1983 is universally considered the best draft year for quarterbacks of all time. Hall of Famers, John Elway, Dan Marino, and Jim Kelly were only three of six quarterbacks drafted in the first round that year. Some experts believe 2017 could rival that year with as many as five QB’s taken in the first round. Expect UCLA’s Josh Rosen and USC’s Sam Darnold to top the list of many NFL scouts this year, followed by 2016 Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson and Wyoming’s Brett Farve clone, Josh Allen. I love college football but am particularly interested in who from this class rises to the top. Expect the LA Chargers to select one of these potential stars to be the heir apparent to the great Philip Rivers, who wasted his brilliant career playing for the galactically incompetent Spanos family.
I once read that sports are a universal language. Regardless of ethnicity or what language you speak, almost everyone speaks sports. No place has that been more evident than the Olympics, where every four years, we are moved by images of athletic rivals from around the world shaking hands and embracing each other in moving displays of sportsmanship.
The NFL markets its brand as well as any enterprise in the world. I heard a comedian once say that the NFL is so popular, it has its own day. NFL football is huge. Each NFL franchise brings in approximately $400M a year in revenue; almost double the annual revenue of NBA teams and 2 ½ times as much as MLB clubs.