Photo from The NFL Draft
Steve (Anheuser-Busch), Me & Colt (BK Miller Meats & Liquors)
The Friday before the draft I received a phone call from Dan Snyder asking me to fly on his private jet to New York City for the 2012 draft. Thanks to my father, I’ve been a Redskins fan my entire life- Mr. Snyder knows my loyalty to the team and with my almost perfect attendance for home games, he knows my dedication to the team too. It was only fitting that he needed me to chaperone one of the most important drafts of his career as the owner of the Washington Redskins. Without hesitation I said Hail Yes!
Okay, Mr. Snyder didn’t really call me… but Anheuser-Busch did and we did fly to NYC on his private jet. Usually one of two things happen when I’m in moving transportation that I’m not driving: I get sick or I fall asleep. My parents would be so proud to know that this was the first flight where I flew as a real adult. Thank you Mr. Snyder, Thank You!
We land and head to the Redskins war room suite. Not the players War Room, but the suite that Denzel Washington filmed American Gangster- where we had dinner and adult beverages. How did I get this lucky again?
A short walk across the street and hello Radio City! Let the 2012 Draft begin!
It was packed with die-hard football fans from face paint and jerseys to suits and ties. I’m still amazed that so many rivals were in the same room and every one was happy. Fan comedians were out in full-force. Goodell was booed every time he walked out, a Dallas Sucks chant broke out and it wasn’t started by the Redskin fans, Jets fans mocking Andrew Luck’s cheesy/dorky smile and still they applauded when the Colts took him as the overall number one draft pick.
But the most important pick of the draft wasn’t the number one pick, but the number two pick: Welcome to Washington Robert Griffin III. RG3 wore burgundy and gold striped socks with a message “Go Catch Your Dream” – ironic, Redskin fans have been dreaming about a franchise QB for a loooooong time. We don’t expect RG3 to win a super bowl this year, but if we can make a playoff appearance this kid might be the savior of the Nation’s Capital.
Besides laughing at fans in the audience, I couldn’t stop noticing how Roger Goodell was embracing the rookie class. There were no half hugs with pats on the back; they were all moments between Goodell and the kid holding the jersey. At one point, I thought I needed a permission slip when the Kansas City Chiefs selected Dontari Poe as the 11th overall pick. The commish and Poe’s face were nose to nose with their eyes closed. Maybe this is a softer side of Goodell or maybe he just wants the new class of NFL players to know he really does care about them.
Believe it or not, but in Washington we care about winning and with the CAPS in the conference semifinals, the Nationals leading the NL East, and now the arrival of RG3; this is a whole new era of Washington sports- it’s time to make history.
THANK YOU Anheuser-Busch for asking me to a part of this experience!