I would like to share some experiences from being at the Draft. Since I am a fan, not a professional writer, there are some things I experienced that I would like to hear about, like whether certain writers are good people or jerks. I said this earlier, but there is not that big of a difference between being at the Draft and watching it on tv. The feeds from ESPN and NFL Network on on big screens there so you find out who the picks are at the same time as those at home.
There are things like hearing rumors writers were unable to substantiate before the Draft but seemed to be playing out. One writer commented he heard something about Gabe Carimi's knee that was scaring teams. Being near insiders like that was cool since I could pass it along.
I met a few people, all of whom seem like good people. Tony Pauline and Don Banks of SI sat in front of us. They are both cool guys. They reminded me of a couple of friends who kick back and enjoy games on Sunday. I didn't chat much with them, but every now and then they would look back and crack a joke.
I also met Jane McManus. I only chatted shortly with her and told her I admire her work. She seemed very nice. I did not meet Mike Florio, but a few people I spoke with talked about how he was a genuinely good guy. I guess maybe I'll tone down the vitriol a bit when I attack him for going off the deep end.
The guy I spoke with most was Matthew Weiss of Sports Fan Live, another good guy.
The funniest sequence you could not see at home was a five minute window where this girl from the stands sitting in front of the ESPN stage kept screaming at Jon Gruden asking for his number, eliciting jokes of, "Let me tell you something about this girl right here. This girl is one of the five most attractive women at the National Football League Draft." This went on, at which point the Raiders picked the guy with the fastest time at the Combine.
Anyway, that's a small glimpse of life behind the scenes. In conclusion, it's cool to be there, but you aren't missing much from the comfort of your home.