stitches

April 8

Good job with the draft. You got some of my favorites for the Colts. Best EDGE in the draft... one of the most explosive WRs in the second... and really traitsy CB later in the draft. Nice :thmup:

April 8

1 hour ago, NewColtsFan said:

I’m on record as saying 9-8 again.

I accept we’ve got a much harder schedule this year and that AR will basically be playing his rookie season. He has to learn. He’ll make silly rookie mistakes. The only way to learn is playing. No shortcut to experience.

As for repercussions, I have nothing in mind specifically. Unless the season becomes a disaster like 2022, then I don’t expect any big changes to be made, perhaps beyond the anticipated change at DC. If the season somehow implodes, then all bets are off. Irsay could do something unpredictable, but I’m not anticipating that.

Is that much more competitive than last year though? And just how much harder is our schedule? By winning % we are tied with a few teams for the 10th easiest schedule. By Mike Clay's projections we are with the 8th easiest schedule. Haven't seen it by Vegas odds but I assume we will again be in that range.

April 8

5 hours ago, NewColtsFan said:

Last year was an exception to the rule type of season. They force fed the rookies. Let them learn the hard way. The goal was to let them take their lumps so they’d be better this year.

Thats not going to happen this year. The goal is to be much more competitive. In part because the kids should make the second year jump and also because the view is AR is going to exceed expectations.

This year should be very different than last year. Doesn’t mean the Colts will have a great year, only that the goal is to be much more competitive than last.

What are your expectations for next year? What does "much more competitive than last year" mean? And what should be the repercussions/changes for not hitting that goal?

April 7

One of the easier ones IMO. I'd take Arnold. I think he's the best CB in the draft and I think if Ballard drafts him this would mean a bit of a change of direction or at least an attempt to diversify the coverage we are playing since he's one the best preess-man corner prospect in the draft.

April 7

17 minutes ago, shasta519 said:

I jumped into this convo about twisting what he said in that quote, but I don’t think I have ever said Ballard wishes he had acted differently. If he does, he’s never really admitted his regrets. And he hasn’t exactly acted like it because he’s stayed true to his process.

I do agree that Reich and Ballard were in lock-step on the direction of the team (in all facets). Which is why I don’t get why Reich takes so much blame.

I think Ballard is very stubborn and I think he still believes in his overall philosophy even after the last 7 years not bringing much of any high level success to the team. I think there are very few things he admits for doing wrong... and when he does it... surprisingly the next year repeats the mistake. One year he left a failing OL without much help and next off-season he admitted it was a mistake... only to do the exact same thing this time with the DBs a year or two later. He still believes in building from the inside out... I still don't think he has the required focus on pass-catching weapons for his QB... etc.

One thing that I am not sure was an admision of a mistake but can be taken that way. In one of his off-season interviews he mentioned that in 2020 they were considering trading up for a QB before signing Rivers and trading the pick for Buckner. My pure informed speculation is that he wanted to trade up for Herbert. He will never straight up admit it, because Buckner is still on this team and he's been a great Colt... I just wish we could give him some truth serum and see what he says about that thing. To me this episode was such an interesting moment and Colts media pretty much never talk about that fork in the road that Ballard himself admits was being considered.

April 7

2 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

I get it and respect your opinion. Hard to beleive we have 0 Division Championships under Ballard. If you would have told me 7 years in that was possible, I would have laughed. Well, it is true

21 teams out of 32 teams have won a Division title since Ballard became GM of the Colts.

April 7

1 hour ago, w87r said:

There's no difference.

I fully didn't expect you to acknowledge the facts you were just faced with, and for you to try and move the goal post. A dart throw is a dart throw. I don't care if it's a 3rd or 4th rounder.

But it isn't for a 6th rounder? Come on man... this is so obtuse and you know it is. You know what he meant, you know what I meant. Should we expand on every single caveat that can be made about a pretty simple and intuitive statement only so someone wouldn't catch you in a technicality "well, you actually didn't explicitly say this or that". This is stupid. Lets talk like adults here. Did you get what is meant when me or @Solid84 wrote our posts? Do we really need to go into whether a 3d rounder is "taking a shot" or the 4th rounder is "taking a shot", but the sixth rounder after that isn't... but in one of the years there were legit 1st round QBs to be taken and in the other one there weren't... etc.

If you want to be really technical... EVERYTHING in the draft is a dart throw. From the no. 1 pick to the UDFAs. Doesn't mean we cannot talk colloquially and understand eachother without "gatchas". Ballard did NOT seriously address the QB position in the draft until last year. This is the essence. And a pick in the 3d might not have been enough either... but it would have been better than nothing. When you have no long-term QB on the roster, you do what you can to find that guy.... in the 1st.... or in the 3th or as UDFA... just different expectations for players drafted in different ranges.

I'm sorry but this whole thing is so freaking pointless and doesn't serve anybody except for us to bicker over meaningless minutiae and waste our time.

April 7

4 minutes ago, w87r said:

If those 2 are considered dart throws as 3rd rounders.

Wouldn't Jacob Eason in the 4th be considered one as well?

I wouldn't consider Ehlinger one(2021 6th round), but really what is the difference in mid to late round QB prospects. Aren't they all dart throws after round 1?

Luck retired prior to season in 2019, post draft.

Eason drafted in 2020 draft, less than a year after Luck retired. Literally couldn't of thrown a dart any quicker than that.

Suppose a big deal will be made about the difference of being a 3rd or 4th round pick.

I liked the dart throw at Eason and praised Ballard for it, although my true preference was for us to go for a QB in the 1st. The Eason pick was something, but was not enough. :dunno:

April 7

57 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

So…. Apparently, the answer to my question about owning a bad post is “no”. Ok, your call.

Oh I've owned a ton bad posts/opinions/evaluations here. Just not... this supposed one.

57 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

As for not liking “crucified” how about you were as angry as I’ve ever seen you. That’s why that post stuck with me since then.

I mean I showed you two posts where I was pretty happy with Ballard about that draft and you have showed me .... nothing besides your supposed memories. I have no idea how I can comment or own something I don't remember happening... or hell even if it happened, I don't know the exact content so I'd know if I should "own it" as a bad post. I'm not saying I haven't made an "angry" post about Ballard not picking a QB. I just don't remember. I haven't been happy with Ballard about not drafting a QB pretty much every single year since Luck retired until last year. This is nothing new. And I don't think any of my opinions in that vein were "wrong" or "bad". I happy to stand with them even at this point.

About as angry as you've seen me. I think the angriest I've been on this forum is actually with you. But that's a different topic.

57 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

As for everything else, I guess we can agree to disagree, and leave it there.

Word. :dunno:

April 7

1 minute ago, VikingsFanInChennai said:

To be clear, to get back to your original point, I agree that Ballard seems to be banking on AR's success to elevate the roster because who other difference-maker is in the roster than can win you all play-off games? I agree, in that sense, he's relying on AR to do very very well, but I'd also say that'd be too much for the young QB's shoulders.

Also, while agreeing above, IMHO, AR's success or failure doesn't decide Ballard's tenure. As I said, Irsay will have to find many more things in disagreement with Ballard in order to fire him.

I hope we don't get to see if I'm right in my assessment. :dunno:

April 7

5 hours ago, krunk said:

Jermaine Burton from Alabama I like too!

Another one of my under the radar favorites. It seems like there are attitude/character concerns with him. He had problems with that both in Georgia and Alabama... this is another one where our scouts will have to do their jobs on the background of the player about whether he can be trusted and picked high(likely will have to pick him on day 2 if you want him).

April 7

9 minutes ago, VikingsFanInChennai said:

I guess narratives change...

Seriously, I think Ballard hasn't changed. He's not betting on AR, neither his job relies on AR's success.

Right or wrong, Irsay believes in Ballard so much and Ballard finds no rush in changing his philosophy or tweaking some of his tactics in off-season.

I think Ballard will continue to build the roster his own way, slow and steady, via draft and keeping mostly the players he drafts. Whether that leads to success, even if AR works out well, remains to be seen as QB success alone doesn't win a Super Bowl. (That's a very major factor but even Mahomes sometimes needs a strong roster and some key players on offense and defense around him).

Whether Ballard achieves success or same status quo remains to be seen, and even if not, I think Irsay will have to find many things in disagreement with Ballard in order to fire him.

I think if AR doesn't look like a franchise QB and the Colts miss the playoffs again(i.e. no improvement), Ballard is as good as gone.

April 7

6 hours ago, NewColtsFan said:

That’s an impressive way to twist Ballard’s meaning, but go on….

Oh I know perfectly well what he meant and there is no twisting in his words. The more contentious part of my post is whether he indeed is relying on one player to now make the difference for him. I think all the puff pieces (Nate Atkins, Holder) we've had trying to explain how what he's doing (7th year in a row) is good, while the opponents are losing talent(conveniently omitting to assess if the lost talent is better than the gained talent), are making a pretty good case for the essence of my post - Ballard's main hope for this team to be better next year is AR. Which is pretty ironic.

6 hours ago, NewColtsFan said:

Here’s something I’ve been sitting on for a few years but this seems like a good time to remind you. Back in 2022, when Ballard drafted Pierce, Woods, Raimann and Cross on Day 2 you made a post that weekend that has stuck with me all this time.

Damn... I guess now that the sad emoji is out you decided it's time to open the vault with long held inside gripes.

6 hours ago, NewColtsFan said:

You crucified Ballard because Tenn drafted Malik Willis and and Atlanta drafted Desmond Ritter. They were right and Ballard was wrong and you just crushed Ballard. I didn’t like the post then and I don’t think it aged well since. Tenn has Levis and Atl has Cousins.

Look we’ve all made bad posts, me especially. It comes with the territory of posting on internet fan message boards. The key is, who owns it, and who doesn’t. Will you own that wasn’t a good post for you, or not?

I crucified Ballard? I mean... I guess I will have to rely on your memory here and hope they are better than mine and not at all influenced by grudges or inability to take criticism of ... the team's GM. I don't have that memory because my memory is that at the time I actually liked a lot of those picks. Notice, this is not to be mistaken with me wishing he'd take a shot on one of those QBs in the 3d. And I don't consider that a mistake, either. Both Tennessee and ATL made the right decision to take a shot on a talented QB when they knew they didn't have their long-term guy on the roster. It didn't work for them... it's normal, a lot of picks don't work out and not just at QB and it doesn't automatically make the decision wrong or a mistake. This is something you don't seem to understand - the process is much more important than the low level details. I've said a ton of times - I care about what Ballard does on a philosophical level, much more than the specifics... I defer a lot to him and the scouting department on specific players. And I don't expect every player to hit... and I don't consider every miss a mistake.

April 6

2 hours ago, NewColtsFan said:

He’s the only OT who really gets my attention. I love him. My 2024 Man Crush. He looks like a man playing against boys.

But I don’t see him lasting to 15.

I still want WR/DE/CB…. But I expect to be surprised….

I think Fuaga might be the best OT in the draft. He's so good... moves so well... I wouldn't blame Ballard if he drafted him.

April 6

Ballard spent his whole tenure with the Colts telling us "it's not about one guy" and here we are 7 years later... Ballard betting his job on the development and play of one guy.

April 6

Teliese Fuaga in R1... watch it happen...

April 6

One more under the radar traitsy OL with a top 30 visit with the Colts:

April 6

22 hours ago, krunk said:

I agree on Legette. Watching the South Carolina offense they have very similar concepts to what you will see from the Colts during a game. A lot of crossers and verticals. I watched a video the other day that said 33 or so of his total catches went for 15 yards or more last season.

He also gives us a nice run after catch game which we don't have. And he is good on speed sweeps, screens and reverses. You can get good use from him deep, middle and short. And he plays special teams. Both kickoff team and kick return which I think is key bc Ballard said when we lost Dulin last year we took a big hit. If it happens again you could slide Legette right into Dulin role and keep pushing I think. I don't think Pierce is immediately going to the bench. If we got Legette in year 1 I believe we would play him back and forth between Pierce and Dulin.

Whenever I watch Legette I like him a lot. And then I look at his history of production(or lackthereof) prior to this year and his age and I get really worried. To me it's always a red flag when a player has 3-4 seasons of close to ZERO production and only gets good when he's 2-3 years older, stronger, more experienced than his competition.

I don't know what to make of him. His film is good enough to be a second rounder, maybe even late 1st... have no idea what to do with the rest of it?!?

April 6

Under the radar prospects for the Colts:

April 5

5 hours ago, VikingsFanInChennai said:

With 75th overall draft pick, @stitches via PM select for Chicago Bears,

Mike Sainristil, CB, Michigan

Commanders on the clock

Thanks for making the pick for me

I think the Bears are shaping up to be a nice well rounded roster.

April 4

Just now, LJpalmbeacher2 said:

Not much coverage on colts for out of market fans like me......so I mosey along YouTube for news. Some guys on there that belong more on amateur hour, lol, so Kent Sterling seems the better of the bunch.

Anyway, if you view his content and click on the comments Ballard really gets bashed by the vast majority of colt fans leaving comments. Maybe his supporters don't view or comment as much BUT most rhat do seem want him fired and expect that this will most likely be his last season.

I think it's probably a bit of selection bias - the people most likely to want to comment are the one with the strongest feelings about the direction of the team.

April 4

10 minutes ago, ColtStrong2013 said:

2014 compared to 2018 would be interesting to break down.

Cold playoff games on the road against really good teams. I’d say there is an argument for comparing 2014 Denver to 2018 Houston and 2014 New England to 2018 Kansas City. I give the edge to New England, but that playoff game in 2018 was tough. There was a big difference between 2014 Andrew Luck and 2018…

5 minutes ago, Superman said:

I think the 2014 Colts were a matured version of what Grigson was trying to build -- Davis, Hilton, Bradshaw, Freeman, etc., all on the roster multiple seasons by then, and had some playoff experience. I think the 2018 Colts were a very young version of what Ballard was trying to build, with greater potential -- Nelson, Leonard, Ebron, all new, Hooker was hurt most of 2017, the OL didn't get going until 6-7 weeks into the season.

Good question. For one year, I might take the 2014 team.

I think by the end of the year the 2018 team was in such a great groove and the OL was possibly the best it's been under Ballard. And Luck was just dealing and being so consistent. I think I would pick the 2018 Luck but the 2014 offense felt more explosive.

I think if I had to choose I'd pick the 2018 Colts. I think they were closer to the form I wanted them to be in. If there was a Ballard team that was "close" it was that one... I was so hyped for the 2019 season.. until... :Cry:

April 4

7 minutes ago, Superman said:

I don't know if the pressure necessarily came from Irsay. But I think Grigson felt compelled to maximize Luck's potential after 2012, and he said so himself.

This is so weird to say because I think Grigson was terrible GM... but he had the right idea for so many things. I love that he tried to maximize Luck's rookie contract. I love that he tried to stack up weapons for him... he was just SO BAD at evaluating those... even though he had the right idea, the execution was appalling!

April 4

2 minutes ago, Superman said:

Yeah, that's further than I'm willing to go. I get your point, you get mine.

I was tempted to leave it be, but I think this is an interesting question... 2018 Colts vs any(best?) of 2012-2014 Colts? Which one was better?

April 4

27 minutes ago, Superman said:

I don't think there's a real connection between the stuff you mention in the first paragraph to anything that happened in 2023, or the way the season ended.

To the bolded, most of them were injured in 2022. And I think the real problem was with the HC, who was fired in the middle of the season.

I don't think there's a direct link from that stuff to 2023, and I definitely don't think any of that is relevant to Franklin's attitude or his tweet, which was my initial point.

I just... agree to disagree I guess. I don't think it was just Reich... or just Wentz and I think the problems seem to have persisted over this last season too. It's not one particular thing...

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