NFLPA Hopes to Steal Dream Moment From This Year's Top Draft Prospects

As if dramatically slashing the salaries of incoming rookies weren’t enough, reports surfaced today claiming that the NFL Player’s Association is now actively asking this year’s top prospects to boycott the official draft ceremonies held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

In recent years, the custom has been to invite a select few of the draft’s high-profile players, those who are most assured of being an early pick, to attend the proceedings and walk out on stage for a photo op with the commissioner.

It’s a tradition that’s created indelible images over the years and allowed each of the players to cherish an unforgettable moment of glory after years of hard work.

Now, it looks like the NFLPA, which officially decertified as a union last Friday, will try to involve innocent incoming rookies in their ugly battle with league owners and officials.

It’s a tactic that seems wrong on almost every level.

Walking out onto the stage to shake the commissioner’s hand and hold up the jersey of the team that just drafted you is an indescribable moment for a young football player. It’s one of those rare events that can’t be properly put into words.

In the past, we’ve seen some of the biggest and meanest-looking players let their emotional walls down and get caught up in the moment of realizing their dream. Watching a big defensive tackle bear-hug Commissioner Goodell with tears streaking down his face, or seeing a hot-shot quarterback grin with glee from ear to ear while breathing a deep sigh of relief makes the NFL Draft what it is.

It’s a beautiful, natural scene to take in, and it’s something that can’t be artificially replicated. Watching somebody realize their dream is what us sports fans cherish because deep down, at one time or another when we were younger, we all probably imagined what it would be like to hold up that jersey.

For the NFLPA to try and rob these young men of a moment so special in a misguided attempt to exact some type of vengeance on the league is pitiful.

True, they can’t force these players to boycott the draft, but just the fact that the idea has even been brought up is insulting enough.

We know that the talks are tumultuous right now. Heck, over the last few weeks, we’ve had enough "ESPN Breaking News: Still no real news" reports to last all the way through the summer.

We get it. Things are bad and there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of light at the end of the tunnel. But that doesn’t mean we should be looking for innocent bystanders to use as pawns in this whole big mess.

I, for one, want to see Marcell Dareus out there posing for pictures with all his relatives.

I want to see A.J. Green holding up the jersey he earned through years of hard work and dedication.

What I don’t want to see is whatever lame idea the NFLPA comes up with to try and counter this. The words "social networking alternative" sound just plain frightening. I can only imagine what type of disaster that would be.

If you want to lighten the rookies’ wallets, that’s one thing, but at least let them have their one moment in the sun. Let them soak it in.

Please, NFLPA, leave them out of this.