About Irrelevant Week

It all began in 1976 when a totally unknown and obscure wide receiver from the almost totally unknown University of Dayton, Kelvin Kirk, became the last player selected in the NFL draft that year - Old #487 - and he was quite shockingly invited to Newport Beach for a week of upside-down celebrating and cheering.

Thus Irrelevant Week was born.

Paul Salata

It all transpired that historic first week just as Irrelevant Week founder Paul Salata hoped and dreamed. Hardly anyone outside of Newport Beach swooned or blinked. Few noticed. Fewer cared. Perfect. It was so irrelevant that birds didn’t even sing. But some kind of strange spark was ignited. The humble essence of being irrelevant stirred souls.

And so what was originally planned to be a mere one-shot-only, once-in-a-lifetime brief flight into happy lunacy lingered and survived and grew beyond belief or reason.

If that’s the ultimate amazement, so be it. Despite its innate humility, despite its unholier-than-thou theme and despite its delightfully miserable lower-than-low self-esteem, Irrelevant Week in Newport Beach, California, USA, has mushroomed into one of the sporting world’s most popular events - ranking right up there with Super Bowl Week, Final Four Week, Kentucky Derby Week and shooting sharks in a barrel.
Once Irrelevant Week hit age 20, it became rather obvious that it will never go away. It’s here to stay.

Irrelevant Week is a weeklong celebration of the Underdog, the final pick of the NFL draft held in Orange County. Events include a golf tournament, a regatta and a sports banquet, and are open to the public. The idea for this celebration was formulated in 1976 by Irrelevant Week’s founder and chief spokesperson, Paul Salata.


Salata, a former USC football standout and fan of the underdog, started the Irrelevant madness in 1976 when U. of Dayton wide receiver Kelvin Kirk was selected 487th and dead last by the Pittburgh Steelers.

Capped by the presentation of the Lowsman Trophy, many sports celebrities join in the fun of roasting and toasting the final NFL draft pick before he ventures to NFL Rookie Orientation Camp.

 

The Lowsman Trophy

The Lowsman Trophy is a parody of the Heisman Trophy, which is awarded to the outstanding American college football player of the year. The Lowsman Trophy itself mimics the Heisman, but depicts a football player fumbling a football.

Irrelevant Week’s Lowsman Trophy award ceremony is a highlight of the annual week-long celebration in Newport Beach, CA.