Tag: sports

Richardson’s case is the latest in a troubling trend

His career is apparently “over” after losing the competition for the Colts’ starting quarterback

The preseason is officially over in the NFL, and a week from Thursday, the regular season will be upon us. As teams start their final preparations for Week 1, there are still some items on the list to check off. One of those items include getting rosters down to 53 players, with the deadline set for Tuesday afternoon at 4 p.m. Eastern Time (ET). Like the other squads, the Indianapolis Colts have some tough decisions to make, and one of them may involve the future of quarterback Anthony Richardson. Just two years ago, this scenario might have been seen as a far cry, but the situation Richardson is now in points to a trend that should be avoided by simple understanding and judgment of talent evaluations.

Before getting into the troubling pattern plaguing the league, let’s start with the origin story. Richardson was selected by the Colts with the fourth overall pick in the 2023 draft (third QB taken that year after Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud). As is the case with all of these selections, the goal is to find that franchise-altering player that can be the cornerstone for a bright future, and based on the raw talent Richardson possesses, there’s reason to believe why Indianapolis thought they found their guy. While the physical attributes stand out, actually playing the QB position well was always a question, as Richardson was inconsistent at best during his days at Florida, finishing 2022 with a completion percentage of 53.8. That stat alone should give the scouting department (along with the general manager and head coach) pause when considering whether or not a quarterback is ready for the next level, but with the thirst over the position at an all-time high, stats can be seen as minor details, secondary to the number of highlights seen from college days. What a player does in the NFL combine and pro day means more, and that was probably the case with Richardson.

Regardless of the red flags that stuck out, the Colts felt good about their choice, and with Richardson coming in the same year Shane Steichen was hired as the head coach, a nucleus was formed. If anyone was qualified to polish the rawness of the skillset Richardson has, it was thought to be Steichen. He was the offensive coordinator with the Philadelphia Eagles when they lost in the Super Bowl to the Kansas City Chiefs the year prior. Because of his role in helping Jalen Hurts develop into one of the better QBs, the thinking was he could do the same with Richardson, who has a similar body-type to Hurts. At the beginning of 2023, things looked rosy for the newly-formed partnership, as the rookie was putting up good numbers. Unfortunately, Richardson’s season was cut short, due to a shoulder injury suffered in early-October. Fast forward to 2024, and conditioning issues surfaced in a critical divisional showdown with the Houston Texans. Richardson “tapped out” of the game due to fatigue, a move that was seen by many as quitting on his teammates. Combine that with the season he was having up to that Week 8 contest (4 touchdowns and 7 interceptions with a 44.4 completion percentage), and losing faith in a guy who’s the supposed leader and franchise player becomes more than a possibility.

After Indianapolis saw the quarterback position alternate between Richardson and Joe Flacco (now back with the Cleveland Browns) last season, training camp presented a fresh opportunity for the maligned raw talent to seize the starting job. Instead, Steichen (with probable assistance from GM Chris Ballard) decided to name Daniel Jones, someone who was with the New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings before coming to Indy, the starter for the foreseeable future. Now, questions of trust are floating around, and the team’s relationship with the player is on the rocks. Of course, the first thing the media and fans want to do is place blame on why things with the Colts and Richardson appear dark. It might be true Steichen and Ballard didn’t provide the best situation for Richardson to succeed, but ultimately (and probably the main reason), the player was most likely overrated in the first place, and not ready to play at a level where he could be considered a competent QB in the NFL. Another elephant in the room is Steichen and Ballard aren’t exactly secure in their respective positions. So they’re going to do what they feel gives them the best chance to keep their jobs and win football games. Apparently, they trust Jones more in that venture than Richardson.

In totality, this is just the latest in cases where quarterbacks are put up far too lofty, when a little bit of research (and simple eye testing) would tell a different story. Another troublesome trend is the rush to throw a BS hot take into the wind, calling Richardson a “bust” after just two seasons in the league. It’s true the career path hasn’t started off so well, but the man is only 23 years old, and the raw talent still jumps off the page (this is coming from someone who is very critical of his play). Let’s see if he can work on his craft and earn himself another chance to show he can become a franchise QB, whether it’s in Indianapolis or elsewhere. History says Jones won’t make it through a whole season without getting injured and/or benched. If and when that happens, Richardson has to be ready, because if not, there might be a little substance to that bust potential.

Three ways Edwards can go from very good to elite

Calling the Timberwolves star the “Face of the NBA” is exaggerated, but it doesn’t mean he can’t get there

In today’s world of sports, there aren’t too many leagues that market their stars like the NBA does. For so long, the league has had LeBron James, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant (among others) being the marquee players to lean on, with James having the “Face of the NBA” title for the majority of the time he’s played. As those players enter the twilight of their careers, the media and fans are longing for a fresh face, with Minnesota Timberwolves guard/forward Anthony Edwards getting a big push for the crown. As much as people want to give Edwards this title, it has to be earned, not given, and judging off of how things have ended for Minnesota the last two seasons (getting sacked in the Western Conference finals in five games), details show there’s a long way to go before he can be recognized as someone the rest of the league can follow. Having said that, the assumption is there’s plenty of time to grow, as Edwards is only 23-years-old. Even with that in his favor, it’s hard to see much improvement if he can’t make a few aspects a bigger part of his game. With the depth of the conference, there’s no guarantee of team success, but improving on these things should give Edwards and the Timberwolves a better chance.

More Consistency On Defense

With the raw athletic talent Edwards is blessed with, he has the ability to be one of the best on-ball defenders in the NBA, and glimpses of that potential has shown on the court. An example of this was seen in Game 3 of the conference finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. With Minnesota down 2-0 in the series, they needed a spark from their star player, and Edwards accomplished that by putting pressure on the Thunder ball handlers, which led to creating turnovers and fast break buckets. The issue is it’s not consistent, and like many of the ball-dominant players in basketball, Edwards is guarding someone who isn’t the other team’s best offensive player, in an attempt to rest on the defensive end. While defense is more of an afterthought these days, the fact still remains this is the part of the game that should never slack. If Edwards is the leader and franchise player, he’ll have to understand everyone else on the team follows his lead. If he’s not bringing energy, that can (and probably will) rub off on his teammates. Setting the tone on defense brings positive energy, and that must become closer to the norm if the best version of Edwards is going to show.

Mid-Range, Mid-Range, Mid-Range

It’s understood analytics says the three-pointer and layup are the best ways to score, but the proven product, no matter what statistics say or the era basketball is played in, is the mid-range game. So much of the offense can open up with an efficient, 15 to 17-foot jumper. Edwards hasn’t really shown the ability to operate from the mid-range, and because of that, his game becomes boom or bust. Sure, Edwards led the NBA in three-pointers made this season (320), and have games where he hit seven or eight of them, but there are also contests where he goes 1-9 from deep (Game 2 of the WCF). If Edwards is looking for someone he can look at as an example of what a mid-range game can open up, the Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is available. All Gilgeous-Alexander did is win the league-MVP this year, and everything he does originates from the mid-range. Simply put, players can be successful without listening to what analytics say, and there hasn’t been many players who went wrong with having a consistent arsenal from in-between the three-point stripe and the basket.

Move Without The Ball

So many of the players in today’s game are ball-dominant, meaning the ball has to be in their hands if they’re going to have the most impact on the game. What makes Curry unique (and lethal at the same time) is he’s just as dangerous moving without the ball as he is with the ball in his possession. Most of these ball-dominant players will pass the ball, only to stand at the same spot he just gave the ball up from, expecting to get it right back. Edwards isn’t quite that bad, but this is an area that can use improvement. The Timberwolves do have other players who can operate the offense and handle the ball. While this could look good schematically, Edwards would have to turn that responsibility over and trust the adjustment. While he is dynamic in getting to his spots, the teams Minnesota plays against know that also, and they’re going to have defenses designed to get the ball out of Edwards’ hands. So often, it comes down to who can stay a step ahead of their opponent, and creating opportunities for others with movement would be a great counter.

Bonus: Stop Complaining!

Breaking news: Society loves to complain about damn near everything, and the NBA is no different in that regard. For Edwards, this is true on two fronts. The first involves him voicing his displeasure about seeing double-teams. He’ll have to realize he’s not even close to the first player to see multiple defenders, and he won’t be the last. The great players were able to deal with those coverages and figure it out. Edwards, if he wants to reach the elite level, will have to do the same. The second front is, well, what everyone complains about, officiating. For anyone who has watched Timberwolves games lately, there aren’t a lot of minutes that go by without hearing Edwards complain about a “missed” call, or one that went against him. As hard as this is to do for most people altogether, he has to find away to get the officiating out of his focus, and concentrate on the things that are in his control. Getting tied up with the refs doesn’t benefit anyone involved, and the constant complaining won’t change anything. Just play ball, and the rest will take care of itself.

These four steps could help Edwards get to a place where he’s the next face of the league, but all of them are on the court, during games. The most important step is what happens off the court, which is a change in his mindset. He’ll have to learn being athletic and working on just offense isn’t enough. What separates the good from the elite is the mental part, and the ability to play chess, when others are playing checkers. Again, all of this is being said with the understanding Edwards is only 23. So there is time, and he is already pretty good as it is. Now, it’s time to take the next steps, those that are critical for Minnesota’s and his success going forward. Then, and only then, would conversations of Edwards being the new face have substance.