MEL KIPER JR. DRAFTS YOUR FAMILY
Mel Kiper Jr., longtime draft expert and ESPN commentator, believes your family provides very little in the way of serious, reliable draft talent.
“I’ve seen ‘em deep, and I’ve seen ‘em come shallow. But your family is among the worst I’ve seen,” said Kiper today in a video conference with you at 9:15 a.m. “It’s just not there, talent-wise. No skill players. No one with team spirit.”
Kiper gave the bigger picks a lookover. His expert breakdown follows.
Mom:

Mel’s Take: Lacks mobility–has lived in same place for thirty years, and “likes it just fine, thank you,” despite the fact that she’s forever falling down the stairs, complaining about the shitty local grocery stores, and the “shhhh…the Mexicans who keep moving in just down the street!” Not a team player, as she hands off the grandkids the instant they start crying and totally didn’t chip in for your college education. Her forty time is dismal.
Dad.

Mel’s Take: Serious character issues have many talking about this former first round pick not even getting drafted on the first day. That’s his Russian mistress in the photo. Takes plays off, sometimes whole seasons, as evidenced by the time he threw you into the pool to teach you how to swim and then walked away for a margarita. Aggressive blocker, however, as evidenced by his fierce defense during divorce proceedings and fights with Russian mistress. Elusive, as demonstrated by his emotional unavailability and ability to hide money in accounts on the island nation of Nauru. A risk with strong defensive upside.
Asshole Hipster Brother.

Mel’s Take: An offensive talent, having scoffed openly at your nice but clueless aunt’s Christmas sweater and refusing to take off his sunglasses at the dinner table. Speed is an issue, as he’s slow to get up in the mornings, and tends to waffle on options (he’s on his third incomplete master’s degree.) Weak in the upper body, which attracts a slew of underfed 22 year old girls with irregular haircuts and wide white belts. May be a risk for a smaller market team, since he’s forever talking about “moving to somewhere with a real scene, man.” Conditioning is an issue, unless we’re talking about his hair, which is ruthlessly maintained.
Uncle Fred.

Mel’s Take: Lacks size. This may be due to his diet of gin, ritz crackers, and beef stick, but don’t tell him that–trainers despair over his lack of commitment to any routine but his own. Unflappable against the blitz mostly because he can’t see it coming thanks to cataracts. Surprisingly durable: has survived two forms of cancer, pleurisy, syphilis, and syphilis. Did we mention syphilis? Because he will, usually in conjunction with stories you’d rather not hear about his time in Korea during the war. “Ever wonder how an old man gets such a bad back heh heh heh heh?” We don’t, Uncle Fred, because you’ve told us a thousand times how it happens: by banging Korean hookers ’til their wigs fall off. Lower body strength is very, very suspect, according to scouts.
Your Sister the Burnout.

Mel’s Take” Strong start to career petered out in her senior year, as she immediately got pregnant by your future brother-in-law. On-the-field smarts are unparalleled; off-field problems continue to plague her, most notably your brother-in-law and his “home car stereo installation” business. Former honors student, NHS member, and prodigal burnout who now just talks about BABIES BABIES BABIES, overprofesses her admiration for the work of Usher, and says “di-uhnt” even though she knows she shouldn’t. Has read The Secret, and wants you to, too. Surprisingly quick in the shuttle run, though her post-partem depression has slowed her recuperation somewhat.
Your Brother-in-law, Dedrick.

Mel’s Take. An “athletic” qb with speed. Height may be a concern, as is his age; he’s somewhere between 22 and 45, though he’s not helping you nail down any exact numbers. Numerous possession charges have some scouts nervous, and they won’t receive much comfort from Dedrick’s insistence that he’s gotta “stay high-igh-igh-igh,” which he sings only every five minutes for no reason when you’re talking with him while nodding his head.
Shows leadership initiative by owning own home car stereo installation business, which necessitates him spending long hours hanging out in driveways with his friends looking at woofers. Mysteriously well-conditioned for someone who smokes marijuana, drinks a case of Miller Lite in two days, and appears to engage in very little physical activity. All things considered, quite possibly the coolest member of your family. A likely pick of the Cincinnati Bengals in the third round.









1
Kenny says:
I’d draft the mom late as an experiment pick. She could turn into a quality undersized mid-linebacker with the right coaching.
April 27th, 2007 at 11:24 am
2
Brian says:
I’d draft the Russian hooker in the third round as a Tight End.
April 27th, 2007 at 11:32 am
3
smq says:
I think you can win with that team. Mom has more in the tank than you think; she is still a leader. Who are you going to draft that’s better, unless top-rated dad Bill Cosby falls in your lap? You’d have to trade the sister to move up for him, and that’s too much to ask.
I was hoping we were going to see people you would actually like to draft into your family, but this worked well. Maybe next year. And if that happens, why don’t we go ahead and say that, like the Sklar Brothers’ stupid bracket, the draft can apply to pretty much everything in life? Let’s mock draft Russian novelists! Cheesy sitcoms! Beer!
April 27th, 2007 at 11:35 am
4
Whitey says:
I’d draft Dedrick’s hairline to replace Chris Weinke.
April 27th, 2007 at 11:35 am
5
Orson Swindle says:
SMQ, we’re drafting Dostoyevsky. Anyone who once ejaculated after losing a bet has a compulsive personality we can sympathize with.
April 27th, 2007 at 11:38 am
6
Bill says:
Your sister’s baby is a sleeper for the ‘08 draft.
April 27th, 2007 at 11:41 am
7
Coop says:
Sister’s baby does not seem to remotely share the brother in law’s skin tone.
Either he gets a bump for his misguided loyalty, or a drop for his stupidity.
AND/OR
She gets a bump for convincing him that the bastard is his and raising it.
April 27th, 2007 at 11:46 am
8
SeaTrojan says:
Was the “Asshole hipster brother” in ‘Withnail and I’?
April 27th, 2007 at 11:57 am
9
Out of Conference says:
Dedrick seems to have had a previoous acting career as “Shorty” in Scary Movie – you know him as the Wayans brother that dropped the line, “I’m as high as high nigga pie!” in the movie. You’d have to wonder about his Ricky Williams-esque tendencies.
April 27th, 2007 at 11:58 am
10
d. tensor says:
The brother possess all the tools of a fine kicker.
Style strongly reminiscent of Rolf Benirschke.
ps – ” until their wigs fall off? ”
how do you come up with this stuff?
April 27th, 2007 at 11:58 am
11
DevilGrad says:
Wayne’s family reunion?
April 27th, 2007 at 11:59 am
12
Coop says:
I think Dedrick bounces for Moe Thompson’s mother at private parties near the Cola mall, OOC.
You probably saw him there when he and Corey Boyd were frisking you for guns.
April 27th, 2007 at 12:00 pm
13
ness says:
if orson and smq are drafting russians, im taking Rasputin.
He displays a veritable Dickensian knack for not giving up on a play, or life. He’d be a great 3rd down back.
April 27th, 2007 at 12:00 pm
14
cowboycane says:
Dedrick is Lenny freakin’ Kravitz… think of the ass they’d pull in that dorm!
April 27th, 2007 at 12:08 pm
15
Out of Conference says:
Coop – that’s just how they roll on Two Notch, dog!
April 27th, 2007 at 12:19 pm
16
Out of Conference says:
Oh and Cowboycane – you have a great point. I’d draft him just for the rookie cruise on Lake Minnetonka.
April 27th, 2007 at 12:23 pm
17
Stranko Montana says:
I’ll take Tolstoy based on his success in War and Peace. However, one wonders whether he would have acheived the same level of success had he stuck with his original title, “War, What is it good for?”
April 27th, 2007 at 12:26 pm
18
Odell 51 says:
Orson,
Your brother in law fits the bill perfectly. He has dreads, tattoo’s, smokes a ton of weed, and a criminal record. These are the types of players that win championships.
Now if we can just get the Cincinnati PD to buy into that idea we would have something.
Question: Does your brother in law wear gold teeth? I hope so. That means he is an automatic pro bowler.
April 27th, 2007 at 12:33 pm
19
kleph says:
Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin. got the genes but delivers on his own. stands a chance to be the greatest in his position for all time if he can stay in the game.
April 27th, 2007 at 12:42 pm
20
Dave K. says:
Tolstoy gets mixed reviews. Endorsed both by Ernest Hemingway in A Moveable Feast, although he admitted he couldn’t put Dostoyevsky down, but killed by Ayn Rand in her Romantics because she hated the realist style.
I’ll go with that motherfucker Khrushchev
that used to beat down podiums with his shoe, as others have gotten away from novelists.
April 27th, 2007 at 1:18 pm
21
Spuds Badger says:
I’ll take Nabakov.
I hear Marcus Vick is a big fan
April 27th, 2007 at 1:36 pm
22
Brian says:
Soviet Draft Board
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Soviet_people
I Draft Yuri Gugarin, the first human in space.
The bling on this guy would make any rapped shameful:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/19/Yuri_Gagarin_official_portrait.jpg/200px-Yuri_Gagarin_official_portrait.jpg
April 27th, 2007 at 1:43 pm
23
DevilGrad says:
Re #21: Plus, Tolstoy never got name-dropped by the Police.
April 27th, 2007 at 2:00 pm
24
kleph says:
if he lasts to the second round, i’m planning on picking up Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov. that way i’ll have a dominant backfield duo of former-army officer poets who didn’t have much compunction about shooting people on points of honor. and the ladies… they’ll be a-swoonin’.
April 27th, 2007 at 2:12 pm
25
Hawkfan says:
Godell: ” With the third pick in the Russian draft, the Detriot Lions select Karl Marx”
Berman: “Wow! I’m suprised he was taken this early in the first round, though he was the driving force behind the eventual rise of communism.”
Jaws: “He’s not Russian.”
April 27th, 2007 at 2:36 pm
26
rob says:
I’m going with Eisenstein then. Gotta love movies about robotic roosters.
April 27th, 2007 at 2:36 pm
27
DevilGrad says:
Except that Berman would probably call him “Karl If-You-Bite-Me-There-Honey-It-Will-Leave Marx.”
April 27th, 2007 at 2:54 pm
28
Hawkfan says:
DG, my keyboard just got a good soaking. BTW love your work on MHT – keep up the good work!
April 27th, 2007 at 3:09 pm
29
GamecockTony says:
Dedrick’s Wonderlic > Vince Young’s Wonderlic
Well played, Brian. Though you know the Russian broad would leave via Free Agency for higher dollars.
That, and the fact that the Russian mob would fix all your games.
Oh, and best post ever.
April 27th, 2007 at 3:18 pm
30
PeterPumpkinhead says:
I don’t know about me, but I hear the Raven’s are taking Stalin in the 5th spot… they fear Ray Lewis may retire after this year
April 27th, 2007 at 3:51 pm
31
smq says:
Grr, kleph. I wanted Pushkin. Great value at 19. Since I’m at the bottom of the order, if we have to stick with Russians, I guess I have to go with Gogol. I don’t know anything about him, but he was an all-Sorochyntsi Cossack, so you take what you can get.
If we can go beyond novelists into Russians at large, no way am I passing up Grigori Perelman, obscure safecracker of the Poincare Conjecture. Perelman won the Fields Medal and turned that shit down because he said the committee wasn’t even qualified to say his proof is right:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grigori_Perelman
He lives with his mom.
April 27th, 2007 at 8:03 pm
32
spartymike says:
With the final pick in the 1st Round, the Michigan State community drafts animated Spartan and gay icon Gerard Butler. His beard is included in this pick.
April 28th, 2007 at 12:31 am
33
MCab says:
I’m going with Alexander III. We are talking MEASUREMENTS:
1) Tied a silver spoon into a knot.
2) Lifted an entire collapsing roof on a train car.
I’ve got my slavic pass rusher.
April 28th, 2007 at 11:36 am
34
the r.o.b. says:
if we’re sticking to literature, i’ve got solzhenitsyn, the walter payton of russian literature. one went from jackson state to the rushing record, the other from the gulag to the nobel prize.
outside literature i’ve got yakov pavlov, the machine gun sargent who held position with his unit in a house in stalingrad for two months under constant german attack inflicting massive casualties until finally relieved by advancing soviet lines.
April 28th, 2007 at 12:00 pm
35
kleph says:
if i am still due my compensatory selection for non-literature russians, i’ll have to take General Mikhail Kalashnikov. hard to beat in terms of an impact player.
April 29th, 2007 at 5:33 pm
36
oc phil says:
I hear that Molotov could whip up some mean cocktails.
April 30th, 2007 at 2:24 am
37
Big Willy Style says:
Make mine Yevgeni Samiatin. His obscure dystopia “We” makes me wonder if Orwell knew what plagiarism was. Plus, an absolute fucking psycho coming off the corrner.
April 30th, 2007 at 7:24 am
38
Jmuthaf'nT says:
with the 9th selection, the miami dolphins select Mikhail Baryshnikov
April 30th, 2007 at 10:43 am
39
MCab says:
Marshall F’ing Zhukov.
April 30th, 2007 at 8:06 pm
40
dsxh07 says:
All of the jokes about Russians are taken, but maybe the dad can ‘hook me up’ with one of those Russian mistresses.
My oldest brother used to visit my house all the time to use my PC so that he could visit all of the Russian bride sites. They were not only drop dead gorgeous, but many of them were (wink wink) attorneys, physicians, and engineers.
May 1st, 2007 at 4:24 am