WAY OT: Long rant....Sorry Chicago, worst draft ever

[Goose85]

Hey speaking of the draft. What do the Packers and Bears have in common?


They both drafted a pass catcher for Jay Cutler last night!

Now that is A Game!

[IrwinFletcher]

So, let me get this straight. This was the worst draft ever and that Chicago is to blame because....

1) The NFL made it a 3 day event three years ago when it was in New York
2) There is an outdoor venue that if it were 10 degrees outside, would have made it a bad venue (it was 60 degrees yesterday)
3) Not sure what this has to do with Chicago or why anything has changed from NY on this matter.
4) This was a bad draft because people weren't yelling J-E-T-S all night? Shouldn't you blame the Jets fans for not making the trip? How is that Chicago's fault?
5) So Bear fans booed a bit longer than usual (btw, that is opinion and not a documented fact) and left a bit early (again opinion and documented fact)
6) again, nothing new here. Guys on Twitter are announcing picks before announced on TV. Has long been a problem since ESPN dragged this out.

Not sure what your points have to do with Chicago. Sounds like some Bucks fans are just upset that they were embarrassed by their performance last night. I think we should talk about that being the worst playoff game performance ever.

[Goose85]

So, let me get this straight. This was the worst draft ever and that Chicago is to blame because....

1) The NFL made it a 3 day event three years ago when it was in New York
2) There is an outdoor venue that if it were 10 degrees outside, would have made it a bad venue (it was 60 degrees yesterday)
3) Not sure what this has to do with Chicago or why anything has changed from NY on this matter.
4) This was a bad draft because people weren't yelling J-E-T-S all night? Shouldn't you blame the Jets fans for not making the trip? How is that Chicago's fault?
5) So Bear fans booed a bit longer than usual (btw, that is opinion and not a documented fact) and left a bit early (again opinion and documented fact)
6) again, nothing new here. Guys on Twitter are announcing picks before announced on TV. Has long been a problem since ESPN dragged this out.

Not sure what your points have to do with Chicago. Sounds like some Bucks fans are just upset that they were embarrassed by their performance last night. I think we should talk about that being the worst playoff game performance ever.

I don't think it is a Chicago issue as much as it was the NFL and ESPN's trying to make the NFL Annual Selection Meeting a longer made for tv event along with a NFL roadshow experience, which was held in Chicago.

1) I did not like the move to Thursday and have just one round. Much preferred the Sat / Sun format. Dragged it out and made it less watchable in my estimation.
2) I guess the NFL now wants this to be a traveling NFL roadshow like the Superbowl / All Star Games / etc. I was not there, so I couldn't tell if it was a money maker or just an NFL festival. I'm fine with festivals and the NFL trying to extend branding, etc. At times it did make it look like they were holding the draft outside.
3) I am not sure if the draft last night had large groups of different fan bases at the actual draft (not the outdoor NFL festival). I did prefer NY (on Sat) as you normally had pretty big contingents of competing fan bases with Jets, Giants, Philly, NE, along with fans from every team. While the Jet fans are normally laughed at and heckled for post Namath draft misses, it seems all NFL fans agree on one thing, the biggest boos of the night were normally reserved for the Raider fans.
4) Again, not Chicago's fault it was on a Thursday and it did not appear the draft had large groups of multiple fan bases that help make it a fun event.
5) Not sure if the draft event was packed the entire time as it normally was when I watched / attended in NY.
6) I don't recall picks leaking out long in advance of the Commish making the announcement ever before this year, so I don't agree that has long been a problem. In the past, if ESPN was at commercial they would do what they do at actual games and have someone signal the Commish when they were back live. Rarely would they delay the Commish from delaying announcing a selection. The draft is long enough without postponing announcing a pick.

To me it has less to do with Chicago, and more the idea that the NFL and ESPN are trying to make the draft event a roadshow. Any idea where will it be next year?

Has nothing to do with the Bucks sucking last night (their worst loss in franchise history), or sour grapes as a result. IWB along with myself, Gato and others have actually attended the event in NY, and have gathered with others for many years to watch (when on Saturday), but haven't do so since it became a Thursday event. I'm sure his comments would have been the same (as would my negative impression) had it been in Seattle, Dallas, Jacksonville or San Fran.

[IWB]

Where did I ever say Chicago was to blame? I didn't.

I said it was the worst draft ever, and said "Sorry Chicago fans" because it just happened to be in Chicago.

To answer your points....
1) True
2) 10 degrees or not, the draft is not a "fan fest". It is a draft. Why the NFL is trying to make it a three day event is beyond me other than a need for three days of NFL Network programming. What's next, stretch the NCAA selection show into 3 days? Day 1 - #1 Seeds.... Day 2 - #Automatic bids... Day 3 - at large bids. It is a draft, not a week long event.
3) It has to do with Chicago because it was in Chicago. Seems pretty straight forward and simple. The draft has always been in New York, and having 2 teams with huge populations right there made it what it was. Why change it? Why ruin tradition? No need for that to move. Should the Big East Tourney become a round robin? No.
4) Was it bad because no one yelled J-E-T-S? No, but that is part of of the fun and tradition. The draft was full of traditions and was a classic event. All of the traditions were gone last night. And to learn that most of the people that attended were not even at the actual draft, but blocks away? Why bother?
5) Bear fans booed a lot longer. Opinion? Yes, an opinion from someone who has attended the draft in New York, so having had real life experiences to compare it to I would think makes it a fact. It was overly annoying, especially when the commissioner had to stop and start over. Repeatedly. Fans left early - From TV it sure looked like fact, but now knowing that the actual draft was at a different location I can't blame them as they weren't really even there to begin with.
6) Guys on Twitter announcing picks is not new, but when they are doing it 3-4 picks ahead of time? That has not happened before. Never.

Bucks - Bulls? Really? That is what it sounds like? While I do follow the Bucks I have said on this site many times that I do not like the NBA, so what does that have to do with anything? Had you ever been to the draft in New York, the way it used to be, you would know exactly what I am talking about.

[IWB]

Goo -

As much as I enjoy ripping on ESPN, I don't think they are to blame for the three days. I think the NFL & the NFL Network are behind that, ESPN just following suit. I think this is all on the NFL.

[MUfan12]

Well, since Irwin mentioned it...

Dunleavy can go fornicate himself with a rusty pole.

Carry on.

[MUFAN2010]

Now that is A Game!

I got more where that came from.



Bears drafted a wide receiver??

Hope he can tackle.

[Goose85]

I got more where that came from.



Bears drafted a wide receiver??

Hope he can tackle.

First, I agree with MUFan12 on Dunleay (and his dad too).

Second, Hope the Bears WR can tackle - still laughing on that one (have to enjoy it while I can - the chances of following Favre / Rodgers with another Hall of Fame type QB is not good).

[MUWhistler]

The NFL got pissed at Radio City Music Hall last year, where they have had the draft for several years. Radio City pushed the draft two weeks later than the NFL usually holds it because they wanted to have a Rockettes concert there. Then, because of poor sales, they wound up cancelling the show, and Radio City sat empty the normal weekend that the draft was held. At that point, it was too late to move it, though. There was lots of write-ups in the papers here about how pissed the NFL was at the events, so to get even, decided to start moving the draft around to different venues and screw over Radio City Music Hall.

Unfortunately, this is an example of where you don't mess with tradition. They will never draw the crowd in other cities the way they did in NYC, so we will be stuck with the scenes that were last night. Oh well. All in the name of Uncle Dollar.

[IrwinFletcher]

I guess I don't see where the tradition fits in terms of the draft location. If you are tuning in to see the crazy fans than you aren't tuning in to see the draft. Have it in Green Bay for all I care, it just doesn't make a difference to me.

In terms of the outdoor stuff, obviously it is an attempt to make it a destination for the NFL and the City. It is an opportunity for the NFL sponsors to show up and market themselves and a chance for the city to get people in to town and spend money. In short, it is all about money.