First Draft You Watched

[flraven]

I think I watched the beginning of the '83 draft to see the Baltimore Colts draft John Elway. Horseface immediately announced he wouldn't play for Kush or Irsay and sealed the fate of our football team. All 3 characters are tremendous POS's in my book.

The first draft I really paid attention to was '96 - one of the best of all time.

Same here, although I didn't see the 83 draft, I believe I was still overseas in the Navy. I watched the '96 draft and JO getting that generic looking BALTIMORE RAVENS t-shirt because the uniform hadn't been settled as of then.

[ravensnhokies]

I watched the 83 draft on ESPN....Parents just got Caltec Cablevision with that long wired remote dial...

Being more of a baseball fan at the time (probably b/c the Os were great and the Colts sucked), I remember being pissed off with the Yankees trying to woo him. I remember some footage of Elway and his dad Jack at night...

Draft was on Tuesdays during the day back them.

[myfavoriteboxer]

2002 ... Eddddd Reeeeeeeeeed!

[nickp]

For me it was the 2000 draft Tom Brady's name being called up with the number 199 overall pick

[GaTechRavens]

Duane Starks isn't getting enough love in this thread. The dude went apecrap in the playoffs in 2000.

For me, it was the PsiNet Stadium board in 2000. Great year in general, but the draft was fun too since we had two top 10 picks. A bunch of the kids did a bunch of drills on the field. I remember being there, trying to throw the ball with a broken arm, then switching to throwing it left-hande.

[AirFlacco]

I'm the oldest fan on the board who has been following Baltimore football the longest
attending games back to the early 50s but I don't remember them being on TV before 84 when the Colts left. I don't think ESPN was around yet or they were just starting. They said Thursday that Mel was starting his 29th year with them.

I do remember reading the papers about a young Mel Kiper making draft predictions
and getting most of them right. Ernie Accorsi, the Colts GM and the guy who brought
Bellicheat into the pro game as a film break down man, was impressed with Mel and
bought his publication and promoted him. He had something to do with Mel getting
his gig with espn.

The draft was held in a big hotel in San Francisco or NY in the old days. I remember
the 49ers wanted to make a trade with the Colts so they just walked over to their
table and made the trade. There were only 12 teams that met in the ball room
of a hotel. They didn't even use phones then. I forget the guy but they pulled a fast one on Weeb.

Anyway, the first draft I watched on TV is the Ravens first one. I was at the Sheraton with
my nephews. There were thousands of fans waiting in line trying to get in.

The crowd booed Ozzie when he took JOnathan Ogden. I laughed because everyone
want Lawrence Phillips who came as advertized and ended up back in jail and out of
football-lol.

Then Ozzie got Ray and the rest is history but that is the first draft I watched. After
that one they moved the draft party to the stadium because there were so many
fans that couldn't get in the Sheraton.

I was there yelling and screaming with Fred Grau when we drafted Boller-lol. I
remember Topper K of this board saying just because a guy can throw a ball thru
the goal posts on one knee from mid field doesn't mean he can play football.

Man was he right. ILMAO.