This is the official end of the Colts 2003 blog. Thanks to Blogger for hosting this site and allowing me to express my opinions on the Colts 2003 run to the AFC Championship game.

Looks for the 2004 blog to start in a couple of months and thank to all who read and followed the season here!
- posted by mm @ Tuesday, June 01, 2004

 
The Colts lost LB Marcus Washington to free agency yesterday. Washington signed a $24 million deal with the Redskins which included a reported $7 million signing bonus.

I like Marcus and thought he was a decent OLB, but at that price we had to let him go. He simply is not worth that kind of money.
- posted by mm @ Friday, March 05, 2004

 
It's official. Peyton Manning, a guy on the Colts has just become the highest paid player in the NFL. Who would have ever thought we would have the highest paid player in the league? Congrats P., now it is up to you to make Polian and Irsay look smart.

The deal is $99.2 million over 7 years that includes a $34.5 million signing bonus. Exact terms are not yet available but the speculation is that this will drop Mannings cap number to around $8 million this year. Speculation that the signing bonus may be split over tow years has also come up. Again, no details about that have surfaced.
- posted by mm @ Tuesday, March 02, 2004

 
Today is the day. March 1st. Will the Colts and Peyton Manning come to terms today? Polian has made today the deadline. Both sides know the numbers. Personally it sounds like it is a matter of length of contract. Could it have something to do with the Colts and their situation in Indy? Is Peyton just being greedy? Stay tuned for updates as they occur.

- posted by mm @ Monday, March 01, 2004

 
Hello folks,
I really hate to be here today writing this but it needs to be documented. The Colts today stuck the franchise tag on Peyton Manning. While half the fans think it was inevitable and the other half thinks he is just being greedy, the bottom line is that this thing has drawn out too long already.

Honestly I don't think Manning is going anywhere. But if we can not get a contract hammered out ASAFP his ass is going to cost the Colts around $18.4 million next season. That equates to roughly 23% of the salary cap and more importantly means they will probably be letting Edge go.

I am not going to pick sides in this thing. Manning I assume knows what the team is up against. But in his defense his problem is being the QB, not figuring out the cap. Of course, since I know he knows the ramifications of this move, then he should know what the Colts can and can not afford. This REALLY needs to get taken care of now. Stay tuned for Manning updates as the next few days unfold.
- posted by mm @ Monday, February 23, 2004

 
Thoughts and observations after a week of not even thinking about football. First off, congrats to the Pats. They won a game I think most figured they would. And while Colt or any other fans may not want to admit it, the fact is that the Pats are going to be good next year and talk of a dynasty will be rampant. Personally I think our team is going to be pretty good next year too so we better wait and see.

Having said congrats to the Pats, I have to say that while Tom Brady is a good QB, he is not Joe Montana or Peyton Manning. He is the product of a great system and as long as he keeps his head about him he will flourish in the Patriots system. MVP? Fuck no. Not even close.

Talk is swirling about Manningís new contract. Owner Jim Irsay has said he will make P the highest paid player in league history, but he will not do it by mortgaging the future of the team. Word is that Peytonís agent and Bill Polian got together in Hawaii to talk over Pro Bowl weekend. Of course rumors of Mannings departure also were rampant. One of the biggest ones I heard was that Daniel Snyder of the Redskins offered Manning a $40 million signing bonus if he became a free agent. Polian has said that if we have to use the franchise tag on Peyton we will. But that would cost about $18 million against the cap necessitating a cut of a big payday player. Edge has been mentioned and I donít like it. Get this deal done Irsay, Manning, Condon and Polian. Get it done now!

Speaking of the Pro Bowl, Peyton had one of those games. Big numbers, TDís and of course INTís. In fact I heard he had one pilfered late in the game sealing an NFC victory. I hate that game and could care less about it. Didnít see one down of it. Vandy even managed to miss a FG.

Finally, Maurice Clarett. For the uninformed Clarett is a RB who went to Ohio State for a year. He was hurt a lot and played in only 8 games for the Buckeyes. While he was playing he was hailed as the next coming of insert your favorite running backís name. Well Clarett found it unfair that the NFL had an age restriction and took them to court over it. To no oneís surprise, he won. And frankly, I agree with the courts. He should be allowed to play in the NFL if he is good enough.

IF HE IS GOOD ENOUGH. I can not express that strongly enough. I have serious doubts he is. I feel like the NFL is a rough, tough mans league and boys need not apply. Sure there may be the occasional, and I mean 1 in 100 million kids coming out of high school who can play in the NFL right away. Most could never cut it. However, this ruling will have NFL teams secretly salivating over the prospect of getting some of these kids earlier than expected.

Here is how I see it happening. Some teams will pursue these kids. If only one makes a roster, they will continue to pursue them. However, I see the experiment lasting only 5 years. At that time the teams will see that 3 or 4 years in college is a good thing. For pityís sake, itís a free minor league system for the NFL. After a few years the novelty will wear off and the reality that high school kids arenít ready will prevail.

As for Maurice Clarett, he will get drafted. Probably in the second or third round. Whether he makes a team is a different story. But I guarantee this, if every team passes on him, as should be their right, he will cry collusion and have the NFL in court again.

- posted by mm @ Wednesday, February 11, 2004

 
Another football season is now in the books. Last night the New England Patriots beat the Carolina Panthers 32-29 in what turned out to be one of the all time great Super Bowl games. I felt the game was well officiated, if not a little too closely called. But fair. I think the criticism of the officating over the past two weeks played a part.

So now we begin the long and gruelling offseason. I will be back with much more as the weeks go on, but things will slow down a bit for a couple of weeks. If I catch any of the Pro Bowl I will comment on how our boys did.
- posted by mm @ Monday, February 02, 2004