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First it was the decision to move the 3rd round from Saturday to Sunday, forever changing the definition of "first-day pick." Now the NFL is damaging the traditions many of us grew up with even further, spreading out what was once a tidy two-day affair into a three-day exercise that now doesn't even include the day most commonly associated with the NFL, Sunday.
Starting next year, the NFL will hold its first round in primetime on Thursday night, its second and third rounds in primetime on Friday night, and rounds four through seven on Saturday. Primetime, of course, is in reference to the times it will air on the East Coast; if you're based on the West Coast, the first overall pick will come at 4:30 in the afternoon on Thursday, while the second round will kick off at 3:30 in the afternoon on Friday -- make plans to leave work early those days if you want at day if you want to catch the selections as they occur.
Maybe my complaining is just because I'm somewhat of a traditionalist, and 5 years from now I'll wonder why they haven't always done the draft at these times. But I for one am going to miss the thrill of waking up on a weekend morning (where it's begun for the last 20-plus years) and knowing I can spend the afternoon watching the top college players selected. Now it'll be a case of trying to zip through dinner and get the kids into bed Thursday and Friday nights, followed by waking up Saturday to anticipate the final four rounds.
You can read all the depressing, Nielsen-ratings driven details right here.
--Andy Richardson
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Posted by ADAM LOCKE | Jul. 24 at 02:53 AM
The Saturday morning draft party will not be the same watching rounds 4-7. A message to the NFL; Change is not always better, or needed!
Posted by Sean Albright | Jul. 24 at 04:09 AM
Also, many teams were doing spring festivals for the first day of the draft, while showing it on their big screens. I suppose those are either going by the wayside, or will be done on day 3 of the draft....sorry, but it's just not the same.