Colts Observations: Week 16 vs. Chiefs

Big win. The Colts needed this one, a quality win on the road against a good football team. They showed us some of the things that had been sorely lacking during an up-and-down stretch of games after the Denver win. We saw the dominating defense and a versatile offense that could move the ball. The offensive line held up well (especially in pass protection).

Turnover battle. The Kansas City Chiefs came into the game +21 in turnover margin. They left the game +17 (-4 vs. Indy). The Colts forced four turnovers: two fumbles and two interceptions. They took care of the ball on their end.

Rough start. The Colts didn't get off to an ideal start. They went three and out on offense after failing to convert a short run on third down. They gave up a 25-yard punt return to the dangerous Dexter McCluster. The defense then proceeded to surrender a 31-yard touchdown run to Jamaal "Two A's are better than one" Charles. Then, another three and out. After they stopped KC, Adam Vinatieri missed a 34-yard field goal. Again, Adam Vinatieri missed a 34-yard field goal. But then...

They got back on track. The defense forced another KC punt, the Colts put together a drive in which Vinatieri nailed a 46-yard field goal, and then Robert Mathis (or maybe Jerrell Freeman...it's hard to tell) forced a fumble by Knile Davis. The turnover took the crowd out of the game and completely turned things around. From that point forward, the Colts completely dominated, shutting down the Chiefs offense and dominating time of possession. Seriously, the Colts held a 38:20 to 21:40 advantage in time of possession.

And they should've had another turnover. Late in the second quarter, Junior Hemingway "caught" a pass and then "fumbled" it. The officials ruled he never controlled the ball (incomplete pass). At first blush, I thought that was the case. Then I saw a replay. Hemingway caught the ball, tucked it away, and took several strides before the Colts jarred the ball loose. This is clear from the review. The officials, on the other hand, let the play stand as called. So instead of another turnover, the Chiefs had a chance to score a field goal (although they ended up missing it).

After the embarrassing blown call in the Bengals game ("The Phantom Touchdown"), I'd like to hear an explanation for this one.

Fortunately, officiating guru Mike Pereira said the following on Twitter:

That was a bang-bang play in KC - in real time, you have to stay with the call there.

— Mike Pereira (@MikePereira) December 22, 2013

Wait. I should've specified that I wanted a good explanation. I should've clarified that. If "in real time, you have to stay with the call," then WHY ON GOD'S GREEN EARTH DO WE HAVE INSTANT REPLAY?

Ahem. The Colts ended up being the beneficiary of a couple of calls (including a taunting penalty that kept a drive alive), which I can only say must be a karmic offsetting of this idiocy. I think it's safe to say NFL officials have had a very, very bad year. Who thought things would get worse after TOUCHCEPTION last year?



O Canada. Jerrell Freeman isn't from Canada, but he played in the CFL. Anyway, he was a beast Sunday. He was "only" credited with five tackles, but he had a sack, a QB hit, three passes defensed, a forced fumble, and two interceptions. One of those interceptions came right at the goal line, killing any chance the Chiefs had for a late rally. He has to be the defensive player of the week.

Look there, a pass rush! The Colts harassed Alex Smith all day, finishing with four sacks. Freeman, Ricardo Matthews (0.5 sacks), Fili Moala (0.5 sacks), Cory Redding, and Bjoern Werner all sacked Smith at Arrowhead. It was great to see the interior of the defense create pressure. It's something we haven't seen much this season.

Nothing secondary about it. The Colts were terrific in pass coverage. KC lacks star power in the receiving corps, but Smith is an underrated passer who plays behind a good offensive line. Vontae Davis and company had a fantastic game in coverage. Josh Gordy kept tight coverage on a pass that would've resulted in a touchdown. They were physical and wouldn't let the Chiefs run free downfield. Because passing windows were tight and/or took long to develop, it helped the defensive line feast on Smith.

Bethea brings the lumber. I've heard rumbles that Antoine Bethea is losing it. While he's certainly been beaten a few times in pass coverage, he can still lay the lumber over the middle. He delivered a couple big hits Sunday that rattled my teeth. He helped set the tone on defense, for sure.

Bad, Bad Donald Brown. Sometimes "bad" is good, right? That's definitely the case here. Donald Brown provided two big plays that resulted in touchdowns: a 33-yard reception and a 51-yard run. Both were worthy of the highlight reel, even though the run was the real showstopper.

Here's a GIF courtesy of GIFD Sports:

Richardson Watch. 16 carries, 43 yards (2.7 YPC). 3 receptions, 15 yards. Clearly, Brown was the more productive back (as usual). Still, Richardson was out there in short yardage situations and toward the end of the game as the Colts tried to grind down the clock. I think he's finally settling in, but he's not a threat to break huge runs like Brown. He also picked up a crucial conversion on a fourth down play in the second quarter.

GRIFFNATION! Shame on the Colts for cutting, re-signing, cutting, and re-signing Griff Whalen. While their woes without Reggie Wayne will never disappear, Whalen is a reliable target who makes plays. He led the Colts in receiving (seven catches for 80 yards) and was the go-to guy on third down. He needs to stay on the field. My favorite was the one in which Whalen made two KC defenders collide before scampering for a first down. While we suffered through weeks with David Reed and Darrius Heyward-Bey sucking it big time, GRIFFNATION was reserved to the practice squad. PLAY HIM.

And speaking of DHB... I do hope something good happens to Darrius Heyward-Bey one of these days. He made a couple big special teams plays, dropping McCluster on a punt return and downing a punt at the 5-yard line. It takes a certain type of guy to have his role severely diminished on offense only to suck it up and shine on special teams. DHB, apparently, is that type of guy.

He really read the green well there on the chip shot. Pat McAfee tackled a guy this week. He also had an awesome golf-inspired celebration after pinning the Chiefs deep in their own territory:

Great adjustment. Andrew Luck found T.Y. Hilton as wide open as he'll ever be. Facing pressure, Luck lofted the ball to Hilton, who made a great adjustment and reeled it in for a 31-yard reception.

Playoffs? Playoffs! The Colts are in (they were in after the Broncos beat the Titans in Week 14). They're not yet locked into a seed as of this writing.

And it's worth mentioning... I still love Peyton Manning. If you were a Colts fan at any time, you want No. 18 to do well. I'm glad to see him take back the single-season TD record. Fittingly, it came against the Texans. Poor, poor Texans.

Colts Observations, Week 7 vs. Broncos

Heroic Homecoming. The video tribute to Peyton Manning was a thing of beauty. For the most part, I've dealt with his departure well, but seeing him get a warm reception from the fans and realizing it had an impact on him got to me. Peyton Manning is a great quarterback who, if circumstances had accommodated, would've played his entire career with the Colts. But his injury, his contract, a terrible season, and the chance to pick the next franchise quarterback all factored into the decision to let him go. He's found a good home in Denver, but he'll always be a Colt and we'll always love him.

This one belonged to the defense. Denver has been pretty much unstoppable all season, yet the Colts slowed them down, particularly in the first half. While Peyton went off in the second half, the defense came up with two timely turnovers that preserved the game. I know Indy gave up 33 points, but they played big when they needed to.

Won't lose back-to-back games. The best thing I can say about the new regime is that they're resilient. After a lackluster performance last week, the Colts responded with a huge game in prime time. In front of a national audience, the city welcomed Manning back while the "new" Colts showed how they want to win games. This win was major in the suddenly muddled AFC and helped the Colts take a two-game lead in the division.

Andrew Luck. His first half numbers were huge, while his second half numbers weren't. Still, the Colts quarterback showed the grit and mettle we've become accustomed to, staying elusive in the pocket and picking up yards with his legs when necessary. The guy needs to take some sliding lessons, though. He looked like a wounded baby gazelle on ice the one time he slid.

Robert Mathis. After years of having Manning in a red shirt that made him untouchable, Robert Mathis got to sack Manning twice, including a game-changing sack/fumble that resulted in a safety and completely turned the game around. Mathis was credited with four quarterback hits for the game, and when Denver left him one-on-one with a lineman, he typically made them pay.

Conflicted fans. This was one of the weirder games I've ever watched, and I got the sensation that the crowd felt the same way. Some people wanted Manning to come back and kick the Colts' butt, others wanted to see him play a good game but lose, and I'm sure there were some out there who wanted the Colts to dominate the game. I think, oddly enough, the game managed to hit all those points.

Running away with it. At one point, the Colts looked like they were going to run away with this one. They led 36-17 after Adam Vinatieri nailed a 52-yard field goal. Colts fans were feeling it, and the Broncos looked too out of sync to manage a comeback.

Not running away with it. Then, the game turned. Denver scored back-to-back touchdowns and the Colts were clinging to a lead. Just like that, it looked like Peyton was going to out-Peyton his old team.

Trent Richardson. I keep looking for good things to say, but I have to look really hard. Every time he gets the ball, he gets buried by the defense. Sunday night, he had 14 carries for 37 yards and a fumble that turned a convincing win into a nail-biter. Is it going to click for this guy? On a third and one play in the first half, Denver stacked about 80 guys in the box. This would've been a perfect time for some play action or misdirection, but they ran a power play and Richardson went nowhere.

3rd and 11. Nothing was bigger than Andrew Luck's third down scramble that turned into a first down. The play set up a touchdown to Stanley Havili, giving the Colts the lead for the first time of the night.

Laying down the #Boomstick. Pat McAfee lived the dream, absolutely unloading on diminutive Broncos punt returner Trindan Holliday in Mario Harvey fashion. Not too long ago, the Boomstick was the Colts' leading special teams tackler, so it's good to see he's still got good form.

The Fleener Drive. The defense got a huge stop just before halftime, and Luck led the team on a big touchdown drive to go up 26-14. The big factor in that drive, shockingly, was Coby Fleener, who caught three passes for 31 yards, including a 21-yard reception in which he helicoptered over Broncos defenders (without fumbling). The drive ended with a walk-in eight-yard TD catch. After dropping a sure touchdown last week, it was a big rebound for Fleener in a crucial situation.

Kevin Vickerson is a terrible human being. By my count, Kevin Vickerson was flagged for three big penalties (twice for taking his helmet off in the field of play if I recall correctly). The biggest bonehead play of the night was his loving "chest bump" on Andrew Luck on a second and eight incompletion. The penalty got the Colts out of bad field position and awarded them a first down when chomping clock was key. It was a stupid play; Vickerson clearly had time to pull up and then decided he'd knock Luck down instead with a little chest bump action to show us all how tough he really was. The bonehead got what he deserved, and if I were the Broncos, I'd cut him immediately.

The Never-Ending Punt. The Colts tried really hard to punt at the end of the game, but penalties kept taking time off the clock. Here's the line:

4th and 8 at IND 22 - P.McAfee punts 56 yards to DEN 22, Center-M.Overton, fair catch by T.Holliday. PENALTY on IND-M.Overton, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at IND 22 - No Play.

4th and 18 at IND 12 - P.McAfee punts 44 yards to DEN 44, Center-M.Overton. T.Holliday pushed ob at IND 45 for 11 yards (D.Herron). Penalty on IND-S.Havili, Offensive Holding, offsetting, enforced at IND 12 - No Play. Penalty on DEN-A.Caldwell, Defensive Holding, offsetting. Penalty on DEN-S.Johnson, Illegal Block Above the Waist, declined.

After all this, the Colts took a timeout so their beleaguered special teams unit could take a breath. Al and Cris joked that the whole thing was great for the Colts because they took something like 30 seconds off the clock.

Vontae Davis thought he was playing the Patriots. In the post game interview, when asked how the Colts prepared, Vontae Davis said it's always a challenge getting ready for a great quarterback like Tom Brady. Vontae Davis the cornerback is a great player; Vontae Davis the post game interviewee is an idiot. Hard to say too much bad about him, though. He was phenomenal one-on-one.

Fumble? Not a fumble? Who recovered it? What is going on? Please, someone tell me. I had no idea what was going on when the Broncos fumbled in the red zone in the fourth quarter. Al Michaels didn't know what was going on. Cris Collinsworth didn't know what was going on. Then, all of a sudden, they said the referees gave the ball to Indy, yet we never really saw or heard a call down on the field. Then, they said the Colts couldn't challenge the play because they couldn't prove they had possession. A second later, they suggested maybe John Fox would challenge the play since the Colts had recovered (leading me to say, "There was a fumble? The Colts recovered? What are you talking about?!"). But turnovers are automatically reviewed up in the booth, so I think Al and Cris were just filling airtime. I don't know. I'm still confused.

Ten defensive backs? Could we have fifteen? Injuries mounted in the second half, with Darius Butler, Josh Gordy, and Vontae Davis all getting nicked up. This helped Denver find some holes in the passing game, as a few players were in unexpected situations and/or a little gimpy while trying to cover their guy.

Reggie Wayne Knee Watch, Day 1. Really, the fourth quarter was bad for the Colts. Nothing was worse than seeing Reggie Wayne go down on a big third and one play. He clutched his knee, howled in pain, and was inconsolable on the sideline. I hope it's just a sprain, but it didn't look good. Reggie's an iron man; hell, he's Ageless Reggie Wayne. The guy brings it every practice and every game. Luck and the Colts need him if they hope to make a playoff run. We'll be thinking about ya, No. 87. I also wonder what Peyton thought when Reggie went down. I know that's something he didn't want to see.

Crazy finish. About midway through the third quarter, it didn't look like the phrase "onside kick" would mean much, but Peyton kept things close.

DHB still can't catch a cold. Man. He's fast, he gets open, and he can't come up with the big play. Maybe, like Fleener, he'll find redemption. For now, though, he's simply a fast guy with mediocre receiving skills who makes the occasional play.

Great pass rush. The Colts were all over Peyton, hitting him ten times and sacking him on four occasions. They were able to get pressure in key situations, including a sack that led to a safety and another pressure that forced an interception. The defense also brought Manning down on the Broncos' final drive of the game, forcing a field goal and a desperate onside kick.

Erik Walden was a factor. Repeat: Erik Walden was a factor. For the first time this season, Erik Walden factored into the game. When Denver finally made sure to double Mathis, Walden got some one-on-one opportunities, including a pressure that hit Manning's arm, resulting in an errant pass that Pat Angerer intercepted.

LaRon Landry: The Cleaner. Landry was all over the place. It's been unnerving to see him miss so much time since the Colts made him a big free agent acquisition, but he certainly has a presence on defense. His ability to make open-field tackles on short pass plays is uncanny and prevented at least a couple Denver first downs.

Defense and special teams. I don't know if you followed the pregame hype, but Colts owner Jim Irsay suggested that maybe the Colts didn't put as much emphasis on defense and special teams as they should have when Peyton played for Indy. What I got from it was that Peyton was such a good quarterback, he covered up those inadequacies. Those comments kind of became a big deal. It seemed fitting that defense and special teams factored so heavily into the Colts' success in this game. Manning, meanwhile, plugged away as always, throwing for 386 yards and three touchdowns. If only his bonehead teammates (Kevin Vickerson and Ronnie Hillman, I'm looking at you) could get out of his way.

Fourth and two! C'mon, show it! During the pregame show, several of the commentators shared some of their favorite Peyton Manning memories. Hines Ward regaled us with tales of the infamous game in which Mike Vanderjagt missed a field goal so badly, the ball still hasn't returned from the Phantom Zone. Collinsworth reminded us all of the great "Fourth and Two" game in which Bill Belichick, stuck with a crappy defense and a red-hot Manning, went for it on fourth and two deep in Patriots territory. The result: Kevin Faulk bobbled the ball and the Colts made the stop. Manning ended up winning the game. Unfortunately, they never showed a replay, but I had this tucked away in the archives:



Finally, our national nightmare is over. Peyton came back, the fans welcomed him, he almost pulled off a signature comeback, Andrew Luck answered his ten millionth question about what it's like to replace a legend, Peyton answered his twenty millionth question about what it's like to be back home, and we can stop talking about it for the rest of the year...unless the Colts and Broncos meet in the playoffs. Sigh.

Studicus Selects 2012

Once, long ago, I posted on the internet as Studicus, a in-joke nickname related to a skit from high school. When I first started blogging, I called my year-end entries "Studicus Selects." The tradition has continued since 2005...although I skipped 2006 for some unknown reason.

You'll find past entries here (scroll down for the 2012 picks):

Studicus Selects 2011
Studicus Selects 2010
Studicus Selects 2009
Studicus Selects 2008
Studicus Selects 2007
Studicus Selects 2005

Coolest Moment, Writing Career: They call it the "George McFly Moment"--when the book you've written shows up on your doorstep. There really is nothing like it. My first book, I, Crimsonstreak, came out in May from Candlemark & Gleam. After starting the book in 2007 (you can read about my journey to publication here), my love letter to superheroes and pop culture finally saw print. It's been a fun ride...and I look forward to more.

Also fun: Book signing at my hometown bookstore.
Best Crimsonstreaking Moment, Local TV: Friend/mentor/PVC king/TV host/all-around good guy Tracy Forner interviewed me about the book on Indy Style. The appearance was a bunch of fun...and there was Crimsonstreaking.

Most Unexpected Development, Professorial: I took an adjunct position at Franklin College to teach a class on Writing for Broadcast News. I had a class of 15 fantastic students who never tied me to a chair or pelted me with spitballs. It took me awhile to feel my way out, but we had a great semester. I especially loved forcing my students to use blue books for their exams.

Most Unexpected Development, Major League Baseball Category: Matt Adams got called up to the Big Leagues. Never saw that one coming.

Most Insane Undertaking, Reading Category: Atlas Shrugged. Why am I reading this? I don't know. Will I finish it? I guess so. Could I kill a man with the paperback version? Absolutely.

Favorite Summer Movie: The Avengers, hands down. A great mix of action, character, humor, and heart, the movie was everything I hoped it would be. I don't know how Joss Whedon and company managed to pull it all off...but they did. After getting the Blu Ray, I watched it for two weeks straight. Fantastic movie.

Best Film, Historical: Lincoln. This is a stunning achievement...which is a pretty bold statement considering we're talking about Steven Spielberg and Daniel Day-Lewis, two guys who've won just about every movie-related award ever created. I loved it. A gripping, intimate portrait that turns a legendary figure into a flawed human being. To me, Lincoln's nearly untouchable--a figure who almost approaches demigod status. Here, we see him in his human imperfection...and somehow his legendary status still seems perfect.

Abject Failure, Movie Blogging: Typically, I don't care what people think in their end-of-the-year lists; everyone's entitled to an opinion. Well, everyone except Yahoo! Movies, whose "Best of 2012" list leaves The Avengers AND Lincoln out of its top ten (they're 21 and 19, respectively) and behind films such as Magic Mike, Django Unchained, and Zero Dark Thirty. I'm sure those are fine films, but you get the feeling Django and Zero are on there simply because one's a Tarantino film and the other's by Kathryn Bigelow. And as for Magic Mike...Channing Tatum. Sure.

Favorite Movie Moment, Avengers Category: Cap gives the order. Hulk obliges.

Honorable Mention, Favorite Movie Moment, Avengers Category: "Doth mother know you weareth her drapes?"

Worst Hit Me Over the Head Moment, Dark Knight Rises Category: Listen, there was no way the third Batman movie was ever going to top The Dark Knight in the eyes of most people. While it surely was a spectacle, I think Christopher Nolan--he of the top is spinning/the top isn't spinning Inception ending--should have refrained from showing a certain image at the end of the film, letting the audience come to their own conclusion instead.

What did Alfred see? The Joker? Bruce? A spinning top? Let the audience fill in the blank.
Favorite New TV Show, Cheesecake Category: Arrow is pure cheesecake with beautiful CW people. The main guy is kind of a psychotic Chris Pine knockoff. Someone occasionally uses a bow. People look longingly at each other a lot. Everyone's rich...except for the guy who lost his trust fund because his dad's evil. Or something.

Most Bizarre Scene, Walker, Texas Ranger Category: Chuck Norris and Haley Joel Osment together in the most awkward episode of Walker, Texas Ranger ever made. And it was a two-parter.

Best Discovery, Flavored Water Category: While the holidays brought me back to soda, I do keep Mio and its store-brand imitators around for a change of pace. Pro tip: Do not, under any circumstances, drink Mio or its store-brand imitators without diluting them. You've been warned.

Best Gift, Human Fund Category: My brother-in-law bought the entire family a llama named Ishmael that will serve on a working farm in Peru. He managed to top the "Richard Kimble" trimmer I acquired for him last year ("Kimble: For the Man on the Go").

Favorite Twitter Fad, Seinfeld Category: I really dig the Twitter feed for Modern Seinfeld. Using the @SeinfeldToday handle, the account imagines Seinfeld characters in the modern world. My idea: NBC renews interest in “Jerry” after pilot DVD sales skyrocket. George blows deal over streaming/DVD royalties. Kramer gets a Soda Stream.

Most Shocking Moment, Corporate Acquisition Category: Remember when Disney owned everything that ever made you smile? Somehow, Yoda will end up using the Force to lift Epcot Center. I know it.

Most Insane Realization, Sports: The Indianapolis Colts, minus their leukemia-stricken coach and with a rookie quarterback surrounded by rookies and people I've never heard of, surrendered 350+ yards rushing to Kansas City yet still managed to win the game and go to the playoffs.

Hardest Goodbye, Sports Legend: We said goodbye to Peyton Manning this year. Some of us didn't handle it well at first. Some of us got nostalgic. Some reminded us that history has a way of repeating itself. Some rewrote the lyrics to "Luck Be a Lady" in hopes that Andrew Luck would be good. And by "some," I mean "me." What a ride that was.

Most Unlikely Year in Sports, Sports: The Colts made the playoffs after a 2-14 season. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are ranked #1 and in the National Championship Game. The Indiana Hoosiers were ranked #1 before a setback against Butler. The Cincinnati Reds made the playoffs...while Joey Votto missed the stretch run with an injury. No matter how things end, this is one of the most memorable years for my sports teams. Wow.

What's in store for 2013? We'll see a new Crimsonstreak novel, II Crimsonstreak: Subtitle Undetermined but Probably a Bad Running Pun. I'm fairly certain about that. As for the rest of the year...who knows?

Here's to 2013!

Luck Be Like Manning

It's NFL Draft time...and reality looms for Colts fans. Peyton Manning is out...he's not coming back, folks...and we have to embrace Andrew Luck, the Stanford standout NFL franchises are willing to mortgage their futures for.

Let's welcome him to Indianapolis...Frank Sinatra-style.

Luck Be Like Manning

They call him Andrew Luck
The first pick in the draft
A man who has a very Manning-like way
Of throwing routes

He’s here to play QB
With the Colts back at square one
And when this NFL draft is over
Goodbye championship run

We won’t forget our Manning
Some still want him to stay
But we have to hope this Luck can play

Luck be like Manning tonight
Luck be like Manning tonight
Luck you’re supposed to be the best thing under center
Luck be like Manning tonight

Luck make Colts fans see
Why we shipped off eighteen
A legend isn’t here and we’re gonna have to face it
Luck be like Manning? Maybe

This rookie doesn’t have receivers
Or a tight end…Or an o-line
This rookie may have to leave the pocket too much
And run for his first pick Stanford life

Let’s hope the defense will hold
And Grigson’s other picks are bold
Welcome to Indy, you’re the guy we have to pull for
Luck be like Manning tonight

Luck be like Manning tonight
Luck be like Manning tonight
Luck you’re supposed to be the best thing under center
Luck be like Manning tonight

So, let’s hope the defense will hold
And Grigson’s other picks are bold
Welcome to Indy, you’re the guy we have to pull for
Luck be like Manning tonight

Luck be like Manning tonight
Luck be like Manning tonight
Luck be like Manning…tonight

History, Harbaugh, and #18

"In one sense, this is a sad day for the franchise. A man who has meant a lot to this team, and this community, is leaving."

The words sound familiar. A beloved quarterback let go to pursue other opportunities. A new era for the Indianapolis Colts.

Those exact words were not, however, uttered by Jim Irsay. They were not spoken by general manager Ryan Grigson or new head coach Chuck Pagano.

They don't even refer to Peyton Manning.

It's February of 1998 and I'm 17 years old. In my younger days, the Cincinnati Bengals captured my attention. I pulled for Boomer Esiason, watched Joe Montana break Cincy's heart in 1989, and believed James Brooks was the best running back ever. I wanted to do the Ickey Shuffle. I knew what "Who Dey" meant.

By that time, the Indianapolis Colts had been in Indy for 14 years. Sometimes their games sold out, but you were only guaranteed to see them (usually) when they were on the road. If you were a Colts fan in those days, Bob Lamey was your best friend because odds were that it wouldn't be on TV.

The Colts barely registered for me. Anyone who knows the slightest bit about me will probably be taken aback by that statement. Approximately 75% of the clothing I own has a horseshoe on it.

Jim Harbaugh changed everything. I loved the way Harbaugh played. Smart, efficient, gutsy. He earned the nickname "Captain Comeback" after a series of increasingly unlikely comebacks after it turned out highly-touted new acquisition Craig Erickson was actually highly-ineffective new acquisition Craig Erickson. Harbaugh took over and led the Colts to the playoffs during the 1995-1996 season.

A win in San Diego (Zack Crockett goes absolutely crazy). A win in Kansas City (Lin Elliot is still a curse word in Kansas City). Suddenly, Harbaugh and the Colts were in the AFC Championship Game against the favored and evil Pittsburgh Steelers.

They weren't the most talented team, this group, but their defense played tough and Harbaugh was as tough as they came. He was bruised and battered nearly every week, yet he kept the team in the game. No lead, it seemed, was safe. And with the Colts trailing 20-16 on a cold day at Three Rivers Stadium (Heinz Field wasn't even a glimmer in the franchise's eye yet), Harbaugh got one last throw.

For the game.

For everything.

For the Super Bowl.

It landed on Aaron Bailey's chest, yet the wide receiver couldn't reel it in. I see it in slow motion; Bailey reaching for the ball, but no matter how much I try to will him to catch it, it slips away and hits the turf.

Game over.

The Steelers would go on to lose to the Cowboys in Super Bowl XXX, thanks to Neil O'Donnell, who mistook Larry Brown for his own receiver not once, but twice.

The next season, Harbaugh and the Colts started out 4-0. Injuries would hit the team hard, and they'd limp to a 9-7 record and lose to the Steelers in the first round of the playoffs. For a franchise with a reputation for lackluster play and local TV blackouts, making two consecutive playoff appearances was quite an accomplishment.

During the 1997-1998 season, the team fell apart. Injuries and a porous offensive line meant Harbaugh took a pounding. He missed four games that year, with backups Kelly Holcomb and Paul Justin taking over (and each getting beat up in turn).

Thanks to a Colts loss to the Minnesota Vikings and a comeback win by the Arizona Cardinals, the Colts landed the top pick in the 1998 NFL Draft (the Cardinals traded the second selection of the draft to San Diego, who chose Ryan Leaf).

An aging roster, cash problems, and a general sense of mediocrity became the underlying theme.

Then, for 17-year-old me, the unthinkable happened. The Colts traded Jim Harbaugh, and the words appearing at the beginning of this piece were spoken by new general manager Bill Polian in a farewell news conference. Not only did the Colts trade Harbaugh so that he could "find better opportunities," they sent him to the Baltimore Ravens, a franchise I never liked.

Harbaugh would go on to play for the Ravens, the San Diego Chargers, and the Carolina Panthers (although in Carolina's case, I use "play" very loosely). To me, he was always a Colt. He was always Captain Comeback.

17-year-old me was heartbroken. I didn't want to see Harbaugh leave, and I certainly didn't want this "anointed" quarterback from the University of Tennessee, some guy named Manning, to take over in his place. I was determined to hate Peyton Manning.

Think about that lunacy for a second.

I was determined to hate Peyton Manning.

14 years later, I sit in front of my computer wearing a Peyton Manning jersey following one of the hardest weeks Colts fans have ever endured. Not only is Peyton Manning no longer a Colt, but Dallas Clark, Gary Brackett, and Joseph Addai are gone. The year Harbaugh left, the big losses were wide receiver Sean Dawkins, defensive end Tony Bennett, and linebacker Stephen Grant.

So, yes, the parallel isn't perfect; no one missed Dawkins or Bennett or Grant the way they'll miss Dallas down the middle, Brackett in pass coverage, or Addai in position to pick up the blitz.

Yet, the Colts dumped their general manager and coaching staff. They parted ways with a beloved quarterback. The next "anointed" one waits in the wings as the team turns the page on a new chapter.

Jim Harbaugh played in Indy for four seasons and captured my heart. Peyton Manning played in Indy for 14 seasons and earned the city's love.

It's incomprehensible to 31-year-old me that it ended like this, just as it was incomprehensible to 17-year-old me that the Colts could trade Jim Harbaugh.

When that new era dawned, Peyton Manning arrived.

And as this new era dawns, Andrew Luck likely awaits.

If we're as lucky as we've been over the last 14 special seasons, history will repeat itself. We can only hope.

Peyton Manning: Remember

I was originally going to post this to the author blog, but TFT has been neglected for a long time and I felt it was appropriate to post it there first.

Today, the Colts and Peyton Manning announced that they planned to part ways, a reality that seems absolutely inconceivable. Peyton Manning is the Indianapolis Colts. People can deny it until they're blue in the face, but I don't think we'd have a new stadium and convention center without Manning.

It's entirely possible the Colts would've crumbled so epically that they were forced to leave the city. Perhaps not, but I believe that's the case. Manning has meant so much to the fans in Indianapolis, and this is a day to remember how truly great he's been for the community. For more than a decade, Manning has defined excellence. With #18 under center, no lead seemed insurmountable (even in Foxborough).

The circumstances surrounding Manning's release are a jumble of the impossible. A roster with too many holes, the next "anointed" quarterback coming in the draft, salary cap issues, age, and injury. As many have pointed out, if the Colts win one more game, Manning may have finished his career with the Horseshoes.

The Colts have said goodbye to Peyton Manning. Inevitably, we'll turn next to speculation about where he'll go next and what his "legacy" will be.

Today, fans should pause to remember the good times and say goodbye.

My ten favorite Manning Moments:

Tampa Bay: The Comeback - With the Colts trailing 35-14 in the fourth quarter, Manning and the Colts engineered a mind-boggling comeback and took the game to overtime. The comeback included a recovered onside kick, an onside kick that wasn't recovered, a personal foul penalty, a blocked field goal, and a missed field goal nullified by a penalty and followed up by a made field goal that went off the upright.

The Turnaround - In his rookie season, Manning struggled, finishing with more interceptions (28) than touchdowns (26) while leading the team to a 3-13 record. The next season, it all came together for the Colts. With rookie running back Edgerrin James added to the mix, Manning and the Colts went 13-3 and secured the first-ever home playoff game for the Colts in Indianapolis.

Motor City Demolition -  On a brisk Thanksgiving Day in 2004, Manning threw six touchdown passes against an admittedly lackluster Detroit Lions team. It was symbolic for the holiday: Detroit was the turkey...Manning carved 'em up. He threw for 236 yards and six TD's...and it didn't even take him three quarters to do it. We saw Jim Sorgi that day.

The Fake Spike - During a 2001 game against the New Orleans Saints, Manning faked a spike to kill the clock...and then proceeded to run all the way to the end zone for a touchdown. The fake was so effective, however, that the officials blew the play dead. The TD was called back due to an "inadvertent whistle," although Jim Mora was trying to hustle his team into the locker room with the points still on the board.

Take the Ball Away...and He Still Wins - During a Monday Night Football game against the Miami Dolphins, the Colts' offense only had the ball for 14 minutes and 53 seconds. The Dolphins dominated time of possession, holding it for 45 minutes and 7 seconds. The problem for Miami? Every time the Colts touched the ball, they scored. Colts won this one 27-23. Somehow, Manning threw for more than 300 yards on 14 completions.

He's Throwing the Ball to Jerry Rice, Folks - During a glorious Pro Bowl afternoon, a reporter asked Peyton Manning about comments made by kicker Mike Vanderjagt, who criticized Manning and Tony Dungy on Canadian TV. Manning's response was pure awesome: "Here we are, I'm out at my third Pro Bowl, I'm about to go in and throw a touchdown to Jerry Rice, we're honoring the Hall of Fame, and we're talking about our idiot kicker who got liquored up and ran his mouth off. The sad thing is, he's a good kicker, he's a good kicker. But he's an idiot."

I Think We've Got Something Here - They say the preseason doesn't mean anything, but when the first pick in the draft hits Marvin Harrison for a touchdown on his very first throw in a preseason game, you hope it's a good sign. Manning and Harrison had an uncanny mental connection honed by hours and hours of practice, and it showed. I can still see Manning zipping the ball to Harrison on a slant as #88 did the rest.

Hunter Smith Took a Break that Day - In a wild divisional playoff game at Kansas City, the Colts outlasted the Chiefs 38-31. Neither team punted that day at Arrowhead Stadium, and Manning was absolutely unstoppable. He was 22/30 for 302 yards and three touchdowns. This game served as a microcosm of the Manning Era; while the Colts couldn't stop scoring...their defense couldn't stop the other team from scoring either.

How Did He Do That? Really? - The Colts faced a tough road game at Baltimore in the 2006/2007 playoffs. The Ravens, as usual, brought an intimidating defense, holding the Colts to field goals (Adam Vinatieri kicked five of them). The biggest play of the game, however, came from Manning. On third-and-five, he hit Dallas Clark for a first down that kept the clocking churning. The window for that ball was impossibly small, yet somehow Manning managed to complete it. The 14-yard gain chewed up more clock and set the table for Vinatieri's fifth field goal and (more importantly!) a nine-point lead.

The Real Super Bowl - With the Colts trailing 21-3 at home against the New England Patriots, all Colts fans could think was, "They're (the Pats) doing it again! We hate these guys!" The Colts drove for a field goal just before halftime. In the second half, Peyton Manning came to play, leading the Colts to a comeback victory and punching the team's ticket to Super Bowl XLI. I sprained my ankle jumping up and down during this 38-34 win and called everyone willing to pick up their phone. We almost saw Jim Sorgi that day after Peyton banged his throwing hand against an opposing player's helmet. Seeing him mouth, "Get ready! Be ready!" to Sorgi remains a chilling scene.

So one last time...

Thanks, Peyton. We'll miss ya.

As the Horseshoe Burns

Once, not so long ago, my Indianapolis Colts were a model of sanity and stability in the NFL. However, we all know that NFL really stands for "Not For Long" (or "No Fun League" if you're a flamboyant wide receiver). This perfect union can't withstand the Peytonpocaplypse or Jim Irsay's Twitter account, and as the March 8th roster bonus deadline creeps ever closer, the Irsay-Manning media feud marches on with its soap opera machinations.

Just weeks ago, Jim Irsay referred to Peyton Manning as "a politician." We all know Manning is obsessed with his public persona, so the statement rang true. That does not, however, mean that it needed to be said. Irsay should've risen above the fray, yet his ego apparently wouldn't allow it.

The latest twist comes as Irsay does some politicking of his own. This time, he says the ball is totally in Peyton's hands. Manning can remain a Colt as long as he wants to remain a Colt...and if he's willing to restructure his deal so that gambling on Peyton Manning won't force the Colts to mortgage their inevitable post-Peyton future.

So basically, Irsay's telling everyone that if Peyton fails to stay with the Colts, it's Manning's own choice. Thus, Irsay is essentially saying "it's not my decision" and deflecting criticism from himself and the mismanagement of this entire bitter saga.

His utter refusal to just make a decision is absolutely maddening. On the other hand, that $28 million is pretty much just stealing money, especially if Peyton isn't able to play. I guess if Manning really does want to stay in Indianapolis, he'll sign a new deal that will prevent the franchise from doing a first-class Titanic toward insignificance.

I'd love it if both these guys could take the high road and find a way to make things work.

I guess we'll find out...as the Horseshoe burns.

Peyton Manning Rant

It seems everyone is "breaking" news about Peyton Manning.

He has a noodle arm. (NFL Network via Twitter)

The Colts decided to cut him weeks ago. (NFL Network)

Peyton's throwing like a pro quarterback. (Bill Polian on PTI)

The Colts didn't decide "weeks ago" to cut him. (Jim Irsay on Twitter)

There's no news. (Jim Irsay on Twitter)

Jim Irsay and Peyton Manning love each other. (Jim Irsay on Twitter)

Jim Irsay and Peyton Manning love each other (Colts.com -- with photographic evidence!)

Peyton's moved his training camp to Hell. (Indystar.com)

Peyton sounds upbeat, even though Colts HQ is kind of a depressing place these days. (Peyton via Bob Kravitz on Indystar.com)

Peyton's gonna retire. (Rob Lowe, yes that Rob Lowe, via Twitter)

You know what this all means? Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Because nobody don't know nothing about no Peyton Manning. Is he healthy? I don't know. Will he return to football? I don't know. Can he return to football? I don't know. So let's stop with the endless speculation. Let's stop asking every person in sports with some fleeting connection to Peyton Manning or the Indianapolis Colts what they think about The Manning Identity.

Only one person knows what's going on here, and that's Peyton. He's going to try his darnedest to return to football. Will that be with the Colts? It's hard to say. A team shifting into "Win One for Peyton Mode" needs continuity and stability, not a new GM, new head coach, and new coaching staff. So let's just end it already. Make the decision. He's your guy or he isn't.

This is the longest, most ridiculous off-season in the history of history.

At least there's an end in sight. If we make it to March 8th...

The Idiot's Observation: "See! They're the same! Exactly the same!" No, they're not.

A quick Colts picture gallery

In addition to my writing, I'm also a major Colts fan. This week, I won a Twitter contest from Colts owner Jim Irsay and scored tickets to last night's preseason game against the Washington Redskins.

My view from section 307:

From here, you could TASTE the offensive ineptitude.
The Colts scored three measly points, more or less allowing the 'Skins to have their way with them. The highlight was Adam Vinatieri's 55-yard field goal. Mr. Clutch has still got it.

Oh! Oh! They also had the roof open!

Hey...it's almost like...outdoor football.
But then Peyton craned his still-recovering neck and saw clouds. Thus, Peyton commanded that the roof close. And thus with his mighty powers, was it so.

Fact: I'd rather watch the roof close than the Painter-led offense. (shivers)

Ten hours later, the roof was finally closed.
Pat McAfee got quite a bit of work during the game. I got up close and personal with him at halftime.

The arrow covers up Vinatieri. This was unintentional.

Not off the press, Second Edition

When the Colts played the Jets last year, I made a series of front pages for the Indianapolis Star with possible headlines for the game. I did the same thing this year...and made them even bigger.

Which one do you think tells the story?