MVN: Most Valuable Network

From February 21 to 27, the 2007 Draft hopefuls will gather at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, Indiana to showcase their speed, intelligence, strength, and agility as part of the NFL Scouting Combine. For that week, their accomplishments on the college gridiron will be overshadowed by their answers to the Wonderlic Exam and 40 time.

During this week the hype machine will step into overdrive for many players as they post career bests in the 40 yard dash. That is one event that can send the potential draftees soaring up draft boards as it did for Fabian Washington in 2005 or send them plummeting out of the big money picks as it did for Maurice Clarett.

This hype fest is going to receive wall to wall coverage once again by the NFL Network. No stone will be unturned as the players go though the 'bod pod' where their body mass index will be calculated to a decimal place somewhere further than pi has been established. The NFL Network cameras will examine the players being measured and weighed. the eye in the sky will be showing the players going though their workouts and drills. Each moment creating a wave of buzz that will either help or harm that players standing on the draft boards.

During this week, they cease to be people. They are looked at as a commodity. It is how I would picture a 19th century slave auction. It is all about their 'measurables' such as speed and strength, with their actual accomplishments and intangibles forgotten.

Most of the top first round hopefuls show up to be measured and weighed, but skip out on this circus and hold their own 'pro day' workout where they can control the buzz factor. I do not blame them for this one bit. A bad 40 time could send their stock falling, so it is better for them to run it on a familiar surface.

It seems ridiculous to me how much emphasis is placed on this one workout. I would think that the body of work a player had in college would mean more than how fast they could run 4o yards one one particular day in Indianapolis.

Of course, despite my feelings about the combine, I will be reporting news from the combine as I hear it, as it will likely affect many draft boards possibly including the Oakland Raiders boards. I have not heard whether JaMarcus Russell, Brady Quinn, Adrian Peterson, Calvin Johnson, Marshawn Lynch, Joe Thomas, or any of the other potential Raider picks will perform at the combine or have their own pro days. As I find things out, I will let you know.