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The remarkable, fascinating Joel Buchsbaum revisted

N

nunusguy

Hall of Fame
For those of you who asked how Buchsbaum died, it was late in 2002. He was in his apartment in Brooklyn, and his heart just gave out. He was alone, dead at 48.
Joel was so respected by NFL general managers, coaches and personnel people. He seldom talked about who his sources were, but when we had a service for him at the 2003 scouting combine, I was amazed at the attendance.

The first speaker was Bill Belichick. He said Joel had become one of his closest friends even though he'd never met him in person. Belichick said he had tried numerous times to hire Joel, who politely declined because he felt that working for Pro Football Weekly allowed him to work for every NFL team.

Belichick said that before the draft, when the Patriots had their final board in place, he'd call Joel to see what he thought and make changes based on what Buchsbaum suggested. I thought that was quite an admission by Belichick.
http://blogs.chron.com/nfl/2007/04/on_texans_draft_granatos_lawsu.html
*********
In John McClains current edition of his blog, he remembers this man who was probably the origional "NFL Draft guru".
Many, maybe most of you never heard of him, but he is a legend in his own right. Its fitting to remember him on the eve of an NFL Draft.
 
It is fitting that Joel be remembered this time every year. The best draft expert ever, I rememeber when he died Gosselin said he has always been in awe of Joel.
 
Hoth-Boy said:
It is fitting that Joel be remembered this time every year. The best draft expert ever, I rememeber when he died Gosselin said he has always been in awe of Joel.
Click to expand...

Here, here. I remember pulling into my house but staying in the car for 15 more minutes just to here what he would have to say if he was on the radio.
 
nunusguy said:
For those of you who asked how Buchsbaum died, it was late in 2002. He was in his apartment in Brooklyn, and his heart just gave out. He was alone, dead at 48.
Joel was so respected by NFL general managers, coaches and personnel people. He seldom talked about who his sources were, but when we had a service for him at the 2003 scouting combine, I was amazed at the attendance.

The first speaker was Bill Belichick. He said Joel had become one of his closest friends even though he'd never met him in person. Belichick said he had tried numerous times to hire Joel, who politely declined because he felt that working for Pro Football Weekly allowed him to work for every NFL team.

Belichick said that before the draft, when the Patriots had their final board in place, he'd call Joel to see what he thought and make changes based on what Buchsbaum suggested. I thought that was quite an admission by Belichick.
http://blogs.chron.com/nfl/2007/04/on_texans_draft_granatos_lawsu.html
*********
In John McClains current edition of his blog, he remembers this man who was probably the origional "NFL Draft guru".
Many, maybe most of you never heard of him, but he is a legend in his own right. Its fitting to remember him on the eve of an NFL Draft.
Click to expand...


Here here. Joel Bushbaum is THE reason I came to love the draft as an event in it's own right, not just a means to an end. Before Joel, I barely knew what the draft was, and really didn't care. As a teenager, I just liked the guys on "my team", and didn't really care or know how they were acquired.

One day in the early 80's, I caught Joel on the sportsbeat show on 740am. I was around 18. He would appear often on 740am back in the early to mid eighties. I remember thinking, who is this guy? He is this nasely, brooklyn accented, weasely sounding veritable encyclipedia of football knowledge. I was instantly hooked! I started carving out time to make sure I could be by a radio when Joel came on. And remember, this is in the days before the internet. If you wanted information on prospects, Joel was it!

Some guy would call and ask about his 2nd cousin who plays 3rd string linbeacker at southern Utah St. Community College, and Joel would rattle off every stat on the guy, and then add would some comment at the end like "Looks like Tarzan, plays like Jane". I was convinced that the guy had some big computer in front of him and he was punching in these names, but I later found out that Joel was so good, he simply knew this stuff off the top of his head. He single handedly made me love the process of acquiring players, scouting atheletes, and of course, the draft itself.

The draft is simply not the same without Joel. I can see him up there in heaven now, as people die - "Ok, 6' 2" 350 lbs. Heart attack victim. Can do two steps on a flight of stairs in 15 minutes flat. Looks a little flabby, but could be a backup angel if he undergoes a little conditioning. Looks the part, but you have to wonder about his commitment to being an angel. Might just be sent to hell if he doesn't make the team"

Rest in peace Joel. I for one, sorely miss your knowledge, insight, wisdom, and humor.
 
There are a billion draftniks that try to emulate Joel each year...but they all fall short. I started listening to Joel Bushbaum many, many years on 740am myself and even Bill Belichick tried to hire him once but Joel wanted to scout on his own and turned him down. Joel was just one of those rare guys who didn't regurgitate the opinions of others when breaking down his player evaluations from hours and hours of watching coaches film.
 
V Man said:
Here, here. I remember pulling into my house but staying in the car for 15 more minutes just to here what he would have to say if he was on the radio.
Click to expand...

Porky said:
One day in the early 80's, I caught Joel on the sportsbeat show on 740am. I was around 18. He would appear often on 740am back in the early to mid eighties. I remember thinking, who is this guy? He is this nasely, brooklyn accented, weasely sounding veritable encyclipedia of football knowledge. I was instantly hooked! I started carving out time to make sure I could be by a radio when Joel came on. And remember, this is in the days before the internet. If you wanted information on prospects, Joel was it!
Click to expand...

That was me exactly. I was growing up in Yoakum, Tx (about 2 1/2 hours from Houston). Remember sitting in the car, listening with my dad to him through the static as we were tuned to 740.
 
Nice thread, nunusguy. :thumbup

I was just thinking about JB this week, because I hear all these draft 'experts' talking, but not saying much. No insight, nothing that hasn't already been said, and definitely no depth of knowledge the way Buchsbaum brought it.

The sentiments expressed above are mine, as well. I can't even remember how many times that I'd wait in my truck to hear the rest of what he had to say, even if it wasn't my team! And his memory about players you've never heard of was simply astounding.

That's cool about Belichick trying to hire him, but it does not surprise me at all. I always wondered why he wasn't working for an NFL team, and now I know.

Damn I miss that guy on the radio.
 
Sad to hear Joel passed. I remember the article John McClain did on him, complete with a pic of the reclusive Joel which may have been harder to get than one of Sasquatch.

Joel wasn't just a draft expert, he was a great evaluator of then current and former players and stars.
 
He was the King. I remember listening to his weekly radio appearance in Houston as a little kid. If you are a fan and remember his accent, he loved to say "The Oilers are not a team, they are a group of individuals."

I would get mad at him and call the station... it was only as an adult that I realized how right he was. Heh.
 
Joel was simply the best.

I dont find it hard to believe that Belichick wanted to hire him.

They are like minded people who put there all into the game of pro football.

The game is richer for guys like these being a part of it.
 
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