and with the first pick...

in the 2005 NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers.........

TRADE.

This is what I want. In my ideal world, the niners will move down to the 5th pick, where they will select Braylon Edwards (who I'd always marveled over, but fell in love with during his interview on the draft special on Monday). There are only 2 minor problems with this scenario: the niners won't get the 5th pick (even though I would take the Bucs' insulting offer to move down for a fucking embarassing 3rd rounder), and Edwards won't be there.

Oh well. They should do it anyways. They should do something. They should trade down.

Why do I say this? Because I am scared. This draft is horrible. It's the worst since '91. So of course, this would be the year that the niners decide to suck it up hard. I can't even get into following it like I have in years past (when clearly it was not as crucially important). It's like I know we're going to suck anyways, so I don't care. And I know we're going to pick Alex Smith (who luckily, I've started to like more and more over the past week -- maybe out of desperation, but still). And let's face it, while it would be an absolutely phenomenal pick if he turned out anything like the last niner QB to play college in the Beehive State (wait, wait...I don't mean Brandon Doman), he's got a huge chance to bust.

I know with the #1 pick I should be really excited, but it's hard to have faith in the organization after the past few years. And it's hard to be excited when you know next year is going to be like cheering for the Rockies. Even though I think I really like Nolan, who knows if goddamn York is actually serious about his all-of-a-sudden 180 degree turn away from cheapass miser? I kind of hope this absurd contract Smith wants (he's NOT Manning!!!) does turn us back into the frugal bastards that ruined a dynasty. Add Scot McLoughlan (who's like 10), and consider that he has to head up a draft to revolutize a franchise in his very first year doing it -- and with the added pressure of picking first? Call me a skeptic (plus, anybody who spells their name Scot, you have to wonder about their abilities to cross all their t's.....ok, lame, I know, but I still don't like the way you read it and keep hoping that the abducted "t" reappears).

So all signs point to Smith. I guess he's okay, we'll see. He did tear up the Heels this past year like a infuriated brother attacking his sister's doll collection. Then again, so did every quarterback of any caliber we played.

Damn you, Matt Leinhart. (note: I don't know that he'll be that good either -- at least not for the niners -- but at least he would have given some value to the first pick.)

Still, Saturday at noon, my heart will be racing and I will be ready for some of the best, laziest, most interesting 8ish hours of sports of the year. This weekend, at least as it approaches, becomes my favorite of the 52 we get. I do nothing but watch the threads of the NFL's future weave themselves together all day, for two days straight. It gets no better.