For the past 37 years, Paul Salata, who is known to literally wear his love for USC football on his sleeve, has thrown a big ol' party in Newport Beach known as “Irrelevant Week,” a bunch of events “honoring” the final pick in the NFL draft. The 38th annual run kicks off today with the arrival of Justice Cunningham, a 6-foot-4, 264-pound tight end out of the University of South Carolina chosen by the Indianapolis Colts with the 254th selection in the April 27 draft. The should make him an extra special “Mr. Irrelevant” to Salata, who played end for the Trojans and three NFL teams.
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His event's motto is “Doing something nice for someone for no reason,” which will be fulfilled with a welcome party for Cunningham at the Newport Beach Civic Green this afternoon. Tonight, during a gala at the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel & Spa, the Colt (for now) is to be presented the “Lowsman Trophy” that honors the last player taken in pro football's amateur draft.
It's been reported the number of events have been scaled back this year, but photographers will apparently get to snap photos of Cunningham in the waves at “Surf with Justice” Saturday.
Besides another excuse to party in Newport Beach, Irrelevant Week raises money for charity, having donated more than $1 million over the years. This year's charitable recipient is Special Olympics Southern California.
If you want to attend any events, visit irrelevantweek.org for details.
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OC Weekly Editor-in-Chief Matt Coker has been engaging, enraging and entertaining readers of newspapers, magazines and websites for decades. He spent the first 13 years of his career in journalism at daily newspapers before “graduating” to OC Weekly in 1995 as the alternative newsweekly’s first calendar editor.