3 days and 7 hours of sleep later, I was on a irregularly packed 9:00 AM Amtrak train back to Providence, Rhode Island this past Sunday. I looked less than fantastic and I was EXHAUSTED. There was so much more involved with this trip besides the Draft. I was making a stop at to see one of my best friends from college and another stop in Brooklyn to celebrate a dear friend of mine’s birthday. This wasn’t the calmest weekend but it has definitely been one of my best this year so far.
Just like the old days at JWU
DAY 1.
Made it on an early train to New York City. I tried to get some sleep the night before but I failed miserably. Calm me crazy but I was psyching myself out for the fun filled weekend ahead. While I was at the station, an old, angry man looked at me and scoffed as he informed me to “Put on more clothes!” (Note, I was wearing a tank top, jeans and flip flops.) The weather was nice enough and I’d like to think it was pretty conservative. I’m not one to judge and I’m usually really good with the elderly, but this man had no authority to scold over my wardrobe decision. He was sporting some John Stockton shorts circa 1990′s. If you aren’t sure which shorts I’m speaking of, it’s these:
Who wears short shorts?
Ah, the old school NBA uniforms are always a fun flashback. So Old Man Rivers (Erica’s term) was sporting those shorts with a wicked tight shirt. And he was judging me? Oi vey.
Other than that, the first day was relatively calm. Had a fantastic lunch at the Tick Tock Diner with Carlos and Eric where we caught up on some news and gossip. From there, I took a train to Bayonne, New Jersey to spend the evening with Erica and Anthony. Best part was as soon as we got to Anthony’s apartment, we both claimed a couch, flipped on the Draft and watched the rest of the Day 2. It was amazing, we chatted about who got what and I even taught him a few things about blogging and twitter. Later in the evening and after the Patriots picked up a total 2 more Florida players, my editor at Patriots Insider suggested I try to write up a quick piece on the Florida team and their success so far in the 2010 Draft. Of course, I said yes.
Kisha’s Korner: Florida’s Freshly Picked
You know the drill, read it and let me know your thoughts. Keep in mind, this was written BEFORE we signed TE Aaron Hernandez…which I couldn’t really predict. 
DAY 2: The NFL Draft
I made it!
It was insane, I had about 4 hours of sleep and I was in front of Radio City Music Hall by 8:00 AM. I was exhausted and sleepy and not to mention, a little cold. But man, was I excited as hell to be there. Day 3 is not nearly as hyped or glamorous as the Day 1. Deion Sanders wasn’t there to interview players arriving in limos in Armani suits. Instead, there was a dedicated group of fans waiting in line and excited to just be able to attend. I was one of these fans.
I went with the throwback Wes Welker jersey because it showed class and just pure awesomeness. Needless to say, I was one of three people sporting the exact same jersey. Not bad considering there a couple hundred fans in attendance. As the 4th round got started, my phone decided to the break so I was completely twitter-less during the entirety of the Draft. It was terrible.
Without a phone, I was able to focus on the Draft and did some exploring of Radio City Music Hall. I took some kickass pictures with the Lombardi Trophy and Super Bowl rings. 
They has security detail on it and everything, I think they heard my idea to steal it and make it the centerpiece in my living room. Oh well.
I’ve decided that the NFL Draft is the ultimate test in my future relationship. My logic makes sense I promise. I figure, if I can sit with a guy for up to 8 hours with not much entertainment it might be true love. Honestly, if you aren’t a massive football/rookie fan like myself, those hours drag on longer and longer.
One of the best parts of the Draft experience was being able to see Rich Eisen, Mel Kiper Jr., Todd McShay, Adam Schefter and Mort in person. The truth is Adam really does update his twitter himself! I have proof. I thought this was pretty freakin’ cool.
Workin' hard!
So a message to my future boyfriend or husband, I hope you like football as much as I do..or at least don’t mind sitting in Radio City Music Hall for a few hours watching me analyze each of the Patriots’ picks. Don’t say you weren’t warned.
Overall I was pretty happy with the Patriots’ 2010 picks. The tight end issue was addressed and it was good see them pick some players that could make an impact rather quickly. One of my favorite picks? Michigan punter Zoltan Mesko. Besides having one of the coolest names in the entire league, Mesko’s story is a really good one (I liked this from The Boston Globe). Drafted 150th overall by the Patriots and originally from Romania, this guy is bound to have an obscure following. I’m already a fan of him. I think I’m just a general fan of the Special Teams department because of the fact that they’re overlooked until the kicker misses or if the long snapper messes up. The fact that they aren’t the most glamorous or over-hyped bunch of guys makes them just that much more interesting to me. 
Overall, my Draft experience was an epic one. I actually have a bunch more pictures that need to be posted. I think putting them in an album in the photos area of NR might be the easiest way. Make sure to check them out, I have a picture getting drafted and standing at the podium and also a pretty fancy picture with the Jets Flight Crew. I want to say thanks to Anthony (Erica’s awesome boyfriend) for taking me to the NFL Draft. It was, by far, the coolest experiences I’ve had as a sports fan.
BLOGAPALOOZA IS HERE!
So I know I’ve talked about this event before but I think it’s worth mentioning AGAIN. This Sunday, May 2nd is The Boston Sports Blogapalooza at The Baseball Tavern in Boston. I will be attending with some awesome friends and it’s looking to be a pretty awesome event.
There are some pretty cool people/bloggers attending and it’s a must-go-to event for ANYONE that’s a Boston sports fan. It’s free and you’ll get a chance to mingle, have some beers, eat some food and listen to some great music. They also have a raffles and silent auction going on. If you want to hang out and talk some sports with some of the people that know it best..come out on Sunday!
Here’s the site for more information! Don’t forget to RSVP too!
Did I mention that NESN and “Dirty Water” will be there to film for a few hours? YEAH. It’s that serious.
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