NEW YORK -- I heard my badge gets me anywhere in the building. So I just decided to try it out.
With the draft about to start, I climbed a small step ladder on to the stage behind Michael Lombardi and Jason Lombardi, ducked behind the stage, and found an open curtain with a security guard next to it.
"Can I ..."
(They nodded.)
Immediately after walking in, I noticed Lane Kiffin. His back was to Nick Saban, who was chatting up the Kalil brothers.
Most of the 26 families in the room looked extremely nervous, especially the mothers. Justin Blackmon watched on TV as Mike Mayock explained there are only six elite players in this draft. Blackmon was the sixth one mentioned. When he heard his name, he exhaled.
It is a night of celebration for these families, but it is also a night of great anxiety. Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III have known where they are headed for a while. For the rest of the players, this can be an excruciating experience until the moment they hear their name.
