Gil Brandt on Senior Bowl

http://www.nfl.com/draft/story/9188004

He has pretty much been a major part of the NFL now for 30+ years. Sorta an amusing article I think.

A day in Mobile Click here to find out more!

Gil Brandt By Gil Brandt

NFL.com Senior Analyst

MOBILE, Ala. (Jan. 25, 2006) -- My first time ever in Mobile for the Senior Bowl was in January 1958. Since that time, this annual college all-star game has come a long way. Kind of like evolving from a one-story hotel in Big Sky, Mont., to the Empire State Building.

For some years, the Senior Bowl was actually played after the NFL draft had taken place. In 1958, for example, the first four rounds of the draft were held on Dec. 2 of 1957, with rounds 5 through 30 on Jan. 28, 1958. Steve Owen of the New York Giants and Paul Brown of Cleveland were the game's coaches for many years. The workouts took place on high school fields in the area. In 1958, I recall there were about 20 people from various NFL and Canadian Football League clubs attending the practices. These days, there might be 20 people at the Senior Bowl from one club alone!

The entire NFL world has descended upon Mobile for the 2006 Senior Bowl. As an example of the kind of unofficial football convention this place becomes, let me share with you a typical day in Mobile this week:

Monday started at 7:20 a.m., with an appearance on a radio show (Matt Hill of the NFL, who handles these appearances for me, must be paid a commission based on how many of these he books; I recently did six shows in six cities over an hour's time).

Jon Gruden is smiling after the great draft the Bucs had in 2005.

Jon Gruden is smiling after the great draft the Bucs had in 2005.

After the show, I went to the lobby of the Riverwalk Hotel, which is the headquarters for the game. The first person I had an opportunity to talk to was Jon Gruden. I kidded him about how he should be arrested for stealing after his 2005 draft -- three full-time starters among the seven draft picks that made his team and helped the Bucs go from a losing record in 2004 to NFC South champs in '05.

The next person I ran into was Mike Solari, whom I congratulated on becoming the new offensive coordinator of the Kansas City Chiefs. Mike's first NFL job was with the Dallas Cowboys, where he proved to be a special person in addition to being an outstanding coach.

Leaving the crowded lobby, I went up to the second floor looking for some other people. I ran into Tom Brady -- not the quarterback of the New England Patriots, but rather NFL Network's Tom Brady, who does such a great job coordinating the Network programming at these on-site events.

The next person I saw was Jason Allen of Tennessee, who figured to be a high draft choice before he was injured during the season. He is now in the process of rehabilitation. We talked about our time together last spring in Arizona when he was there as a member of the Playboy preseason All-America team. Standing nearby was Todd France -- a young, upcoming player representative who had three first-round picks in the 2005 NFL Draft. Todd wanted to make sure I knew all about the players he is representing this year -- including Georgia quarterback D.J. Shockley, the SEC's Offensive Player of the Year.

Mike Nolan is one of many NFL people headed to Detroit after Mobile.

Mike Nolan is one of many NFL people headed to Detroit after Mobile.

Next was Aaron Salkin, the 49ers PR man who wanted to be sure that I knew he and San Francisco head coach Mike Nolan would be in Detroit starting next Thursday, and available for the SuperBowl.com radio show (which, you should know, is also heard on about 200 Westwood One stations around the country).

It was time to leave the hotel and drive to Ladd Stadium to watch the North squad practice. While driving to the workout, which was scheduled to begin at 9:30, I got a call on my cell phone from Kurt Evans, who does such a great job for Reebok. Kurt wanted to know the 40 times for Antwaan Randle El, Laveranues Coles and Steve Smith. Of course, I gladly obliged.

Practice began at 9:30 and went on for two hours under the guidance of the Tennessee Titans coaching staff. It was a fast-paced two hours that gave the 750 or so NFL people in attendance a great opportunity to evaluate the players.

During the workouts, top player representatives -- Pat Dye Jr., Drew Rosenhaus, Mike Sullivan, Jeff Sperbeck, Gary Wichard -- all stopped by to say hello and to let me know whom they represented, and that their players would be happy to write draft diaries for NFL.com.

Near the end of practice, receiver Chad Jackson from the University of Florida, who is leaving school early, came out of the stands and introduced himself. He said he would be running at the combine and gave me his cell number to make sure he was available if we want him to do anything for NFL.com.

Jerry Jones was just one of the guys in an NFL all-star gathering.

Jerry Jones was just one of the guys in an NFL all-star gathering.

At the conclusion of morning practice, I went back to the hotel with Doug West and Tucker Petre, both of Reebok, who do such a great job during the season to see that all NFL players have the right shoes, gloves and other equipment. For lunch, it was off to Wentzel's, a Mobile institution. It would have been very easy to hold a league meeting there on this day. Jerry Jones and son, Stephen, were there. Carl Peterson and Herman Edwards of the Chiefs were at the table next to ours. Charlie Armey and his staff from the Rams were present. I would guess all 32 teams had someone there.

After lunch, it was back to the hotel and a chance to talk with players Roman Harper of Alabama and Jonathan Scott of Texas before they left for the South's practice. Next up, I chatted with Joel Segal, who is going to represent Heisman winner Reggie Bush. I told him we wanted to be sure that Reggie and his family would be in New York for draft day.

I ran into Cam Cameron, the excellent young offensive coordinator for the San Diego Chargers. Lots of coaching hires are made this week in Mobile, and Cameron was asking me if I had any suggestions or advice as his team searches for an offensive line coach for the Chargers. I talked it over with him for a while, and before we knew it, it was time to leave for the afternoon practice.

And the schmoozing and scouting continued. Just another day at Senior Bowl week.