If I’m Chris Ballard, I’ve got to decide if this year’s squad…

[Colts And Orioles]

Originally Posted by Mr. Session

I do think Ballard was pressured into that, and I don't think it was Irsay alone. The fanbase felt that way too. The organization had just got through the Matt Ryan debacle (much to my chagrin), and we'd been on the senior citizen quarterback merry-go-round for years at that point. The cycle had to be broken. I don't blame Ballard for missing on that the same way I don't blame Irsay going after Luck. If you don't shoot, you can't score. Hindsight is 20/20.

o


If there was pressure that Ballard allowed to affect him in choosing Richardson, I believe that it was solely from Irsay ...... I don't think that any GM, even the worst ones, allows fan-pressure to affect their draft-pick choice ...... I believe that the feelings of the fan-base certainly enters the minds of GM's at times when teams are playing very badly and/or are in the midst of a playoff drought of more than 3 or 4 years, but ultimately I don't believe that they let that specific bias to enter into the equation when they actually make the pick.

o