Colts hire Chris Ballard as GM [Merge]

[PeterBowman]

Luckily there's already a Ballard complaints thread

[2006Coltsbestever]

2 minutes ago, 21isSuperman said:

I bet he likes this hire more than most because he's had to work with Grigson for the last 5 years

When Grigson got canned, I bet Chuck did a shot of whiskey and did the Nest Tea plunge in a lake somewhere .

[Kyle]

28 minutes ago, Coltsman1788 said:

While some might be taking snide shots at Jimmy Raye,  I am glad that he is still in his current role and excited about having him teamed up with Ballard in our front office.  We have lots of front office talent now. That's where it all starts.  Jimmy Raye is a very nice asset to have in our organization.

No one is taking snide shots at jimmy raye.  Just because you dont know what member berries are doesnt mean i was taking a snide shot.  Just a joke.  I really like jimmy raye from what i know of him.  Glad he is part of our front office

[oldunclemark]

1 minute ago, 21isSuperman said:

For all we know, Ballard could be an awful GM.  But with the praises he's been getting from people around the NFL, it seems like we got someone good.  It's also nice to be able to finally move on from the Grigson era, so that contributes to some of the excitement

You are right..

But Grigson was director of scouting VP of player personal, too.

He spent a decade with the Eagles....and was voted GM of the year, wasn't he?

The hate storm has just swept in the last 2 years

 

I think we should give Ballard 2 or 3 years to improve us before we beat him over the head with every failed  pick..

..I just hope everybody will

[chrisfarley]

Just now, Kyle said:

No one is taking snide shots at jimmy raye.  Just because you dont know what member berries are doesnt mean i was taking a snide shot.  Just a joke.  I really like jimmy raye from what i know of him.  Glad he is part of our front office

Does the GM get to make any of his own hires for this season?

[grmasterb]

1 hour ago, Jason_S said:

Remember when it was SOOOOOO obvious that Raye was going to get the job because he and chuck are buddies?

 

 

Bon apetit!

It's fun watching the negative Nancys here and the Irsay haters in the blogosphere look silly.  So many predictions were wrong.

[Andrew Luck fan club]

Worth noting about Chris Ballard's 4 yrs in KC. Chiefs 25th in pts allowed in '12. Last 4: 7th, 3rd, 2nd, 5th. Colts last 4: 22, 25, 19, 9

[Kyle]

Just now, chrisfarley said:

Does the GM get to make any of his own hires for this season?

I hope so

[NewColtsFan]

43 minutes ago, Colts1324 said:

I just don't understand. Based on the reports, it seems like Pagano would know that he isn't preferred. And will likely be replaced. I would hate to be a coach in that scenario. 

 

Right, or wrong.   Fair, or unfair.    This is Chuck's reality.    And he's going to have to make the best of it.

 

This will be Season 6 for Chuck.    Clearly he has the backing of the owner otherwise, he'd be unemployed right now.      But he's not.     So, he gets a year to prove himself to the new GM.       This is exactly what happened to Jim Caldwell.     Detroit hired a new GM and gave Caldwell a year to show what he could do.     Caldwell did a good job and the new GM kept him.       So firing Pagano is not a slam dunk certainty.

 

I'd say it's much more likely to happen than not.    But not 100% for sure.

 

Good Luck, Chuck.      Good Luck, Colts.     If it doesn't work out,   then we'll be back in a year to find out who replaces Pagano.     This is life in the NFL. 

 

Congrats to everyone!         

[Kyle]

1 minute ago, grmasterb said:

It's fun watching the negative Nancys here and the Irsay haters in the blogosphere look silly.  So many predictions were wrong.

Ya... a lot of comments were made in the heat of the moment.  I for one made some dumb assumptions i admit to.  It has been a frustrated few years and a lot of us boiled over on here.  I am excited for the future of the colts.  This is a BIG offseason for us

[ColtsBlueFL]

51 minutes ago, indyagent17 said:

Good to see we hired a "successful" GM. Lets see how free agency and the draft go now. I sure wish Grigson would post who he thought we would take on draft day and see what Ballard's draft looks like in comparison to his

 

 

Trust me, the Colts scouts completed their jobs, and the Colts draft board is largely already completed.  But... big but here... it is open to fine tunnig via the new GM, and the HC (Pagano) and Raye depending upon what they see ( have seen ) at the bowl games, and the scouting combine and medical reports.  Ballard also brings (at least in his mind) the basics of how KC looks at this years crop of prospects.  There will be meeting between the F.O. people, and then they will also collude with the the scouting staff.  The new Colts big board will be finalized then, and Ballards signature will be all over it.

[OffensivelyPC]

1 hour ago, 21isSuperman said:

Since being hired by the Chiefs, his draft picks have included Dee Ford, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, Marcus Peters, Mitch Morse, and DJ Alexander.

Duvernay-Tardif was a guy i hoped the Colts would draft.

[21isSuperman]

8 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

When Grigson got canned, I bet Chuck did a shot of whiskey and did the Nest Tea plunge in a lake somewhere .

With how McAfee reacted to Grigson's firing, he and Chuck probably went for a little swim in a certain canal

[Coltsman1788]

16 minutes ago, oldunclemark said:

NO. Not at all.  He was very highly regarded...considered a 'hot' commodity as a player personell guy...

...was considered highly knowledgable......He's from up here in Highland is how I know

 

Just cautioning that Ballard has never been a GM before ..and he's as popular as he'll ever be right now.

Once he drafts somebody....are we willing to wait until the new boys get on the field and play a couple of years before we write them (and him) off?

Grigson was a glorified scout from Philadelphia that many felt didn't even have the resume for a GM job.  That he got it was baffling to many.  Even others in the Eagles organization have later come forth and said they were shocked that he won the Colts job.  Ballard will be given enough time by the fans just as we all gave Grigson plenty of time before clamoring for his termination.  Ballard would have to be really bad to make us regret telling Grigson to kick rocks.  With Ballard's resume and experience I feel better with him making moves during this critical off season than Grigson.  Couldn't allow Grigson to blow free agency again. Plus we still have Jimmy Raye to make sure our cap stays under control.

[oldunclemark]

6 minutes ago, Majin Vegeta said:

Worth noting about Chris Ballard's 4 yrs in KC. Chiefs 25th in pts allowed in '12. Last 4: 7th, 3rd, 2nd, 5th. Colts last 4: 22, 25, 19, 9

but Ballard wasn't making KC's picks, was he?

[21isSuperman]

1 minute ago, OffensivelyPC said:

Duvernay-Tardif was a guy i hoped the Colts would draft.

Lots of OL and defensive talent from his selections in KC.  Hopefully he brings that here

[21isSuperman]

Just now, oldunclemark said:

but Ballard wasn't making KC's picks, was he?

He was director of player personnel, so he had a large say in draft picks

[chrisfarley]

1 minute ago, oldunclemark said:

but Ballard wasn't making KC's picks, was he?

Dorsey

[Andrew Luck fan club]

Just now, oldunclemark said:

but Ballard wasn't making KC's picks, was he?

Take your negative argument starting bullcrap elsewhere Mark. Not in the mood for it 

[PrincetonTiger]

1 hour ago, AndyLuck said:

Poe or Berry is gonna follow Ballard here. 

Let us hope

[oldunclemark]

1 minute ago, Coltsman1788 said:

Grigson was a glorified scout from Philadelphia that many felt didn't even have the resume for the job.  That he got it was baffling to many.  Even others in the Eagles organization have later come forth and said they were shocked that he won the Colts job.  Ballard will be given enough time by the fans just as we all gave Grigson plenty of time before clamoring for his termination.  Ballard would have to be really bad to make us regret telling Grigson to kick rocks.  With Ballard's resume and experience I feel better with him making moves during this critical off season than Grigson.  Couldn't allow Grigson to blow free agency again. Plus we still have Jimmy Raye to make sure our cap stays under control.

Grigson was not a glorified scout....and no one at the time said he didn't have the resume

That's revisionist history

....and don't kid a kidder.....Do you really believe Ballard will be give 2 or 3 years to make an impact like he should be?

[bababooey]

6 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

 

Right, or wrong.   Fair, or unfair.    This is Chuck's reality.    And he's going to have to make the best of it.

 

This will be Season 6 for Chuck.    Clearly he has the backing of the owner otherwise, he'd be unemployed right now.      But he's not.     So, he gets a year to prove himself to the new GM.       This is exactly what happened to Jim Caldwell.     Detroit hired a new GM and gave Caldwell a year to show what he could do.     Caldwell did a good job and the new GM kept him.       So firing Pagano is not a slam dunk certainty.

 

I'd say it's much more likely to happen than not.    But not 100% for sure.

 

Good Luck, Chuck.      Good Luck, Colts.     If it doesn't work out,   then we'll be back in a year to find out who replaces Pagano.     This is life in the NFL. 

 

Congrats to everyone!         

Chuck is literally on a hot seat from hell. With his back completely against the wall we will see what he does.

[oldunclemark]

1 minute ago, 21isSuperman said:

He was director of player personnel, so he had a large say in draft picks

True but the GM has final say....those are the GM's picks

I don't think that ..good or bad...you can assign the quality of draft selection to the VP of Player personell.

[BR-549]

Great move Mr. Irsay.... now lets go win some football games!

[CR91]

Dalvin cook is similar to Charles

[oldunclemark]

2 minutes ago, Majin Vegeta said:

Take your negative argument starting bullcrap elsewhere Mark. Not in the mood for it 

Clearly you cant understand what I said. Its not negative.

KC's good picks and KC's bad picks are not on Ballard.

.....the GM has the final say in picks on most teams.....I know you know that

 

Ballard's first 7 picks with us will be his first seven

[RockThatBlue]

Sounds like some in this thread are already wanting Ballard fired. Geez, give him a chance.

[i am yoda]

Looks like a great hire based on feedback from around the league.

[Coltsman1788]

9 minutes ago, oldunclemark said:

Grigson was not a glorified scout....and no one at the time said he didn't have the resume

That's revisionist history

....and don't kid a kidder.....Do you really believe Ballard will be give 2 or 3 years to make an impact like he should be?

Grigson had 3-4 before complaints reached a crescendo in year 5, for good reason.

 

We will be able to tell more about Ballard in 2-3 years.  No one will be calling for his job after year one especially since he still appears stuck with Pagano.  We always want to see steady improvement not backwards trending.  If Ballard makes us better...he'll be fine.  If not he'll hear from us sooner or later.  Circle of life. Rinse and repeat.

[superrep1967]

1 hour ago, MTC said:

 

 

I like it that he believes everything starts up front. 

[Coltsman1788]

3 minutes ago, RockThatBlue said:

Sounds like some in this thread are already wanting Ballard fired. Geez, give him a chance.

Some still appear to be butt hurt that Grigson is gone.  lol

[PrincetonTiger]

Love the fact he comes from a coaching background

[JColts72]

4 minutes ago, RockThatBlue said:

Sounds like some in this thread are already wanting Ballard fired. Geez, give him a chance.

Insane.

[COLTS449]

I really like this. I think he will be aggressive in FA, and bring in some actual scouts to help him find talent in the draft. Hopefully Poe comes along with him. Dontari Poe, Nick Perry, AJ Bouye, Zach Brown, and TJ Lang is IMO, best case scenario. But I expect more along the lines of Nick Perry, Kevin Zeitler, and Trumaine Johnson. I think he'll build a great defense quickly, and I think he'll fix the OL immediately. Zeitler would give us a top 10 offensive line and maybe......Probably even better than top 10 if Clark or Haeg step up at RT. But it wouldn't surprise me to see him target a few Chiefs free agents. I know Poe and Berry, but who else is there? I know its WAY too early to give up on Green, I mean he could come out next year and make the pro bowl, but at this moment we need another safety. We need that true coverage, centerfielder type FS........Eric Berry

[oldunclemark]

3 minutes ago, Coltsman1788 said:

Grigson had 3-4 before complaints reached a crescendo in year 5, for good reason.

 

We will be able to tell more about Ballard in 2-3 years.  No one will be calling for his job after year one especially since he still appears stuck with Pagano.  We always want to see steady improvement not backwards trending.  If Ballard makes us better...he'll be fine.  If not he'll hear from us sooner or later.  Circle of life. Rinse and repeat.

2 or 3 years.....??     Please.  More like 2 or 3 months.....you know how we are here

 

[oldunclemark]

8 minutes ago, RockThatBlue said:

Sounds like some in this thread are already wanting Ballard fired. Geez, give him a chance.

Don't judge him on KC's draft picks...good or bad......A GM needs 2 or 3 years.

A 'chance' is 2 or 3 years...for a GM

 

Years.

[Andrew Luck fan club]

8 minutes ago, oldunclemark said:

Clearly you cant understand what I said. Its not negative.

KC's good picks and KC's bad picks are not on Ballard.

.....the GM has the final say in picks on most teams.....I know you know that

 

Ballard's first 7 picks with us will be his first seven

    Everybody will be very happy until he drafts his first 7 guys.

...and then he'll have made 'so many mistakes' 

 

That's negative. And you also said something about this "sounds just like when we hired Grigson." Mark just be happy, smile.

[oldunclemark]

5 minutes ago, Coltsman1788 said:

Some still appear to be butt hurt that Grigson is gone.  lol

Some will want Ballard fired next year at this time if we're 8-8. True?

 

[superrep1967]

27 minutes ago, oldunclemark said:

You are right..

But Grigson was director of scouting VP of player personal, too.

He spent a decade with the Eagles....and was voted GM of the year, wasn't he?

The hate storm has just swept in the last 2 years

 

I think we should give Ballard 2 or 3 years to improve us before we beat him over the head with every failed  pick..

..I just hope everybody will

 

There will be hit and misses in the draft it's not an exact science. 

[ACanOfWOW]

first order of business: 

 

elevate joe philbin to offensive coordinator