Chapter 180 The Biggest Winner
Old Oak Tavern, Kansas City, Missouri.
There is no doubt that this is the most die-hard and popular Chiefs fan base in the city. Every game day, the pub is packed with fans, and exciting games will become twice as beautiful because they enjoy the atmosphere together; if it is the Chiefs away game During the battle, the tavern was even more crowded.
Today is no exception.
Although it was only a draft, the fans were still dressed up and ready. One or two people wearing jerseys gathered together to watch the live broadcast.
However, the atmosphere in the tavern is now slightly downbeat.
David Anderson, the owner of the Old Oak Tavern, actually could have retired a long time ago, but he likes to stay in the tavern, discuss every bit of the Chiefs with the fans here, and share the victory with everyone. The joy and the bitterness of failure.
They were waiting together, waiting for the team's second Super Bowl championship trophy since 1969. Forty-seven years and half a century are about to pass in the blink of an eye, but Anderson still remembers that night firmly -
That was when he was eight years old. He didn’t even know what football meant, but he watched with his father, grandfather, brothers and sisters when the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Minnesota Vikings to reach the Super Bowl.
That was the Kansas Chiefs' first and so far only Super Bowl.
From that day on, they were waiting and fighting.
"Hey, cheer up, cheer up!" Anderson slammed the bar table and shouted, "We have done a good job. We have chosen an excellent player, a player who can shoulder the heavy responsibility of the team. , we should trust Coach Reid’s judgment.”
In the crowd——
"Yes, David, I know, yes, Levi is an excellent player..."
"But running back?"
"Exactly. We use the third overall pick to select a running back? Not that I'm disappointed, but is it really necessary? And it takes so much effort."
"What about the salary cap? The salary cap for the No. 3 pick is not a small amount of money."
"And, I just can't understand, do we really need a running back? To the extent of a first-round pick? To the extent of trading up? Without Charles, other backup running backs can carry the load."
Chatter, coach per head, everyone is expressing their opinion.
This is also a very common view among Kansas City Chiefs fans:
Levi is very good and is undoubtedly an excellent choice, but at such a price? And it’s also a unique first-round pick. Is this really good?
Even if Veach makes a sudden move and transfers all the cost of the upward trade to the Chicago Bears, in the final analysis, the salary cap for the third pick still falls on the shoulders of the Kansas City Chiefs. Different reinforcements discussed during the offseason Selecting a running back in the first round is not in the blueprint either.
Now, the Kansas City Chiefs have no regrets for their decision. Today's draft has nothing to do with them - the second and third rounds are tomorrow, and the fourth to seventh rounds are the day after tomorrow. But precisely because of this, the first-round pick It actually ended in nothingness like this, which caused more controversy.
Opinions are inevitable.
However, Anderson disagrees.
"Guys, believe me, this Levi can definitely bring surprises. You should watch the rookie training camp..."
Before he could finish his words, the voice of "Kansas Chief" came from the TV screen again, which made the whole tavern commotion.
What's going on?
Doesn’t today’s first-round pick have nothing to do with the Kansas Chiefs?
Why are they showing up again now?
The eyes are all focused on the screen.
Obviously, the Kansas City Chiefs were really ready to make some noise this year. They caused chaos and saw an opportunity, and then Veach took advantage of it and unexpectedly completed another big play.
A three-way trade between the Kansas Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers and Buffalo Bills, and then the Kansas Chiefs once again received a first-round pick with the tenth overall pick, and this time, they chose——
"...Patrick Mahomes, quarterback..."
Old Oak Arena:? ? ? Quarterback?
Why?
Alex Smith performed well last season and had no injuries. Why is the Kansas Chiefs front office so anxious to choose a quarterback?
And he didn’t hesitate to trade up a second time?
However, everyone was shocked after learning the contents of the three-party transaction.
The professionals in the ESPN live broadcast room were full of astonishment and surprise.
"Taken together, the Kansas City Chiefs used their 27th pick, a second-round pick and a 2018 first-round pick to get this year's third and tenth picks, selecting two high-potential picks. Rookie."
"incredible!"
"Absolutely unbelievable!"
"Vitch is like David Copperfield. He shakes his hat and two rabbits pop out."
"Although the first day of the 2017 draft is only a third of the way through, the Kansas City Chiefs have already single-handedly won this year's draft with unexpected moves and brilliant picks that make other team managers look like they are the same. A pile of lifeless wooden piles.”
Make money, really make a fortune.
At this time, the Old Oak Tavern finally reacted——
Everything is planned.
Obviously, the Kansas Chiefs are thinking about the present and the future, and they are preparing to start the team's handover around Levi and Mahomes.
At this time, looking back at the Kansas Chiefs' move to select Levi with the third overall pick, things finally seem to make sense.
Anderson raised the glass of wine in his hand high. He wasn't going to say anything like "I told you so" or "We should trust Coach Reed", so he simply said.
"For Levi and Mahomes!"
In the tavern, the crowd was excited.
In the Baltimore Ravens war room, Hubble looked at Newsome and couldn't help but laugh.
It was only now that Reed's grand blueprint was finally revealed in front of them. They were still thinking about picking up Levi later, but they didn't expect that others were planning more.
"Sure enough, ginger is still spicier with age."
Newsam couldn't help but rub his hands, "But Watson still wasn't chosen."
One draft strategy is to select the best player left.
Now it seems that it is Watson?
Hubble was very calm, "The Kansas City Chiefs skipped Watson and chose Mahomes. I believe in Reid's vision. Even if Watson falls in front of us, we don't have to choose. Let's stick to the original plan."
"What's more, I think other teams are still secretly happy that they can pick up the slack. I... wish them good luck."
This time, Hubble was right—
With the 12th pick, the Houston Texans finally announced Watson's name, ending a nightmarish night for Watson, who belatedly became the third player selected with four points before joining further into the abyss. guard.
Although he was finally selected, Watson couldn't smile, he couldn't really smile. He appeared on the stage with slumped shoulders and a black face, like a rag doll that was being manipulated. He couldn't figure out how he fell to this position.
Everyone is paying attention to Watson, so much so that Solomon Thomas has been quietly forgotten.
Thomas, a defensive end from Stanford University, was once predicted to be a top-three pick, but now, people seem to have completely forgotten about him.
Thomas looked confused: That rookie Levi was picked up early, what about me? Me!
(End of this chapter)