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SALT LAKE CITY — Three more stories from the world of sports in today’s From Left Field.
1. Mel Kiper’s first mock draft
Patriots, Steelers, Packers and Falcons fans are nervously awaiting Sunday’s AFC and NFC Championship games with a shot at the Super Bowl on the line. For the rest of the NFL fans and the teams they care about, it’s on to the NFL Draft.
That means it’s time for NFL mock draft season. On Thursday, ESPN’s Mel Kiper released his first mock draft (ESPN Insider link) and he has Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett going first overall to the Cleveland Browns.
Meanwhile later in the first round, Kiper has former Utah offensive lineman Garrett Bolles going to Denver with the No. 20 overall pick. If he were to land there, he would be blocking for former Ute Devontae Booker.
Another mock draft, conducted by WalterFootball.com, has Bolles going 24th overall to the Raiders (more on that franchise in a second).
Matt Miller, NFL draft expert at Bleacher Report, echoed similar sentiments Thursday.
The draft isn’t until April 27, so expect plenty more of mock drafts over the next few months.
2. Social media reaction to Raiders’ relocation announcement
The Oakland Raiders announced Thursday it had filed the paperwork to move to Las Vegas and the news gained mixed reviews.
There was the “but Oakland was finally good.”
Of course, there was the joke referencing the Raiders’ AFC West rival Chargers’ new logo after moving to Los Angeles last week.
Others pointed out that it doesn’t matter where they play because their logo will likely never change.
The never-dying “Crying Jordan” meme made its way into the discussion.
The people who pointed out that Las Vegas is definitely growing on the national sports scene, considering it also will be home to an NHL team in the future.
And finally, the people noting Oakland is always on the move.
3. Heat fan wins, then fails in mid-game contest
During the Heat’s game versus Dallas, a Miami Heat fan won a nice two-night hotel stay, $100 gift card to a restaurant and complimentary spa service.
The fan won it during a contest while there was a break in the action. But then a new, not-so-fun reality quickly came crashing down on her — literally.
Luckily, the fan was OK, according to the Miami Herald. The Heat also went on to win 99-95, which has to make everything feel better too.
Yesterday's From Left Field:
