BFTB After Dark: April 23, 2012

This semi-new "NFL Draft in Primetime" thing is bullshit for everyone that isn't on the east coast. Who the heck wants something as important as the draft to take place while they're at work or stuck in traffic on their way home from work?

Actually, that's where I was when the San Diego Chargers traded up in the first round to select Ryan Mathews. I was sitting in my car, listening to draft on one of the local AM sports radio stations, and cursing the stupid timing of the first round. It's truly awful and it's done nothing except allow the NFL to charge more for ads and possibly allow teams to plan better for later rounds, but what do I care about that?

(My rant got kind of long, so the rest of it is after the jump)

Today's Posts:

• San Diego Chargers Daily Links: April 23, 2012
• San Diego Chargers: Voluntary Offseason Workouts Begin Today (FANSHOT)
• NFL Draft History: Why Ryan Leaf Didn't Work Out
• San Diego Chargers' Potential Sleeper 1st Round Picks
• San Diego Chargers Draft Rumors: Dont'a Hightown and Melvin Ingram

Last week, the half of the BFTB staff that's in San Diego discussed getting together to watch part of the NFL Draft. Doing it on Thursday seemed stupid, since none of us got off of work until after the draft had started (5 pm PT) and would be sitting in traffic for half of that round. Friday is slightly better, because there are two rounds, but we'd probably miss the entire 2nd round because they start Friday's drafting at 4 pm PT (a full 2 hour before I typically get home from work).

The only real options to get together with your friends and watch the draft kicks off at 9 am on Saturday, with the start of the 4th round, with coverage that all but ignores the draft picks that are happening. Fantastic. I know I might sound ridiculous, but I can't tell you how many people I know that used to have draft viewing parties that just can't anymore because of scheduling. Way to screw over half of your fanbase, NFL.

Anyway, we'll have you covered here at BFTB with excellent coverage of the draft as usual. What we won't have is some party where half the staff gets together and drunkenly live-blogs the draft. Sorry.