41 Million reasons to dislike the NFL Draft

It seems most football fans will be glued to their TV's this afternoon as the NFL holds its ridiculously long Entry Draft. Only the NFL could make the first round last four hours!!! But I'm not here to talk about the draft length...

Fresh off becoming just the second team in NFL history to finish a season without a single win, the Detroit Lions are on a mission to turn their franchise around. It started with the unveiling of a new logo (the lion apparently looks scarier).












And now with the first overall pick in the 2009 NFL Entry Draft, the Detroit Lions will select QB Matthew Stafford from the University of Georgia. It's a good pick but it's the contract that they gave him that both boggles my mind and makes the NFL Draft look ridiculous.

The Lions have signed Stafford to a six year deal worth $78 Million, with $41.7 Million GUARENTEED!!!

Are you kidding me?!?!?!?

This kid has never played a single down of NFL Football and he's guarenteed $41.7 Million! Who's to say that he doesn't become the next "Ryan Leaf"? Who's to say he just doesn't mesh with the Lions offensive system?

I realize there's a ton of potential associated with the kid but at what point does the NFL step in and tell teams that enough is enough? You can't be giving kids straight out of college this amount of money if they haven't earned it. And yes, if he turns out to be the second coming of Joe Montana, the Lions will look smart but it's the Detroit Lions we're talking about here, I'm sure they'll find a way to screw this up.

I'm not one to give credit to NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman but he deserves a standing ovation for the agreement he put in place with the NHLPA during the lockout. Entry Level Contracts for all rookies - 3 years with a maximum of $750,000 per season. Then, if you've proven that you can play with the big boys and are deserving of a big contract you will be rewarded.

Alexander Ovechkin is a prime example. Just as his 3-year entry level contract was expiring, he signed a 13-year extension worth $124 Million. That's a hell of a lot of money but he's proven that he deserves every last penny of it.

With the NFL's CBA about to expire, this would be a great time for the league and players association to sit down and put an end to this nonsense. Have players go out and prove their worth and while you're at it, look into the length of the draft as well. Four hours for 32 picks... I'm sorry, I've got better things to do.

And on that note, TSN will broadcast the first two rounds of the CFL's College Draft a week from today at 9am MST. A number of Saskatchewan Huskies are eligible to be drafted including Scott McHenry.