He was both a man's man and a family man. He liked the dive bars near the airport (right Leon? know any stories?) and the LudWay (corner of Ludlam & Coral Way--legendary place).
Was a great husband to his wife and father to his sons, by all accounts. Team player at home AND on the field.
While still playing he started multiple businesses including a construction company; I've told the story before how I was bored teenager hanging around my dad's office one day after school and saw Jim's number in my dad's rolodex. I jumped up and demanded that my dad explain why he never told me about this,
I cannot STAND sports talk show hosts in general. 99% of them are clueless, pathetic jock-sniffers. Then there was Jim Mandich. Not just a former player, but very intelligent, entertaining, AND funny. I nearly drove off the road from laughing so hard a couple times listening to his show. He was a Homer yet always told it like it is, often calling out players' poor performances on the air, even during game broadcasts. And everyone respected him for good reason.
When this event was announced, I had a rare feeling--I wished I still lived nearby so I could have attended.