Sports

I know most of you won't give a crap about this but I feel like getting it off my chest.  It has to do with Eli Manning and the NFL Draft.  If you dont know what I'm talking about, let me give you a rundown. 

The San Diego Chargers, being the worst team in the NFL (if you dont know what the NFL stands for; stop reading), had the #1 pick in the draft.  With that #1 pick they wanted to draft Eli Manning, the top college quarterback in the country last fall.  A week or so before the draft, Eli, his father, Archie, and his agent informed the Chargers that Eli wouldnt play for them.  Eli wanted to play for the NY Giants, not the Chargers. Eli said he would rather sit out a year and re-enter the draft than play for the Chargers. 

The Giants and Charged tried to get a trade done before the draft but got nothing accomplished.  So this is what happened the Saturday of the draft.  The Chargers drafted Eli.  You should have seen the excitement on his face (sarcasm).  He walked up to the podium to shake the Commisioners hand, actually put on the Chargers jersey and tried, let me repeat TRIED, to smile for the cameras.  It was awful.  He was getting booed and the NY fans in attendance were screaming at the top of their lungs "ELI SUCKS, ELI SUCKS!!!"  It was kind of funny actually. 

About an hour later or so, the Giants drafted Philip Rivers, who the Chargers liked along with Manning.  The Giants still wanted Manning and a trade happened.  The Chargers got a bunch of draft picks and Rivers in exchange for Manning.  Everything is peachy-keen.  Well not quite. 

People are furious.  Fans and writers especially.  What gives Eli the right to choose what team he plays for?  I am upset because I feel if the Chargers have the #1 pick in the draft they should be able to draft the best player in the country.  Well they did that but he said no thanks, i want to play for somebody else.  This has happened a couple other times in the NFL over the years.  John Elway was drafted and didnt want to play for the Cleveland Browns in the 80's and same with Bo Jackson.  They both sat out a year instead of playing for the teams that drafted them.  In their cases though, they both had baseball to back them up.  Manning does not....so if he were to have stayed with the Chargers it would have been fun to see what would have happened.  Would he actually have sat out a whole year instead of playing for the Chargers?  Would it really have been that bad?  SD is beautiful.  The temp is always in the 80's.  NY?  Lets see what Eli thinks about NYC in December when he's shoveling 15 inches out from the door of his condo. 

My brother made a good point though.  Lets say his son was the best computer programmer at MIT and there was a 'draft' for programmers.  Would he really want to go to some crappy computer company if Microsoft was offering him a top job?  I understand that but that makes it look like we shouldnt have an NFL Draft at all then.  I still go back to my point that if the #1 team in the draft wants you to play for them and chooses you, you PLAY FOR THEM. 

Im off my soapbox for the night.  Just wanted to get that off my head.  I have a suggestion by the way.  Im sure nobody will leave a comment but I would like ideas on what my top 8 lists should be.  I can come up with them but I thought it would be fun for other people to give me ideas instead.  And the list tonight is.....

My Top 8 Concerts:

1. U2 in Madison...seen them a few times and they are amazing.

2. Sting in Chicago.  Live show last October, front row, incredible.

3. Dave Matthews Band...any location, any time dave is great.

4. Sugar Ray, Summerfest, 2002.  great energetic show.

5. Foo Fighters & Red Hot Chili Peppers...Milw a few years back.  foo fighters opened up but i thought they were better than the peppers.. 

6. John Mayer, Chicago, Nov 2002...i saw him the night before in madison and the crowd was not really into it.  chicago fans were much much better.  so much for general admission mayer concerts...those are a thing of the past.

7. Phil Collins...back when he was actually cool.  i was a fan, i'll admit it.

8. Club MTV tour....Milli Vanilli, Paula Abdul, etc...hosted by Downtown Julie Brown....i wasnt going to put this up, but come on, how can you pass this up?  its history.  milli vanilli ruled.