"And I"ve been eyeing your 3rd year WR Owens."

"You know there is no way we can do that."

"Then this was a quick discussion. Anthony Parker will be a great addition to the team."

"Have a good day."

"You as -" Walsh hung him up and Tony chuckled at the reaction. He knew there was no way Terrell Owens would be tradable he was a future Hall of Famer(HOF). He also knew Walsh had no interest in the pick itself. Unlike the Falcons who wanted a TE, the 49ers didn"t need a DB.

Tony looked through the papers in search of a list of phone numbers for GMs. He eventually found it, Roy White wasn"t a very organized man.

"Mr. Polian, I"m interested in trading away the top pick."

Bill"s interest was piqued, "What are you for looking in exchange?

"A fourth this year and a third next year."

"There is no way that"s happening."

"What"s your offer then?"

"A fourth and a seventh both this year."

"How about a seventh next year and Mike Vanderjagt?"

The other end went silent which meant he had to discuss the situation with his superiors. It"s why Roy had been staying away from trading players. He didn"t yet want to think about CAP s.p.a.ce or discuss with the owner who can be traded and who can"t.

It wasn"t long later that Bill returned and accepted the trade. After he hung up the phone he proceeded outside of his office and to the war room to inform everyone. The time for when the draft started was close, 8:30.

"Everyone, I"m informing you that I traded the away the top pick with the Colts for a seventh next year and Mike Vanderjagt."

It took everyone a moment to realize what he was saying but it was evident they didn"t agree.

"What about Phil Dawson?" Brian Smith, special team"s coach, questioned.

"I have no problems with Phil Dawson. He can be a long and good career with most teams. I believe Mike will have the better years though."

"Are you going to continue to go behind our backs on this?" Brian had accepted Tony"s answer but Sparano wasn"t done.

"Are you going to continue to go behind our backs for this?"

"I didn"t believe I should have conferred with you. The trade was fair and gave us something we were missing. If I conferred with everyone every time, there would be no time for trades."

"You don"t need to confer every time."

"Who do I then?"

"When it changes who we draft."

"That is every time! Every trade will change who we draft. Every player we trade for or trade away will change who we draft. Every pick for pick will change who we draft."

The room was silent, they weren"t how they reply.

"I understand every person in here wants the best for the team. I understand that every person believes they know best. I understand no one here truly trusts my capabilities as a General Managers.

I thought yesterday, may have been enough for you all to give me the season. I thought yesterday, would gain me trust. I see this didn"t.

I was hired for this job. I was hired to be General Manager. You all have to accept I know what I"m doing. If this team can"t win 5 games, I"ll step down."

That was the end of the discussion and how many people took his thoughts personally were likely few. He had no reason to hold himself to his word.

Everyone went onto their own conversations and Tony watched the TV watching the minutes count down until the draft started. The excitement was killer and he couldn"t stay still. Everything he had done was leading to this moment.

When the draft finally started there wasn"t anything worth commenting about. The commentators were now talking about ideas for how teams" seasons would go. He didn"t blame them, they couldn"t have dead air.

"Cleveland is now on the clock!"

"Aaron Brooks." Tony"s order was blunt.

Aaron Brooks was a QB who led a failing New Orleans team to have compet.i.tive games. He was originally drafted Green Bay but he never played a down for them.

The interns made the call in and the staffers didn"t question him. Maybe there was an understanding, or they realized they couldn"t change his mind.

Without the needless arguments and without surprises in draft picks the last three rounds were boring.

Tony took Roderick Coleman in the fifth round sniping him from Oakland. He averaged 7 sacks a year some seasons he got 10+ and others he got 5. He was consistantly inconsistant.

Tony didn"t make the trade in the sixth round with the Bears but he did make the trade the Seahawks, his sixth round for their two sixths.

Desmond Clark, Todd McClure, and Donald Driver where his first three picks from the sixth round. He went to the Lions to trade his last sixth away.

"Mr. Schidmt I"m looking to trade away my sixth round pick."

"What do you want?"

"Glyn Millburn."

"We want more than that."

"I"m not giving you anything more. If you take too long on this. I"ll lower my offer to a seventh."

The end was silent but Tony knew they would accept it. In his past life, a seventh was what they accepted.

"Deal."

"Pleasure doing business, Mr. Schimdt."

"You as well."

For Tony"s final pick of the seventh round he chose, Bryce Fisher.

The second and final night of the draft came to a boring end. Tony had gotten all the players he wished for and ran into no other problems besides the first round. That didn"t ease his obsession though. This was okay to him. This calmness was accepted.

As he said goodbye and made his way back to his house. He laid down on the mattress and thought completely about seeing Kate again.