[itvnetop]

although his career was shortened, troy aikman didn't complain when he was drafted by the 'boys... nobody can convice me that team had more upside when he was drafted than the chargers do now. weren't they 1-15 his first year? regardless of "tradition", they were in worse shape than SD is. Aikman didn't complain in the face of a bad offensive line. eventually, jerry shaped the team from that point on. David Carr went to a freakin expansion team and went on to get the most sacks in L history. He didn't complain. This is football- and the worst team in the league should get who they want, or who they deem will help them the most. Not the other way around where the best college player deems who he wants to play for. You earn your right in the league when you've played up to your capabilities and, like smootsmack said, you become a free agent.

I don't care if it seems the SD front office is "nonchalant" about making the team better- as a draftee, you would probably have less insight into the future plans of any front office in the NFL. You just have rumors and people telling you what the word about that team is. You look at many of the teams that are successful now- Tampa, St. Louis, Indy... they've all been at the bottom of the league at one point or another. Nobody has had a worse reputation for lackadaisical management than the Bengals (not even the Chargers) and yet they seem to be turning things around. And let's be honest- there was no guarantee that Marvin Lewis was going to turn things around in a city where NO one secretly wanted to play. Yet Heisman Trophy winner Carson Palmer didn't seem to have a problem being drafted number 1 by a team that is synonymous with mediocrity. What separates Eli from any of these guys? Is he that much better than Palmer, Aikman, and Carr that he has the right to bitch and moan about staying away from SD? The word "draft" is defined within itself... you're not suppose to have any choice in the matter whatsoever. If everyone coming out of college football would have the opportunity to hold out if they didn't want to play somewhere, what's the point of the draft in the first place?

I just am of the opinion that it's not really dictating what job you want to do- by being a draft entry, you are deciding what profession you want to play for yourself and that's football. Using the "regular" job analogy, most people are in jobs they applied for and whether or not they enjoy them it was their choice to apply. As such, if the company headquarters tells you that you need to transfer to california headquarters you either listen or you get fired. Once Eli entered the NFL draft, it's no longer his decision where he gets to play... it ain't like the NFL is telling him he has to learn soccer in Brazil. He's gonna go to a particular city, get paid millions, and live a life of luxury. And yet he complains about getting drafted by a team he deems unacceptable? Hey Eli, Pat Tillman is an example of honor. He should be grateful for what's on his plate.