Calling the Shots:

When Ryan Succop spent Irrelevant Week in Orange County this past summer, I noticed a quiet confidence about him.

There were other hints he provided during the week that he could be a special pro. Now we’re starting to see that it’s true.

Just 10 games into his NFL career, Succop capped a dramatic victory by nailing a field goal. The Kansas City Chiefs kicker, known to us as Mr. Irrelevant, became the complete opposite of that nickname.

Though it was not a field goal from distance, it was a significant game-winner nonetheless. Succop’s 22-yard field goal in overtime gave the Chiefs a stunning 27-24 win over the Super Bowl defending champion Pittsburgh Steelers. What’s more, the upset put an end to the Chiefs’ 10-game home losing streak, which was a franchise worst.

Succop, who was the 256th and dead last selection in April’s NFL Draft, gained the spotlight after the game. Cameras and reporters crowded his locker after the game and he quickly became a darling on all those football highlight shows Sunday evening.

“Ryan Succop for the win, and oh, don’t you look nice tonight, Mrs. Cleaver,” Keith Olberman said during his highlights broadcast on NBC.

Yes, so now it seems that many are sucking up to Mr. Irrelevant XXXIV, who is in the midst of a good rookie season for the rebuilding Chiefs. It has to be one of the better starts for a Mr. Irrelevant.

He has connected on 16 of his 20 field goal attempts. His longest came from 53 yards. He’s perfect on his extra-point tries, hitting all 15 of them. He just might be worthy of a spot on a fantasy football roster.

So just were those hints that Succop provided during Irrelevant Week?

During the final party at Malarky’s in Newport Beach, Succop was careful not to get too wild. There was supposed to be a Miss Irrelevant beauty contest, but Succop requested a toned down version. He was also smart to tell his fans and friends to leave their video cameras at home, and if they had them, don’t use them. He didn’t want to be an overnight youtube sensation.

Throughout the week, Succop stayed humble, even during all the roasting and ribbing he received. Of course, he has had that aw-shucks thing going for him for a while now, acquiring it while he grew up in Hickory, N.C.

Not too many Mr. Irrelevants have brought along their girlfriend for the week of parties in and around Newport Beach, but Succop did. It was as if he had nothing to hide. It was as if he had the bigger picture in mind.

He wanted to excel as a pro.

He wanted to be ready for whenever a defining moment came along. Sunday it came and Succop delivered.

“It was amazing,” Succop told reporters after the game. “It was such a big win for our team. Our offense did a great job of putting us in position. To have an opportunity to kick it was an unbelievable feeling.”

* The planning for next year’s Mr. Irrelevant has already begun.

Irrelevant Week CEO Melanie Salata Fitch coordinated a special auction item during a charity dinner in her honor earlier this month. She was being honored by Serving People In Need for her outstanding charity work.

“I’m honored to be honored,” she said after shedding a few tears. “I’m going keep doing what I’m doing.”

The auction item was a trip to New York to see Salata Fitch’s father and Mr. Irrelevant founder, Paul Salata, announce the final pick of the draft.

The bidding started at $2,000, but dropped to below $1,500. Then it shot up again and Bill Coghlan won the trip, paying $8,500 that went to the SPIN charity.

It should be a memorable trip for Coghlan.