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- Thread starter Nittany Ned2
- Start date
The latter. I remember a co-worker of mine, with ties to the Pitt program, telling me of his issues going into his senior year.
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Wasn't weed. Funny Pitt now wishes they were relevant enough to us or anyone else to even give enough of a s**t to play dirty pool with them.
Rumor was he was into more than just weed...had a serious coke habit. What they think his addiction had anything to do with PSU is beyond me...I do remember people thinking Miami was a terrible landing spot for him because of said rumor.
This was the rumor that I heard at the time. Glad that Marino had a good NFL career.
Agree - kudos to him for beating his demons and becoming an all-timer.
I seriously doubt he ever had a drug habit...I can't see Shula drafting him if there was even a hint this was true.
I moved to the 'burgh in 1983 and was told Marino had lived in my apartment. I heard the same drug rumors while there. I have no idea if the rumors were true. There was certainly easy access to cocaine there in the 80's and I discovered people in my dental school had habits. Given Marino's success on and off of the field starting from his rookie year, I find it unlikely he had a coke habit based on the problems I saw in others who had one.
Weed was big back then. And hash. Bigger than some of you youngsters know. However, coke was not that big. Crank was, a bit....known as crystal meth. Speed....black beauties. Ludes and a few other barbs. Even peyote buttons. Some mescaline...but mostly buttons, IIRC.
LSD....blotter and microdot.....were also more common than, say, coke.
Not pointing any fingers here. Just sayin'. These were my times. I was in that world from 74 thru 78 and never even heard of anybody having coke. Not at PSU. It may have been more common in the city, tho.
LSD....blotter and microdot.....were also more common than, say, coke.
Not pointing any fingers here. Just sayin'. These were my times. I was in that world from 74 thru 78 and never even heard of anybody having coke. Not at PSU. It may have been more common in the city, tho.
Coke wasn't big in the early 80s? WTF are you talking about - do tell when you think Studio 54 burst on to the social scene in NYC. There was a famous saga about an American Pilot (citizen, not airline) who was one of Escobars biggest smugglers and distributors.
I don't know if he did or didn't. But there is no doubt the rumor on the street was he had a Coke problem
Marino was at Pitt from '79 to '83, the heydays of cocaine. Coke was everywhere in those days.
It was definitely Coke so the Steelers passed on him. There were those who were upset that he went to Miami but others were relieved because he finally got away from his hometown and had s new opportunity in life.
I don't know what PSU had to do with it if anything because I was 8 months old at the time he was drafted. I know the stuff posted above because my dad has followed college football since 75.
I don't know what PSU had to do with it if anything because I was 8 months old at the time he was drafted. I know the stuff posted above because my dad has followed college football since 75.
I work with a guy that grew up with him and this guy said Marino didn't do coke.
I'm the same age (within a few days) as Marino, am from western PA and had friends at Pitt. I was no choir boy in college and don't judge anybody on things from those years, but yeah, it was pretty widely known that Marino was into coke.
Thankfully, he got his sh@&t together, had a great pro career and is a really good person. Good for him.
Thankfully, he got his sh@&t together, had a great pro career and is a really good person. Good for him.
Well then you just missed it by a few years. I was at PSU from 79-83 and coke was definitely available, especially at a few certain fraternities.
Well, they remained friends (both went to Pitt) and they're still tight. Bottom line is it could be just rumors.
"so the steelers passed on him"........lol.....yeah they didn't want that mixed with all of the steroids
The stories came from Shadyside and the burgh ... Heard them 1000 times more there than at PSU.
No matter. If true he deserves congrats for stepping up so does his family support system. If not, the jerks in the Burgh looking for excuses for 48-14 need to shoulder the blame for the rumors.
There are varying degrees of "habits" so using the "problems of others" as a basis is of no value. Many people went deep into the white powder in their college years only to go on to have highly productive and successful professional careers. I may fit that bill myself.
I know several people who went to Central and are trustworthy sources. They told me that DM liked to party in college and I believe it. The fact that he moved on to have a hall of fame career speaks to the severity of his "habit". I knew he was going to be a good pro when he turned down the big money from the LA Express to play in the NFL. That was when I figured he was grounded and mature enough to move on from "college life".
Doesn’t matter what he had, the Steelers psssing over him was the worst. Imagine going from Bradshaw-Marino-Big Ben. They would have won many more Super Bowls.
Didn’t Art Rooney have a Investigator research him? I remember Art was a huge fan and wanted Marino a Steeler, but his family wanted Noll to take a DE.
