There's a statement that circling the Internet is slowly, but surely, beginning to piss me off:
No team was hit harder in free agency than the Colts...
Now, when I've see this statement before, I've immediately dismissed the writer. Only someone who doesn't know what they are talking about would say something like this, like
Jeremy Green of Scouts Inc. and ESPN. I mean, it's not like New England lost two of its best players (Vinatieri and McGinest), both its starting corners (Stark and Poole), and a top wide receiver (Givens) to free agency. You'd think they would be hit harder by free agency, seeing as they have yet to replace any of those players. Sadly, this is the third time I've read an Internet article claiming the Colts were "hit hardest" by free agency in 2006. The latest one comes from
NFL Draft Countdown. This site has some very good information on players drafted. I really enjoyed their player profiles.
Their post-draft analysis, however, stinks!
Scott Wright, the President of NFL Draft Countdown, wrote the post-draft analysis personally. Actually, he writes all the analysis for all the teams. I guess the president of the company is the only one actually working there! Currently, he's about halfway through all 32 teams. Scott gave the Colts a "C" grade for their draft selections, the lowest grade thus far. Why "C" for Colts?
The Colts earn a relatively low grade for their efforts because they reached with all of their top picks and for the most part the players they chose probably have a limited upside and might not be anything more than backups and part-time players in the pros. The success or failure of this draft is going to hinge on whether [first round pick Joseph] Addai and [third round pick Freddie] Keiaho are going to be able to help adequately replace [Edgerrin] James and [David] Thornton.
Apparently, like Mr. Jeremy Green, Scott feels Thornton (5th on the team in tackles) was a key player in the Colts defense, and Larry Tripplett was a key reserve. Scott also thinks like Jeremy in that:
In my opinion Edgerrin James didn't get nearly the credit he deserved for Indy's high-powered offense and if I were making the decisions I would have invested in him before locking up Reggie Wayne.
Well, all I can say to that is thank God Scott isn't my team's GM! If Scott were running the show in Pony Land, most of the team's money would be tied up in three players (Manning, James, and Harrison) and players like Dwight Freeney, Bob Sanders, Cato June, Raheem Brock, and Gary Brackett would be playing somewhere else next season. Once again, a pundidiot thinks that the only reason the Colts could not re-sign Edge was their investment in Reggie Wayne.
I've given up expecting quality post-draft analysis from sites like ESPN.com and NFL Draft Countdown. The only pleasure I can take is the joy I feel when I take their opinions and bash them into pulp.
Look Scott, you don't have to like the Colts draft. You can, of course, disagree and say Indy should have taken this player over that player. However, if you are going to question the decisions of one of the best evaluators of talent in the NFL, I expect you to at least KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT, especially when it pertains to a specific team.
If Joseph Addai was such a "reach," why the glowing review of him on your site, Scott?
Interesting prospect who only got a chance to start as a senior due to injuries...Underrated and could end up being better in the pros than he was in college with additional opportunities...A player who does everything well and will find a role at the pro level whether that be as a starter or situational player.
Wow! Sounds like someone I'd like to have on my team, as opposed to someone like LenDale White,
who is fat and lazy, or Maurice Drew,
who assaults people at a Denny's restaurant.
Folks, this is a classic example of a pundidiot who is upset that the team he's evaluating did not see the draft the way he did. Scott ranked White and Drew ahead of Addai on his draft chart. Heck, he ranked White ahead of Maroney!
And regarding Keiaho: if you think the Colts drafted Freddie Keiaho to replace David Thornton this year, you are simply ignorant of how the Colts do business. Keiaho will play special teams this year, and most likley backup Cato June. They will apprentice him and groom him to eventually replace one of the starting linebackers one day IF he shows promise. Gilbert Gardner had this role for two seasons. Now, with Thornton's departure, he will be the starting strong side backer. All Scott had to do to know this kind of information was to simply go to the Colts website and read about it.
Is it so much to ask that these pundit fools actually KNOW what they are talking about BEFORE they grade a team's draft? Is it too much to expect that the President of NFL Draft Countdown to know his business before posting a draft grade?
And cut out the "Colts were hit hardest by free agency" crap already! I listed New England, but Denver was also gutted by free agency, losing their best d-lineman (Trevor Pryce), their starting runningback (Mike Anderson), and their tight end (Jeb Putzier). Honestly!
