB, 6th Pick

I suppose I could have put Darren McFadden or Glenn Dorsey on this list, but at least those two have shown glimpses of excellence, even if they have yet to meet expectations. Gholston, on the other hand, has spent his first two years buried on the Jets bench. Gholston was expected to use his considerable speed and 260 pound frame to become the next great pass rusher, but in two years, Gholston has yet to record a sack. It's still early, but due to a lack of confidence in Gholston by Jets coach Rex Ryan, it may take a change of scenery for Gholston to receive an opportunity to realize his potential.

2009: Jason Smith, St. Louis Rams, OT, 2nd Pick

Even though it's only been one year, I had to choose somebody, and Jason Smith did not have a good rookie year. In 2009, Smith played in only eight games, five of which he started, due primarily due to injuries. But there's no reason to fret yet, as in 1997 the Rams used the number one pick on OT Orlando Pace. Like Smith, Pace struggled his rookie year, but he bounced back and became one of the best offensive lineman in football. The Rams are hoping for deja vu with Smith.

Well, thanks for reading. I hope you enjoy the final part of our three part series on the worst NFL Draft Picks over the past 30 years. If you have any feedback on this or other posts, or have an idea for a future post, than share them either by leaving a comment or by e-mail at KtheC2001@gmail.com.

Worst NFL Draft Picks: 1980-1989

The NFL Draft is only two weeks away. Each year, millions of NFL fans watch the draft, hoping their team can either pick the player that will finally turn their team around, or pick up the missing piece they need to win the Super Bowl. But the draft is a high-risk game of chance, as for every superstar like Peyton Manning, Deion Sanders, and Adrian Peterson, there's also going to be players like Ryan Leaf and Tony Mandarich that fail to meet expectations. Sometimes it's due to injury, other times it's due to a lack of commitment on the player's part, but mostly it's based on a team's management greatly overrating a player's ability to step up and adapt to the NFL. Whatever the reason, there is always going to be NFL Draft Busts, and here is The Canon Review's biggest draft busts for each year in the 1980s.

1980 - Johnny "Lam" Jones, WR, NY Jets, 2nd pick in the Draft

The Jets were looking for a game-changing player in the 1980 Draft, and thought they landed one in Jones, an All-American at Texas who also won the Olympic Gold Medal as part of the 1976 U.S. 4x100 relay team. While Jones was definitely one of the fastest players in the NFL, he didn't have any other skills beside speed. He couldn't catch the ball very well, which is only the most important skill for a wide receiver, and his route running was questionable at best. Basically, the only thing the Jets could do with him was run him down the sideline on a deep route and hope he catches the ball. After five frustrating years, the Jets finally let go of Jones before the 1985 season. To make matters worse, with the next pick in the draft, the Cincinnati Bengals picked OT Anthony Munoz, who went on to become a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and is considered one of the best offensive lineman ever.

1981 - Rich Campbell, QB, Green Bay Packers, 6th Pick

Campbell is a man that is largely forgotten, and for good reason. An All-American at the University of California, the Packers chose Campbell to be the quarterback of the future and lead them back into the playoffs. However, in four years with the Packers, Campbell never even started a game for the team, as he couldn't beat Lynn Dickey for the starting role. Campbell only threw 68 career passes before the Packers let him go. Just two picks later, the 49ers picked a defensive back by the name of Ronnie Lott, only one of the best defensive players to play football. I'm almost positive that the woebegone Packers of the 1980s could have used Ronnie Lott.


1982 - Kenneth Sims, DE, New England Patriots, 1st Pick

1982 was not the NFL's strongest draft, as there were a lot of candidates for worst pick to choose pick. However, I decided to start with the top pick and went with Kenneth Sims, a University of Texas product who, while he lasted eight years with the Patriots, never met expectations and was really an average player at best. Sims was plagued by injury, playing only a full season once, and was often criticized for his poor conditioning and practice habits.  After being arrested for possession of cocaine in June of 1990, the Patriots released Sims, and he never played another down of NFL football.

1983 -  Todd Blackledge, QB, Kansas City Chiefs, 7th Pick


Blackledge had just come off leading his Penn State Nittany Lions to the national title, and in 1982, won the Davey O'Brien Award for being the best quarterback in the nation, over future legends like John Elway, Dan Marino, and Steve Young. Needless to say, the Chiefs felt they had a star in the making when they picked Blackledge seventh overall, ahead of both Marino and Jim Kelly, who both are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Blackledge, meanwhile, is not. In seven seasons with the Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers, Blackledge threw for more interceptions than touchdowns and completed less than 50 percent of his passes. Today, Blackledge is a college football analyst for ESPN, where he is a lot better than he was as an NFL Quarterback.

1984 - Kenny Jackson, WR, Philadelphia Eagles, 4th Pick

This was probably the worst first round of the 1980s, as due to the USFL signing up a lot of the top rookies, the talent pool in the NFL Draft was a lot shallower than usual. Jackson, interestingly enough, was Blackledge's top target at Penn State, and was a two time All-American during his collegiate career. The Eagles, looking for another deep threat for Ron Jaworski, took the local kid Jackson. Like Johnny Lam Jones, Jackson had good speed, but that was about it, as he never caught more than 40 balls in a season and was released a few years later. He spent the next few years with Houston and back in Philadelphia, but mainly as a special teams gunner. Jackson now is a broadcaster and a restaurant owner, so at least he's had some success after college.

1985 - Kevin Allen, OT, Philadelphia Eagles, 9th Pick

The Eagles make their second straight appearance on this list, and nearly made a third because their 1983 first rounder, RB Michael Haddix, wasn't very good either. Allen was selected to help protect QB Ron Jaworski from pass rushers like Lawrence Taylor. Allen was described by coach Buddy Ryan as "a good football player ... if you want someone to stand around and kill the grass". Not only did he suck at football, Allen tested positive for cocaine in 1986, and then was charged and convicted of sexual assault, serving three years in prison. For the record, Kevin Allen only played one season, and wasn't very good either, which is exactly the opposite of what you expect from your first round selection. To make matters worse, future All-Pro tackle Jim Lachey was taken only three picks, and seven picks later, a guy by the name of Jerry Rice was selected.



1986 - Anthony Bell, LB, St. Louis (now Arizona) Cardinals, 5th Pick

The Cardinals were in need of a spark on the defensive side of the ball, and thought they found one in Bell. Why they felt that way is a mystery to most people, as Bell didn't even make his All-Conference team his senior year. Bell spent five years with the Cardinals, and although he started for four of them, he hardly ever made a big play and never started another NFL game after leaving the Cardinals in 1990. If the Cardinals really wanted an impact player, they should have taken Leslie O'neal, who had 12.5 sacks as a rookie and 132.5 career quarterback sacks.

1987 - Alonzo Highsmith, RB, Houston Oilers (now Tennessee Titans) 3rd Pick

1987 offered a lot of possible choices for this spot, but ultimately I went with the highest pick in Highsmith. Highsmith was the main ballcarrier for the Miami Hurricanes back when they were dominating college football. A large power back with some speed, Highsmith looked as if he could become one of the best running backs in the NFL, and he very well could have, except for the fact that he hurt his knee. After his knee injury, Highsmith was not the same player he once was, and retired after the 1993 season. He later became a professional boxer, compiling a career record of 27-1-2. Today Highsmith scouts potential draft picks for the Green Bay Packers.

1988 - Aundray Bruce, LB-DE, Atlanta Falcons, 1st Pick

It was only a matter of time before the Falcons made this list.  In 1988, the Falcons picked Bruce over future All-Pros like wide receivers Michael Irvin, Sterling Sharpe and Tim Brown, defensive end Neil Smith, and safety Bennie Blades, believing that Bruce would become the next Lawrence Taylor. Instead, Bruce often played like James Taylor. Bruce was blessed with exceptional speed and a 6'5" 245 lb pound frame, and was a heck of an athlete. Unfortunately, he became more known for his partying exploits off the field than anything he did on the field, and would oftentimes make a dumb play due to his lack of preperation and understanding of the team's defensive scheme. The Falcons did not do any favors to Bruce, as they kept changing his role, the defensive formation, and even tried to make him a tight end. Finally, after the 1991 season, the Falcons released Bruce, and he signed with the Raiders, where he became a solid backup at defensive end for a number of years, but never came close to meeting the expectations of being the next LT.

1989 - Tony Mandarich, OT, Green Bay Packers, 2nd Pick

The first five selections in the 1989 Draft were Troy Aikman, Mandarich, Barry Sanders, Derrick Thomas, and Deion Sanders. Three of those men are in the Hall of Fame, and Deion will be once he becomes eligible, the fifth man is Mandarich. Mandarich was deemed the best offensive line prospect of all-time by Sports Illustrated, and was thought of as a can't-miss prospect. Mandarich ended up missing, all right. While Mandarich was as strong as an ox and built like Brock Lesnar, he also had the mobility of a phone booth and therefore, was not able to handle speedy pass rushers. He also used steroids and had a substance abuse problem, so it was small wonder that the Packers released Mandarich after only three seasons. After a brief stint in the Canadian Football League, Mandarich came back to the NFL with the Indianapolis Colts, where he spent a couple of season as a starting guard for the team, and by most reports, did all right for himself, but never became the super dominant lineman that he and many others thought he would.

Well, thanks for reading, and if you have any ideas for future posts on The Canon Review, than let me know either by leaving a comment or e-mailing me at KtheC2001@gmail.com. Here are a few videos of these men, in case you wanted to watch them.