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<p>The NFL Combine is a yearly passage for all seniors aspiring to be professional football players. Here’s my experience. The Path to Primetime continues at the combine, where more than 300 top prospects will continue on their quest to achieve their NFL dreams. Follow the action Feb. 23-26 on NFL Network.</p>
<p>I was part of the famous 1988 draft that some consider the most talented of all time. The 1980s were famous for such fashions as fanny packs, Jerry Curls, spandex and gold chains. This was the place where activator from Dion Sanders’ Jerry Curls splashed in my eyes as he crossed the finish line after running a 4.3 40-yard dash. It was also the place where I drank a half gallon of white vinegar before my urine test because in those days we thought it would mask any illegal substances. Times were simpler then not like today’s world of Lance Armstrong’s or MLB.</p>
<p>It didn’t work. I tested positive for steroids.</p>
<p>The combine is a well-documented meat market filled with physical tests, medical tests and a so-called intelligence test called the Wonderlic, which to me was equivalent of an eighth grade exit exam. But there’s always a group that struggles with it — Donovan McNabb’s famous 14 score, Terry Brad-shaw’s 15. Tim Tebow scored a 22, Vince Young a 6. By the way, this is out of a possible 50.</p>
<p>It’s also a place where you go from medical station to medical station, from a dermatologist station to a neurologist station to a vision specialist (where I received treatment for activator burns).</p>
<p>I remember being scolded for refusing to be videotaped answering questions in my underwear as all players do. I can’t remember if I relented and did that strange pedophile type station. Then there was the station where everyone was bent over tables getting the lubed-finger colon exam. I refused that one and remember thinking that it was a test — and if you actually agreed to it, you wouldn’t be drafted in the first round.</p>
<p>In the end, none of that really mattered. I scored the second-highest Wonderlic score that year, yet I never developed into the field general McNabb or Bradshaw did. I ran the fastest 40 of any lineman, but it didn’t matter if I was smarter than the QB. What mattered was whether I could get to him. Hell, Dexter Manley the great defensive end for the Washington Redskins couldn’t even read.</p>
<p>Despite testing positive for steroids, suffering activator burns, passing on underwear questions and the rectal-rooter station, I was still drafted eighth overall that year.</p>
<p>Strangely the combine serves as an end-all tool for some teams and for others it is simply just a tool-too often and without fail-there is a look like Tarzan play like Jane work –out warrior that sling-shots himself into the first round simply off numbers, sadly some NFL scouting departments get suck-ed into the concept that actual game production and play don’t matter as much as times and scores –it’s as if they become Olympic Decathlon judges and not NFL talent evaluators. I think all would agree Eric Weddle is a great player and a great leader with intangibles that can’t be measured on paper, but come on physically speaking (size-speed-etc.) he would rank at the bottom 20% of the NFL. So does any of that data really matter?</p>
<p>I hope the Chargers new regime favors a little more balance between physical and mental abilities or actual play and production versus data. Hopefully we won’t get stuck with another Jared Gaither or Larry English.</p>
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