@MarkKnudson41
Strike One: There were a ton of questions leading up to this NFL Draft about…this NFL Draft.
Consider them answered.
Due in no small part to a herculean effort by the TV folks, the “remote” NFL Draft – pieced together through various forms of video technology – was a smashing success. It was efficient, well produced and with the exception of a few too many sad human-interest stories, nearly flawless. It was…watchable.
With some slight allowances for when social distancing finally ends, this is how every NFL Draft should be done from now on.
There are plenty of people in the know who agree. Seattle head coach Pete Carroll called it “magical” and his General Manager John Schneider heaped praise on the entire project, as did his counterpart in Detroit, Bob Quinn. Even John Elway – who had reportedly been in favor of pushing the draft back in an effort to have it done the old-fashioned way – came away impressed with the new approach.
Los Angeles Chargers beat writer Daniel Popper tweeted out a quote from head coach Anthony Lynn: “I was talking to some of the other NFL coaches, and we were thinking maybe we should do this again next year…”
No “maybe” about it. They should. And the year after, and the year after that…
The draft over the past few decades – especially since they began to move the locations around from the previous location in New York City – has been more spectacle than substance. The “look-at-me” outfits worn by some of the draft prospects, the long struts across the stage to shake hands with the Commissioner, the drawn out photo ops… it’s just all too much “show” and not enough “go” most of the time.
This draft was different. It had good pace. It was more efficient. More “human.” More unscripted.
Everything from Bill Belichick’s dog to Kliff Kingsbury’s luxury home, to “What’s going on at Mike Vrabel’s house?” was entertaining. We all enjoyed seeing the various war room/man cave set ups with kids squeezing into the shots with their head coach dads – just as the draft pick was getting ready to be announced and waving at themselves on the screen…and in the case of the Vrabel’s, that sort of awkward “What the heck are they doing back there” thing, too.
And having the draft prospects at home, surrounded by their families, was…real, and sometimes moving.
It was great TV.
Granted, given our circumstances, and how starved we are for real live sports content, even the standard “biggest non-event in sports” broadcast was destined to be a big event with sky high ratings. But that didn’t mean it was going to be good TV. After all, the painful daily White House press briefings get good ratings, too.
Even Commissioner Roger Goodell came out of the weekend a winner. He displayed a more human, less “stiff” side – a guy who could sit in his favorite chair and eat M & M’s during the proceedings. Fans loved it.
No, this was about much more than good ratings. This was particularly good television that featured excellent work from those in front of and behind the camera. The viewers got more than they’d hoped for, regardless of whether or not their team made a popular draft choice.
This is how the “biggest non-event in sports” should be handled every year.
Strike Two: The back half of April marks several tragic anniversaries in this country. The Branch Davidians compound firestorm in Waco, Texas, the Oklahoma City bombing…and around here, the Columbine High School shootings.
We’ve also just eased past the anniversary of the sudden and unthinkable death of Colorado Rockies team president Keli McGregor.
It’s now been a decade since a rare heart ailment claimed the life of the otherwise larger-than-life McGregor. The former All-American tight end at Colorado State who was briefly a Denver Bronco was brought in by then-team owner Jerry McMorris to be part of the original Rockies front office, and his sports knowledge and business acumen helped him quickly rise to the role of Team President. He was immensely popular inside the building at 20th and Blake, and the key player in the construction of the spectacular spring training facility at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale. Good news or bad, he was the Rockies “go-to” front man. His optimism and drive were a key part of getting the franchise to the World Series in 2007.
While the game of baseball was not his first love, nor did he consider himself an expert on the sport, Keli was thirsty to learn more about it on a daily basis. He made almost daily phone calls to baseball people like Jack McKeon and others in a constant effort to become a more astute observer and contributor. It may not have been “his job” to help on the baseball side, but he was determined he was going to be able to make an important contribution when needed.
Keli was also a stalwart CSU Ram, who was often mentioned in connection with the school’s Athletic Director position. When approached, he always felt the tug of his alma mater, but could never justify making the move while feeling like his work with the Rockies was not yet complete. Hard to say what “complete” would have looked like – if the Rockies had won a World Series, would Keli have then felt free to return to his roots in college sports at his alma mater?
We will never know. But what we do know if that his untimely death created a void in the Rockies organization that still hasn’t been filled. Team owner Dick Monfort stepped into the Team President role on the business side, but there is still one less voice – a critical voice – available at the decision making table. For example, had Keli still been with us, and actively running the front office, there would have been no “Bridich v Arenado” rift this winter. Keli would have squelched that in its tracks.
Even after a great loss, in most cases we move on, turn the page, and things eventually return to normal. This is not like most cases. After 10 years, the loss of Keli McGregor is still lingering at 20th and Blake. Time does not heal every wound.
Strike Three: NBA players are beginning to be allowed to return to their practice facilities as social distancing restrictions are being eased. At some point in the next couple of weeks, the Denver Nuggets players, including Michael Porter Jr, will make their way back to the Pepsi Center to start getting some shots up, with an eye on playing some more NBA hoops this spring or summer.
Only in the case of MPJ, he will likely continue to see far more minutes on the bench than on the court.
It’s been a frustrating Nuggets season – even before March 13th – if you were among those who saw the emergence of MPJ as a key reason why Denver could legitimately compete for a spot in the Western Conference Finals. There have been moments when the talented rookie showed big time flashes. His scoring and play making ability are unquestioned at this point. Porter can do things that no one else on the Denver roster can physically do.
Yet his playing time – even when he’s healthy – has been sporadic at best.
Nuggets coach Michael Malone says Porter needs to be more consistent. But how does a player become consistent in anything if he’s not getting minutes on the court?
Malone has proven to be loyal to a fault. He’s gonna dance with who brung him, as they say. When/if the Nuggets hit the court again in games that count, it’s very unlikely MPJ is part of the regular playing rotation. If anything, in this reduced and compacted “season,” Malone is most likely to shorten his bench, and play only the guys he knows and trusts the most.
And that’s a recipe for a quick play-off exit for Denver.
Last season, the Nuggets lack of scoring punch from anyone not named Nikola Jokic was their play-off downfall. Given that Malone is going to roll out mostly the same cast of characters this play-off season, what figures to be different? Is Jamal Murray suddenly, magically going to become good at creating his own shot? Is Gary Harris going to become an offensive weapon? Is Will Barton going to have grown six inches taller and be able to take on bigger guys in the paint?
Nope.
It is fair to expect these Nuggets to have learned from last season’s play-off flop against an inferior Portland team and be smarter. But they can’t do anything about their physical/talent shortcomings. Without MPJ, they still lack a second, consistent scoring threat that other teams have to try to account for. A threat like that also opens things up for guys like Murray to get more open looks – and not have to force things.
Maybe after a second play-off flameout, Malone will be convinced he needs to change his approach and take the shackles off of Porter. Or, maybe not. Maybe Malone’s tenure in Denver will be living proof of the “definition of insanity.” We shall see…we hope.