Draft Day

It's been just under three months since anything meaningful happened in the NFL. That is unless you count lawsuits and petty squabbles between millionaires and billionaires.

Though the lockout dispute and labor dispute still have yet to be resolved, it was nice to get back to the business of football again last night with the NFL draft. Round one of the draft began last night, with rounds two and three tonight (beginning at 6 p.m. Eastern) and the rest following on Saturday.

I have never really watched the NFL draft. It's exciting to find out who goes where, but it can be a little tedious to sit around and wait for a name to be called. However, with the prospect of a long summer and possibly fall without football, us fans have to cling to whatever morsel is available. For now, that means the NFL draft.

Another reason I was more interested in this draft than most is the fact that my team — the Denver Broncos — were a prominent figure in the draft. After an epic collapse last season, they earned the No. 2 pick. It's the first time I can remember where I actually saw a Broncos' selection in the first 30 minutes of the draft. (In round one each team gets 10 minutes, so it can be a lengthy affair).

Watching the draft was fascinating for another reason. It's all about hope and anticipation for the players waiting to have their name called. Cam Newton didn't have to wait long, neither did many of the other handful of top prospects at Radio City Music Hall Thursday. But for some, the draft wasn't as kind.

It was fascinating to see the players who expected to go early wait nervously as the draft continued. Then to see the relief break across their faces as the phone rang and they were chosen. For many it's a pure sense of joy at having achieved something they'd only dreamed of to that point.

The draft is a time of promise, excitement, and hope for the future. Let's just hope that that promise gets fulfilled and a labor deal can be worked out in time for the real excitement to begin this fall.

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