He Chooses Kids’ Hoops Over Men’s Hoopla

One fan’s ecstasy is another’s misery. And if you’re tired of the hype that accompanies the NFL draft, you’re not alone. The Orlando Sentinel’s Mike Bianchi eschewed the draft to attend his daughter’s basketball game at the YMCA.

“I feel so ashamed,” Bianchi wrote. “Where have my priorities and values gone? How could I have wasted time watching a little girl play a meaningless game when I could have spent it watching grown men getting picked to play a meaningless game?”

He continued, “Of course, I’m kidding. There was really no decision to be made. It came down to this: Either do something worthwhile in your life, or sit and watch the biggest sporting scam in television history.”

More Bianchi: The columnist also was taken aback by the pouting acts pulled by Archie and Eli Manning after the San Diego Chargers selected the Mississippi quarterback with the top pick.

When his rights were traded to the New York Giants, however, their frowns turned upside down, prompting Bianchi to imagine the younger Manning singing at the lectern, Giant jersey in hand: “My daddy helps me when I’m sick, my daddy helps me when I’m blue, my daddy helps me when I’m sad, thank you, Daddy, I love you.”

Trivia time: Before the Mannings (Archie was selected No. 2 in 1971 and older son Peyton No. 1 in 1998), what was the most recent father-son combination to share the distinction of being first-round draft picks?

Distracted: With the Yankees in the throes of a home sweep by the Boston Red Sox, the New York tabloids turned their lonely eyes to Manning. “E’s the Mann!” the Daily News gloated, while the usually over-the-top New York Post played it more subdued with, “Air Eli.”

Missing man: According to the Tampa Tribune’s Joey Johnston, Saturday should have belonged to former USC receiver Mike Williams, whose early entry to the draft was blocked by a court ruling.

“Williams didn’t initiate the lawsuit,” Johnston wrote. “He followed the new rules, with no indication that the NFL’s appeal would be heard before the draft, and now he’s being penalized.... Williams did what he thought was right under the circumstances. Then the circumstances changed.

“On a draft day when a record seven receivers were taken in the first round, when he could’ve been the centerpiece, he was the forgotten story.”

Looking back: On this date in 1941, the Chicago Cubs became the first major league team to have a ballpark organist.

Trivia answer: Steve and Keith DeLong. Steve was a tackle drafted No. 6 by Chicago in 1965, and Keith was a linebacker picked No. 28 by San Francisco in 1989.

And finally: Local broadcaster Alan Massengale sees no reason to criticize the Mannings for holding their breath until they got their way.

“I can’t really fault Archie Manning for telling the Chargers not to draft his son Eli,” Massengale said.

“Archie spent 11 years with the Saints, and that’s certainly enough suffering for two generations, maybe three.”