As we all sit here waiting for the release of the NFL schedule, something that was naturally put out without fan fair years ago but is now being exploited and slowly dished out over 3-4 days bit by bit.
The NFL is by far the most popular Sport in America. Millions of fans are hooked on their teams as they bring us a sense of pride and joy when they win and shame and anger when they lose. They know they have a grip on us so tight that we foolishly spend hours doing things like watching Young Men in shorts at the annual NFL combine leading up to a now 3 day NFL Draft Event…..
The NFL instituted what is now known as the NFL Draft back in 1934 to allow teams to pick up available players, Philadelphia Eagles co-owner Bert Bell felt that his team was at a disadvantage in signing top players. Without the monetary advantage that other clubs had, the Eagles and other teams with fewer resources had little chance of attracting impact players.
At a 1935 league meeting, Bell proposed that the NFL hold an annual player draft to level the playing field and make sure that every franchise remained financially viable. League owners voted unanimously to adopt his proposal, setting up the inaugural NFL Draft in 1936. A total of 81 players were picked in nine rounds. (see more HERE)
Now we have 3 days of around the clock coverage and there are roughly 400 players drafted each year. Another 300 players are signed as free agents (undrafted college seniors) The Draft is so popular that it is paraded around to just about every city that has a team.
It was a time when I could listen to any game on the radio, now the NFL make you pay to listen to a team not in your market. (Radio or Television!) They rake in Billions upon Billions of dollars every year and we fans can’t get enough! It is a greedy and corrupt organization that harbors some of the worst characters in life from Murderers, Thieves, Abusers, and all the ill elements of our society just as long as they are talented they can do anything…..and get away with it.
The players make more in one year than many of us will in our lifetime and still some of them end up broke and criminals not far after they retire. It us not all gloom and doom as the NFL also sponsor many great events and bring attention to issues in life that need to be addressed.
So, as I wait for the “Full Schedule” release tomorrow I ask who is the blame for all this greed? It is us the fans who spend money on any and everything the NFL will sell us, even that bridge to nowhere or a pot of Gold at the end of the rainbow!
The Dolphin Seer 