admarc
April 30th, 2007, 10:25:09 PM
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/media/photo/2006-04/23187011.jpg
Thousands lined up on the streets of New York at the crack of dawn. They came from Philadelphia, Boston, Oakland, Miami, Buffalo and every other corner of the country. For some the trek to New York for the draft is like a pilgrimage, the NFL’s answer to Woodstock. What is it that draws them all? Many get turned away. Those fortunate enough to score a ticket get to lineup for hours more before the doors open, only to be herded in to seats so far from the stage they end up watching the events on TV’s and forced to listen on small fm radios. Couldn’t they watch it from the comfort of their own home? Why do they come year after year?
For one weekend football fans got to root for their teams again. They get to play GM, and pray to the football gods that the next Tom Brady drops to their team in the 6<SUP>th</SUP> round. The crowd cheers and boos their team’s picks, waiting for hours to hear the commissioner read the name of some 22 year old kid. Of course the spectacle is great theater. Like a mystery that unfolds before your eyes. Where will Brady Quinn end up? Will the Bills fill the gaping holes in their lineup, or will the Bills faithful have that faith tested yet one more time. Watching Patrick Willis drop to one pick away was such a tease. The Bills fans gathered in the crowd tried their best to put a positive spin on the selection of Marshawn Lynch (http://www.buffalorange.com/showthread.php?t=95534). Surely the questions of character must not amount to anything if Marv was comfortable with him. Of course most in the crowd knew his 40 time and his rushing stats at California, but who there could honestly be a judge of the man’s character by reading a blurb in a draft publication. In some cases the explanation of his “poor” character was reduced to a cartoon of a devilish character sticking his tongue out next to his height, weight and 40 time.
After the selection, Bills fans wandered the hallways, looking to each other for hope that a linebacker would drop to them in the second round. Pick after pick, the crowd thinned. Brady Quinn's saga kept the interest level high as he sunk lower and lower in his chair hour after hour. Mercifully Commissioner Goodell provided a private room for him to sit and wait to learn his draft day fate. The Commissioner worked the crowd between picks. Signing autographs and spending time with the fans, even if it meant he was late to the podium a few times. After the Jets and Giants first round picks the crowd thinned out even further. Suddenly the VIP seats, which meant you got to sit in the back of the historic Radio City auditorium behind the NFL network and ESPN stages, with an even more obstructed view of the stage, opened up to the diehards. Finally, after Quinn was picked by his home town team, he went from stage set to stage set doing interviews. A small crowd formed and the Brown's faithful clamored hoping for an autograph after he finished his interview. They waited in the same spot that the commissioner repeatedly mingled with the crowd only to be disappointed as Quinn, who said all the right things on the set, blew by them with a quick high five or two.
Meanwhile the Bills faithful stayed as if expecting something dramatic. Knowing there was unfinished business and hoping that Paul Posluszny (http://www.buffalorange.com/showthread.php?t=95127), Jon Beason or David Harris would somehow drop to the second round. Then Beason went and the tension mounted. The Bills faithful were restless, trips to the restroom and concession stands became more and more frequent. As they passed each other in the halls they could do nothing but shrug. Surely Poz or Harris would go to the Giants, or Patriots. When the Patriots traded back, there was hope, until they realized they ended up with the pick right before the Bills second pick. Maybe the Bills will trade up, the crowd began to speculate. What would it cost? Some of the fans were there in 2004 when the Bills made the move up for Losman. A stunning move that cost multiple picks, including the 2005 1<SUP>st</SUP> rounder. Some others were there last year when the Bills made the move up for McCargo. Somehow, when Commissioner Goodell announced to the crowd that they were part of NFL history having witnessed the longest first round ever, Paul Posluszny was still on the board. Bills fans, who understand about disappointed better than any other fans in the league began to prepare themselves for yet another disappointment. Another walk to the concession stand was in order to give them strength to wait out the 1 ½ hours or so it would take before they were on the clock again.
Then it happened. There was a rush back to the auditorium as a trade was announced. From every corner you could hear fans saying Poz. When the announcement was made a roar filled the vaulted ceilings. Bills fans were united in their overwhelming excitement. Radio City, no New York belonged to them, now at least for this moment. Those that said he was too slow to play the cover two, or wasn’t the same player after busting up his knee, no longer cared to hear about the negatives. Buffalo had its Linebacker. The Wizard of Poz was a Bill and they were there to see it happen. Marv is god talk was the buzz. Every single Bills fan in attendance was literally jumping in their seats. The room was electric. Poz is an old school linebacker that was seemingly sent to Buffalo straight out of Hollywood central casting. No, not even Hollywood could come up with a better profile for a LB.
Father and son share a high five and suddenly it all made sense. The hours in line, the weeks reading and studying highlight clips and posting on fan internet message boards like the Buffalo Range War Room. We were there from the start. A career launched before our eyes. Every tackle, every yard gained, hopefully will get the Bills closer to that elusive championship and we’ll watch from draft to the day the Bills finally raise the Lombardi trophy. From Marv and Ralph to Marshawn and Poz to father and son in the crowd, we will watch and hope and pray that the day finally comes and that we get to celebrate together again. Sports are a great unifier of community and family. Weather you were in that room, or watching from your living room, you felt the excitement of the moment. Like Andy wrote to Red in the movie the Shawshank Redemption, “Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.” Draft day is a day of hope shared by family and friends, and that is a very good thing in deed.
Thousands lined up on the streets of New York at the crack of dawn. They came from Philadelphia, Boston, Oakland, Miami, Buffalo and every other corner of the country. For some the trek to New York for the draft is like a pilgrimage, the NFL’s answer to Woodstock. What is it that draws them all? Many get turned away. Those fortunate enough to score a ticket get to lineup for hours more before the doors open, only to be herded in to seats so far from the stage they end up watching the events on TV’s and forced to listen on small fm radios. Couldn’t they watch it from the comfort of their own home? Why do they come year after year?
For one weekend football fans got to root for their teams again. They get to play GM, and pray to the football gods that the next Tom Brady drops to their team in the 6<SUP>th</SUP> round. The crowd cheers and boos their team’s picks, waiting for hours to hear the commissioner read the name of some 22 year old kid. Of course the spectacle is great theater. Like a mystery that unfolds before your eyes. Where will Brady Quinn end up? Will the Bills fill the gaping holes in their lineup, or will the Bills faithful have that faith tested yet one more time. Watching Patrick Willis drop to one pick away was such a tease. The Bills fans gathered in the crowd tried their best to put a positive spin on the selection of Marshawn Lynch (http://www.buffalorange.com/showthread.php?t=95534). Surely the questions of character must not amount to anything if Marv was comfortable with him. Of course most in the crowd knew his 40 time and his rushing stats at California, but who there could honestly be a judge of the man’s character by reading a blurb in a draft publication. In some cases the explanation of his “poor” character was reduced to a cartoon of a devilish character sticking his tongue out next to his height, weight and 40 time.
After the selection, Bills fans wandered the hallways, looking to each other for hope that a linebacker would drop to them in the second round. Pick after pick, the crowd thinned. Brady Quinn's saga kept the interest level high as he sunk lower and lower in his chair hour after hour. Mercifully Commissioner Goodell provided a private room for him to sit and wait to learn his draft day fate. The Commissioner worked the crowd between picks. Signing autographs and spending time with the fans, even if it meant he was late to the podium a few times. After the Jets and Giants first round picks the crowd thinned out even further. Suddenly the VIP seats, which meant you got to sit in the back of the historic Radio City auditorium behind the NFL network and ESPN stages, with an even more obstructed view of the stage, opened up to the diehards. Finally, after Quinn was picked by his home town team, he went from stage set to stage set doing interviews. A small crowd formed and the Brown's faithful clamored hoping for an autograph after he finished his interview. They waited in the same spot that the commissioner repeatedly mingled with the crowd only to be disappointed as Quinn, who said all the right things on the set, blew by them with a quick high five or two.
Meanwhile the Bills faithful stayed as if expecting something dramatic. Knowing there was unfinished business and hoping that Paul Posluszny (http://www.buffalorange.com/showthread.php?t=95127), Jon Beason or David Harris would somehow drop to the second round. Then Beason went and the tension mounted. The Bills faithful were restless, trips to the restroom and concession stands became more and more frequent. As they passed each other in the halls they could do nothing but shrug. Surely Poz or Harris would go to the Giants, or Patriots. When the Patriots traded back, there was hope, until they realized they ended up with the pick right before the Bills second pick. Maybe the Bills will trade up, the crowd began to speculate. What would it cost? Some of the fans were there in 2004 when the Bills made the move up for Losman. A stunning move that cost multiple picks, including the 2005 1<SUP>st</SUP> rounder. Some others were there last year when the Bills made the move up for McCargo. Somehow, when Commissioner Goodell announced to the crowd that they were part of NFL history having witnessed the longest first round ever, Paul Posluszny was still on the board. Bills fans, who understand about disappointed better than any other fans in the league began to prepare themselves for yet another disappointment. Another walk to the concession stand was in order to give them strength to wait out the 1 ½ hours or so it would take before they were on the clock again.
Then it happened. There was a rush back to the auditorium as a trade was announced. From every corner you could hear fans saying Poz. When the announcement was made a roar filled the vaulted ceilings. Bills fans were united in their overwhelming excitement. Radio City, no New York belonged to them, now at least for this moment. Those that said he was too slow to play the cover two, or wasn’t the same player after busting up his knee, no longer cared to hear about the negatives. Buffalo had its Linebacker. The Wizard of Poz was a Bill and they were there to see it happen. Marv is god talk was the buzz. Every single Bills fan in attendance was literally jumping in their seats. The room was electric. Poz is an old school linebacker that was seemingly sent to Buffalo straight out of Hollywood central casting. No, not even Hollywood could come up with a better profile for a LB.
Father and son share a high five and suddenly it all made sense. The hours in line, the weeks reading and studying highlight clips and posting on fan internet message boards like the Buffalo Range War Room. We were there from the start. A career launched before our eyes. Every tackle, every yard gained, hopefully will get the Bills closer to that elusive championship and we’ll watch from draft to the day the Bills finally raise the Lombardi trophy. From Marv and Ralph to Marshawn and Poz to father and son in the crowd, we will watch and hope and pray that the day finally comes and that we get to celebrate together again. Sports are a great unifier of community and family. Weather you were in that room, or watching from your living room, you felt the excitement of the moment. Like Andy wrote to Red in the movie the Shawshank Redemption, “Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.” Draft day is a day of hope shared by family and friends, and that is a very good thing in deed.