Alternate NFLPA draft event

I'll be watching the Draft, players there or not.

I'll be watching the Draft, players there or not.
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Oh, you gotta have the players there. Watching Brady Quinn cry was hilarious....plus his smokin hot girlfriend......

I guess I thought more people would think this is a great idea….

The NFL only invites 15-20 people, so I guess ive always felt that its not in a rookies best interest to show up in the first place unless a big priority for them is to make a name or brand themselves, in which case I lose respect for the player as a person. Besides the number 1 pick and the player your favorite team drafts the things I always remember most about the “top tier” players invited to the draft are awkward moments. Like when Brady Quinn “slipped” or when Eli Manning didn’t wear San Diego’s hat and forced through a smile. Or when the Texans made a “mistake” not taking Bush. Or when the Eagles drafted McNabb and Eagle fans flipped out. Or when you see the look of embarrassment or uncomfortableness when a player isn’t drafted as high as his agent told him he would be.

To me the NFL is merely using these really young adults who don’t really know a whole lot yet to grow their brand. I enjoy watching the draft its fun but I like watching the highlight film and hearing the commentary from Kipper and all the other guys as time ticks down for the next selection. Imagine if you were going to be one of the top 15 drafted and Mr. Goodell invites you to NY. Would you go? Or would throw a party with all your friends and family, the ones who helped you get to this point in your life, like Sean Taylor (5th overall). Or maybe say no thank you and go fishing with your dad and check the news later like Joe Thomas (3rd overall). I guess you could go to NYC and start selling out before you even sign a contract, I mean you have your brand to work on…..

I don’t think you have to conform to what the NFL or the NFLPA wants from you but I think a player needs to consider that being a top 15 pick creates a lot of issues in the locker room. There’s a good chance he may hold out. He will be one of the highest paid players on the team without proving anything at the pro level. He will have a jersey available for sale and will get a lot more attention than most other players on the team. And if he goes to the NFL sponsored draft he will likely hug and shake hands with a man most players associate with taking away their livelihoods. In my opinion its nice the NFLPA is offering an alternative to the players that have to have the cameras on them from day one.

They need to leave the rookies out of this fight. This is the day they've worked their whole lives for and to take it away is just stupid and disrespectful. If they want these rookies on their side, this is not a good first impression.

The "alternate" event serves no purpose. It's still calling attention to the draft. The only thing it could do is speed up the broadcast since the Commish won't have to hug anyone.

I bet most of the players WILL attend the real draft. They should...it's their moment and they earned it.

question:

If the players charge for their gala, will they show the owners their books?

I know this may sound like a naive comment, but I feel like, why is the NFL going on about business as usual if the next season is up in the air? Personally, I feel like nothing else should be going on until they resolve whether there will be football or not next season.

I really really really dislike demaurice smith................


He's a ****tard, it all went downhill when Upshaw passed

I've got no issues with De Smith but I think this is a bad idea. I'm 100% on the players side on this saga but this this a poor attempt at grandstanding and trying to steal the spotlight from the NFL and the draft process. I'd be pissed if I was an incoming player or the parent of an incoming player and my 'ceremony' is being tainted by the dispute and me facing scorn if I attend. Bad move NFLPA.

Anyone else getting tired of DeMaurice Smith? Personally I knew we were in trouble when he called Collective Bargaining a "war." Seriously he compared negotiating billions of dollars to getting shot at. Now we have this sham of a draft event were the great DeMaurice Smith, the true players advocate, will doll out the hugs in a worn down hotel ball room.

The players clearly hired the wrong guy. Gene Upshaw got the players 60% without shouting and screaming at least in public. Smith on the other hand thinks he can bully 32 guys that can't seem to agree on anything.