Time of arrival was irrelevant

NEWPORT BEACH ? Tack on another irrelevancy to Irrelevant Week XXXI.

For the first time in the history of the week-long event that celebrates the player selected with the final pick in the NFL Draft, the Arrival Party happened on the final day instead of the first day.

“We just said ‘Hey, it’s irrelevant,’ ” Irrelevant Week CEO Melanie Fitch said.

Blame it on the Oakland Raiders as to why wide receiver Kevin McMahan, the team’s second seventh-round draft pick in April, was showered with gifts and attention Monday at the Newport Dunes on what should have been the opening of the week’s festivities.

McMahan also wanted to miss the least amount of practice time.

The Raiders, who had the final selection in both 2004 and 2003, said McMahan could take part Thursday through Monday instead of the typical Monday through Friday. The team was practicing last week and throughout this week. McMahan flew down from Oakland following Monday’s practice.

And since everything was already set for a Monday Arrival Party, the organizers stuck with it and the theme of irrelevancy grew.

Much of the treatment McMahan received was far from irrelevant. McMahan, who played for the University of Maine, arrived in the custom party bus and was led out by Los Alamitos High cheerleaders and carried in by members of the Orange County Breakers of the National Women’s Football Assn. as the Maine fight song played in the background.

Shortly thereafter McMahan was introduced to the crowd by Norm Witt, a Commodore with the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce. Many in the crowd had gotten to know McMahan in the previous four days of festivities.

Nevertheless, Witt told of how McMahan was the first player out of Maine drafted into the NFL since 1990, how he caught 59 passes including 13 touchdowns for the Black Bears. He also said McMahan is one of 13 receivers on the Raiders’ roster.

McMahan talked about his football experiences with the Raiders, how the team’s newly acquired quarterback Aaron Brooks took him to dinner and how star wide receiver Randy Moss pulled him aside to make sure everyone in Newport Beach was treating him well.

“He’s a really good guy,” McMahan said of Moss. “He has been a great mentor to the young guys.”

As for Newport Beach and Orange County, which McMahan toured with a pub crawl, surfing, sailing, a baseball game and a trip to Knott’s Berry Farm, McMahan had nothing but praise.

“Everybody is very nice,” said McMahan, a Rochester, N.Y. native. “It’s almost weird being around so many nice people. California is a lot different than what I thought. All I had experienced of California was Oakland. That’s not what California is like.”

When McMahan mentioned how he was impressed by the retractable roof of a local pub, it prompted Witt to ask if McMahan was sick after visiting four pubs in one evening.

“Not until we went sailing,” McMahan replied.

Part of the reason organizers felt this year was such a success was because of McMahan’s personality. Sitting up on his lifeguard stand McMahan smiled throughout as Irrelevant Week founder Paul Salata reeled off jokes with each gift presented to McMahan. Salata, who has taken part in all 31 events, was in rare form.

“Most of the givers are friends of mine,” Salata said. “You have to pick on them.”

Of the pile of gifts McMahan received a $1,500 watch, a PlayStation Portable and laptop computer.

“He told me he really wanted a laptop computer,” Fitch said. “He had never owned a computer.”

McMahan also received a key to the city from Mayor Don Webb, who made an official proclamation welcoming McMahan.

He also received a “get out of jail free” card courtesy of the Newport Beach Police Department, but because of the scheduling, it expired Sunday. Good thing it’s irrelevant.

McMahan’s mother, Margaret McMahan-Izzard was also presented with gifts, as was his grandmother Ruby McMahan.

“It’s fabulous,” McMahan-Izzard said. “I’m very, very proud of him. I know he’ll make it. He’s dedicated and always loved football.”