NFL going virtual for upcoming draft

[polamalubeast]

The NFL draft will be conducted in a virtual format, with team personnel working from their homes.

In a memo sent to the 32 teams Monday and obtained by The Associated Press, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell outlined procedures for the April 23-25 draft. The guidelines include no group gatherings.

“We have reviewed this matter in the past few days with both the competition committee and CEC (a group of league executives),” Goodell wrote, “and this will confirm that clubs will conduct their draft operations remotely, with club personnel separately located in their homes.”

All team facilities were closed on March 26 and Goodell has ordered them to remain shut indefinitely.

read more

https://triblive.com/sports/nfl-goin...pcoming-draft/

[AtlantaDan]

Dark Lord Hoodie actively seeking contractors with expertise in hacking into Zoom teleconferences

The potential for this going off the rails is epic

[Mojouw]

Dark Lord Hoodie actively seeking contractors with expertise in hacking into Zoom teleconferences

The potential for this going off the rails is epic

Sure, but I think it is a bit over-sold. Just extend the time limits. Be cautious and careful about the tech.

If my and my idiot friends can annually manage to pull off remote fantasy football league set-ups while drinking across 3 different time zones -- these well compensated officials and deep-pocketed teams should be able to figure this out.

[AtlantaDan]

Sure, but I think it is a bit over-sold. Just extend the time limits. Be cautious and careful about the tech.

If my and my idiot friends can annually manage to pull off remote fantasy football league set-ups while drinking across 3 different time zones -- these well compensated officials and deep-pocketed teams should be able to figure this out.

Maybe - but 32 teams with their own multiparty conference calls interfacing with the league and nobody allegedly at the team facilities to be the ringmaster is a lot of plates in the air when calls get dropped all the time

Agreed teams need a lot more margin for error to get the pick in

Not real comfortable deals such as the down to the wire Giants-Chargers trade that brought Ben to the Steelers get pulled off with a bunch of football guys trying to juggle multiple conference calls - you know someone is going to screw up the mute function

[polamalubeast]

If we have a good year to not have a first round pick,this is this year….

[Mojouw]

Maybe - but 32 teams with their own multiparty conference calls interfacing with the league and nobody allegedly at the team facilities to be the ringmaster is a lot of plates in the air when calls get dropped all the time

Agreed teams need a lot more margin for error to get the pick in

Not real comfortable deals such as the down to the wire Giants-Chargers trade that brought Ben to the Steelers get pulled off with a bunch of football guys trying to juggle multiple conference calls - you know someone is going to screw up the mute function

I can agree with all that. But all these football types (talking heads and writers and internet pundits) are acting like doing complex things over distance is just some sort of fantastic obstacle. C'mon. It really means they don't know how to do it or understand all that "nerdy tech stuff" because I'm a "footbawh guy".

People direct wars over half a world away. No one hops on a plane every time some global deal between several multinational corporations needs hammered out. This really shouldn't be that hard.

That being said. Half these teams will have no clue. The league will enact a dozen or so overly-complicated and ridiculous stipulations. And it will slide off the rails over something super dumb.

Hopefully it gives well organized and smart teams an advantage. Further, hopefully the Steelers are one of those teams.

But, all that being said, I am glad that they aren't trying trade high into the first round this year.

[pczach]

Dark Lord Hoodie actively seeking contractors with expertise in hacking into Zoom teleconferences

The potential for this going off the rails is epic

Is it really that time of year again?

[Craic]

Maybe - but 32 teams with their own multiparty conference calls interfacing with the league and nobody allegedly at the team facilities to be the ringmaster is a lot of plates in the air when calls get dropped all the time

Agreed teams need a lot more margin for error to get the pick in

Not real comfortable deals such as the down to the wire Giants-Chargers trade that brought Ben to the Steelers get pulled off with a bunch of football guys trying to juggle multiple conference calls - you know someone is going to screw up the mute function

I'm not sure it should be that difficult. One is designated to call in the pick. Only one. That person sits in a MS Teams meeting or Zoom meeting or a Skype call or another teleconference meeting with several others. One person becomes the person responsible for designating who talks to other teams concerning a trade. If you drop the video feed. There's call in backup numbers.

It's the same thing tens of thousands are doing every day in work-from-home scenarios, and I can guarantee they're already doing much of this already. So, the only real issue is the real-time call-ins for the pick and negotiating with other teams.

[AtlantaDan]

I'm not sure it should be that difficult. One is designated to call in the pick. Only one. That person sits in a MS Teams meeting or Zoom meeting or a Skype call or another teleconference meeting with several others. One person becomes the person responsible for designating who talks to other teams concerning a trade. If you drop the video feed. There's call in backup numbers.

It's the same thing tens of thousands are doing every day in work-from-home scenarios, and I can guarantee they're already doing much of this already. So, the only real issue is the real-time call-ins for the pick and negotiating with other teams.

Everyone is doing it but not everyone is doing it well

I agree this is not rocket science if you are a minimally competent organization (a big if when you consider screwups such as the trade of AJ McCarron from the Bengals to the Browns being botched a few years ago because the Browns could not get the paperwork in on time and the hash the league has made of other issues over the years), but despite all the happy talk about virtual office meetings through Zoom that software has some major security issues

https://fortune.com/2020/04/06/zoom-...ts-spacex-ban/

Screwing up the NFL draft would get a lifetime achievement award for some hacker - just a wild guess this on the fly redesign of the draft might not have the telecom efficiencies developed by major corporations, law firms and investment banks

Apparently the NFL has not even decided which video conferencing software to use (Microsoft is a major sponsor with the Surface tablets on the sideline so I bet Microsoft Teams gets the nod), but for whatever reason Roger is not backing off no delay of the draft - good luck to Roger

It’s possible the league could move their draft-weekend video conferencing to Microsoft Teams, which several NFL people have told me seems more secure.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/04/06/nfl-draft-combined-telecast-colts-fmia-peter-king/?cid=nbcsports

[Mojouw]

Everyone is doing it but not everyone is doing it well

I agree this is not rocket science if you are a minimally competent organization (a big if when you consider screwups such as the trade of AJ McCarron from the Bengals to the Browns being botched a few years ago because the Browns could not get the paperwork in on time and the hash the league has made of other issues over the years), but despite all the happy talk about virtual office meetings through Zoom that software has some major security issues

https://fortune.com/2020/04/06/zoom-...ts-spacex-ban/

Screwing up the NFL draft would get a lifetime achievement award for some hacker - just a wild guess this on the fly redesign of the draft might not have the telecom efficiencies developed by major corporations, law firms and investment banks

Apparently the NFL has not even decided which video conferencing software to use (Microsoft is a major sponsor with the Surface tablets on the sideline so I bet Microsoft Teams gets the nod), but for whatever reason Roger is not backing off no delay of the draft - good luck to Roger

It’s possible the league could move their draft-weekend video conferencing to Microsoft Teams, which several NFL people have told me seems more secure.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/04/06/nfl-draft-combined-telecast-colts-fmia-peter-king/?cid=nbcsports

This all just sounds like a big closed society (the league and the individual teams) trying to reinvent an airplane while they're flying it. Bad idea. Instead, push this like 2 weeks and hire an outside consulting firm to install secure communications solutions.

If the expertise exists to drop warheads on foreheads from a drone flown by remote from a shipping container in Texas based on the radio report of ground troops in the Middle East; surely the NFL could pull off 32 teams communications.

But they will stay in house and on the cheap.

Surprised they don't just run it by carrier pigeon.

[Born2Steel]

And yet somehow they will pull it off. The NFL will somehow Network for all 32 teams at this year’s draft and be able to live stream GMs hanging up the phone with prospects and doing a virtual high five with HCs and owners. Why would they need to use anything other than their already established ‘intranet’ that they have used constantly for years now. This way of holding the draft may become the way of the future. Sort of like when grunge in the 90s ended big budget rock shows from the 70s and 80s. A more stripped down version without all the expensive hoopla but still charging advertisers premium money for spots during the broadcast. The NFL may look lost but the one thing they know how to do is make money.

[Craic]

And yet somehow they will pull it off. The NFL will somehow Network for all 32 teams at this year’s draft and be able to live stream GMs hanging up the phone with prospects and doing a virtual high five with HCs and owners. Why would they need to use anything other than their already established ‘intranet’ that they have used constantly for years now. This way of holding the draft may become the way of the future. Sort of like when grunge in the 90s ended big budget rock shows from the 70s and 80s. A more stripped down version without all the expensive hoopla but still charging advertisers premium money for spots during the broadcast. The NFL may look lost but the one thing they know how to do is make money.

Someone forgot about Metallica. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3RSd3hvmhI

[polamalubeast]

Steelers GM Kevin Colbert proposed three more rounds for 2020 NFL Draft to offset coronavirus restrictions

Good idea?

[polamalubeast]

[Born2Steel]

Steelers GM Kevin Colbert proposed three more rounds for 2020 NFL Draft to offset coronavirus restrictions

Good idea?

That's one way to get more picks.

[Born2Steel]

Why is EVERYTHING so doom and gloom. The NFL is going forward with the draft as scheduled rather than waiting and putting it off a month. This is the ONLY sports related thing that is even slightly normal. And all the talk surrounding it is how it can be awful. It can also be good. It can be fun. It can work and become a new way organizations do the draft. This may not be the only time the sports world gets turned on it's ear by something global. This draft could set the foundation for how the draft is done from now forward. Other leagues may adopt parts are all of how this draft is ran. There is no need to have all the team execs in one place anymore. Draft picks are shown live from their living rooms with family watching their names get called every single year. The broadcast is going to be fine, I don't know why it wouldn't be. But instead of applauding the effort and talking up the draft it's all talk about fear and hacking and what ifs.

[Mojouw]

Why is EVERYTHING so doom and gloom. The NFL is going forward with the draft as scheduled rather than waiting and putting it off a month. This is the ONLY sports related thing that is even slightly normal. And all the talk surrounding it is how it can be awful. It can also be good. It can be fun. It can work and become a new way organizations do the draft. This may not be the only time the sports world gets turned on it's ear by something global. This draft could set the foundation for how the draft is done from now forward. Other leagues may adopt parts are all of how this draft is ran. There is no need to have all the team execs in one place anymore. Draft picks are shown live from their living rooms with family watching their names get called every single year. The broadcast is going to be fine, I don't know why it wouldn't be. But instead of applauding the effort and talking up the draft it's all talk about fear and hacking and what ifs.

Because the people running this and the people reporting on this don't understand what they are talking about. I'm going to go ahead and guess that the "IT" department for many teams is "Skippy the Owner's Cousin's Kid who is good at the computers". Figure the league offices are a bit better ahead than that.

The pundits talking about this are just parroting the concerns that their "unnamed" sources are freaking out about. Honestly, if any organization with the budget and security concerns of an NFL team is relying on Zoom that is more than ample evidence for me that they have just about zero idea what they are doing. About a month ago when all the planning started for this, just about every person I know who knows a bit about computers was saying to avoid Zoom because its security was a total joke. The private sector has largely been using one of the multitude of other collaborate tools that is more secure, stable, and viable.

My university got 100's of classes, dozens of departments, an innumerable meetings moved online in like 10 days. Mostly smooth. Why? Because they had professionals advising the rest of us who know WTF they were talking about. Based on the reporting about the NFL, they don't. I'm guessing that all the fancy communications we see during the draft each year are provided by the TV networks rather than the league. Now the league is on their own and almost certainly doesn't know what to do.

[polamalubeast]

[AtlantaDan]

From the linked article in the tweet

Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta joked that Harbaugh is being too concerned about cracks in today's communication technology.

"I have more confidence in Zoom than I do in Ozzie [Newsome, executive vice president], John, Steve [Bisciotti, owner] and Dick [Cass, team president], with a copy of our draft board that they just leave in the car on their front seat or something like that," DeCosta said.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/...-tech-security

Pretty clear DeCosta does not have a clue why anyone should be concerned about Zoom

[Born2Steel]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sport...n-nfl-network/

https://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2020/4/...al-coronavirus

https://www.nbcsports.com/video/2020...tual-all-teams

[Lady Steel]

It's not going to be the same when we can't hear the fans boo Goodell as he "takes the stage" during the draft.







- - - Updated - - -

You guys should get a stream going on Twitch for the draft where you can see/interact with each other. That would be pretty cool.

[polamalubeast]

[AtlantaDan]

In his FMIA column this morning Peter King has a long discussion of the logistics of the draft. The league has settled on MS Teams as the software interface for calling in the picks. I assumed they would settle on that given Microsoft having previously engaged in product placement for its Surface tablets with the league - look for lots of plugs for MS Teams during the broadcast. At least they had the sense not to go with Zoom

Making picks will happen like this: Each team’s designated drafter will be connected to the league’s official Microsoft Teams private and encrypted draft channel, and will make the pick through that channel. There are two fail-safes: A GM can call Fiore or a member of his team directly by landline or cell with the pick. Also, there will be a conference call for the length of the draft with club officials muted; the club official designated to make the pick can unmute his/her line and announce the pick. If the pick is made through Microsoft Teams, Fiore or his representative will announce on the conference call that a pick has been made and the next team is on the clock.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...fe-peter-king/

[Mojouw]

In his FMIA column this morning Peter King has a long discussion of the logistics of the draft. The league has settled on MS Teams as the software interface for calling in the picks. I assumed they would settle on that given Microsoft having previously engaged in product placement for its Surface tablets with the league - look for lots of plugs for MS Teams during the broadcast. At least they had the sense not to go with Zoom

Making picks will happen like this: Each team’s designated drafter will be connected to the league’s official Microsoft Teams private and encrypted draft channel, and will make the pick through that channel. There are two fail-safes: A GM can call Fiore or a member of his team directly by landline or cell with the pick. Also, there will be a conference call for the length of the draft with club officials muted; the club official designated to make the pick can unmute his/her line and announce the pick. If the pick is made through Microsoft Teams, Fiore or his representative will announce on the conference call that a pick has been made and the next team is on the clock.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...fe-peter-king/

So the implemented basic technology measures that almost EVERYONE in a corporate job since 2010 is familiar with? This is what people were freaking out about?

I was reading that teams were having to send IT support (and the support was being refused for virus fears) to employees homes to set-up necessary tech. So a laptop and a wifi router? Sorry and maybe this only applies to me -- but that is hilarious. It is like a walking talking stereotype of football "people". If you can not figure out how to have a computer shipped to your house, internet turned on, and install MS Teams -- goodness me. That is some basic stuff. And they need support to do that? No wonder teams are freaking out about this if that is the starting point.

I can't wait for the ridiculous stories of triumph over idiocy that emerge from this draft. It is only a matter of days that some teams entire draft board is "hacked" or by "hacked" - I mean accidentally mailed to everyone by some scout who can't understand how to work email.

[AtlantaDan]

So the implemented basic technology measures that almost EVERYONE in a corporate job since 2010 is familiar with? This is what people were freaking out about?

I was reading that teams were having to send IT support (and the support was being refused for virus fears) to employees homes to set-up necessary tech. So a laptop and a wifi router? Sorry and maybe this only applies to me -- but that is hilarious. It is like a walking talking stereotype of football "people". If you can not figure out how to have a computer shipped to your house, internet turned on, and install MS Teams -- goodness me. That is some basic stuff. And they need support to do that? No wonder teams are freaking out about this if that is the starting point.

I can't wait for the ridiculous stories of triumph over idiocy that emerge from this draft. It is only a matter of days that some teams entire draft board is "hacked" or by "hacked" - I mean accidentally mailed to everyone by some scout who can't understand how to work email.

I also saw the Schefter tweet on team personnel not wanting IT in their house and/or IT not wanting to go there

Since anyone who streams Netflix has a high speed internet connection with an encrypted wireless password hopefully this does not involve someone needing to upgrade their dial up modem

More likely this issue

Each team will be tasked with designating a “decision-maker” (be that the head coach, GM or owner), and that decision-maker will be allowed to have one IT support professional on hand at their house. Obviously, there are a lot of moving parts here. But I can tell you, after the stories I’ve heard the last few weeks, it’ll probably be necessary. Remember, these teams are trying to move technological resources that are supported by palatial facilities with wired, business-grade internet. You don’t just make that all go at someone’s house by pushing a few buttons.

https://www.si.com/nfl/2020/04/13/tu...ut-urban-meyer

NFL portraying working from home online as some bold leap into the future - what could go wrong?

[BnG_Hevn]

Just limit the draftees as necessary and do a Yahoo! Online Draft.

[Mojouw]

I also saw the Schefter tweet on team personnel not wanting IT in their house and/or IT not wanting to go there

Since anyone who streams Netflix has a high speed internet connection with an encrypted wireless password hopefully this does not involve someone needing to upgrade their dial up modem

More likely this issue

Each team will be tasked with designating a “decision-maker” (be that the head coach, GM or owner), and that decision-maker will be allowed to have one IT support professional on hand at their house. Obviously, there are a lot of moving parts here. But I can tell you, after the stories I’ve heard the last few weeks, it’ll probably be necessary. Remember, these teams are trying to move technological resources that are supported by palatial facilities with wired, business-grade internet. You don’t just make that all go at someone’s house by pushing a few buttons.

https://www.si.com/nfl/2020/04/13/tu...ut-urban-meyer

NFL portraying working from home online as some bold leap into the future - what could go wrong?

What is "business grade" internet? I guess they mean fiber optic? I have fiber coming into my house. If I wanted to make it wired, I could just buy however many feat of cable I need or move my computer to the source point in my home. If these coaches/scouts/execs don't have good home internet -- that is a pretty ridiculous spot to be in for highly paid team officials in 2020.

[86WARD]

What is "business grade" internet? I guess they mean fiber optic? I have fiber coming into my house. If I wanted to make it wired, I could just buy however many feat of cable I need or move my computer to the source point in my home. If these coaches/scouts/execs don't have good home internet -- that is a pretty ridiculous spot to be in for highly paid team officials in 2020.

I don’t think Xfinity uses Fiberoptics. I think that’s a Verizon thing. So I think that’s just a different avenue of getting the internet from point A to Poont B. There’s something about the powered outages that goes with them too as a difference but don’t remember what it is.

Business internet, I think, has faster upload speeds because the demand on their internet is larger. I think the common folk have restrictions...

[st33lersguy]

Good god, the complaining from teams

[Mojouw]

I don’t think Xfinity uses Fiberoptics. I think that’s a Verizon thing. So I think that’s just a different avenue of getting the internet from point A to Poont B. There’s something about the powered outages that goes with them too as a difference but don’t remember what it is.

Business internet, I think, has faster upload speeds because the demand on their internet is larger. I think the common folk have restrictions...

Sure. Xfinity uses coax cable or some other form of copper wire. Most of the cable companies and telecoms do. They already had the infrastructure in place for that. It is just sending another signal down the same lines. But fiber exists in many big cities/urban areas. It took my phone company 35 minutes to hook my house up to it.

As to the download/upload speed -- that "throttling" is largely an artificial restriction that each ISP places on its customers. It could be lifted -- I think. I just looked at the business/consumer internet through my local cable company here. It is just artificial distinctions based on perceived need/usage. Bottom line, it is just artificial price tiers masquerading as service upgrades. It is the same wire coming into the structure whether it is a business or a home -- unless I am waaaayyyy off. The NFL could just pay the local ISP more and "boom" "business internet".

It largely doesn't matter. But this is just so hilarious to me that an issue is unfolding being led by people who don't know what they are talking about; being reported on by people who understand even less; and their sources understand it the least. I find it laugh out loud funny. I mean basically a series of multi-million/billion dollar franchises are freaking out about having remote telecommunications in 2020? That is hilarious. Like what do these teams actually spend money on besides players and coaches? It clearly isn't building collaborative infrastructure!