SEATTLE(AP)- The Thunderbirds started this year's draft the way they usually end seasons. Heading in the wrong direction.

"Well, Jimmy, that's my driver," said GM Aylmar, "Jimmy and I were supposed to be heading over to the convention center early this morning to start prepping for our first pick." The besieged GM rubbed his ashen face in his hands. "As it turns out, Jimmy gets this emergency call that his grandfather was just diagnosed with the clap. And Jimmy's family, see, they live up in the mountains. No cell signal up there. What am I going to tell a guy that has just found out his 84-year-old grandpa has got the clap? Don't go see your family? I should have had him drop me somewhere and got another ride to the center, but I just had to see this old man. Anyway, we get up there, and Jimmy's grandma is mad as well, you can't print it. She's ripe for revenge. Since the only men in the cabin are her grandson and me...well, let's just say I didn't walk back down the mountain. I ran. I've been shot at before, but that was the scariest moment of my life by a large margin. Anyway, I ran back down the mountain, called a cab, and made it to the convention center just in time to see my image being burned in effigy on the league monitors. And, before anyone asks, I have no idea when I'll get my car back, let alone my driver. If there is a fine imposed by the league, we'll deal with it. I just want to send out my apologies to those people who were terribly inconvenienced by this ordeal. I just ask them to remember there are bigger problems in the world. Just think of poor old Jimmy."

At that moment, a Yellow Cab pulled up to the curb, whisking the hefty GM away into the evening Seattle traffic. Perhaps Jimmy's story sheds some insight into the Thunderbirds recent struggles to make the playoffs. If the general manager drafts athletes as well as he screens chauffeur candidates, the club hasn't seen the worst of this slide yet. God help you, Thunderbirds fans.

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At least Seattle got a Guard out of the deal. Jimmy got a trip to the drug store and a long weekend on his end.

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ROF Division Champions: 2039 - 2043, 2045, 2047, 2054, 2056 - 2060, 2063, 2066-2067, 2070-2072
WFC Conference Champions: 2018, 2041, 2042, 2057-2058, 2060, 2062-2063
CFL Champions: 2018, 2041, 2057-2058, 2060, 2062

Meathole and New Orleans send their prayers.

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2014 & 2015 CFL Champions
2007, 2014, 2015 & 2017 Conf Champs
07, 08, 12, 14, 15, 16, 18, 20, 21, 26 Division Champs