The best thing about the NFL draft

The annual NFL draft is a big deal. Huge. Though the rest of the world and places like Utah, Idaho, Montana, the Dakotas, and a few other areas in the United States (Los Angeles?) couldn't care less, this is life and death stuff to any of the countless millions who have devoted their loyalty to an NFL team. The future success or failure of said franchises might well depend on how wisely they pick on draft day.

Few would doubt all the teams devote massive resources to research before they make their selections. They watch tape, conduct interviews, go to the meat market combine in Indianapolis, and measure every possible parameter, regardless of its relevance. (Does it matter how high a 300 pound offensive tackle can jump?). They'll bring in the potential draftees for further examination and/or workouts, go to their individual "Pro days", do psychological tests and background checks, and then study some more. Yessirree, with apologies to the late Carl Sagan, NFL teams spend BILLIONS and BILLIONS of man hours trying to get this right every year.

But in the end, it's always been, still is, and will forever be a crap shoot. Can't miss future stars -- will. Afterthoughts that nobody paid much initial attention to might wind up Hall of Famers. For every Tom Brady there's a Ryan Leaf and vice versa.

Nonetheless, NFL fans are annually bombarded with pre-draft hype. Beat writers, sports columnists, magazines, talking heads, you name it, there's billions and billions of experts offering up their wisdom on who and why any team should select a certain player. They make lists, right down to the teams, positions, and rounds they will, or should be selected. These people are geniuses with IQs in the billion and billion range. Just ask them, they'll tell you.

And you know what? They never have a clue either how the draft will play out, much less whether the teams drafted wisely or will be shown to be boneheads in the future. Some guys will go on to be stars. Others won't even make the teams. Some "promising" ones will collect a few million bucks on signing bonuses and initial contracts, but turn out to be busts. Still others that went totally undrafted during all seven rounds and 224+ players worth --  might "walk on" and wind up having long careers on various NFL teams. It's happened -- both ways. A lot.

Thankfully, mercifully, the 2015 draft is finally over. Though every one of them and their minions will crow over how they made a "killing" in this draft and got exactly who they wanted, how will the selections of the 32 teams eventually pan out? The obvious answer is -- that remains to be seen. Look back in a couple years and draw your own conclusions.

But the really, really, REALLY best thing about this time of year?

Those super-annoying self-appointed geniuses like Mel Kiper and Todd McShay will go back into hibernation for a while. For weeks we've heard them smugly drone on like they have crystal balls and know EXACTLY how the draft is going to unfold. A bit of irony. If they both know everything, then how come they disagree so often?

While we're at it, good riddance to Jon Gruden and his made-for-TV class sessions with top draft prospects. (You know football. We get that, Chucky. So stop with the stupid interviews and laughable on-field nerf workouts and go get another real football job somewhere. Good grief, you learned at the knee of Mike Holmgren back in Green Bay twenty years ago and went on to win a Super Bowl as the head coach of the Tampa Bay Bucs. Lots of teams would snap you up in a second and offer you millions of bucks to lead their franchises, but you prefer being a Simpson-esque caricature on the 4 letter network? Straighten up, dude.)

So yes, the best thing about the NFL draft is that it's finally over. How do I know this is true?

I can give you BILLIONS and BILLIONS of reasons why.

They're called worthless sound bytes and written words from the "experts", who never had a clue either how it was going to work out this year, much less in the future.

At least for now, we have a little peace and quiet. The pseudo know-it-alls have gone back into hibernation for a while.

This is always a good thing.