I hate it when the night before drafts, teams tell the world who they are going to select. I hate it.
I remember the whole David Carr thing, and I think that was the first of these little instances. I remember Carr being on the cover of SI when Fresno State was on their little run. I remember their run ending. And I remember the announcement of the expansion Houston Texans making Carr their first pick in franchise history. I don't know why I remember this so vividly, but something is in my brain about seeing him on a G4 landing in Houston a few hours after the draft. Maybe I'm making that up. Maybe it was Roger Clemens. Either way. Nice job Texans on that one...although they didn't have much help in that draft. Fellow top 10 picks Joey Harrington, Mike Williams, Ryan Sims and Bryant McKinnie haven't exactly gotten their groove on in the NFL.
I will never forget where I was when I found out the Texans were going to take Mario Williams. My girlfriend and I were at a bar in Knoxville with a couple friends, eagerly awaiting the final Velcro Pygmies show of our collegiate careers when on the Bottom Line (yeah that's a proper noun) it stated that Mario Williams had signed a deal making him the first pick in the NFL Draft. My buddy Cameron and I were shocked. To this day, Chris Mortensen still talks about how he was the only person, EVER, who saw that coming. Thanks Mort. No one cares. Sterling Sharpe was still the coolest person ever on ESPN NFL Countdown. I hate Michael Irvin.
Setting the Houston Texans terrible organization aside and passing on Roy Williams (the safety) and Reggie Bush, Vince Young, etc, last night it was announced that Greg Oden's "camp" (I am still really wondering what that means. I can't exactly see Oden in a tent in the middle of Central Park. He wouldn't fit. Not to mention, Sam Gerard would find him there, easily.) had been informed that he would be selected first in tonight's draft by the Portland Trail Blazers. Not like we didn't see this coming...but it's so anti-climactic. Can you not just wait a day to tell us? What if something changes? What if Oden fell down the stairs at Madison Square Garden and could never walk again? What if he was finally arrested for murdering the other Dr. Kimball?
How much better would it have been if on NFL Draft day 2006 if NO ONE KNEW that Mario Williams would be the number one pick? How ridiculous would that have been? No one would have known what to do with themselves in the crowd, Steve Young would have just talked about Brady Quinn so it wouldn't have mattered, and Berman would for the first time in his career been speechless. Instead, we had to know the day before. Draft coverage goes on for 365 days. It doesn't stop. It's many fans favorite and most exciting part of the year. But for some unknown reason, someone has to spill the beans.
The worst part about this whole thing? SI has a report that Portland may NOT take Oden and haven't made up their minds yet. LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE! All these "sources" report these things. Who are you, sources? All of this would not be an issue if the Houston Texans ceased to exist. And for the sake of making the playoffs, they don't. Hey Tony Boseli, how's your knee? Didn't think so. The Texans are a curse that preside over now more than one sport. Who names their team after their state? The Nashville Tennesseans. The Sacramento Californians. The Washington District of Columbians. Wait, that's actually pretty good.
Teams need to wait. They work on potential deals with players and their agents anyway, regardless if they draft that player. Is it going to speed the process up for Kevin Durant's agent to get a deal done knowing a day in advance he can't get top pick money? I don't think a day is going to hurt him. It didn't hurt anyone back in like '99 when everyone thought the Bulls would take Stevie Franchise...then they took Elton Brand. Suspense. You'd think that since TNT carries many NBA games they'd understand...they know drama. Even in that draft...who thought Pau Gasol was going third? The then "Richard" Hamilton went what, eighth?
Whatever. Portland, Houston, whoever. Shut up. We know you're excited, so are we, so don't spoil it.
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