Irrelevant Week XXXV: Toone has a short week

Mr. Irrelevant is usually cut in training camp, not during the week Newport Beach worships him for being the last pick in the NFL Draft.

Tim Toone is Mr. Irrelevant XXXV, but his week has been cut short.

Instead of the usual six or seven days, Mr. Irrelevant is spending three days in town, starting on June 30. Paul Salata, the event's founder, understands why the stay for the latest Mr. Irrelevant will be brief.

The Detroit Lions drafted Toone, a 5-foot-10, 175-pound wide receiver from Weber State. The Lions appear serious about working with their dead-last selection.

"Detroit added a couple of practice days," Salata said was the reason behind Toone's limited availability.

Detroit needs the 255th pick more than Newport Beach.

There's a reason why the Lions have ended up with the No. 1 and No. 2 picks in the past two drafts. Detroit has two wins to show in its previous two seasons.

The last time the Lions chose someone at No. 255 was three years ago. Mr. Irrelevant back then was Ramzee Robinson.

The more Robinson played in his second season, the more Detroit lost. The Lions two years ago went winless, the first NFL team with the dubious record of losing each of its 16 regular-season games.

At least Robinson played in the NFL. Toone has a ways to go before he lands in the Motor City.

The odds of Toone being cut are far better than the ones of him chopping his hair off. Salata's daughter, Melanie Salata-Fitch, who runs Irrelevant Week, calls Toone the "white guy with dreadlocks."

The dreadlocks are sure to get a rise. Salata-Fitch said she plans for Toone to ride the Goodyear blimp on the third and final day of his visit.

"The Goodyear Tire Company wants to take him for a ride on the Goodyear blimp and show him what a stadium looks like from above, as opposed [to what a] player is used to being on the field," said Salata-Fitch, adding Toone might fly over the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

The aerial view might be the closest Toone gets to a real football field.

Checking out the Coliseum is not a bad idea by Salata-Fitch, a USC alumnus. Her college football team that plays at the Coliseum might need some players after the NCAA took away 30 scholarships in the next three years as part of the sanctions it levied on USC for a lack of institutional control. The NCAA cited former tailback Reggie Bush for receiving improper gifts from marketers during his days at USC.

An invitation to honor Mr. Irrelevant has been sent to USC first-year head coach Lane Kiffin.