What is "Mr. Irrelevant" and who was it?

[Bleeding Orange]

I must preface this question by stating that I could really care less about the NFL, let alone the draft. The only reason I really pay attention to it is to see if any of our Falcons get picked up. But, as I was casually flipping by ESPN throughout the day yesterday I kept hearing the hosts refer to "Mr. Irrelevant" and how I needed to wait to see who it was. I convinced myself that I didn't really care and went back to watching the history channel (*total geek*), but now I find myself curious.

The only explanation that I can come up with is that it refers to the last guy not picked up in the draft. But, it seems to me that there would be no way to know who that might have been. Maybe the last guy taken in the draft? I don't know how that would make him "irrelevant," though? It just sure doesn't sound like a flattering title, and quite frankly sounds downright unnecessarily mean.

If anyone could give me a definition I would appreciate it.

And, if you would permit me to go off on a tangent, what in the heck is wrong with Mel Kiper? He seriously looks like he wakes up in the morning and sticks an air-gun in his hair to blow it up into that ridiculous pompadour he has going on. I mean, if you threw a little powder on that hideous rug and threw him in an ornate 18th century evening coat he wouldn't have much trouble passing as Mozart!

[TG1996]

Its the last guy picked in the draft, in this case some TE from an NAIA school in Iowa (or maybe it was Nebraska). I think one guy started a "tradition" of Mr. Irrelevant, since everyone falls head over heels for the #1 overall pick, he decided to celebrate the last guy taken. That guy gets the royal treatment with a week in his honor in Southern California, including Grand Marshalling a parade at Disneyland.

[Bleeding Orange]

Wow. That was totally not what I was expecting. Actually, its pretty cool! Well, except for the Disney being involved part. Disney is the devil. Kind of like foosball.

Kiper is still a goofy looking jackass!

[Crew Love]

That's part of the story, but not quite all of it. I'll give a little more information and fill in the holes with what I've seen and read...

The guy that you saw announcing the final pick in the draft, and introducing Mr. Irrelevant, is named Paul Salata. Salata was a former collegiate player at USC and is the founder of the award, and the corresponding celebration, aptly named "Irrelevant Week". The whole thing started in 1976, when Salata invited the 487th pick of the draft, Kelvin Kirk of Dayton, to Newport Beach, California. It started as a joke, but Kirk accepted, and participated in several events within the area. The whole thing was so irrelevant that not much was noted of it, but over the past thirty years, the distinction has become what it is today.

Irrelevant Week, gives the last pick in this year's draft, Andy Stokes of William Penn, the oppotunity to go to California and participate in numerous events. Amoung these include a golf tournament, trips and parades at Disney, a regatta race, a trophy ceremony and banquet, and other side trips. A few years ago, Dennis Rodman held a party at his house for Mr. Irrelevant. Irrelevant Week ends with the presenation of the "Lowsman Trophy" (opposite of the Heisman - get it?). The trophy shows a football player in a stance similar to that of the Heisman, but fumbling the football. Instead of celebrating the achievements of Mr. Irrelevant, the banquet is treated similar to a roast, and "non-achievements" are noted.

Basically, Mr. Irrelevant and Irrelevant Week are a way to make the last pick in the NFL draft feel special and less ashamed of his dubious distinction.

[golfertk14]

I believe his name is Andy Stokes, TE out of William Penn.

[Warthog]

I heard a little about the celebration recently, must have been on ESPN. I think it was the the year after Salata started it, two teams actually competed to take the last pick. They each continued to let the time expire on their turn trying to get the other team to make a pick so they could take "Mr.Irrelevant". I think after about an hour, then commissioner Pete Rozelle forced one of the teams to make a pick and then subsequently changed the draft rules so teams wouldn't do that.

Actually, here is the story from ESPN's Page 2:

"The battle for "Mr. Irrelevant"
Since 1976, the last player chosen in the draft – dubbed "Mr. Irrelevant" – has also been the most-feted draft pick. All thanks to Paul Salata, a former Colts receiver who decided to hold a celebration in Newport Beach, Calif., for the last man drafted. In 1976, Kelvin Kirk became the first to be officially celebrated.

The week-long celebration includes a trip to Disneyland, a golf tournament, beach parties, celebs galore and plenty of bikini-clad women. It's a big deal.

And it became a big deal quickly. In 1979, the Steelers had the last pick. The Rams had the next-to-last pick. But the Rams wanted Mr. Irrelevant. They wanted the publicity. They wanted it bad. So they passed and let the Steelers go ahead of them. The Steelers wanted the big, irrelevant party, too, and passed also. Rams' turn. Back and forth it went, with each team refusing to take the next-to-last pick.

Finally, Pete Rozelle put an end to the madness. And he instituted the "Salata Rule," which prohibits teams from passing for the purpose of picking last.

By the way, the Steelers "won" that battle of wills. And Mike Almond became the first draftee to receive the Lowsman Trophy/"

[transfer2BGSU]

The Naval Academy midshipman who graduates last in his class is known as "The Anchor".

[Dayons_Den]

The school that guy went to, William Penn, in Oskaloosa, IA, was in my conference when I played soccer in college. They were NCAA and went NAIA the year after I left. We got in a fight my senior year there, and there seemed to be a pipeline to Utah and mormans- this TE was also from UTah. Odd for a tiny school in Iowa to have a lot of Utes on their roster. .

[MiamiBando]

Just wondering, what is the name of the last cadet in his class? From West Point I mean? The Caisson? That is pretty funny about Mr.Irrelevant. Makes me wanna be drafted last!