Draft Day Hype

This excerpt is taken from a great article in the New York Times:

So much happened during the spin cycle from January to April, yet none of it seemed to matter for quarterback Vince Young...

All it takes to change the perception of a player is a good time in the 40-yard dash or a bad score on an aptitude exam, whispers of a dazzling workout in front of scouts or damaging gossip floated by someone with an agenda. At stake are millions of dollars in contracts and, possibly, the long-range championship aspirations of franchises.

In the end, the biggest draft question is not just who will be chosen by whom. It is also whether the preceding buzz really matters, or whether the past few months have been little more than an alluring sideshow for the news media and fans.

"You focus nothing on the media coverage of the ups and downs," Texans General Manager Charley Casserly said in a telephone interview. "You make your own evaluation. It's totally ignored."