Final Draft Thoughts

The NFL Draft has come and gone, and the Colts addressed several needs with their incoming group. Here are a couple of my thoughts on the incoming class:

Huuuuuughes: The TCU pass-rusher looks like a classic example of a Colts' steal. Bigger (Jason Pierre-Paul), stronger (Brandon Graham), and more athletic (Derrick Morgan) ends were taken in front of Hughes, but none of them had the production that he had during his college career. At 6'2, 260, the speedster seems to be a great fit as the third defensive end.

Only one offensive lineman drafted: I'm surprised that there was only one OL taken and it wasn’t even a tackle. This is starting to make me believe that Charlie Johnson will not be switching to guard. Most of this depends on how free agent acquistions Andy Alleman and Adam Terry perform in Camp.

Staying big on the O-Line: Jacques McClendon is massive (6’3, 324) for a guard. Given his selection, the Colts have officially added lineman that are 304 (Alleman), 324, and 335 (Terry) pounds.

Finally, a return man!: Not only does the addition of Ray Fisher show the Colts are getting serious about their return game, they also signed UDFA Brandon James of Florida. Fisher led the nation in kick return average (37.3 ypr, also a Big Ten record) while James set four SEC records during his time as a return threat for the Gators.

Defense depth: With as strong as the offense is currently constructed, the Colts really addressed their defensive depth chart. Kevin Thomas makes up for the losses of Jackson and Jennings at CB, Pat Angerer and Kavell Conner fill out the two-deep at LB, Hughes and Ricardo Matthews continue to shore up the depth at the D-Line.

Colts 2010 Draft Class: TCU DE Jerry Hughes (6’2, 260), Iowa LB Pat Angerer (6’1, 235), USC CB Kevin Thomas (6’1, 185), Tennessee G Jacques McClendon (6’3, 324), Oklahoma TE Brody Eldridge (6’5, 265), Cincinnati DL Ricardo Matthews (6’3, 294), Clemson LB Kavell Conner (6’1, 225), Indiana KR Ray Fisher (5’9, 185).

My Only Friend, The End

In what was once a Pacers-crazy town here in Indianapolis, the 2009-10 season went out with a whimper. It was almost fitting that the final loss came to a dreadful Washington team - a solemn reminder of just how far this Pacers franchise has fallen.

Overall, the Blue and Gold suffered their worst record (32-50) in over twenty years, and missed the playoffs for a fourth straight season, the first time they've accomplished that feat since the 1982-86 seasons.

In what's become an annual ritual, team president Larry Bird held a season-wrapping press conference discussing his thoughts on another failed season. Besides backing head coach Jim O'Brien and saying the rebuilding plan was "on target", Larry Legend piqued my interest with this comment:

"The point guard position is one that we're going to look very hard at. It all starts with the point guard."

I would say something snide like "thanks Captain Obvious!" but that wouldn't be fair to Captain or even Lieutenant Obvious. Not to sound like a know-it-all, but I pleaded with the Pacers to address the point guard position in last year's NBA Draft, which had one of the deepest PG classes in recent memory. This fact may be depressing, but take into consideration the point guards that the Pacers passed up last year to draft Tyler Hansbrough at #13 overall:

#17 – Jrue Holiday, Sixers (8.0 ppg, 3.8 apg in 24 mpg)
#18 – Ty Lawson, Nuggets (8.3 ppg, 3.1 apg in 20 mpg)
#19 – Jeff Teague, Hawks (3.2 ppg, 1.7 apg in 10 mpg)
#20 – Eric Maynor, Jazz/Thunder (4.7 ppg, 3.3 apg in 15 mpg)
#21 – Darren Collison, Hornets (12.4 ppg, 5.7 apg in 28 mpg)

I would take any one of those five players over Hansbrough in a heartbeat, and it's not just because of Psycho T's mutant ear infection. T.J. Ford, for lack of a better word, is bad. We've known that for years. He's lost his starting job for every team he's ever played for. Earl Watson, while productive, is what he is: a veteran that is a backup on any halfway decent NBA team. While I like the potential of 2nd round pick A.J. Price, he's still at least another season or two away from being an NBA starter.

The Pacers are really behind the eight-ball this summer because they a) aren't shedding any money, and b) have another middling Lottery pick (10th overall barring a ping-pong ball miracle). Also, this Draft is big heavy, and point guard light.

The team you saw this year, will basically be the team you see next year. The only thing the Pacers are "on target' for is another 30-35 win season.

We'll reconvene in 2011.

For Perception's Sake

Has anyone had a more trying first few years on the job than Roger Goodell? In a seemingly unending cycle of player incidents, it is once again decision-time for the NFL's head honcho.

Georgia authorities said on Monday that they would not pursue sexual assault charges against Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger, but that doesn't mean he's off the hook with the league. In the past (most notably with Pacman Jones), Goodell has handed out suspensions to players regardless of whether they were charged with a crime.

No one is going to argue that Roethlisberger hasn't sullied the image of the NFL, along with his own. Though he isn't going to be charged, should this 2nd scrape with the law cost him some game time?

A suspension for Roethlisberger is warranted for two major reasons:

1) To send a message to Ben that he needs to stop putting himself in these kind of situations.

2) To dispell the belief among NFL fans that there is a double-standard when it comes to race.

I don't think Goodell has unfairly punished minority players, but there's no question there's a perception out there that he has. Throwing Michael Vick into the fire while letting Roethlisberger walk would make plenty of people question Goodell's integrity. I don't think Goodell is racist, nor do I think he was unfair with his punishments of players like Vick and Jones. However, perception is what matters - and Goodell has to do everything he can to guard against a negative labeling from NFL fans and players.

Stevens Returns

Note: I know I had promised an NCAA Tournament wrap-up post, but I don't feel like I can add anything to what's already been said. It was a terrific run for Butler, and overall was probably the most entertaining Tournament since the field expanded in 1985.

Brad Stevens will be back, at least for next year.

Stevens and Butler agreed to a 12-year contract extension, which was announced late this afternoon. The extension means that for this summer the overtures from BCS teams will be ignored. However, the rumors about Stevens' future will never fully go away, regardless of whatever contract he signs or what is said publicly.

Much like Mark Few at Gonzaga, as long as Stevens keeps winning, his name will come up in the conversation of every big school coaching vacancy.

On the bright side, Brad Stevens will definitely be back at Butler next season. That in itself is crucial because the program needs Stevens there to carry the momentum from an improbable run to the National Championship game, and take advantage on the recruiting trail. However, what he does after next season is anybody's guess.

In the college coaching ranks today, contracts aren't worth the paper they're printed on. Extensions don't signify that any coach will stay - their only purpose is to boost the monetary amount of the buyout that a BCS-level team will have to pay.

Such is life for mid-major programs, but we're happy Brad Stevens didn't jump at the first opportunity.

STP and Final Four picks

I hit the free STP show downtown last night to ring-in the Final Four festivities. While it was still pretty awesome, it was nothing like this:

A clearly obliterated sleepy Scott Weiland rambled on between songs about picking up his USA Today, putting his money on STP (instead of Butler, MSU, Duke, or West Va), and called the record-warm weather "glorious".

Final Four picks...
Butler 64, Michigan State 62
Before you accuse me of picking with my heart instead of my head, remember that the Dawgs are actually a 1.5-point favorite according to Vegas. Butler has completely shutdown two much stronger offenses in Syracuse and Kansas State over the past week, and the Spartans will likely struggle to score. One thing that should make Butler fans nervous is the fact that Michigan State is much more physical than any team Butler has faced in the Tournament so far. Butler gives the hometown fans a win to continue this run.

West Virginia 74, Duke 67
I'm curious as to why Duke is considered the National Championship favorite. West Virginia could've easily been a #1 seed, and they dismantled the team that a lot of people thought was going to walk away with the title (Kentucky) just a week ago. Duke's size is certainly an advantage, but I don't envision the Mountaineers letting them have their way on the offensive glass like they did against both Purdue and Baylor. West Virginia's offense wakes up for the first time this Tournament and they slip into Monday night's marquee matchup.