Last night Thomas and I decided to attend the second annual Pacers Draft Party at Conseco Fieldhouse. Before I get to anything else, I have to hand it to the Pacers, they did a really great job with the party. It isn't perfect, but pretty good for the second year attempting this. Parking, entrance, entertainment, basically everything was free except for food. They always go out of their way to make their fans happy and it was a fun evening for us.

Below are thoughts and opinions on what happened last night.

-I was rather happy to see Rubio fall to a non-major market team. It's one thing for an American player to say that and to bad mouth a city. Although if they're willing to pay you a ton of money to do something you love, I still think it's stupid, but acceptable. Meanwhile, when it comes to a foreign player, I never find it acceptable for them to trash a city. If I was offered millions of euros to play in Spain I would not complain that my team was a smaller market franchise. It's not my country, I know nothing about these people, it's not fair to cut them down.

Guess what Ricky? You're going to the Twin Cities! Freeze to death in Minnesota and earn your spot in the limelight or stay in Spain. That's how we do it here in America, meritocracy, motherfucker.

Also I'd like to add that Rubio doesn't have a complete grasp on our language yet, but still he knows one more language than most of us do, so I have to give him credit for that. Yet, this exchange after being drafted just made Thomas and I laugh.
Q: What was it like for you when your countryman Pau Gasol was drafted?
A: Well I was 11 and I didn't know what draft was, now I know what draft is.

Gold.

Finally, don't worry Ricky, you're starting to figure out how to act American. If you complain enough and in public forums, you'll eventually get what you want (a trade).

-While mentioning Ricky "Major Market or Bust" Rubio, his current team, the Minnesota Timberwolves performed a hording of one position I had not seen since the Matt Millen days of attempting to build a team of just Wide Receivers. They drafted four guards in the first round. At points Thomas and I began wondering how this process was working out in the Minnesota war room, was this part of an all-guard starting lineup master plan or were they just throwing darts at a list of names?

Eventually they did trade the draft rights to Ty Lawson, but still, imagine the possibilities!

-Finally the moment we were waiting for arrived. The Pacers draft pick. As a die hard Pacers fan and a prospective season ticket holder, I was really hoping for the proposed trade down with the Bulls to take over their two first round picks. While rumors are circulating that this was the original plan, and when Henderson was taken by Charlotte the deal fell through. Although the Pacers first pick would have been the same, I wish we could have obtained that second first round pick.

The reaction to the pick was mixed at best. There was some clapping when Hansbrough's name was called, but it seemed that those opposed were more vocal. "We're finished," exclaimed one man near me and almost immediately people started leaving in droves. This may be due to the fact there wasn't much to stick around for after we picked, but I believe some of this was due in part to the selection.

Pacers coach, Jim O'Brien came up on to the stage and was interviewed about the team's pick. Apparently Tyler Hansbrough was their top choice as O'Brien said, "He was the guy everybody in the [draft] room wanted."

Over the course of time since the draft, there have been a lot of varying opinions about Hansbrough. As time passes most here in Indiana are either happy about the pick or have made peace with it, as we now realize after a welcome press conference and jerseys now available to purchase in the team store that Tyler is here to stay.

I kept thinking that a trade would still occur after we made our selection, but as the events of today are unfolding it is becoming less and less likely that anything will happen.

I'm still waiting though, for a trade, for free agency, for next season.