Hunter S. Thompson's letter to Jim Irsay nearly resulted in the worst draft decision of all time
And that is why you don’t listen to friends when it comes to franchise-changing business decisions.
Even if your friend is one of the greatest writers of his generation.
By now, we all know the story of the 1998 NFL draft.
The Indianapolis Colts had the top pick, and, as crazy as it sounds now, they were deciding between Peyton Manning and Ryan Leaf.
As one would imagine, everyone had an opinion about this one.
Fortunately for the Colts, owner Jim Irsay listened to general manager Bill Polian and not his good friend Hunter S. Thompson.
The writer and owner were apparently so close that Irsay asked his pal for a $30 million loan to help with expenses for the team.
Thompson refused, but not for reasons you might think.
In a recently released letter, the legendary “gonzo journalist” outlined the main reason for not forking over the cash.
So I received this letter last week. It’s written by Hunter S Thompson to @Colts Owner Jim Irsay in 1998 a month before the NFL Draft. This is unbelievable, hysterical, & ludicrous!! Have a read. @richeisen and I will discuss today on @RichEisenShow at 11:00 AM PT. #mindblown pic.twitter.com/AWStCEiSTM
— Ryan D Leaf (@RyanDLeaf) July 5, 2018
“[Leaf] looks strong & Manning doesn’t — or at least not strong enough to handle that ‘Welcome to the NFL’ business for two years without a world-class offensive line,” Thompson wrote about a month before the draft.
“How are you fixed at left OT for the next few years, James?” the author asked. “You don’t want a china doll back there when that freak (Warren) Sapp comes in.”
Thompson wrapped up the letter hinting that he had some cash — but only for Leaf.
“So let me know if you need money for Leaf. I expect to be very rich when this (Johnny) Depp movie comes out.”
It looks like Thompson was wrong not once but twice.
He was referring to the movie “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,” which flopped at the box office, grossing only $10.7 million.
Oh, and as far as Thompson’s player personnel ability?
Manning won two Super Bowls and five MVP awards, holds numerous NFL records — including most career passing yards (71,940) and touchdown passes (539) — and is a cinch to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 2020.
Leaf won four — games, that is — and was out of the league in three years.
The former Charger shared Thompson’s letter to Irsay on Twitter, calling it “unbelievable, hysterical, & ludicrous!!”
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