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Los Angeles Times
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Kobee Minor, the 50th Mr. Irrelevant, celebrated as part of a special fraternity
Kobee Minor's first look at Orange County's coast reminded him of Netflix's shoreline-set, teen-drama series 'Outer Banks.' That's the closest he'd ever been to an actual beach. Five days on the bay, in the surf, among those whose journey mirrors his own, and Newport Beach is now like a home away from home for the new Patriot. The 50th Mr. Irrelevant. who hails from a town 35 miles northwest of Dallas, now understands what it means to enjoy five days on the bay and in the surf among others whose journey mirrors his own. Minor this week joined a 'brotherhood' he hadn't known existed, couldn't have aspired to and now cherishes. He's been steeped in the traditions of pro football's most whimsical culture, joining a band of others chosen with the last pick of five decades of National Football League drafts and the family tethered to it. Irrelevant Week's mission — to fête somebody who wouldn't normally be celebrated just for the joy of it — and the amiably casual approach to maneuvering through it hasn't veered through its evolution from let's-try-this to a celebrated moment on the NFL's calendar. It's a bit of fun before the real business begins. That's what Newport Beach's Paul Salata, who played for USC in the NFL in the late 1940s and early '50s, was seeking when in 1976 he introduced Irrelevant Week, whether he fully realized it or not. It's what Melanie Fitch, Salata's daughter, has embraced in her 30-year stewardship of Mr. Irrelevant celebration. In an increasingly corporate sports landscape, Salata's (and now Fitch's) week-long (or thereabouts) parties are something else, something more meaningful. 'I had no idea,' Andy Stokes, one of nearly two dozen Mr. Irrelevants present for Minor's coronation, said of the event. 'I was just a kid trying to play football. This stays with you your whole life. It's a brotherhood. It's a club. You get a built-in community for the rest of your life.' There's a bit of teasing going on here, in celebration of the 'last,' and a celebration of the achievement, with rewards: for Minor, the key to the city, proclamations, a Newport Beach Police Department badge, personalized longboard, and, at Friday night's marquee banquet, the humorous Lowsman Trophy, its football player depicted fumbling the ball. New England gave Minor his ticket, making a seventh-round trade with the Kansas City Chiefs for two picks and using the latter — No. 257 in the draft — to snare the defensive back from the University of Memphis. He spent his five days here mostly garbed in a Patriots jersey with 257 on the front and getting a taste of Balboa life. He sailed in the weekly Beercans series on Balboa Bay, surfed off 30th Street under inaugural world champion P.T. Townend's tutelage (with a minute-long run judged a 6, highest of Irrelevant scores), took a restaurant crawl along the peninsula, worshiped at Mariners Church and spent a day at Disneyland. 'Everybody's been amazing,' Minor said. That's Salata's doing. He concocted Mr. Irrelevant, Fitch said, 'like a spur-of-the-moment idea' to 'do something nice for someone for no reason.' It was never meant to last forever, but it might. 'Fifty years is a long time,' said Fitch, who took charge of the Irrelevant Week organization in 1995. 'When it started, I was younger than Mr. Irrelevant. Then I was Mr. Irrelevant's age. Then I was the age of his mom. Now I'm the age of his grandma. It's been a good run. 'We still really enjoy the idea of celebrating the underdog and celebrating the last player drafted. We think that he should be recognized just like the first player drafted, because it's an honor to be drafted at all.' There have been 14,156 players drafted over these 50 years. Some 14,106 of them aren't 'Irrelevant.' It's 'truly a fraternity,' says 2006 Raiders selection Kevin McMahan. It's one that has, according to 1977 Vikings pick Jim Kelleher, 'become such a significant part of life.' Salata, who died a day shy of his 95th birthday in 2021, is warmly remembered within the fraternity. 'Paul was the OG,' said Ryan Hoag, a 2003 Oakland Raiders pick who parlayed his success into a stint on reality television show 'The Bachelorette' and now is a pregame analyst for the team. 'He was one of those guys that everybody kind of wanted to be around. 'He didn't say a ton, but when he did, it spoke volumes. He was quick-witted. He was always cracking jokes. And he was just somebody that genuinely had the utmost respect for everybody and the biggest heart and just wanted to help people for no reason at all. It's rare if you come across one of those people in your life, let alone a Paul Salata.' Kelleher, the second Mr. Irrelevant, called Salata 'unlike anybody I had ever met.' 'I was just in awe, the way he interacts with people, his sense of humor,' he said. 'And then what he's done, his vision of this. I can't speak for him, but something tells me that what Melanie's done and where Irrelevant Week is, here, 50 years later, is what he wanted. ''Just doing something nice for somebody for no reason.' How good of a mantra is that for our country, for our world, for us all? It was a gift. We're all blessed.' Fitch this year joined her father as chief beneficiary of the Orange County Youth Sports Foundation's Person of the Year, an honor she rebuked from the Lowsman Banquet stage, quickly shifting the attention back to the event. 'I didn't know, I would have stopped it,' she said. 'Maybe that's why they didn't tell me. I like to be under the radar. I like to do a lot of nice things for people, but I don't want my name in the deal. I just want it to be a super time and super experience.' She marshals a loosely organized, amiably casual team heavy on family members while steering from the behind, slipping in and out of the spotlight as needed, her constant, wry chatter a treasured soundtrack to the proceedings. Everyone's welcomed as 'family' — that was Salata's way, and like father, like daughter. The 'fraternity' is constructed upon that foundation. Hoag, who has returned to Irrelevant Week '10 or 11 times,' calls the relationship 'special ... like family' and says his week, 22 years ago, 'probably usurps every moment of my life.' 'This is pretty much at the top,' he said. 'Having a full week dedicated to you, and they tailor anything and everything you've ever imagined. I mean, it's like finding a genie's lamp and having unlimited wishes.' He'd known nothing of the tradition until a friend called him 'Mr. Irrelevant' as they saw his name called on television. 'I heard you get a trip to Hawaii and a million dollars, and that sounded pretty good, let me tell you,' he said. 'It turned out it wasn't, but, honestly, I wouldn't trade my experience of that week and the subsequent 22 years for a million dollars.' It's all for charity, and the Lowsman Banquet, the business end of the festivities, raised about $150,000, Fitch estimated, for the OCYSF. Many of the Mr. Irrelevants returning this year for the first time, all of them except 2020 New York Giants pick Tae Crowder, whose party was canceled by COVID, carried tales of their weeks: the single Hoag's 'Miss Irrelevant' pageant, Kelleher accompanying Salata in his morning duties, 2005 Patriots pick Stokes' hit-and-run after coach Bill Belichick limited his trip to one day, 1992 Redskins pick Matt Elliott getting tossed from his hotel room bed by the Landers/Big Bear earthquakes. Minor's experience — the adventures, sure, but more so the camaraderie with those who preceded him most of all — 'really opened my eyes,' he said. 'Just realizing this is actually a big event, and it's bigger than all of us. Just fellowshiping with everybody has been amazing. 'Man, I can't thank this family enough. They didn't have to do this, man. They're doing something nice for somebody for literally no reason. So hat's off to them and their family, making me a part of their family.' Minor dreamed from childhood of playing football or basketball professionally — 'basketball didn't work out; I'm not that tall,' said the 6-footer — and started to believe it could happen when he got his first college offers at Lake Dallas High School in Cornith, Texas, near Denton. He was a three-star defensive back in high school, where the elite get five stars. He had (as he noted in his post-draft press conference) 'never been a highly recruited guy ... never been one of the top guys,' and hadn't had a satisfactory four years at Texas Tech, where he saw special-teams duty, and Indiana, where he was 'let go' after a season. Minor made an impact after portaling to Memphis, contributing 38 tackles, seven tackles for loss, two sacks, six passes defended and two fumble recoveries as the Tigers went 11-2 with a Frisco Bowl win over West Virginia just across Lake Lewisville from home. His dad told him he was Mr. Irrelevant. '[Being 'Irrelevant' is] kind of normal to me, because I've always been an underdog, you feel me?' he said. 'Just getting that call and knowing that I'm Mr. Irrelevant, the last pick of the draft, it kind of just adds fuel to my fire.' He stepped into the Patriots' June minicamp and began to 'pick up on the small things I need to fix in my game and trying to focus on my technique and stuff like that, do whatever I can to earn a role on the team and whatever I can to help out.' He's not a certainty. Half of Mr. Irrelevants to date never saw action in an NFL regular-season game, only six have played in more than 50, and just 15 in 10 or more. Four others are on current NFL rosters (49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, Rams defensive end Desjuan Johnson, Lions linebacker Grant Stuard, and 2024 honoree Jaylen Key, a Bengals safety). Another, quarterback Chad Kelly, plays in the Canadian league, and three-year Giants starter Crowder is 'trying to get back into the NFL' after a season in the second-tier United Football League. 'I've got to just go out there and prove that I'm a dog,' Minor said. 'And not just prove to them, but prove to myself that I'm capable of playing in the National Football League.' The support he's found the past few days has made that all the more important. 'Now I know I've got a couple hundred more people that's rooting for me,' he said. 'I can't let them down, so I've got to go back and work.'
South China Morning Post
20-05-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
5 start-ups face EQT Impact Challenge 2025 public vote for a chance at grand finale
Hong Kong's vibrant tech start-up scene has brought forward a stand-out group of contenders for the top prize in this year's EQT Impact Challenge. The contest aims to find the leading pre-seed or early stage company to receive a grant and technical assistance from EQT, a global investment organisation with a strong track record in scaling innovative ventures. More than 200 entrants initially competed for the chance to impress with their breakthrough concepts, business plans, financial models and ambitions to scale for long-term growth. From that initial pool, 10 were shortlisted for this year's Jury Deliberation and Finalists Showcase, where they had the opportunity to pitch their business ideas to a panel of experienced judges. The judges picked just five entrants to create video pitches that will be shared online so that the public can vote for the start-ups that will progress to the grand finale. The pitching sessions were fast-paced and demanding, designed to mirror the real-world pressures start-ups face when presenting to prospective investors. All the video pitches are now featured on the competition website . The grand finale, set for this summer, will see the top team awarded €100,000 (US$112,000) by the EQT Foundation to help bring their plans to life. In addition, the winning start-up gets access to funding, strategic guidance and introductions to a network of industry experts, respected consultants and potential investors. The second- and third-place finishers will each receive US$50,000 from Central Cove Group, the private investment office of Jean Eric Salata, a jury member and chairman of EQT Asia. Salata, recognising the strength of this year's entries and eager to champion Hong Kong's emerging talent, opted to support the initiative directly.
USA Today
26-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
What is Mr. Irrelevant? Explaining the NFL draft nickname for final pick
What is Mr. Irrelevant? Explaining the NFL draft nickname for final pick Show Caption Hide Caption Jaguars select Travis Hunter No. 2 overall, here's what they'll get Travis Hunter captivated the college football world with his two-way abilities and now the Jaguars are ready to see what he can do in the NFL Sports Pulse Welcome to the 50th anniversary of irrelevancy. Well, that honor will go to one special player at the end of the 2025 NFL Draft. The final pick of the draft will receive the honor of earning the title of "Mr. Irrelevant." While the moniker goes to the player selected with the final pick of the draft, it does not have to be a title that sticks. REQUIRED READING: Shedeur Sanders' dramatic NFL draft slide seems deeper than pure football San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy is living proof of that. Purdy was the final pick of the 2022 NFL Draft but led the 49ers to the 2023 Super Bowl. Since then, Purdy has solidified himself as the starter for San Francisco and has proved to be among the better starting signal callers in the league. The honor of "Mr. Irrelevant" was first coined by former USC receiver and NFL draftee Paul Salata in 1976, with Kelvin Kirk becoming the first official "Mr. Irrelevant" with the 1976 NFL Draft. Now the celebration and charity event is in its 50th year, crossing an important milestone. Here's a look at Mr. Irrelevant's tradition, what it means and a couple of standouts who have emerged from the final pick. What is Mr. Irrelevant in the NFL draft? Mr. Irrelevant is the moniker handed to the final player picked in each year's NFL draft. While it sounds like a nickname of derision, with Salata actually coming up with the nickname and a charitable event to celebrate the honor of being the final selection in a draft. "We established Irrelevant Week to drive home an important message — that it's not a negative to be picked last in the NFL Draft; rather, it's an honor to be drafted at all,' Salata said on the organization's website. 'The last draft pick's demonstration of perseverance is a lesson that resonates not only with NFL players and fans but also with people everywhere.' Interestingly, Salata was selected in the 10th round as the 118th overall pick in the 1951 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. The final pick of the 1951 draft was guard Sisto Averno by the Cleveland Browns with pick No. 362. However, he still started the tradition in 1976 when Kelvin Kirk (Dayton) was picked with the 487th and final pick of the draft. History of Mr. Irrelevant and Irrelevant Week According to the Mr. Irrelevant organization's website, it has raised more than $1 million to donate to charities over the last four decades as an important staple and charitable event. The NFL Alumni, the American Cancer Society, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Goodwill Industries, the YMCA, the Special Olympics, Habitat for Humanity and the American Red Cross are among the organizations that have been charitable beneficiaries in the past. Salata announced the "Mr. Irrelevant" pick from 1976 until 2013, when his daughter, Melanie Salata-Fitch, took over the honors. In 2021, Salata died at the age of 94. Following the draft, Mr. Irrelevant makes a trip to Newport Beach, California, for a week's worth of events. Those events include a tour of Disneyland, media opportunities, participating in a sailing regatta in the world-famous Newport Harbor and attending an MLB game (either the Los Angeles Dodgers or Angels). The week of celebration of the Mr. Irrelevant honors rounds out with the final pick of the draft attending the annual Lowsman Banquet as a guest of honor. The banquet gives past and present sports stars a chance to celebrate and roast the guest of honor. A silent action follows and the event closed with Mr. Irrelevant being awarded the Lowsman Trophy, which mimics the Heisman Trophy, but also depicts a football player fumbling the football. What number pick is Mr. Irrelevant? The title of "Mr. Irrelevant" is given to the final pick of the NFL draft in a certain year. There is no specific number, as the number of picks in a given draft can vary year to year based on compensatory picks awarded to teams. For example, defensive end Desjuan John was Mr. Irrelevant as pick No. 259 in the 2023 NFL Draft. Brock Purdy earned the honors as pick No. 262 in 2022, while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected linebacker Grant Stuard with pick No. 259 in 2021 and the New York Giants selected linebacker Tae Crowder went No. 255 in 2020. Mr. Irrelevant will go with Pick No. 257 in 2025, just as it did in 2024. The New York Jets selected Alabama safety Jaylen Key with the pick last year. Unless there is a trade, the Kansas City Chiefs currently hold the pick, rewarded as compensation based on a formula that determines compensatory free agents based on salary, playing time and postseason honors. Mr. Irrelevant 2024: Jaylen Key Key is the most recent Mr. Irrelevant selection heading into the 2025 NFL Draft, coming out of Alabama. He was picked No. 257 overall by the Jets, however, he was waived on Aug. 27, 2024, before being re-signed to the practice squad. Key was released by the Jets on Oct. 30, 2024, but then latched on with the Bengals' practice squad on Dec. 17, 2024. The 25-year-old has not appeared in an NFL game yet, but he did sign a reserve/future contract on Jan. 7 with the Bengals. Mr. Irrelevant 2023: Desjuan Johnson The defensive end and final pick of the 2023 NFL Draft from Toledo was selected by the Rams, has appeared in 21 games during his NFL career. He has notched 21 total tackles (nine solo), three sacks and a forced fumble. He also notched two tackles, including a sack, in two postseason appearances. Johnson's sack of Sam Darnold in the NFC Wild Card round was the Rams' ninth team sack of the Vikings, which tied a single-game NFL playoff sack record. Mr. Irrelevant 2022: Brock Purdy The 49ers selected Purdy with the final pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, likely without the intention of Purdy ever entering a game with the franchise. At that time, the team still had the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft in Trey Lance and veteran and incumbent starter Jimmy Garoppolo on the roster. However, Lance's season ended in Week 2 and Garoppolo's in Week 13, paving the way for Purdy to start. The 2022 Mr. Irrelevant led the 49ers to five consecutive wins with 13 touchdowns and just four interceptions. Purdy led San Francisco to playoff wins over the Seattle Seahawks and Dallas Cowboys before suffering a torn UCL in the NFC championship game. He led the 49ers to the Super Bowl in 2023. Purdy has a 27-15 record in three seasons in the NFL, with 9,518 passing yards, 64 touchdowns and 27 interceptions. List of Mr. Irrelevant picks by year Outside of Purdy, Marty Moore (1994) and Ryan Succop (2009) are the likely most successful Mr. Irrelevants in NFL history. Succop was selected No. 256 by the Chiefs in the 2009 draft out of South Carolina and played for 14 seasons in the NFL for the Chiefs, Tennessee Titans, and Buccaneers. On Feb. 7, 2021, he became the first Mr. Irrelevant to start in a Super Bowl, as he connected on four field goals and a 34-yard field goal to help Tom Brady and the Buccaneers defeat Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs 31-9 in Super Bowl 55. Moore was the first Mr. Irrelevant to play in a Super Bowl, as he appeared in Super Bowl 31 (1997) and Super Bowl 36 (2001) with the New England Patriots. The Patriots selected him No. 222 in the 1994 draft out of Kentucky. He became the first Mr. Irrelevant to win a Super Bowl in 2001, which was also Brady's first Super Bowl win. Here's a look at every Mr. Irrelevant since the inception of the nickname in 1976:
