Irrelevant week: Green has truly arrived
Richard Dunn
NEWPORT BEACH - As fans in Los Angeles cheered and screamed at
Staples Center Monday night, the world’s largest celebration of the
underdog took place about an hour away at the Newport Dunes.
Mr. Irrelevant XXV, Northwestern State (La.) defensive back Mike Green,
showed up via whale for the Arrival Party and ultimate shower of gifts to
kick off the silver anniversary edition of Irrelevant Week, the weeklong
madcap Newport Beach tradition honoring the last man picked in the NFL
draft.
Green, selected 254th and absolutely dead last by the Chicago Bears,
docked at the Newport Dunes after riding on top of the resort’s famous
whale, which was powered by a connecting boat.
“A little kid over there asked if I was going to put (the whale) back,”
the affable Green quipped.
Eight former Mr. Irrelevant honorees, invited to help celebrate the
event’s 25th year while creating a feeling of reunion among the IW
faithful, arrived ahead of Green in a large catamaran.
Prior to their arrival, divers in the water held up a “Welcome Mr.
Irrelevant” banner, while “Baywatch” look-a-likes waited in the sand
wearing Newport Beach lifeguard T-shirts -- just in case Mr. Irrelevant
XXV fell off the whale.
And that was just the beginning.
Irrelevant Week, the NFL’s only presence in Los Angeles or Orange
counties, started with a rather relevant bang as Green was showered with
myriad gifts, including a Palm Pilot and, among the gags, a red Stater
Bros. uniform, so Mr. Irrelevant can stock shelves if he doesn’t make the
NFL. The ultimate underdog, quarterback Kurt Warner of the Rams, once did
that before becoming a Super Bowl MVP.
For the record, Green said he has never used a Palm Pilot, but is now
willing to learn.
For the first time in IW history, every NFL team contributed something to
the shower of gifts.
Donned with caps and T-shirts, golf shirts and football jerseys, Green’s
“shower” was also highlighted by an “expensive” sports watch, according
to IW founder Paul Salata, a gift donated by Mary Barr of Charles H. Barr
Jewelers.
Tyrone McGriff (1980), Kevin Scanlon (‘81), Matt Elliott (‘92), Marty
Moore (‘94), Sam Manuel (‘96), Ronnie McAda (‘97) and Jim Finn (‘99) were
the eight former Irrelevant Week honorees in attendance Monday.
During the so-called press conference, Green was asked by emcee Tom
Johnson if he was planning “to hold out” for a bigger contract. It
brought the house down.
Throughout the conference and subsequent shower of gifts, Green was
seated atop a lifeguard chair on a tower eight feet high.
As with all Mr. Irrelevant honorees, Green was asked by event
coordinators if he had any special requests during Irrelevant Week.
Two years ago, Weber State tight end Cam Quayle wanted to jet ski in the
Pacific Ocean, so IW officials set it up and some of Quayle’s buddies
drove down from Utah with skis in tow.
Four years ago, New Mexico State linebacker Manuel wanted to learn how to
surf, and by the time Irrelevant Week XXI was over, Manuel was getting up
on his board and riding some Newport waves.
But Green’s request was a little more difficult to conquer: Laker tickets
to Game 6 of the NBA Finals at Staples Center against Indiana.
“We were told that we had an appointment already planned (for Monday
night),” Green said, referring to the scheduled-in-advance IW Arrival
Party. “That’s OK. We’ll just record (Game 6) and see it afterward.”
Green has been a Laker fan since Showtime in the ‘80s with Magic Johnson.
Unlike past Mr. Irrelevant honorees, Green’s entourage this week is
small: The only person to accompany him from Cajun Country is his
girlfriend, Shala Hunter, a health and exercise science major at
Northwestern State.
Green, who has been clocked in the 40-yard dash in 4.41, was a two-time
All-American free safety for the Demons and played key roles in four
conference championship teams at Northwestern State -- two in football
(1997 and ‘98) and two in track and field (’98 indoor and ’99 outdoor).
After Green anchored the Demons’ conference-winning 1,600-meter relay to
clinch the team’s outdoor title last year, Northwestern State track coach
Leon Johnson said: “I picked the right guy to run the anchor leg. We have
faster 400-meter runners, but we don’t have anybody who could compete
better than Michael Green.”
After Green’s sophomore football season in 1997, he had to switch jersey
numbers from No. 12 to No. 5, because the school retired Bobby Hebert’s
No. 12.
Hebert is one of several former pro football players from Northwestern
State, a list that includes Jackie Smith, Mark Duper, Joe Delaney, Gary
Reasons, Charlie Hennigan, Charlie Tolar and John Stephens.
Will Mr. Irrelevant XXV be next to crack the NFL?
The zany celebration continues today with a day at Disneyland, then the
All-Star Sports Banquet and Lowsman Trophy presentation Wednesday at the
Newport Beach Marriott.
All the latest on Orange County from Orange County.
Get our free TimesOC newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Daily Pilot.