COMBINE MADNESS

There is such a thirst for football that the NFL has missed a great opportunity. It could commission production of a beer called NFL Draft.

The draft was once a dreary and boring day-long affair held in a New York City hotel. No TV coverage. All 12 rounds conducted on a Tuesday, starting at 8:30 a.m.

The draft is now shorter and longer. It has fewer rounds, but as a TV product is a stunning attraction that extends over three days. This year it leaves NYC for Chicago (April 30-May 2).

As a prelude to the restocking of rosters through the draft, the NFL holds a scouting combine in Indianapolis. It concludes on Monday after roughly a week of medical exams, physical testing and psychological probing by the teams of the collegians hopeful of turning pro.

This event also was once a quiet and closed affair. The NFL claimed admittance of media or fans would be a distraction and the confidential information obtained by outsiders would compromise life as we know it.

Hah. The NFL found a way to make money on the combine and opened it up when it formed the NFL Network in 2004. Now the league issues credentials to roughly 2,000 media types and televises the workouts. Want to see a large fellow bench-press 225 pounds 22 times? Want to see a lean and hungry receiver run the 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds? The combine is the place for you.

The show now moves on, to private workouts and campus ‘Pro Day’ extravaganzas, giving players another chance to show their skills and the teams more time to overthink them.

Me? I would like a nice, cold glass of NFL Draft.