For a short time Sunday morning it seemed as if the ClayNation Civil War Camp featuring two NFL players as lead counselors was a done deal. I had already spent late Saturday and early Sunday morning in intense negotiations with Craig Stevens and Geoff Schwartz to confirm that in the off chance the Titans drafted both of them that we would put the wheels into motion on the Civil War camp.
Schwartz had even gone so far as to draft a press release for our camp and sent it to me via text message: "Local author and writer Clay Travis along with rookie draft pick Geoff Schwartz open up a Civil War sleep-away camp for kids between the ages of 13-18." Aside from being a vaguely scary release, I have it on good authority that this would be the first Civil War sleep-away camp to feature NFL players and be sponsored by a downtown bar.
By 10 a.m. I'd already received a text message from Schwartz and Stevens letting me know that Craig was en route to Nashville. Stevens, a tight end from Cal, was the Titans' third-round (85th overall) pick. This almost didn't happen because Stevens was nearly drafted by the Baltimore Ravens.
In fact, he was on the phone with the Ravens and had just been told he was their pick when his other line buzzed and a 615 area code showed up. Stevens' first thought was, "I don't know anyone from 615 but Clay. Is this him calling me right in the middle of the draft?"
Even still, he switched over.
Turns out it wasn't me. It was Jeff Fisher informing Stevens that he was a Titan. Craig said he didn't know what to do since the Ravens had told him he was their pick at 86 but he tried to click back over to tell the Ravens what had transpired. After he spilled his story, Craig heard the Ravens' response: "This is still Coach Fisher." Turns out he hadn't switched lines. By the time he truly clicked back over, the Ravens braintrust was not on the phone anymore. Such is life in the fast-paced world of the NFL Draft.
All of this drama meant it was up to Schwartz to make our Civil War sleep-away camp a reality. And Schwartz had a long day in front of him. A really long day.
As a fan I have always wondered what it's like to wait agonizing hour after agonizing hour to see if you will be selected in the NFL Draft. Each pick, your emotions rise, your stomach clenches, you think about why a team is the ideal fit for you, make sure your cell phone is in perfect working order, then you don't get selected. This happens all day.
That's what Oregon offensive tackle Geoff Schwartz's day was like. But rather than hear it from me, I decided to interview Geoff and share his responses with y'all. So read on to find out what draft day is like for a seventh-round pick in the always invigorating ClayNation interview.
Clay Travis: What time did you start watching the draft Sunday?
Geoff Schwartz: At 7 (PT) when it started. I got up at 6:30. I'd told myself I wasn't going to watch but I watched all day.
C.T.: Where did you have your cell phone?
G.S.: My phone was in my lap at all times. Even in the bathroom. It would have been ironic to get a call in the bathroom from a coach, but that didn't happen.
C.T.: How many people were with you while the draft was going on?
G.S.: I watched it at home with my parents and my uncle. So just the four of us. I thought I would go sometime in the morning. Earlier than I did. Maybe the fourth-sixth rounds. So we just sat there. Then we switched it around and stopped watching the draft. We watched the Suns game, watched some Dodgers baseball.
C.T.: Did you keep obsessively checking your phone to see whether or not you were missing any calls?
G.S.: Constantly. And the thing about it is, I keep my phone only on vibrate usually because I hate all those different ring tones. But I had it on loud ... So every text or e-mail I got would ring really loud. It seemed even louder than it was. Then it would be frustrating when it was a friend texting or calling because I'd get excited when it rang and I was sort of trying to match it up by who was picking so I knew if they needed a lineman or whatever.
C.T.: When did you get your first call from a team?
G.S.: In the sixth round I got calls from the Atlanta Falcons and the Carolina Panthers and the Miami Dolphins. They said I know it's been a long day for you, you're still on the board and we'd like to take you, but it's not our choice it's the GM's choice.
C.T.: As your name wasn't coming up were you angry, bewildered, or what was your emotion?
G.S.: It's probably one of the worst feelings ever. When you see guys going ahead of you at your position that you've never heard of, it just kind of gets old after a while. I was more bewildered than anything. I had realistic expectations but it was still tough to keep waiting.
C.T.: Did you break anything while waiting? Any interesting stories?
G.S.: No, I didn't break anything. I wasn't really mad. I went and shot some basketball. My parents were more nervous than me. My dad went on a walk and started gardening at like 7:30 in the morning. I don't think he ate anything all day. For me, I just wanted the right opportunity and I think I got that.
C.T.: Shifting gears completely, if you'd been able to pose in the Oregon football calendar what would you have been doing and what would you have been wearing?
G.S.: I probably would have a prayer shawl on to cover up the chest, belly area. I would imagine there would be a Jewish spin on it. As for the calendar I was there for the shooting and I was expecting racier pictures to draw in the women. There were more nipple shots that got cut.
C.T.: Who would win in a fight, Mel Kiper or Chris Mortensen? As a player did any of the analysts really annoy you?
G.S.: I think Mortensen would win. I think Mike Mayock on the NFL Network is the worst analyst because (Mel) Kiper and (Todd) McShay will admit when they're wrong and they don't say bad things as much on draft day. But Mayock just bashes people as soon as they get drafted. I listened to a lot of the draft on the radio Saturday and (Bill) Cowher was good. C.T.: Did you have much contact with your agent during the course of the day?
G.S.: We spoke about every round. There's not much he can do at that point. So not that much.
C.T.: Admit it, the first thought you had when Carolina drafted you was, is this South Carolina or North Carolina. Or have they merged?
G.S.: Even though I'm not from the South, I actually know which Carolina it is. I've been to South Carolina before. I've already heard Charlotte's a cool town.
C.T.: Do you believe your back hair helped or hurt your draft status?
G.S.: It probably hurt because that probably slowed my 40 time by .1 or so. C.T.: What was your first emotion when your name finally showed up?
G.S.: Actually I haven't seen it yet on television. I was watching the basketball game when I finally heard.
C.T.: So after all that time you didn't see your own name come up?
G.S.: Nope, but I was relieved. Just really relieved. I knew where I was going to be living and I could finally take a nap.
C.T.: Were you surprised that no team took a chance on me?
G.S.: Well, you know, you deserved to be Mr. Irrelevant. You deserved a parade. On the West Coast, the best coast. Get a week off from the column. (Pause) I guess I'm an East Coast guy now. Do I have to start rooting for the ACC teams now? (He's a huge Pac-10 basketball fan). Ugh. But I would love to go to games down there.
C.T.: Do you believe you are the largest person of Jewish descent in the NFL?
G.S.: By far. (Calls in backup) Who else is Jewish in the NFL, Dad? (Long pause) We can't think of anybody. Did you know I'm a three-year running Jewish All-American? I don't know where they get the other guys, but I'm first-team three years in a row and I think I'm one of the few D-I players.
C.T.: Civil War camp in the mountains between North Carolina and Tennessee, a real possibility or not?
G.S.: I think it's a real possibility. Now that I'm a lower-round pick we'll have to scrounge around for a few dollars. Hold on, my dad found a list of Jews in the NFL. (Schwartz scans the names and returns with an update) Most of them are on the inactive list.
C.T.: Anything else we should know?
One of my friends called me today and we were talking about where I'd been drafted and he said, "No matter what, you'll always be a three-year Jewish All-American. They can't take that away from you."