Last weekend gave me the perfect opportunity to write the two papers I have due this week, or to finish the countless pages of reading I have already put off this semester.
However, like most football fans, I spent the weekend glued to my couch, watching every painstaking minute of the holy matrimony between collegiate and professional football—the NFL Draft.
My anticipation leading up to the draft was at an all-time high, as every mock draft from here to Antarctica was full of speculation on who would be drafted when and where, along with what possible trades might occur.
As NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell walked to the podium to announce the Oakland Raider's top pick, I was at the edge of my seat eager to see a trade or a crazy draft pick, only to have my hopes and dreams squashed as JaMarcus Russell, the beastly quarterback from LSU, was selected.
However, my optimism still ran high, as I was sure Detroit would pull off a trade of cosmic proportions, sending me running around my apartment in a frenzy. That was until 15 minutes later when they selected Calvin Johnson, the freakish wide receiver from Georgia Tech.
The next seven picks again did not even force me to raise an eyebrow, as a draft full of potential craziness and unpredictability had, at that point, left me almost asleep with chips all over my shirt.
That, of course, was until the Miami Dolphins were on the clock. With Brady Quinn still available, and Dolphins ""starter"" Daunte Culpepper recovering from what is barely called playing football last year, it seemed a sure thing for Quinn, the golden boy quarterback from Notre Dame, to be throwing passes in sunny Miami next season.
As Goodell again walked up to the podium, I was mindlessly writing Quinn on my draft sheet next to Miami. And then the unthinkable happened, Goodell announced that Miami had just selected Ted Ginn Jr., the speedy wide receiver/return man from THE Ohio State.
As I picked my jaw up off the ground, I quickly turned up the volume in order to hear Mel Kiper Jr., who is the voice of reason among the likes of Steve Young and Keyshawn Johnson.
Kiper went on to completely tear the Dolphins apart, which I loved, and the selection of Ginn meant that Quinn would have to sit in the greenroom even longer, something that I might have loved even more.
But I digress, and must conclude by talking about the Green Bay Packers. GM Ted Thompson again did his best impression of Ron Wolf, turning seven draft picks into 11. The Packers strengthened their D-line with the selection of Justin Harrell from Tennessee. Harrell probably would have been the top defensive lineman in the draft if not for a bicep injury early last season. The Pack then went on the offensive, using seven of the final 10 picks on two running backs, two wide receivers, an offensive lineman, a tight end and a kicker.
While most Packer backers feel empty and concerned with the draft, let me be the first to tell you that your worries are unwarranted. Once Brandon Jackson and DeShawn Wynn—both of whom I called the Packers selecting—run all over the NFC Central, and Justin Harrell picks up Cedric Benson and throws him in orbit around Chicago's Soldier Field/spaceship, we will all look back at the draft with fond memories while we treat our bedsores.
