The Detroit Pistons are rolling!
After their win on Wednesday night over the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Pistons are now over the .500 mark for the first time since mid-December and they currently hold the No. 6 spot in the Eastern Conference.
Because of their recent hot streak, the Pistons are slowly starting to create a bit of excitement in a town that has very little to be excited about when it comes to professional sports.
http://gty.im/1096669048
But one person who seemingly cringes with every Pistons’ win is 97.1 The Ticket’s Mike Valenti.
Valenti has been extremely loud with his opinion that the Pistons are just wasting everybody’s time by winning what he says are meaningless games. Instead, he insists they should be tanking so they have a better chance at landing a high pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.
Well, one person who clearly disagrees is Pistons’ color commentator, Greg Kelser.
Following Wednesday’s win, Kelser took some time to address “some of the people on the radio, locally,” and though Kelser did not name him directly, we all know exactly who he was calling out.
You can listen to Kelser’s full comments below but he referred to Valenti’s train of thought as “utter nonsense!”
Take a listen to the following two tweets posted below.
Greg Kelser with a monologue about @971theticketxyt (without naming them) and the state of the Detroit Pistons. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/rRo1QVZw8h
— Detroit Bad Boys ☠ (@detroitbadboys) March 7, 2019
Kelser decided to be more diplomatic than he needed to be. You could tell this was bothering him. 2/2 pic.twitter.com/RSNWkXNzFW
— Detroit Bad Boys ☠ (@detroitbadboys) March 7, 2019
Go get em, Greg!
BONUS CONTENT:
Full Detroit Lions 2019 ‘Perfect’ NFL Mock Draft Vol. 2
The 2019 NFL Scouting Combine is just about in the books, the prospect measurables are in, and it’s time to put together another mock draft based on the Detroit Lions current roster situation.
You are going to see a ton of mock drafts out there but it is ultra-important to remember that free agency has not even started and that will largely determine how NFL teams attack the NFL Draft.
That being said, the Lions biggest needs as we speak (in my opinion) rank as follows.
- Edge Rusher
- Cornerback
- Tight End
- Wide Receiver
- Running Back
So, without further ado, let’s take a look at what the Detroit Lions 2019 ‘Perfect’ NFL Draft would look like.
Round 1, Pick 8
Ed Oliver (DL) Houston
I have said for a long time that I would absolutely love for the Lions to take Michigan DL Rashan Gary with their first round pick but I honestly do not see him falling to No 8.
That being said, there are a plethora of talented players at the top of this draft and if the Lions can land Ed Oliver out of Houston, they will have done well for themselves.
From The Draft Network:
PROS: Ed Oliver is one of the most athletic interior defensive linemen I’ve ever scouted. Has movement skills and agility that are just off the charts. Makes plays away from his initial gap that are jaw-dropping. Range of a linebacker. First step to beat anyone. Explosive and sudden in all his movements, easily able to redirect and keep blockers off balance. Always plays low and leveraged, with elite pad level and hand placement to drive through opponents. Creates an insane push off the snap and typically re-sets the line of scrimmage. Power to bull rush and the quickness to win the edge. Excellent bend to turn tight corners to the quarterback. Can backdoor gaps and still make plays. Incredible motor and will chase down plays from everywhere. Never takes a play off. Gets in on stops other defensive tackles couldn’t dream of being a part of.
CONS: Cheats his assignment at times. Gets upfield in a hurry and can sometimes widen his gap as a result. Doesn’t have great length and will get chest-to-chest with opponents at times. Repertoire of moves could be deeper. Wins more with athletic ability and raw power than refined hand usage. Will spin to get off blocks at times, turning his back to the line of scrimmage. Rumors are he plays at sub-280, which could concern teams projecting him out against better/bigger competition.
Round 2, Pick 11 (43 overall)
Irv Smith Jr. (TE) Alabama
The Detroit Lions absolutely must take a tight end early in the 2019 NFL draft but they absolutely should not use their No. 8 pick in the first round on one. What they should do is hold off into the second round and grab Irv Smith Jr. out of Alabama.
Smith Jr. is a tight end who can make plays in the passing game
From The Draft Network:
Not many tight ends in college football can hold a candle to what Irv Smith did this season for Alabama. 710 yards, seven touchdowns and an average of 16.3 yards per catch are all eye-popping numbers which led to Smith wisely bolting for the NFL following the National Championship Game. There his athleticism, smooth routes and strong blocking skills should translate quickly into a versatile starting tight end.
While Smith may lack elite explosiveness, he still has the speed to win vertically as a flexed receiver while being one of the best blocking tight ends in the draft. The risk of drafting him is minimal, especially if he tests as well as expected. Smith may never be a top 2-3 tight end in the NFL, but he’s fully capable of being among the best in the next tier.
To read the rest of the mock draft, please click on the link below.
