I believe that the NFL falls behind the NHL in terms of cool traditions. You can't beat the Stanley Cup with the players names engraved. You certainly can't beat the players spending a day with the Cup. I also like the team handshakes at the end of each playoff series. I can do without the playoff beards unless all the players can grow a beard like the Steelers' Brett Keisel. One NFL tradition that has been in play for about 35 years is the Mr. Irrelevant Award going to the last player selected in the draft. This tradition is a keeper.
Former San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Colts receiver Paul Salata started the tradition in 1976 by announcing the final pick in the draft. During the summer after that draft and every draft since, the new Mr. Irrelevant and his family is invited to spend "Irrelevant Week" in Newport, CA. They enjoy a golf tournament, a regatta and a roast giving advice to the new NFL player. He is then awarded the Lowsman Trophy. The trophy mimics the Heisman, but depicts the player fumbling the football.
Nearly 48 hours after Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton was selected by the Carolina Panthers, DE Cheta Ozougwu of Rice University was the 254th selection by the Houston Texans. It is a tremendous honor to be selected in the draft. Few get even that chance. Mr. Irrelevant has a tough task to make an NFL roster. It's been done, but the odds are long. It's still nice to be the player in the sun for just a little while.
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