Yoshinator
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Posts posted by Yoshinator
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2 hours ago, NewColtsFan said:
I do think 5 QBs is unlikely, but not impossible. I think 4 is a lock. Then, if one team lives Penix or Nix, there’s your 5th.
So 4 QBs…. 4 OT’s…. 3 WRs…. 1 TE…. 2 DEs…. There’s 14, and the Colts are on the Clock with pick 15.
Do the Colts stay and pick, or do they trade down a little? Perhaps 6-7 picks?
Thursday is going to be fun!
Broncos like Bo Nix a lot, and the Raiders like Penix. There's a decent chance one of them bites and takes a QB at 12 or 13. Especially the Broncos, who don't have a 2nd round pick. So their options are a lot more limited. I hear the Broncos are trying to trade up for McCarthy, but that's going to be near impossible to do without giving up Surtain, and they have to beat the Vikings. So that can work to our advantage if they can't do it and just decide to take Nix at 12.
I'm going to guess one of the Broncos or Raiders take a QB at 12 or 13 and five QBs go before us at 15.
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7 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:
Fuaga will likely be gone before the Colts pick. But if he’s there at 15, I’d be very happy to take him.
Fuaga and Mitchell, the CB, are my two favorite players this year. They’re my exception to the rule players. I don’t expect either to be available when the draft reaches 15.
I like both also. Fuaga is probably the best run-blocker in the class, and Mitchell is just a perfect scheme-fit for Gus Bradley and this defense. I feel Fuaga may go to the Jets at 10 (don't buy the Bowers talk unless Fuaga is gone before 10), and Mitchell could go to the Raiders at 13. Those are the major landmine for both IMO. Another one for Fuaga is if the Chargers trade down.
Would love to get Mitchell. I could see Cooper DeJean as a wildcard pick at 15. I would love to do a trade down and get him with the Rams at 19 if they wanted to move up for an OT or an EDGE. Pick up either a 3rd or 4th and move down 4 spots.
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30 minutes ago, Dingus McGirt said:
I simply hope we don’t do something in the first round that makes us all scratch our collective head…you know, delayed gratification.
That would be Taliese Fuaga.
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39 minutes ago, John Hammonds said:
It's draft week! And instead of publishing my "final mock draft" or whatever, I'm going to publish the drafting principles I've learned by watching different GM's and coaches conduct their drafts. From our own mocks, I know some people like @Yoshinator see a draft board in much the same way I do. Or, at least looks for similar traits. So, here are my top five drafting principles that I go by:
#1 - Easy Rule Of Thumb -- Look for impact players from big time programs
This is something that Mike Ditka said once in an interview. It was his main simplified rule of thumb. In order to even be recruited by a big-time program (like Alabama or Michigan), you have to be such an accomplished player in high school that they even look at you. Once you get to the program, you've got to be a great player to become a starter amongst all of their other high ability players. And big-time programs play other big-time programs. If you excel against their big-time opposition, then you truly are a GREAT PLAYER. Thus, the rule of thumb: Look for impact players from big time programs. (I know, Chris Ballard often uses the opposite of this rule. And looks under every rock and tree branch to find a diamond in the rough from South Carolina State or Utah or Temple or Towson State.)
#2 - How Long Have You Been Playing This Position
One of the frequent things we see in the NFL is a player who played one position in college, but gets assigned to play a different position in the pros. Sometimes it works. See: Brian Urlacher, who played Safety at New Mexico before playing Linebacker for the Bears. Often it doesn't. Remember Matt Jones? He played Quarterback at Arkansas, but knew he would never make it in the NFL at that position. But he was outrageously athletic. So, he entered the NFL as a WR, and was taken in the first round by the Jags. Bleah. Colts did this kind of thing, too. Bjorn Werner was a 4-3 defensive end at Florida State. Colts brought him in, and tried to make him a 3-4 outside linebacker. A position he'd never played. It's my opinion that we don't want to have to spend any time teaching a player simply how to play the position. We'd rather spend our time helping a player refine his skills in a position he already knows.
#3 - That One Thing
The biggest thing I learned from watching Bill Polian draft is what to do when you're already good. When you're a good team, you're going to draft at the bottom of the first round over and and over. The players that can do Everything well are all at the top of the draft. And when it finally gets to your pick, you have a choice: do I pick a guy who can do everything Pretty Good, or do I pick a guy who does only one thing Off The Charts? Polian's choice? Get the guy who does the One Thing. If they're exceptional in that One Thing, we can put him in immediately, and maximize that One Thing. And we can teach him the rest of the game later. Prime example: Dwight Freeney. Undersized. Not that stout against the run. But, jeez, he had receiver speed from the defensive end position. He was a thunderbolt in the pass rush. Later, he learned a spin move. And to play run defense (although still never that great at it). And Polian did this over and over. It's how we got Bob Sanders. And Dallas Clark. Over and over. That One Thing.
#4 - RAS Scores Matter
This is the thing I learned from Chris Ballard. The player may have worked hard and worked hard and worked hard, and has maximized his game as much as he possibly can. But some people are just born with more athleticism than others. The gods reached down and turned your legs into lightning bolts. It's something you have that nobody else does. And when the best players line up against the best players, it's the guy with that extra kiss from the gods that will win. I used to discount this. I put a lot of stock into the example of Pat Fischer. He was an extremely undersized cornerback who played for the Redskins in the 70's. But he had mined the ore of his talent so completely, he could line up across from the 6'8" Harold Carmichael, and play him to a standstill. I believed in it. But Ballard's example has shown me that Pat Fischer is the exception, not the rule.
#5 - Look for the Leaders
My final rule is to look for players that were team captains in college. They may have relatively average athleticism, but they know everybody else's position, not just their own. And they know how it all fits together. And they know how to lead other men in accomplishing the goal. In the novel, Ender's Game, the small, young student soldier, Bean, asks Ender Wiggin to lead a toon. And Ender gives him his qualifications for leading a toon: First, show me that you know what you're doing as a soldier. Next, show me that you know how to lead other soldiers in battle. Third, prove to me that other soldiers are willing to follow you. Then, you'll get your toon. I look for players who are also leaders. Example? Julian Love. Played safety at Notre Dame. Wasn't all that athletic. Didn't have the best size/speed. But he understood the game, and was a leader on the field. Giants picked him up in the 4th round, and he became the leader on their field. It's one of the reasons I like JD Bertrand so much in this draft. 3-year starter, 2-year team captain. Leaders in college become leaders in the pros. On the field, in the locker room, and in the community.
Well, those are my drafting principles. What do you think? And what are yours?
Love this thread. You did a great job here. I have a few things to do, I'll comment on it in a bit.
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1 minute ago, ColtStrong2013 said:
Exhausting. That’s what you are…I'm just at a point where "I'll believe it when I see it" as far as winning, hitting on the QB, and anything else positive when it comes to this team. No amount of GM Speak will convince me this is a good team, I have to see division wins, playoff wins, and hopefully a SB win one day. Actions speak louder than words and I've seen little action and only words. I'm exhausted too from watching and paying attention to this team. Trust me.
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9 minutes ago, MikeCurtis said:
I was thinking that we would trade back to 20s and take AD Mitchell
it is the lying season but people are starting to say he is a head case.
Brian Thomas or Latu at 15I would think we'd have to stay ahead of the Bengals to get Thomas, and the Rams to get Latu. Just my guess. Wouldn't mind either of them at 15, I'm guessing both will be there.
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19 minutes ago, ColtStrong2013 said:
you keep referring to the chiefs. But what the chiefs did was very similar to what he’s tried and trying to do. They drafted a late first corner (not very different from early 2nd- which is what he did last year and prior with ya sin) and the chiefs got sneed in the 4th… and guess what? They let him go!
I can’t imagine you as a chiefs fan with this mentality. Would you be royally p’d off right now because they let sneed walk? Don’t you think that may have something to do with Ballard not aggressively pursuing him?
“Mahomes was average.” Yeah, I didn’t see an average qb winning his third Super Bowl. That may just be me. 4k and 27 tuddy’s last year is average? Man… if we had just had average qb play like that these last 7 years, you wouldn’t be saying Ballard’s methods suck, because we would have accomplished quite a bit…
They let him go because they paid Chris Jones instead. They also have Trent McDuffie. Their scouting department has proven they can draft corners. They have won 3 SBs with Mahomes (and made 4), I'm pretty sure they can trade a player away instead of paying him from time to time. Veach has earned that trust among the fanbase.
If I were a Chiefs fan, I would be extremely happy right now. Best QB in the league. won 3 SBs and made 4 with Mahomes. A great GM that builds through the draft and FA. An elite defense.
Those numbers were average for Mahomes standards yes. Normally he's much better than that. If we had those numbers on the Colts, we'd probably make the playoffs every year. We don't though. That's Ballard's fault since Luck's retirement. You and a lot of others take for granted that a new GM usually doesn't have an elite QB to start his tenure. Ballard did, that was a luxury. He had a large head thinking all he had to do was build through the draft around Andrew Luck. When Luck retired, Ballard was exposed. He didn't even know the proper way to get a QB. He was trying to do it through FA and trades when the vast majority of the time teams develop their franchise QBs through the draft.
Ballard built through the draft, except for the QB. How ironic is that?
8 years in, we are still hoping we hit on the QB. Maybe AR is the guy, as the division is harder, as the AFC has numerous elite QBs, as the NFL passes us by. "If we had average QB play like that these last 7 years". Where has the standards gone of being a fan? We should be regularly making the playoffs and competing for a SB 8 years in Ballards tenure. Instead, we are hoping the QB hits still at this point and we can fix the secondary on the team.
Give me a break. This team is run by a scout that's a wannabe GM who stubbornly refuses to change his ways. The only reason we're mediocre is because he's actually good at scouting. Unfortunately, as a GM, he has no idea how to compete with 31 other GMs who are actually qualified to be GMs.
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5 hours ago, NewColtsFan said:
“I just dislike stubborn people that hold on to their beliefs when they are proven wrong”Just out of curiosity…. Are there any mirrors in your home?
I'm very open-minded when I get proven wrong. Ballard hasn't proven me wrong at all. His methods suck. Sorry. He's a scout that GMs like a 13-year-old Madden player. You can't build through the draft without using FA and trades in real life. Then he thinks the secondary isn't important when the Chiefs proved otherwise last year by having two elite CBs that helped carried them to another SB title when Mahomes was average.
You can't teach an old dog new tricks apparently.
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1 minute ago, Stephen said:
The reason is Ballard has been drafting cb based on their length and athletic potential instead of how well they played in college. Sometimes you have to forgo ras scores and just get a guy who can play.
I really think Ballard will go after a CB on day 2 like Cam Hart. He has all the measurables Ballard loves. He'll be our version of JuJu Brents from last year.
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1 minute ago, ColtStrong2013 said:
I would prefer Nashville over Indianapolis... And I live here. My comment had zero to do with team quality. Although Brian Callahan will have that team playing competitive football. I don't think it's highly unlikely at all.
I'm not grasping at straws. These are legit questions. Are his hands tied by ownership? Is that why he was hired, with a plan to be conservative/draft and development focused... and subsequently held on through a coaching change?
I don't doubt he didn't want to pay the guaranteed money. I think i've specifically stated I don't think we were ever that serious in the pursuit of Sneed, contrary to what Destin Adams posted incorrectly on twitter. Ballard's comments regarding our current young core of corners backs that belief. I don't think he cares to spend much money on the cornerback position at all...I agree he doesn't want to spend much on the cornerback position. I don't agree his hands are tied by ownership. He spent roughly close for an extension on Buckner what it would have cost to extend Sneed. It saved us a draft pick or two and CB is better this year in the draft than DT, so maybe it's a good move in that respect.
I don't doubt Ballard doesn't want to spend much at the CB position. Unfortunately, being a zone team as you said, Ballard probably won't draft a CB high. I've been pushing the narrative that Ballard will draft an EDGE like Latu in the 1st round as Paye and Dayo are FAs after next year and Ballard loves the trenches. I just dislike stubborn people that hold on to their beliefs when they are outdated and have been proven wrong.
Sneed may like Nashville better than Indy, however, unlike Hunter, there was nothing leaked that he went to the Titans because of location. It seems to me that was because Ballard wasn't willing to pay what the Titans were to extend the contract in guaranteed money. I honestly think that's all it was.
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1 minute ago, ColtStrong2013 said:
Same argument can be made for Sneed... He simply might not have wanted to be here unless he was paid xx amount of dollars, which was unreasonable.
Again, we bash Ballard for not making the moves we think he should push to make. But what if his hands are tied, and those deals are unreasonable due to those players having little to no interest in Indianapolis.You would have an argument if it wasn't the Titans. He didn't get traded to the Bills or Eagles who have elite QBs. He got traded to the Titans, who are a worse team than us. So that is highly unlikely. You are just grasping for straws to defend Ballard in why he is cheap and risk-averse. This is an 8 year pattern. He didn't just become GM. If Sneed didn't want to go to Indy, that would have been leaked by now. Ballard didn't want to pay the guaranteed money. That makes a lot more sense.
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Just now, ColtStrong2013 said:
The Chiefs got Sneed in the 4th round. I can name plenty of day 2 corners that fit this scheme that could be great for us. This idea that we need to draft Mitchell or Arnold at 15, let alone trade up for one of them, is interesting to me. I think our current batch will indeed be better next year. I think the secondary does need more pieces, and I'm still hopeful a veteran safety is added. But I think you are setting yourself up for disappointment and further anger.
He did get drafted in the 4th round, however, Ballard has not proven he can draft an elite corner. He can draft good ones late, but no elite ones. Sneed was a nice scheme fit that could play zone, and I'm pretty sure he'll be better than any 3rd round corner that will be available in that range for us (and the Titans got him for a 2025 3rd rounder). I saw the presser, and one year of experience isn't going to be enough to overcome not having an elite CB on this team. He mentioned the O-Line, but the O-Line had Nelson, Braden Smith, and Ryan Kelly. All the CB room has is Kenny Moore. As good as he is, he's a slot corner.
I would love to get someone like a Cam Hart for the Colts, but we are projecting, and it has to happen. Getting a CB that hits in the first 3 rounds is best-case scenario. We can make excuses for Ballard and say it's ok and he has a plan, but there has to be a time when fans need to admit he is just risk-averse. We'll see in 5 days how the Colts end up. I still expect to trade down.
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1 minute ago, ColtStrong2013 said:
I don’t think Ballard wanted him at that bad, regardless of the 3rd round draft pick that you think was the reason we didn’t get him… A lot more to do with 4 years and $44 million guaranteed imo. He undoubtedly wanted Hunter, and I don’t think the money was why he went to Houston. He clearly wanted to be there close to family, and the money was close enough to justify. we don’t know how much we offered or how it was structured.
Or the more obvious reason which is he puts a much higher value on defensive lineman than cornerbacks.That's possible, but his job needs to be on the line if he has that stance, because teams like the Chiefs are proving that Ballard is wrong in that belief. If we draft a CB early, than I'll eat crow, but that's yet to be determined and relying on Mitchell/Arnold to be there at 15 is based on a certain degree of luck.
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1 minute ago, Moosejawcolt said:
He wanted Hunter but Texans wanted to much guaranteed. I would have liked Sneed snd I think that was mistep and it filled a need but Ballard didn't want to fork over a 3rd.
Yep. There was no excuse for not trading for Sneed. 1.) We had interest 2.) We knew the compensation and it was low. 3.) Ballard didn't want to pay the guaranteed money, which he was willing to pay a similar amount for Buckner to re-sign. It just reeks of cheapness and being risk averse. The Titans also got him, so it's not like he went to an elite team.
No defending missing out on Sneed. Anything else someone can make a case for.
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Don't remember much of him as a kid besides the altercation with Mel Kiper. Know he drafted Marshall Faulk and was the GM of the Colts for that 95 Colts team with Jim Harbaugh. He brought me a lot of laughs roasting Mel Kiper. RIP Bill!
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Just now, VikingsFanInChennai said:
WRs available
Walker, Corley, Burton, Polk, Washington, Rice, McMillan, Baker, Johnny Wilson, Thrash
Some of them could be available in round 4 as well
Walker has stone hands, I think he will go day 3 for real. Love Corley, he is a 2nd rounder IMO, Polk is solid, Washington is good, Rice has a lot of potential, he's late day 2 pick IMO. The others are day 3 picks IMO.
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1 minute ago, VikingsFanInChennai said:
Isaac and Kneeland have been taken by now. LBs are definitely an option as only one has been taken so far. Lot of CBs are available, I'd be comfortable picking in round 3, not earlier though.
Players in targeting apart from LBs:
Zak Zinter
Khyree Jackson
Brandon Dorlus
Masson Smith
Dominick Puni
Leonard Taylor
Few other CBs
So, options are rich going into #82, only 17 picks to go!
Zinter will miss most of the year next year. Not sure I'd take him in the 3rd round. Love Jackson. Dorius is good. Smith is ok. Puni I have more of a 4th rounder. Taylor is a luxury pick based on our DL. Sounds like the Vikings forum is smart if these are the main options remaining.
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Just now, VikingsFanInChennai said:
I think Colts' current roster heavily moved me towards addressing defense, but didn't like CBs available by round 2, so went for a safety.
I could've gone for LBs as only Edgerrin Cooper had been taken by then. I could've gone for Christian Haynes, í liked OTs Kingsley Suamataia and Patrick Paul but didn't want to draft OT. I've not studied much on Pearsall, so my ignorance played a part in not picking him.
Pearsall played a year at Florida with Anthony Richardson, so there's some familiarity there between the two. Haynes is a favorite of mine, he has versatility at G and T. If he's there in round 3, take him. An EDGE you could go in round 3 is Adisa Issac, he's one of the better day 2 EDGE rushers in the class after Kneeland.
CB is very deep actually. You should have no problem getting one in round 3 or later.
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3 minutes ago, VikingsFanInChennai said:
@Yoshinator @Solid84 @RollerColt @crazycolt1 @chad72 @stitches @CR91 @w87r @John Hammonds @csmopar @SaturdayAllDay @coltsfanej @Archer @Defjamz26 @TomDiggs
I've been picking for Colts in Vikings forum Mock Draft that started last night, and we had 2 rounds completed.
I picked TE Brock Bowers in round 1 and S Kamren Kinchens in round 2, didn't get to trade up or down, so I'm probably gonna let the board fall and pick the best player available.
5 QBs were taken in 1st round, there was a run on OTs and top 3 WRs, and 2 Edge rushers. 0 CBs and 0 DTs were taken when I was on clock, so all of them were available. Edge Latu was also available among others. I went with Bowers as that'd be rare opportunity to get an explosive, potential elite weapon on offense.
By Colts pick in round 2, there was a huge run on CBs, OTs and OG/Cs, and S Nubin was also taken. All of the other top WRs were also taken, and I was eyeing on Ladd McConkey who just went a pick prior to Colts, otherwise I'd have taken him, even if that meant going offensive playmakers back to back.
I didn't like many of the other receivers or DL players available, as I had lost grade for them for #46, Ricky Pearsall and Mike Sainristil were there , other players available were TJ Tampa, two other top LBs who I considered, DT T'Vondre Sweat was also available... Among Safeties, only Nubin had been taken already at that point, so all other Safeties were there.
I considered between Kinchens and Bullard, both of whom I liked, but eventually thought Kinchens' versatility in playing different positions would suit Colts defense better.
Rounds 3 and 4 tonight...
Let me know what you think I could've done or you'd have done, that'd help me target in upcoming rounds.
I would have taken Pearsall at 46 myself in your situation. In the 3rd round, maybe someone like Cam Hart or Khyree Jackson at CB could be a good pick. If Jonathan Brooks or Jaylen wright could be good at RB. I also like Junior Colson in the third round if he's available.
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3 minutes ago, Zoltan said:
I have to say I miss the emojis on these posts because the bolded had me laughing. He was highly sought after and turned down jobs. He has also been fairly consistent and hasn't changed his philosophy, his approach was very similar to the chiefs, build through the draft and find a veteran to bridge until you find a rookie you like unfortunately he couldn't find his version of Alex Smith.
I'm assuming you are just going off WR hits, because there has been alot of draft hits.
Yes, I was responding to a post about WRs. Just WR hits. Ballard has had a lot of hits at other positions.
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7 minutes ago, jvan1973 said:
Pittman is a damn good wr. I don't care what anyone says. The dude moves the chains no matter who the qb is. We don't know about downs yet. I'm much higher on Pierce than most.
What GM has been great at drafting pass rushers? When was their pick?
Pittman is the only definite hit Ballard has had since being the GM. When Downs and Pierce are maybe, and they're the next best thing, that's not a ringing endorsement. IMO, we'll take a WR in the first two days again. Probably round 2.
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I think we stand pat at 15. Mitchell or Arnold might be there at 15, Bowers might be there at 15, Brian Thomas is another one. There's also the EDGE rushers. I'm guessing someone that Ballard has in the top 10 of his rankings will fall to 15, and he'll stand pat and take him there.
I've heard the rumors of trading up for a WR, I just don't believe them.
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1 hour ago, shasta519 said:
Right. KC was also a perennial playoff team prior to Mahomes taking over. The Colts are a fringe playoff team at best, until we see if AR can lift the roster.And to your point, Veach took over the summer before Mahomes’ rookie year. Hard to compare how KC’s FO approach with Dorsey at GM (for several years) vs. when Veach took over. It seems like Ballard has been more like Dorsey and Veach might just operate differently from both of them.
If Ballard wanted to follow the Veach KC model, he sure waited a long time to do it once Luck retired.
The only similarities that Ballard and Veach have is that they were both on KC at the time Mahomes was drafted (Veach is the GM now obviously), and they both build well through the draft. Other than that, they are different in every other way as GMs.
You are correct, Ballard is more like Dorsey. Ballard is actually best friends with Dorsey. They had a thing in the draft where Dorsey always prank called Ballard during the draft. Was kinda funny.
If AR hits, then we will have gotten there as a playoff team the slow way. However, with Ballard, it will have taken a lot onger than it ever should have. People can blame Lucks retirement, Reich, or whatever, but GMs generally don't start with a franchise QB when they take over a team. IMO, Ballard was a scout who had no idea how to be a GM when he took over, and when Luck retired, it completely exposed him. He finally figured it out 7 years in his tenure. Might be too little, too late.
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Just now, 2006Coltsbestever said:
I have a sick feeling, the Lakers may win this somehow. They are killing everyone over the last 3 weeks. Pacers did beat them recently though
. The only other 2 games they lost was because AD and LeBron sat out vs the Wolves and Warriors. Denver has owned them and Coach Malone says his team owns them, I heard AD talking today and he said he wants major revenge. That is all, he and LeBron talked about in the off season was playing Denver again.
Yep, the narrative would be that the Lakers were on a hot streak and the Nuggets ran into them at the wrong time. In reality, I don't trust the refs or the league when it comes to the Lakers and Lebron James. He is still the poster boy of the league.
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. The only other 2 games they lost was because AD and LeBron sat out vs the Wolves and Warriors. Denver has owned them and Coach Malone says his team owns them, I heard AD talking today and he said he wants major revenge. That is all, he and LeBron talked about in the off season was playing Denver again.
With the Next Pick drops Tonight!
in Colts Football
Posted
Thank you! I appreciate this! Will take a look at it!