How you could improve the NFL Draft
Posted by Shannon on April 24, 2007
The NFL Draft is this weekend, and I’m sorry but for me - even as big of a football fan as I am, it’s not must-see-TV. Of course, I’ll watch the first few picks, just because well it’s the NFL Draft. After that, I may catch a few picks only popping my head in and out to see how the San Fransisco 49ers are picking and if any talented West Virginia players are selected. On the WVU front, it looks as though All-American center Dan Mozes’ stock is falling.
Otherwise, the NFL Draft is a bunch of ESPN talking heads and too much time in between draft picks. In the first round, you get 15 minutes “on the clock” to make a selection. In the time it could take the Oakland Raiders to decide if they want JaMarcus Russell or trade down for Calvin Johnson you could easily pay your bills, order a pizza, go to the post office, and wash the car. In theory, it could be three hours before the 49ers pick at No. 11. I’m sorry, NFL, but I’ve got better things to do on a Saturday to sit around for three hours to watch who the Niners will select, hopefully a defensive player.
So here are my suggestions for improving the NFL Draft to make it more TV friendly. Some are serious. Some are just funny. Some would never fly past the No Fun League.
- Allow only 10 minutes for a selection. That would save 2 hours and 40 minutes, roughly, from the first round maximum. That still means the maximum the first round could go is five hours.
- Require the No. 1 team to make a selection or trade as soon as the draft opens. They would have five minutes from the start. Not fair, you say? They’ve had four months to decide what they were going to do with the No. 1 pick. The extra 15, 10, or even 5 minutes is not going to make that much difference.
- When a draft selection is made that involves one of the invited players, play some rock music. Let the players decide based on whatever fits their personality. Banned musicians would include the Backstreet Boys, Justin Timberlake, and anything involving Puff Daddy, P Diddy, or whatever he calls himself.
- Reduce the talking heads. You can only take so much Mel Kiper Jr., and Chris Berman before wanting to throw the TV off the balcony. Bring in more fans, players, and even local sports personalities (who are not necessarily already on contract with ESPN.)
- Speaking on ESPN’s coverage, steel cage grudge match between the ESPN crew and the NFL Network crew on whom gets sole possession of the Draft coverage rights.
And finally,
- Give a Jets fan a camera and a microphone. That should make for interesting television.
April 24, 2007 at 1:01 pm
No doubt they need to shorten the first round. It is as exciting as watching NASCAR. Oh wait, some people actually like watching NASCAR.
I think they should also include a feature where they have a bunch of fans of different teams that get to evaluate, honestly each pick of the 1st round. Forget Kiper and his talk about 40 times, bench presses and skill sets. I want to hear fans talk about players honestly. For instance last year the Jets fans could have spent 10 minutes trying to pronounce the name D’Brickashaw.
April 24, 2007 at 1:41 pm
I think the fan forum would be a new concept and I think it would give the fans some reason to watch. Of course, it’ll never happen because ESPN and the NFL (and possibly rightfully so) would be worried that it would turn into message board folly.
But if you took some legitimate fans, it could work. Have a fan from each city, stationed outside the team headquarters with the “real” reporters, give them a minute after each pick.
Of course, the Raider fan would have to wear the shoulder pads.
April 27, 2007 at 8:36 am
I would improve the draft by letting a pre-schooler pick for Detroit and the Jersey B Jets.
April 27, 2007 at 8:44 am
A pre-schooler pick for Detroit? Couldn’t be any worse than they have already.
Some new ideas:
Instead of drafting in New York City, bring the fantasy football element into the draft. All drafts to take place at Carolina Ale House or your favorite sports bar where owners would have to sit amongst the fans, eating 25 cent wings, and $3 drafts, instead of drinking $100 bubbly and $25 steaks.
Instead of gifts to Mr. Irrelevant, the last player picked in the NFL draft, give him a job, since the chances of him making the NFL are slim to none.
Erin Andrews.
May 16, 2007 at 3:01 pm
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