New York, NY – I’ve had it with the NFL draft, or more precisely, the lead up to the draft. I understand it’s an important event and I’m aware that the NFL promotes the draft to keep year round interest in the game, but isn’t it just a bit overdone? Do we really need a countdown clock as if Dick Clark is going to ring in the New Year? Look, I think the NFL is the best sports league on the planet, and since the days of Pete Rozelle they’ve done a better job of marketing their game than a hooker at Mardi Gras, but does the excruciating minutia of every team’s decision making really need to be back page news; discussed six hours at a time, for weeks on end, on every sports station in the land? Now I have the utmost respect for the NFL and how they’ve made pro football relevant 12 months a year. Don’t get me wrong. They cleverly space out the combine, the draft, mini camps, and training camps to keep their customers talking at the water coolers and the watering holes. They made fans think they need football year round just as Starbuck’s made us believe we needed a four dollar cup of coffee. It really is impressive; it’s just that I’d rather watch ACTUAL sporting events like the NHL Playoffs, NBA Playoffs, and of course, the good old National Pastime. The whole mock draft scenario is overdone and annoying as well, and will completely blow up the minute some team trades up or down, or a player leaks that he’ll refuse to play for someone; so do we really need to analyze this ad nauseum? Please, someone McSave me from Todd McShay and send a viper to Mel Kiper. I just don’t care that much. I’m tired of hearing Tony Mandarich was a bust and Tom Brady was a sixth rounder. I’m tired of sleepers and Mr. Irrelevant. As a Giants fan, I hope they draft an impact linebacker and maybe another D-back but I’m not losing any sleep over it. Whomever gets drafted (I wrote this on Thursday if you’re wondering why, I too, am not COVERING the draft) will get drafted and then we can discuss it and talk about who had a good day and who didn’t. Until that time, let’s do something else with our time. In addition, the Jets fans that overwhelm the draft every year have to get a life. Read a book; play with your kids, something, ANYTHING for Pete’s sake. During this year’s draft I will be outside enjoying a beautiful day instead of staring at a clock and Mr. Kiper’s helmet-head. I only hope for one thing. I want Chad Ocho Cinco to get traded (does he know that ocho-cinco translates to eight-five not eighty-five?) to a team that already has a player wearing number eighty-five who’s not willing to give it up.
Until next week,
Rex
