Well-roasted, a good sport

Most of the time, about the only thing the NFL and Newport Beach have

in common is their first letter.

But over the past 29 years, organizers of one week of the year’s

activities have taken a good idea and stuck with it passionately to

put Newport on the map -- even if only a blip -- when it comes to

professional football.

Newport Beach’s Paul Salata, who played a brief stint of pro ball

with the San Francisco 49ers, has developed quite a shindig over the

years with Irrelevant Week, a spattering of celebrations, roasts, a

banquet and celebrity-attended events to welcome the last pick in the

NFL draft.

And he’s made that welcome right here in Newport Beach, with

proceeds going to charity. Salata has succeeded in bringing attention

to a unique event that celebrates the last guy selected. You might

even say the event celebrates the underdog, and we celebrate that.

“They always made a big deal about the first guy picked,” Salata

told a Pilot columnist. “So I thought, gee, what about the last guy?

I decided to bring him to Newport Beach and have a big celebration,

just as if he was the first guy picked.”

But of course, Salata has not been able to put on the event

without willing subjects.

Andre Sommersell, a 23-year-old defensive end and linebacker,

picked last this year by the Oakland Raiders at No. 255, was this

year’s christened athlete.

During last week’s event, he received the Lowsman Trophy and made

it through the gag gifts, playful jokes and the “Roid kit,” a

hemorrhoid kit given to him in case the rookie sees time mostly

sitting on the bench.

Sommersell, a former Estancia Eagle, was a good sport through it

all. He even returned to Newport for more ‘Irrelevant’-bashing in the

middle of the week after a brief trip to a mandatory mini-camp.

A good sport, indeed.

And in the end, that’s not irrelevant at all.