Red rides the waves: Mr. Irrelevant shows out at surf lesson
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Members of the Mr. Irrelevant family, a celebratory and exclusive club of last picks in the NFL draft, learn quickly how in demand they are upon arrival in Newport Beach.
Khalil “Red” Murdock, who became the latest Mr. Irrelevant when the Denver Broncos selected him 257th overall in April, had the full attention of the room at the Lowsman Banquet on Wednesday.
After serving as the guest of honor for a waterfront dinner at Cannery Seafood of the Pacific, Murdock rose early on Thursday to take a plunge in the Pacific Ocean.
Murdock, a 6-foot-1, 232-pound linebacker from Petersburg, Va., got his introduction to surfing, and he handled himself better than most who have participated in the traditional lesson as part of Irrelevant Week.
Peter “PT” Townend, a world champion surfer from Australia, has flipped the scorecards in evaluating each of the wave-riding efforts of the honorees for the past five years. Murdock gained his approval, eventually earning a “7,” the highest grade he has issued in his time as the judge.
“When he took off, he wasn’t taking off in the white water and going straight,” Townend said of Murdock. “He took off on the face of the wave. The wave was standing up, which is what you normally do if you’re a surfer. That’s the kind of wave you’re looking for.”
The lesson took place at 30th Street beach. It was a cool, cloudy morning — with cooler water — but Murdock continued to climb up on the board until he got the hang of it.
“It was pretty exciting,” said Murdock, who played collegiately for the University at Buffalo. “The competitive person I am made me a little frustrated that I didn’t get up on the board as often as I [wanted to], but I enjoyed it.”
Murdock wasn’t necessarily itching to go surfing again, particularly in open water, but he said it was “cool” to try it for the first time. He expressed appreciation for the instructor, whom he said had “great insight on surfing and on life.”
Irrelevant Week continued in full swing on Friday, with the 51st Mr. Irrelevant visiting Disneyland. He was scheduled to watch a baseball game between the visiting Athletics and the Angels later in the evening.
“I really enjoyed Disneyland,” Murdock added. “Love going on the rides. Having a great time.”
The festivities will come to a close with “Red’s Newport Takeover” on Saturday. Mr. Irrelevant will make several stops around the Newport Peninsula, including Baja Sharkeez at 3 p.m., Stag Bar + Kitchen at 4:30 p.m., 22nd Street Pizza at 6 p.m., and Mutt Lynch’s at 6:30 p.m.
