An Open Letter to Fans of Teams That Perennially Pick High in the NFL Draft.

I'm not absolving your GMs, coaches, and owners, but the fact remains that "professional" means "business."

Now being a fan of a college team is different.  If their down-time has lasted since 1963 and you stop supporting them, then you are evil.

But an NFL team has more in common with the Coca-Cola Corporation than, say Nebraska.  (Not to insult Cornhusker fans.  I don't care about minor league football like the NCAA, but they sprang to mind as a "former" powerhouse.)

The owner may not be a fan as much as a businessman.  If his main concern is selling paraphernalia as you have false hope before the season starts, then keeping the high draft pick is good. 

You'll get a savior and season ticket sales will go up based on hope.  Of course, few of those season ticket holders will show up when it becomes clear no one guy can save a team.

To make matters worse, you'll have a cap hit for five years.

Do you see who is at the top.  You fans.

Don't buy the hype.  If your team drafts Sanchez or Stanton or whomever, don't run out and buy a jersey.

This is not basketball where he is one of five guys.  He is one of 11 and does not play both ways.

Furthermore, do not cheer when your team wastes its pick on one guy. 

Sure Matt Ryan's and Peyton Manning's exist.  So do Tim Couchs and Joey Harrington's.

If your team is regularly picking in the top ten, then your team has many holes to fill.  90 percent of quarterbacks behind a lousy line will be lousy quarterbacks.  You still must pay a huge signing bonus for the QB who will be lousy because he is on a team that can't pay good linemen because he ate up the salary cap.

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