Sounds juicy. I came aboard class of 98 aka the Chan Gailey season. Skip Bayless mentioned this this morning. That sounds like a great camp competition or was it.
And be honest, who were you pulling for? Was it close competition? Anything you have to say about it, speak on it. How did Jerry feel about it?
As good as things eventually ended up being, Troy and Jimmy were actually not on good terms at the very beginning
Jerry picked Troy 1st overall. Not saying Jimmy wouldn't have (we'll never know) but Jerry picked Troy all the way.
Troy had an air of arrogance about him and Jimmy thought he might be a bit entitled. He made a VERY controversial move by using the following years 1st round pick (via current year supplemental draft) to bring in Walsh--who was his boy in Miami.
That pick ended up being the top pick in the draft! So
initially a truly awful move.
Troy was furious and even considered asking for a trade. He felt Jimmy had stabbed him in the back...real hurt. Troy was bit like that. I won't say a prima donna, but he did have a big ego and wanted things his way. Luckily, his way was often the right way.
Real rich stuff that so many seem to forget.
But what it did was fuel the flames and convince Jimmy (and everyone else) that Troy was the man. He was clearly better, though Walsh wasn't terrible.
Once this was decided, Jimmy smartly traded Walsh away for a pretty good haul from the Saints.
It all worked out great, obviously.