Imagine the Possibilities

Ok, I have a very hypothetical situation. What if Peyton Manning doesn't like what the Colts' brass are doing? What if he decides they are never going to do what it takes to win another championship? Well, Peyton should be willing to take the show on the road. There is one team in the league that is begging for his arrival. He would bring the first championship to this team after several very good chances. I speak of the Minnesota Vikings.

Can you imagine what Peyton would do with Adrian Peterson in the backfield with him? They would be unstoppable. The Vikings would have to beef up their offensive line a little and they would have to get one more receiver, but that's it. They have a vastly superior defense to the Colts'. The only reason they gave up points this season was because their offense could not stay on the field. Brett Favre finally got too old and Tarvaris Jackson is just hopeless. Joe Webb might actually have a bright future in the league. The guy can move and he's not a bad passer. But he's going to need a few years on the bench to develop his skills.

There's no way the Colts are going to let Peyton go, but it's fun to ponder the possibilities. I'm sure he would be welcome with open arms upon arrival in Minnesota. Though I don't think they would make the mistake sending the coach to greet him at the airport like they did with Favre. We all know what that crap led to.

Peyton is going to be a Colt for the duration of his career, but he should seriously consider going elsewhere if they don't get their act together. Even Johnny Unitas played for a different team, the Chargers, at the end of his career. Johnny U is the ultimate Colt. Of course he had zero affiliation with the Indianapolis Colts and I can't blame him for that. I love the Colts, but they should have left the name in Baltimore. Unfortunately the name was packed in one of those boxes on the Mayflower.

Just take some time to reflect on the possibilities of this (impossible) union. I wish.

Money Isn't Everything

That is the mantra that Peyton Manning needs to take into his negotiations with the Colts' brass when they attempt to nail down his new contract. They was a meeting over the weekend and it has been reported that the Colts are ready to make him the highest paid player in the history of the league. What's the point? Does being the highest paid player ever put another ring on your finger? No, putting quality players around Peyton puts another ring on his finger. After all, winning is the ultimate goal, right? Or is that an antiquated notion now?

Perhaps it's easy for me to sit here and say that I would take less money in order for the rest of the team to improve, but is it really that crazy? Would you really be less content with 20 million dollars a year instead of 25 million dollars a year? I'm not sure what figure is being floated to Peyton, but I'm sure it's north of 25 million a year. Peyton should be set for life at this point in his career. Money should never be an issue for him if he's financially responsible.

The Colts could do a lot to help their cause by getting rid of Bob Sanders. I believe Sanders will also be in a contract negotiation this off-season. He and Peyton share the same agent, but that really should not have any affect on either negotiation. Sanders, the 2007 defensive player of the year, has missed 16 more games (64) than he has started (48) in his short career. Yes, he is a great player and probably falls under the category of "game changer," but there comes a time when you have to accept reality. Bob Sanders is never going to make it through an entire season. He played one half of one game in the 2010 campaign. He tore both of his biceps and what looked like an innocent play. Some guys are just jinxed and he's one of them.

Maybe a change of scenery will change Bob's luck. It's a shame to see such a talent sit on the sideline all season, but let him do it somewhere else. What's the point of sitting at your desk and saying "what if" every season? Thank Bob for all that he has done and send him on his way. It is a business after all. A regular business would not keep an employee who is only at work 43% of the time.

People are paid, in any business, to get results. Athletes are a lot more scrutinized because they are in the public eye. I just do not see how you can justify keeping an injury-prone safety. Other teams make moves to improve their team all the time. The Colts seem like the one organization that are content to keep what they have and try to get different results with each new season. I'm sorry, but you cannot expect different results when you keep using the same [flawed] ingredients.

Perhaps there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The Colts' President/GM, Bill Polian, wants to pursue some free agents in the off-season in an effort to put a better supporting cast around Peyton. However, as stated before, Peyton will have to take less money. Manning seems like the one guy in the league who might be able to put his ego aside in order to win another championship.

Take a look at the league's premiere organization, the Steelers. They always get rid of players before it is too late. You will not find a weak link in that chain. Getting rid of Santonio Holmes, for a fourth round pick, looked a tad insane when they did it. Why on earth would you set an example with your Super Bowl MVP? Well, the Steelers proved their point when they won the AFC Championship last night; no one player is bigger than the rest of the team. The Steelers, of whom I am not fond, are all about team work. That is something you have to love in this period of selfish individuals cobbled together to look like a "team." Sure, the Steelers have a couple of stars on their team, but they are no more important than the next guy. If one of those players gets out of line, it's "bon voyage!" Though the slack cut for Roethlisberger has raised plenty of eyebrows. Nevertheless, the Steelers are definitely a model organization for the rest of the league. Winning is the most important thing to that franchise and that is how it should be.

So, why don't the Colts take a page out of the Steelers' book? Get rid of Bob Sanders, Joseph Addai, Reggie Wayne, and Pierre Garcon. I've already made the case for getting rid of Sanders, but the other three might come as a surprise. Reggie Wayne's issues started with the horrible route he ran in Super Bowl 44 that led to the game sealing pick six. It's no secret that Reggie Wayne has a bum knee and that it is affecting his play. Yes, he was the Colts' go to guy last season, but they refused to even look at him, save for one completion, in the Wild Card round. The Colts need to deal Wayne if they feel he is not a serious contributor anymore.

Joseph Addai is also plagued with injuries these days. He is one of the best pass blocking running backs in the league, but they need a more explosive back. Can you imagine what Peyton Manning might do with Reggie Bush? Bush is a free agent and could be enticed to join the Colts, I think. His speed and quickness would take that offense to a whole new level.

What about Pierre? He is the classic example of that one receiver that makes ridiculous catches when it doesn't matter, but drops the easy passes in big moments. Do you remember the 3rd and 14 toward the end of the first half of Super Bowl 44? Garcon dropped what would have been a huge first down. The drive would have continued, they probably would have scored, sucked all the life out of the Saints, and won the game. But he dropped the pass and the Saints made a game of it before half. The rest, as we know, is history. Garcon has dropped way too many passes in key situations for somebody who is supposed to be a number two receiver. I certainly don't remember John Taylor dropping passes like that. The Colts might be able to get some good players, or draft picks, for Garcon.

I would like to believe that the Colts are going to make some smart moves this off-season, but I have no reason to believe that. They have proven over the past decade that they are happy with the status quo. They do not like to make radical moves in the off-season and they don't want to put the right players around Peyton. He has never had a speed receiver in his time with the Colts and probably never will. I know that guys like DeShawn Jackson are extremely rare, but there are guys out there with fairly comparable speed.

Unfortunately I know that all of my opining is in vain. The Colts are going to sit on their thumbs per usual. They will go into the season with a few rookies from the draft and the same old crap at RB and WR. Dallas Clark will be back and hopefully it won't take too long for him to return to form. But they can't get it done with Dallas Clark alone. Austin Collie is probably messed up for the rest of his career. The dude had three concussions last season and two of them were devastating. Players usually suffer more concussions after they have one or two. Just ask Troy Aikman and Stan Humphries about that.

I am going to root for the Colts like I do every season, but I'm not getting my hopes up. They are not going to win another Super Bowl until they get a better, more physical defense. They need a better offensive line and better running backs; then they can tear teams apart with a speed receiver.

Pessimism is the name of the game until the Colts prove me wrong.

End of an Era?

The New England Patriots' hopes of winning a fourth Super Bowl under Bill Belichick are gone. The New York Jets put an exclamation mark on that thought with their 28-21 beating of the Patriots last Sunday. A seven point victory may not seem like a beating, but the Patriots were dominated in every aspect of that game. They had a chance to stop the Jets towards the end of regulation and they gave up a big touchdown run to Shonn Greene. Tom Brady did lead the Pats down the field for another touchdown, but the ensuing onside kick was easily recovered by the Jets. Mark Sanchez entered the victory formation and squelched the Pats' most recent bid for glory.

Yet another season over for the Pats. No doubt there will be more questions as to what they could have done differently. This team, which seemed unbeatable after stumbling against the Browns, was supposed to go all the way. They were supposed to barrel through the playoffs and have a laugher in the Super Bowl.

Perhaps the warning bell should have been sounded after the Pats squeaked past the Green Bay Packers on Monday Night Football. The Packers, without Aaron Rodgers, managed to make a great game out of what was supposed to be a slaughter. In fact, the Packers had the lead in that game for quite some time. A couple of interceptions by Matt Flynn boosted the Pats to victory, but it was in no way a convincing victory for the Pats. That game actually boosted the Packers at the end of the season.

This game was very similar to another late season game in recent Patriots history. Do you remember who they played week 17 of the 2007-2008 season? They played the New York Giants. The Patriots were 15-0 going into that game and the Giants had locked up their position as the number six seed in the NFC playoffs. The Giants had absolutely no reason to play their starters, but they did it anyway. Perhaps they wanted to halt the Patriots' bid for perfection before the playoffs? Well, the Patriots managed to win the game by a score of 38-35. The Giants played their best game of the season in that loss.

The playoffs started the next week. All of the Patriots were, I assume, resting in their homes while the Giants traveled to Tampa Bay for the Wild Card round. The Giants beat the Bucs 24-14. They then rolled to Dallas and beat the Cowboys 21-17. The Giants beat the Packers in overtime in the NFC Championship game. That game is memorable for a few reasons. That was Brett Favre's last game as a Packer, Favre threw a decisive interception (per usual) in overtime, and the temperature was about 4 degrees.

The Patriots handled the Jaguars and the Chargers en route to the Super Bowl. The Giants, as we all know, defeated the 18-0 Patriots, 17-14. Goodbye perfect season. Goodbye history.

Tom Brady was knocked out for the entire season in the first game of the 2008-2009 season. Matt Cassell, his replacement, led the Pats to an 11-5 record, but they missed the playoffs. Brady returned in 2009 and led the Pats to a 10-6 record and the division title. The Patriots, who were pretty weak all season, were destroyed by the Baltimore Ravens in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.

It looked like the Patriots had it all under control this season. Sure, they lost to the Jets in week 2. Yes, they stumbled again in week 9 with a loss to the Browns, but they were dominant other than those two losses. So, what went wrong? How did the Jets dominate them so easily in the Divisional round of the playoffs?

There's a very simple answer; the Patriots do not scare anybody anymore. Their defense are the weakest link in the chain. The Patriots' defense were absolutely superb when they won three out of four Super Bowls from 2001 to 2004. Tedy Bruschi was in his prime. He was picking off passes and taking them in for six. Rodney Harrison was also in his prime and he was wreaking havoc in the secondary. They also had Mike Vrabel, Lawyer Milloy, Ty Law, Richard Seymour, Willie McGinest, and several other good defensive players. Rodney Harrison and Tedy Bruschi are probably headed to the Hall of Fame. If they're not, it's a crime.

Now, compare that defensive line-up to the one they have now. They have Vince Wilfork plugging up the middle, but he was a non-factor in their playoff loss. Patrick Chung did virtually nothing. Jerod Mayo, Gary Guyton, Brandon Spikes, and Brandon Meriweather were completely helpless against the Jets. The Jets did exactly what the Browns did the Patriots in week 9. They pounded the ball right down the Pats' throats.

All great teams are able to win by running the ball and controlling the clock. Look at the Colts when they won the Super Bowl in 2007. Sure, they did not have the best rushing attack in the league during the regular season, but they owned the run in the post-season. They beat the Ravens 15-6 in Baltimore. Peyton kept the Ravens' defense on the field forever by milking the play clock and running the ball with Joseph Addai and Dominic Rhodes. The Ravens knew they were going to run it towards the end of the game, but they could not stop them.

The Patriots have become the most pass happy team in the league since the beginning of the 2007 season. Yes, Tom Brady set the record for passing touchdowns that season, but they lost the Super Bowl. The Patriots had no rushing attack at all and could not keep their own defense off the field. They would have won that game if they were able to run the ball at all. Instead they were handed a huge slice of humble pie.

There is no way the Patriots are going to win the Super Bowl again if they do not address their defense and rushing attack. They need to improve their offensive line if they intend to run the ball. That line can barely protect Brady long enough in passing situations, but they are completely inept when it comes to run blocking.

Will the Patriots change their philosophy? Probably not. Tom Brady has kind of turned it into a Dan Marino type situation. All of the Patriots' success is way too dependent upon Tom Brady's arm and his pass protection. I know that Tom Brady has been clutch in the playoffs in the past, but it looks like his time is up as an elite quarterback. He has all of the weapons around him, but they refuse to develop a scheme that will generate maximum success.

Brady is not the greatest quarterback in NFL history. He is not even the best quarterback of this generation. Peyton Manning is the best quarterback of this generation. He has just been a victim of horrible personnel decisions by Bill Polian. You want to talk about stubborn? Let's talk about the Colts.

If I had to choose one quarterback to win me a Super Bowl right now, I'd pick Big Ben. Roethlisberger is easily the best crunch-time quarterback in the league. Remember, the Steelers did not win their fifth Super Bowl until they got Big Ben.

Has Bill Belichick done all that he can with the Patriots? Is it time for him to move on to a different team? Nothing lasts forever and I'm afraid the window of opportunity is pretty much shut in New England. Maybe Belichick can find another project to work on. Perhaps he will become a general manager? He is a disciple of Bill Parcells.

One more thought before I go. How many Super Bowls have the Patriots won since "Spygate?" Zero.

Stop Yer Bitchin'

I'm sick of it. How in the world can golfers whine about playing conditions when they're in a major? You're playing in a major championship! The Open no less. Did they really expect there to be calm winds and balmy temperatures? It's Great Britain! Everybody knows how crappy the weather can be there.

So I guess the man above whined about the weather while he was winning 5 Open Championships. Tom Watson is just one of the greatest golfers of all-time. So when a nobody like Pat Perez, ZERO tour victories, starts whining about the weather, I get a little irritated.

Who the hell cares what Pat Perez thinks? You'd figure that nobody does, but you'd be wrong. Apparently Gene Wojciechowski cares what Pat has to say. I think Gene just cares about a storyline that is going to cause "controversy." Just like any other member of the drive-by media, he's looking for controversy.

After Pat Perez fired off an 82, he figured that was the perfect fuel for his fire. Unfortunately everybody had to play the same course. So while Pat was in the midst of his wonderful 82, Rocco was in the midst of a masterful 69. So apparently some people have a pair and can brave the elements.

That's the problem with golfers like Pat Perez, they're always looking for an excuse. So his 82 had nothing to do with his horrendous execution. Instead, the weather has to bear all the blame.

This is a direct quote from Wojohojo's article on ESPN.com:

"I don't think it's golf at all, to be honest with you. I don't see it as golf. It's blowing 40 [mph]. My hands are so cold and everything is soaked. You can't hold on to the club. I don't see that as golf. They do here, but I don't."

That is Pat Perez's take on the conditions. What a genius! What exactly is it if it's not golf? I'm sorry, does the wind not blow that hard at Pebble? Or any coastal golf course for that matter. So the weather was in the high 50's, ok, dress for it. They did invent these things called "hand warmers."

You won't hear any of these gripes from the European players. Hell, they've got to be loving it because they know some of these limp-wristed players are destined to fold. Those are players that they don't have to think about.

It's like the recurring quote my dad about Jack Nicklaus. I'm going to have to paraphrase because I don't remember it word for word. But Jack said that whenever he heard a player complaining, he knew that was one less person to worry about.

So all the players atop the leader board should be grinning ear to ear. Do you think that Greg Norman is going to be whining? After all that man has been through, this is nothing. You could lob grenades at him all round and it probably wouldn't phase him.

Back to Wojohojo's article. Let's look at another nugget of genius from Pat's mouth. "It makes you look stupid out there," he said. "An 82? I don't shoot 82." Really? I thought he shot an 82 today. That must have been his familiar.

Here's Wojo's endorsement of Pat Perez's credentials: "Perez, who lives in Scottsdale, Ariz., shot 82. It's not as if he's a stiff; he's ranked 54th in the world and already has made more than $1 million this year on the PGA Tour."

Wow! He's 54th in the world. Ok, who the hell ranks these players? Perez shouldn't even be in the top 200. I know there are golfers behind him that have won tournaments. Not only that, there are golfers behind him that have won majors! How is he 54th? The whole ranking system is a sham.

Anyhow, let's hope the weather keeps on keepin' on. I'm ready to watch some more whiners go by the wayside. They don't belong on tour. Send their asses home Birkdale!

p.s. You guys get to play on the best courses in the world! How is that a negative? Would you like to trade places with me and play my course for the rest of your life?

The Angry Golfer, i.e., the Infatuated Golfer

Let me start this by saying, as I have in the past, I have the utmost respect for Tiger. But, here we are again with another writer lamenting about Tiger's performance in this year's U.S. Open Championship.

HERE is the article. The article seems to be about the comments made by Vijay and Retief, but is that what he is really "angry" about? Vijay said that British golfers don't win majors because they are complacent, which may be closer to the truth than the author would be willing to admit. What other adjective would you use to describe their performance in majors over the last 20 some odd years? The only other description I can think of to describe their play in majors is that they just haven't been able to do it. I don't personally know any of the British golfers to draw any conclusions, but I'd bet Vijay does...doesn't he have a residence in London?

Retief just said what we all were thinking when we saw Tiger grimace in pain on the bad shots. Anyone that knows anything about golf and its players certainly knows that Retief is not an outspoken person and wouldn't be the type of person to make outlandish comments. I believe that he just verbalized his exception to the glorification of his injuries by the media. There is no doubt he was in pain and Retief knew that. Tiger made the choice to continue and it was evidentally the right thing to do if his goal was to win the tournament. It's that simple.

The author's closing paragraph shed light on the true reason of the article. Golf, for him and as it is for a marjority of "fans," is over until Tiger returns. This is not good. One man does not constitute an entire sport, but all the marketing, media, and editorals will not lead you to that conclusion. This is going to be a season of lamenting. I really feel for the golfers on tour this year. Their victories will be mentally asteriked by Tiger's absence. It's a sad state of affairs when passion for a game is a derivative of marketing and media attention.

Pete Plays Hockey?

Addendum to Separated at Birth? Part 4

Ok, so Sam Elliot looks like Von Kaiser, but I may have found the topper. Check it out.