It is a good thing Bill Parcells and Jeff Ireland run a football team and not a television studio, because the duo erased any element of drama surrounding their No. 1 pick by deciding on offensive tackle Jake Long five days before their clock even starts ticking at the NFL Draft.

Sexiness went out of the window, too, when the team went with the safe, smart selection.

For those who have planned their spring around this weekend's draft, even practicing reactions in front of a mirror in anticipation of the announcement of the No. 1 pick, it was something of a sad day.

But there will still be plenty of intrigue. It just happens to start at No. 32 now instead of No. 1.

The Dolphins' second selection is essentially a first-round pick anyway, what with the Patriots cheating themselves out of a first-rounder this year. And thought of in those terms, it might even be reason to work on those surprised/disappointed expressions again.

Even better, for those who were chanting Brady Quinn's name last year, or hoping Matt Ryan was the top choice for the Fins this weekend, there is a fairly decent chance the No. 32 pick will finally provide what you have been crying for.

Nothing gets a football fan's imagination racing like drafting a quarterback relatively high in the draft. Especially fans of a football team that has been searching for a franchise quarterback replacement for almost a full decade.

So it is OK to get excited about the possibility of the Dolphins drafting a quarterback with that No. 32 pick.

Actually, it is the way the Dolphins should go with the selection. Because, just like Long, it would be a safe, smart choice.

QUARTERBACK DILEMMA

It is no secret the Dolphins have something of a quarterback quandary. Signing a McCown brother has become the universal sign of quarterback trouble.

At best, Miami has a budding second-year quarterback ready to contribute immediately, with a journeyman backup ready to step in if necessary.

At worst, it has a journeyman starter, with a second-year bust for a backup.

Either way, adding another quarterback to the mix makes far too much sense. Even if Beck does turn out to be a consistent starter, an NFL team can never have enough good quarterbacks. It is one position where stockpiling is OK, and often necessary.

It is why the Chargers took Philip Rivers with Drew Brees on the roster. It is why the Packers drafted Aaron Rodgers while it was still a safe bet Brett Favre would be around for a few more years. It's why the Browns held onto Derek Anderson when Quinn was tabbed the franchise quarterback after Cleveland maneuvered to draft Quinn last year.

And it is what the Dolphins should have been thinking toward the tail end of Dan Marino's career rather than waiting for his retirement and crossing their fingers that another great one would fall into their lap.

This is an opportunity for the newest regime to avoid such a pitfall. Maybe Beck turns out to be pretty good. Maybe he is better than good, and with a legitimate coaching staff, maybe he becomes everything the Dolphins have been missing at the position.

That would be great (and, in retrospect, it would make former GM Randy Mueller look fairly smart — perhaps for the first time). But Parcells and Ireland can't afford to put all their chips into a player they didn't draft. So a Chad Henne, a Joe Flacco or a Brian Brohm would be the ultimate form of insurance.

There are some analysts out there (I'm looking at you, Mel Kiper Jr.) who believe if the Dolphins were to draft a quarterback early, it should have been Matt Ryan at No. 1 rather than pick up another second-rounder to compete with Beck.

But taking Ryan at No. 1 would have been the ultimate gamble. Taking a quarterback who is far from a sure thing and paying him $30-plus million in guaranteed money would have reeked of desperation. And Parcells doesn't appear to operate that way.

BEYOND FIRST ROUND

Besides, there are too many quality starting quarterbacks drafted after the first round to think that drafting Ryan was the only way to go. Brees, Anderson, Matt Hasselbeck, Marc Bulger, Tom Brady, Tony Romo, Matt Schaub, Jason Campbell, David Garrard and Jeff Garcia are among the better quarterbacks in the league who were either drafted after the first round or not drafted at all.

No matter how badly Marino's shoes are begging to be filled, it doesn't take a No. 1 overall pick to do it.

A 32nd pick can do just fine. And if the Dolphins go that route, maybe they can bring sexy back to this draft-day experience after all.