1989's Top RB Dalton Hilliard

Hilliard was my first "favorite" Saints player. I was 7 in 1989. It was about that time I was starting to follow the players somewhat, and I just remember Hilliard being awesome.
(Back then my second "favorite player" was John Fourcade because his nephew was in my class in 1st grade)

1982 Wes Chandler

another Saints Hall of Shame bungle that still pisses me off 30 years later. The guy was the 3rd overall selection and I'd call him the best pure deep threat receiver in Saints history. He was killin it his first three years here. STATS and NFL Films profile

Traded to SD and the next year he is the best in the league. It was a strike year but he did establish the record for most yards per game average (129) that still stands.

Worse as the Saints always did... they got an okay deal, a 1st + 3rd Rd pick. The usual black ages story though- used them for Lindsay Scott #13 overall and John Krimm who were both complete busts (out of the NFL in 4 & 1 yr).

Chuck Muncie STATS was a great back but understand trading him cuz he was right in the middle of the cocaine epidemic that was sweeping the NFL then. Never heard rumor of Chandler being a part of that though.

If ya wanna explore some dark Saints history look up those late 70s-early 80s teams. The Saints prolly had the highest % of drug use going at the time. Like this-

Chuck Muncie, although denying Reese's claim that he used cocaine following his trade to San Diego in 1981, confirmed that he used the drug in New Orleans and estimated that 60% of his teammates had done the same; Reese had put the figure at "more than 50%." Last week the New Orleans Times-Picayune/States-Item reported that as many as a dozen present and former Saints had told federal investigators that they had bought cocaine, in some cases from former New Orleans Running Back Mike Strachan, who was indicted last week for a second time on charges of selling the drug. One of those mentioned by the newspaper was Saint Running Back George Rogers, the 1980 Heisman Trophy winner and the leading NFL rusher last year. Rogers reportedly admitted to a federal grand jury that he spent more than $10,000 on cocaine during the season. Muncie was said to have told authorities that he'd put Rogers in touch with a dealer and lent him money to buy cocaine the night before the Pro Bowl in Honolulu last January and that Rogers had knocked on Muncie's hotel room door to borrow more money for cocaine at 4 a.m. The Pro Bowl began at 11 a.m.
LINK

sorry, don't mean to hijack. It's a tender wound I don't often approach anymore.

Dalton was a beast for a couple years with the Saints

Dalton/James gang was potent back in the day. I remember having an LSU poster that said Hilliard...HE.IS.MAN.

quote:

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The Saints prolly had the highest % of drug use going at the time

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Doubt it. I'd bet LT's Giants, Gastineau's Jets, and Alzado's Raiders made us look like choirboys.