Extending the draft over so many days is nothing but a prostitution by the league for ratings and nothing else matters; apparently not the diehard fans of old who grew up with this stuff who planned Saturday draft parties, had family/friends over, just a big ole shindig to celebrate a promising new season. So many good memories were made by NFL fans then. "IF only they pick 'so-and-so'; watching the Jets/Giants fans (when the draft was held primarily in NY) absolutely lose their heads when their team picked someone other than who they wanted (Kyle Brady, we're looking at you). Watching Mel Kiper, Jr. lose it when a team picks a guy (Burress) over his guy (Pennington).... priceless stuff. Before YouTube and the availability of video highlights of every schlub who ever donned a football helmet, we had to wait deep into the draft (4th round and on) to see video clips of players we picked when we knew very little about them.
Now, in the Goodell era, so much has changed (by the way, I do enjoy hearing a cascade of 'booos" raining down on him as he approaches the podium....). Changing the draft format. Interjecting politics (Michael Sam and his being drafted was a trend-setting, monumental moment in sports, they would have you believe).
Fitting that it's being held in Nashville, the bed of country music and the split between classic country diehards (fans of Cash, Haggard, Jennings...) and this new country/pop crap being pushed on radio. All in the name of progress, I guess... damn the traditions.