This week on the Daly Dose, we are joined by basketball coach Bill Benton to discuss his career and the current state of basketball and youth coaching.
Coach Benton has won two state championships and has an incredible winning percentage over his career.
We discuss the best and worst aspects of his job, and the most challenging obstacles that he faces in coaching.
We also discuss the current state of college recruiting, and how the college game has changed so much recently.
Finally, we discuss the NBA Playoffs and Coach Benton makes his prediction for the NBA Finals!
The Colorado Rockies are having a historically bad season on the field, posting their worst win percentage ever.
Yet, team ownership is still encouraged.
Despite the fact that the club has yet to even win 10 games on the season, the Rockies front office is looking at their home fan attendance, which is still surprisingly solid.
The Rockies are easily the worst team in Major League Baseball. They are already 13 games back in the National League West, and it is only early May. They have nothing whatsoever to feel good about. They are currently on pace to lose an insane 123 games this season.
The Colorado Rockies 2024 highlight reel is already insane 🤯
So why are the Colorado Rockies still ranking 19th in fan attendance, with an average of 24,155 fans attending each home game?
It seems that the answer to this question is more complex than you may think.
Sure, Colorado fans are loyal. The Denver Broncos have sold out an NFL record 423 games in a row.
We also know that Coloradoans love Coors Field. It is one of the most beautiful parks in all of Major League Baseball. Attending a game in downtown Denver is truly a unique experience, with fabulous views and a number of stadium amenities.
One aspect of home attendance that we may have missed however, is the concept that many fans in the stands aren’t actually even baseball fans.
The Daly Dose recently spoke to fans as they were leaving the Rockies 8-2 loss to the Houston Astros and the answers as to why they continued to attend games were varied.
“Game? What game? We just went to a park to drink beer!” said Corey from Northglenn.
“There was a baseball game?” answered Rebecca from Lakewood. “I remember going up to the balcony and smoking a little, and then I had some green chile cheese fries and a giant pretzel. I literally had no idea they even played baseball at Coors Park.”
“I thought I was at Meow Wolf.” Todd from Westminster told us. “I had a few drinks, and we smoked a little, and then there was some crazy food. I think I ate some Doritos nachos out of a bag, and some kind of a Rocky Mountain oyster thing…whatever that is. And I might have been tripping, but I swear I kept seeing this weird purple dinosaur. So I know it wasn’t a baseball game. Nice try though. Grow up.”
This week on the Daly Dose, we are breaking down the 2024 NFL Draft! We are joined by some friends of the Dose to hand out some way too early 2024 NFL draft grades to every single team in the NFL!
What about teams that may have made some surprising selections like the Denver Broncos and Atlanta Falcons? Are the criticisms of their draft classes valid?
We take a look at every team, and assess the value that they got with their selections, in our way too Early NFL Draft grades!
This week on the Daly Dose, we are breaking down the 2024 NFL Draft! We hand out some way too early 2024 NFL draft grades to every single team in the NFL!
We know that the Chicago Bears had the top pick, but did they do enough to merit a high grade?
The Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs keep finding success in the draft. Did they do it again?
What about teams that may have made some surprising selections like the Denver Broncos and Atlanta Falcons?
We take a look at every team and assess the value that they got with their selections in the 2024 NFL Draft!
The Denver Nuggets eliminated the Los Angeles Lakers 108-106 last night to advance to the Western Conference semifinals.
Once again, it was resident Lakers killer Jamal Murray who led the way with 32 points, including the game winner with just :04 seconds remaining in the game.
Yes, the Nuggets dispatched the Lakers in just five games, but that can be a little deceptive. Denver has not looked as strong as we were hoping they would thus far in the postseason.
For starters, the Nuggets have had horribly slow starts. They were outscored 146-123 by the Lakers in the first quarter of this series.
The Nuggets have also been sloppy with the basketball, averaging 11 turnovers per game.
But maybe the scariest aspect to the Denver Nuggets so far, has been their inability to shoot the basketball, especially from long range. In their five games against LA, the Nuggets shot just 30% from three point range.
Yes, the Nuggets beat the Lakers in only five games. That’s the good news.
The bad news is that against their next opponent, the Minnesota Timberwolves, these types of performances won’t just get them beat.
They will get blown out.
This team needs to get healthy, and get back to playing at a championship level.
Meanwhile, the Colorado Avalanche seem to have found their playoff legs.
After closing the regular season by losing seven of their final 11 games, the Avs entered their first round playoff series with the Winnipeg Jets and were promptly smacked in Game 1.
Winnipeg won 7-6 and the concerns that goaltender Alexandar Georgiev might not be ready for prime time were growing louder and louder.
Georgiev had only faced 23 shots. That is a save percentage of just .696.
Since that loss, the Avalanche have outscored the Jets 16-5, and have taken a controlling 3-1 lead in the series.
There are a few reasons for the change.
One, Georgiev seems to have found his game again. In Colorado’s three wins, he has faced 81 shots, but allowed just five goals. His save percentage has jumped to .938.
1st star: Alex Georgiev 2nd star: Alex Georgiev 3rd star: Alexandar Georgiev Give that man his flowers, he earned them tonight.#GoAvsGopic.twitter.com/2awfOJ3NrD
— x – Tell It Avs It Is Podcast (@TellitAvsItIs) April 24, 2024
One of the other reasons for the marked improvement is the play of right ring Valeri Nichushkin.
Back in January, it was announced that Nichushkin had entered the NHL/NHLPA Assistance Program and would be unavailable for the team for an indefinite period. It was no coincidence that the Avs struggled without him. At the trade deadline, while the front office made moves to bring in more depth, it was the return of Nichushkin that has changed this team’s fortunes.
Through the four games against Winnipeg, Choo has been everywhere. He has logged six goals and always seems to be in the right place at the right time.
Obviously, this team is still led by Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, but the play of Gerogiev and Nichushkin is taking them to another level.
Finally, we move to the Denver Broncos, who raised more than a few eyebrows when they selected Oregon quarterback Bo Nix with the No. 12 overall pick of the NFL Draft last Thursday. After making a trade for Jet’s disappointment Zach Wilson, many thought that the Broncos might look at their many other needs instead of quarterback.
— Unnecessary Roughness (@UnnecRoughness) April 27, 2024
Time will tell whether or not Nix, who was widely considered to be a second round selection, is worthy of that early pick.
Word out of Dove Valley is that head coach Sean Payton held a private workout with Nix. The night before the workout, he sent Nix home with three packets of offensive play installations. The next morning at his workout Payton was highly impressed with Nix’s grasp of the offense.
So while the Russell Wilson debacle is firmly on general manager George Paton, this draft seems to be the work of the head coach.
No matter the outcome, it can’t be as financially ruinous as the Wilson deal.
The big question will be: “can the Bo Nix selection be the move that finally got the Denver Broncos their franchise quarterback?”
Broncos Country has been waiting eight long years for that to come true. Just remember, the greatest drafted Denver Broncos quarterback is probably a toss up between Jay Cutler and Brian Griese, and that isn’t saying much.
Nix and Payton will be making Denver Broncos history if this actually pans out.
Bill Belichick and Sean Payton talking ball about Bo Nix.
This week on the Daly Dose, we are attending to some business, but we are still getting you ready for the 2024 NFL Draft with some past Daly Dose Top 5’s!
We flash back to Daly Dose Top 5’s with a very distinct NFL Draft flavor for you!
We countdown the Top 5 times that quarterbacks were drafted No. 1 and No. 2, the Top 5 earliest times that NFL teams drafted a kicker or punter, the Top 5 greatest NFL draft classes ever, the Top 5 seasons that no quarterbacks were selected in the first round of the draft, the Top 5 NFL players that went completely undrafted, and the Top 5 draft busts that were drafted No 1 overall!
It is that time of year when mock drafts are flying around, and everyone is excited for who their favorite team just might add through the NFL Draft. Sure, the odds of drafting a quality player in the top three rounds is about one in three. Each year we convince ourselves that our team is going to get the steal of the entire draft. If it doesn’t work out? We can just blame these stupid NFL general managers that refused to listen to us.
1. Chicago Bears (from CAR)
The Chicago Bears are the first team on the clock this year, and while we had been wondering what they would do with this pick, the Bears removed all doubt when they traded away quarterback Justin Fields back in March. The Bears had selected Fields with the No. 11 overall pick just three years ago, but he didn’t work out for this team. What makes the Bears front office think that anything will be different this time? Blind, stupid delusions of grandeur, mostly.
Pick: USC QB Caleb Williams
2. Washington Commanders
The Wanshington Commanders are up at No. 2 after going 4-13 last season. This is a franchise that is in full rebuild mode, and new general manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn are looking to get their quarterback of the future here. New offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury is going to love working with Jayden Daniels, the athletic quarterback from LSU. And the Washington medical staff is going to love working with Daniels when his inability to avoid big hits lands him on their tables every single week.
Pick: LSU QB Jayden Daniels
3. New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are starting over from scratch. Not only do they not have their returning starting quarterback from last year, but head coach Bill Belichick is also gone. The new look Pats know that they have to try to keep up with the Buffalo Bills and their talented quarterback Josh Allen, so they select North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye. No Maye isn’t quite as athletic as Allen, but he makes very similar boneheaded plays in the clutch.
Pick: North Carolina QB Drake Maye
4. Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals finished with a dismal 4-13 record last season, but actually showed some signs of life with the return of quarterback Kyler Murray from a knee injury. The Cardinals need to surround Murray with more offensive weapons, and he desperately needs a No 1 wide receiver. Ohio State wide receiver might be the top player in the draft, so this is the obvious pick, unless the Cards decide to trade down and gather more picks. But do any of us really trust this franchise with MORE picks? I didn’t think so.
Pick: Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr
5. Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers are up at No. 5 and with new head coach Jim Harbaugh on the job, I expect this team to go in a different direction than they have in the past. Yes, the Chargers have talented quarterback Justin Herbert, and they have lost some of their top wide receivers. So they could try to grab a wideout here. However, I expect Harbaugh to try to get tougher up front, and Notre Dame offensive tackle Joe Alt immediately fills that need. Sure, Harbaugh will have to fight the front office to make this pick, but he will also have to fight that cheapskate group for contract extensions in years to come. Better get used to it.
Pick: Notre Dame OT Joe Alt
6. New York Giants
The New York Giants find themselves in a bit of a pickle. After using the No 6 pick in 2019 on quarterback Daniel Jones, and then giving him a contract extension just a year ago, they have now decided to fall out of love with Jones. So, the Giants can reach for a 2nd or 3rd round quality quarterback with this selection, but don’t they already have that now in Jones?
Pick: LSU WR Malik Nabers
7. Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans have needs everywhere, but this franchise had the worst offensive line in the entire NFL last season, and that is really saying something. The Titans should probably go with Penn State offensive tackle Olumuyiwa Fashanu here, who will be able to start from Day 1. Fashanu is extremely athletic, and will be assigned the task of protecting quarterback Will Levis, as he throws soul-crushing interceptions.
Pick: Penn St OT Olumuyiwa Fashanu
8. Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons had a chance to get Bill Belichick as head coach, but decided that they know more about football than a guy that has won eight Super Bowls. The Falcons then went out and signed 35 year old quarterback Kirk Cousins to take over their team. With that kind of logic, it is no wonder that they will select Michigan quarterback JJ McCarthy here, a guy that shouldn’t come off the board until Saturday. You, dumb dirty birds.
Pick: Michigan QB JJ McCarthy
9. Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are back on the clock at No. 9, and after drafting Caleb Williams at No 1, it only makes sense for Chicago to grab an explosive wide receiver for him to throw to. These two picks can really transform the Bears offense immediately, or at least until late October, when the weather changes and Williams’ fingernail polish begins to freeze and crack.
Pick: Washington WR Rome Odunze
10. New York Jets
The New York Jets had such high hopes last season until quarterback Aaron Rodgers blew his Achilles tendon about 90 seconds into the year. The Jets are back with confidence again this season, but they do need to upgrade their aging offensive front, no matter who is at quarterback. Because let’s face it, if Rodgers goes down again this year, that guy is really going to have some wild conspiracy theories.
Pick: Oregon State OT Taliese Fuaga
11. Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are on the clock at No. 11 and now that Kirk Cousins is in Atlanta, the Vikes need to find their next franchise quarterback. Yes, Michael Penix struggled a bit in the National Championship game against Michigan, throwing two interceptions in the loss. But he was playing behind an inferior offensive line and the game was in prime time. Sound familiar? This guy is a lock to be the next Kirk Cousins.
Pick: Washington QB Michael Penix
12. Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are up at No. 12 and they are in dire straits. This team traded away multiple draft picks, and spent an ungodly amount of money on the disaster that was quarterback Russell Wilson. Now this team is strapped financially, and they are still in need of help all over the field. On Monday, Denver made a trade for Jets quarterback Zack Wilson, who has been a major disappointment so far. The Broncos cannot afford to reach here on an underachieving quarterback. They already have that. This franchise needs to rebuild their entire roster, and they can’t waste this pick by selecting a quarterback too soon. The Broncos’ front office must prove that they are more responsible than that.
Pick: Oregon QB Bo Nix
13. Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders grabbed quarterback Gardner Minshew in free agency, so it is tempting for the Raiders to take a flashy speedster wide receiver here, but they have to beef up their defense. So they grab a talented player in Alabama cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry. This is a bit of a reach, but McKinstry should be a solid pick in Vegas, as long as he doesn’t take to racing Corvettes.
Pick: Alabama CB Kool-Aid McKinstry
14. New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints will be picking 14th and they have a few needs that could be addressed here. Georgia tight end Brock Bowers would give quarterback Derek Carr a dependable weapon. However, the Saints need to shore up that offensive line. Carr was sacked 31 times last season, and he already has solid weapons in wide receivers Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed. So, the Saints go with Taliese Fuagsa, the offensive lineman from Oregon State. Fuaga will probably translate to an offensive guard at the NFL level, but that’s okay here. Derek Carr translates more to a backup at quarterback at the NFL level, but here we are.
Pick: Oregon State OL Taliese Fuaga
15. Indianapolis Colts
We finish up our Top 15 NFL mock draft with the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts are going to need help in the defensive backfield to keep up with the offensive talent that Jacksonville and Houston have. Wiggins showed big time speed at the NFL Combine, and will soon be seen trailing opposing wide receivers in their highlight videos.
This week on the Daly Dose, we discuss the career and passing of former NFL player OJ Simpson and our lasting impressions of a very divisive figure in sports!
Then with the NBA and Stanley Cup Playoffs beginning, we break down the top five teams in each league and let you know who the true contenders are with a new edition of our Daly Dose Power Rankings!
Finally, our Daly Dose Top 5 takes a look at the NBA Playoffs by counting down the Top 5 active players with the highest scoring average in the postseason!
This week on the Daly Dose YouTube video, we discuss the career and passing of former NFL player OJ Simpson and our lasting impressions of a very divisive figure in sports!
(Photo by Andy Cross/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images)
After a promising March Madness fizzled for teams from the Rocky Mountain region, the Denver Pioneers came through with another National Championship to get us back on track.
Let’s hope it is a sign of even better things to come for the area.
The No. 3 seeded Pios beat No. 1 overall seed Boston College 2-0 Saturday night to win the 10th national championship in program history.
Goaltender Matt Davis was spectacular all tournament, allowing just three total goals on 141 shots.
Any chance that the Colorado Avalanche can get that kid between the pipes for the Stanley Cup Playoffs?
The Avs are locked into their opening round playoff series as the C3, and will face off against the C2 Winnipeg Jets.
The Avs still boast one of the most dangerous rosters in the league, but the play of goaltender Alexander Georgiev has been concerning. This team is 3-7 in their last 10 games, and Georgiev’s last two outings have been dreadful.
He was chased by those Winnipeg Jets on Saturday after allowing four goals. His team went on to lose 7-0. On Sunday, he was back in the net, and allowed Vegas to rally from a 3-0 deficit. Colorado lost 4-3 in overtime.
Sure, the 2022 Colorado Avalanche had some of these same questions prior to their run to the Cup. Then again, that team also had a very dependable backup goalie. That hasn’t been the case this season.
Okay, so we will keep our fingers crossed that the Avalanche can show some life in the postseason.
The Denver Nuggets have their own concerns heading into the NBA Playoffs, but this team shouldn’t need any such luck or superstitions.
The defending champions should once again be in the thick of a title race.
Nikola Jokic should be on his way to his third well deserved Most Valuable Player award and his supporting cast is capable of being every bit as good as last season.
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