Benefits from Relocation

The Indianapolis Colts have elected to move their training camp from Terre Haute to Anderson, after spending the past 11 years In Terre Haute. The move certainly caught fans attention, and it was actually a pretty heavily discussed topic for a couple of weeks around Indiana. However, the move has drawn praise and criticism, and everyone seems to have their own particular view on the matter. Here are a few of the reasons fans should view the move to Anderson University in a positive light.

1. Being stagnant and comfortable will kill a football team. Teams that become satisfied with past success, and become mentally and physically stagnant, never succeed in the NFL. The league is so competitive, that teams must constantly be trying to push themselves to the next level. With the majority of the “franchise faces” starting to hit the 30 years old and above mark, a move like this could be exactly what the team needs to reenergize its batteries.

2. The Colts are not limited to one group or fanbase in Indiana. Just as the team originally moved from Anderson to Terre Haute, they are now doing the opposite, and fans in central and eastern Indiana have to love the decision. Although the diehard fan will probably attend no matter where training camp is being held, the casual fan will likely go to training camp only if it is close. Thus, by brining it back to Anderson, an entire region of people from Indiana will know be able to make the trip to training camp and enjoy the atmosphere that comes with it.

3. Anderson needs all the help it can get. Although this may not have that great of an effect on the economy of Anderson, that city will take anything it can get. What was once though of as one of the larger and better cities in Indiana, has now become one of the worst hit by the recession. The people of Anderson need signs of hope, and this is perfect for raising spirits in the once proud city.

4. Anderson is much closer to my location, so I am ecstatic that I will now be able to go to more training camp practices. Which in turn means better insight and information for you, the reader.

It will be fun to see how Anderson is able to welcome in the Colts, and it will be hard for them to top Terre Haute. Although it has it benefits, the Colts definitely had a good thing going for them at their last location.

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Jacksonville to L.A.?

For the past few seasons, there have been rumors that the Jacksonville Jaguars were pondering a move from one coast to another. It is no secret that the NFL wants to get a team in Los Angeles, and with the current financial state of the Jaguars, they appear to be a prime target. With dwindling fan support, financial troubles, and a team looking to rebuild, the Jaguars could be set to move to Los Angeles sooner rather than later. However, with as much speculation as there has been around this topic, is there any truth to the rumors?

Time after time the Jaguars organization has begged fans to purchase season tickets, in order to keep this franchise alive, and time after time the fan support has been unable to rise to the call. Last season the team had nine of their ten home games blacked out last season, and this season appears to be headed in the same direction. As dominate as the NFL is on a national stage it is hard to imagine a city not buying into the product that people here in Indianapolis seem to live and die for every Sunday. However, the fans and citizens of Jacksonville are unable to purchase tickets, and although the team is not a Super Bowl contender, it is surprising to see just how little fan support they are receiving.

The lack of ticket sales paired with the NFL’s desire to place a product in a market that is craving one (Los Angeles), the writing appears to already be on the wall for the move of the Jaguars. Although it may not directly effect many Colts fans, it will be interesting to see how the NFL deals with Jacksonville’s divisional problem. Jacksonville is already quite a ways away from Indianapolis, and Los Angeles would be even further. Which means the NFL may have to adjust the current divisions, and place the Jaguars into a new division and find a new team for the AFC South. Although the Colts seem to be more rivals with the Titans, the Colts and Jaguars have certainly had plenty of epic battles over the years. It would certainly be sad to see Jacksonville no longer on the schedule twice a year, but it is something that I believe most Colts fans wouldn’t give a second thought to.

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AFC Competition: Baltimore Ravens

As we inch closer and closer to the NFL season, we will take a look at the Indianapolis Colts greatest challenges in the AFC heading into the 2010-11 season. With so many high quality teams, especially in their own division, it will be hard for the Colts to once again make a run to the Super Bowl. However, it is certainly possible, and we will take a look at some of the other teams competing for the right to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl.

This week’s team will be the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens are led by head coach, John Harbaugh, and this team is poised to make a run at a Super Bowl for, not only this season, but for years to come. With a good mixture of veteran leadership and youthful talent, the Ravens appear to have just the right mix of players on this team to form a formidable threat. Joe Flacco, Ray Rice, and Anquan Boldin headline an offense that has suddenly emerged as one of the best in the AFC. To go along with the offensive weapons, the Ravens have a talented tackle duo of Jared Gaither and Michael Oher, and this team finally has all the right pieces in place on the offensive side of the ball.

Defensively this team will once again be one of the best units in the league, and if Ed Reed, Haloti Ngata, Terrell Suggs, and Ray Lewis can stay healthy they will be nightmares for opposing offenses. However, this defense may receive even more of a boost if rookie defensive tackle, Terrence Cody, and rookie outside linebacker, Sergio Kindle, are able to step-in from day one and contribute. The one major question mark surrounding this defense will be at the cornerback position, which is one of the most important positions to have depth and talent at when playing against the Colts.

What makes the Ravens more of a threat to the Colts this season, opposed to season’s in the past, is the remarkable improvement of this offensive attack. Ray Rice has exploded onto the NFL season as one of the most dynamic running backs in the game, and he will only continue to get better. Joe Flacco has also thrust himself into the second tier of quarterbacks, and at his young age he certainly still has more room to grow and he still has talent left to develop in the NFL. Flacco will also benefit greatly from the addition of Anquan Boldin, a proven receiver who is as tough as nails.

As long as this team is able to stay healthy, there is no question that they will be a formidable test for the Colts this coming season. The Colts may once again dominate this supposedly “great” defense, but this time around the Ravens may finally have the offense to hang around.

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Is Painter Enough?

Every season it seems the Colts go into training camp with questions swirling around the quarterback position. No not the starting quarterback, but about the backup quarterback. Jim Sorgi was questioned every season about his ability to lead this team should Manning go down, and every season he was never called upon. However, the serious concerns around Sorgi’s ability were certainly legitimate. Luckily we didn’t have to see much of Sorgi, and Manning has been able to stay healthy. Once Sorgi left to backup Manning’s little brother, the Colts then plugged in Curtis Painter to the backup position. However, unlike Sorgi we may have seen to much of Painter.

Last season Painter was called upon at the end of the season in relief for Manning. Painter was basically asked to step-in during the middle of two games and help the Colts cement their perfect season. Things didn’t exactly turn out that way, and Painter was exploited and torn apart in his two games, and the Colts ultimately lost their perfect season. Now it is hard to blame a young, inexperienced quarterback who is stepping into a position that difficult, but is also hard to be optimistic from what we saw. Painter really didn’t offer any sign of being able to play the quarterback position in the NFL, and he simply looked timid, scared, and out of place on the field. However, with those experiences under his belt, the former Boilermaker will look to grow and develop from last season.

The Colts have had a longstanding issue with their backup quarterback, and this season is no different. Should Manning go down with an injury, there is no reason to believe that this team can even win the AFC South with Painter at the helm. However, Polian and company will once again place all of their chips on the health of Manning, and can you really blame them?

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How Much for Manning?

Peyton Manning is set to become the richest player in NFL history, with a contract from the Colts that may surpass any numbers ever given to a player. If anyone is worth that much money, Manning is certainly right up there on the list of those deserving. However, at the end of the day is it really the right move for Manning to cash in on another huge payday? 

Currently Manning only has one Super Bowl ring, and although it is more than zero, it certainly does not put him on the list for of Super Bowl proven quarterbacks. Tom Brady, Joe Montana, and John Elway all have multiple rings, and are all considered some of the greatest winners of all time. However, Manning only has one, and with the Colts loss to the Saints last season, he has had opportunities to increase his ring total, but has not been successful. So instead of receiving a ridiculously enormous contract from the Colts, maybe manning should take less and allow the Colts to spend the money they would be tying up on him elsewhere. The Colts are far from perfect and improvements could certainly be made on both sides of the ball, and with Manning taking a pay cut the Colts could surely use that money elsewhere. 

Now I am not saying that Manning does not want to win or that he is selfish, I mean who wouldn’t take as much money as possible. However, what I am saying is that if Manning wants to go down as the best he needs to add at least one more ring, and he can help the Colts do that by taking less money. With Reggie Wayne and Robert Mathis demanding new contracts, maybe Manning could slide a few dollars over to their contracts to keep this team happy and intact.

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Come On Marvin

Former Indianapolis Colts wide receiver, Marvin Harrison, was stopped on Wednesday by Philadelphia police at a routine traffic stop. Harrison was reportedly driving the wrong way on a one way street when the patrolman stopped him, and a car tailing him. Harrison then went on to lie to the officer about having a gun, and when his car was searched, officers found a 9 mm handgun. This is not Harrison’s first run-in with the law, and what was originally a traffic stop, may turn out to link Harrison to a previous case. Police have said that they will see whether or not the gun can be traced back to an earlier shooting that Harrison was reportedly involved in, and whether the gun found in Harrison’s car is the same gun used during the shooting. 

Although Harrison came off as a quiet, hard-working receiver for the Colts, he certainly is not cementing his legacy in the eyes of Colts fans. The future Hall of Fame receiver seems to be showing his true colors more and more with each passing offseason, and if convicted, Harrison may lose his luster as one of the greatest Colts of all-time. Harrison was certainly quiet and did not interact with the media often, because he did not want to be in uncomfortable situations. He wanted to control the environment around him, and did not want to be painted in a light that he did not find favorable or fitting. Those who truly spent time around Marvin, and heard the rumors about what happened with the receiver off the field, are not surprised by the shady dealings that he is involved in. 

For Colts fans it is truly a shame that one of the greatest players in franchise history is turning out to be someone who can no longer be looked at as a role model. Although he was a great player on the field, Harrison is turning out to be the opposite off the field. Hopefully Harrison can get his act in order, and I wish him nothing but the best.

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Who Will Come Out On Top?

With five quality receiving threats at his disposal, Peyton Manning has more than enough weapons on the offensive side of the ball to throw to. Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark, Pierre Garcon, Anthony Gonzalez, and Austin Collie are all more than capable of leading the Colts on any given Sunday in receiving yards or touchdowns. However, with all of these weapons there are only so many passes to go around, and Manning will have to find a way to keep all of them happy. 

I am sure that Manning will not complain at the prospect of having too many weapons, and most quarterbacks would rather have too many than too few. Each of the receivers for the Colts will have to carve out their own area on this offense, and each will excel when able to use their strengths to their advantage. Wayne and Clark are certainly the leaders of their pack, and they have cemented themselves as Manning’s go to receivers. Garcon has shown that he has breakaway speed, capable of burning almost any secondary in the NFL. Although he is still a bit raw, Garcon has proven he has the talent and work ethic to succeed at this level, and he will only continue to improve. However, the next two receivers for the Colts, Collie and Gonzalez, seem to offer the very similar services to this dynamic offense. Both are possession type receivers who will grab around 60 catches for 700 yards. In their first full seasons of work the two put up very similar numbers. Gonzalez had 57 receptions for 664 yards and 4 touchdowns,and Collie had 60 receptions for 676 yards and 7 touchdowns. Both will be competing for playing time and catches, and it appears that the one of the two may just be the odd man out of the Colts starting rotation. 

Peyton Manning is one of the best quarterbacks of all-time, and if anyone can keep a handful of receivers happy, it is him. Coach Jim Caldwell will put this team in the best possible position to succeed, and no one will be guaranteed a starting position if they do not perform. Manning will make sure everyone on this team is on the same page, and that distractions are diffused quickly. However, it will be interesting to see how the logjam at the receiving position will pan out this season.

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Finished with OTA’s

Last Friday the Indianapolis Colts finished their Organized Team Activities, and much was taken from this period of training for the team. Coach Jim Caldwell believes that his team took steps in the right direction, and seemed pleased with the way that the activities went. Caldwell had this to say to Colts.com:

“We got a lot accomplished,” Caldwell said. “I really do believe from an introductory standpoint, in terms of schematically – things that we changed that were new – we got familiar with those things. I think we improved in terms of overall execution.

“I think, overall, we improved in almost every single phase, not to the point where we’d say we’d be ready to play tomorrow. We don’t have to get started until later on this year, but I felt good about what we got accomplished.”

With the multiple “no shows” that stole the headlines during this period for the Colts, it is good to hear that the team was not distracted and that it was still able to get better and improve. Antoine Bethea, Robert Mathis, and Reggie Wayne stole most of the headlines surrounding this team, andthe three were certainly a hot topic. However, missing OTA’s is not the worst thing in the world, and a better measurement for how serious the contract concerns are for Mathis and Wayne will come closer to training camp. With all of the negativity swirling around the Colts this offseason, it is nice to see that Coach Caldwell still has this team headed in the right direction.

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Locked-In

With all of the offseason tension between the team and players over new contracts, the Indianapolis Colts were able put one of their major contract concerns behind them with the resigning of Antoine Bethea. The deal is reportedly a four year contract worth $27 million, much more than the one year tender that he was originally offered. Bethea was one of four major contract concerns facing the Colts, the other three being Reggie Wayne, Peyton Manning, and Robert Mathis. 

Although fans don’t often have sympathy for players looking to restructure their deal, Bethea has certainly outperformed the very minor contract that he signed after being drafted in the sixth round. In 2009, Bethea had 95 tackles with four interceptions, and earned the second Pro Bowl nomination of his career. In his four seasons with the team, Bethea has proven to be one of the more durable and reliable players on the defensive side of the ball. Although Bob Sanders grabbed much of the attention early in his career, Bethea has now become a household name for Colts fans and proven that he is a legitimate Pro Bowl safety in the NFL. 

With Bob Sanders, Antoine Bethea, and Melvin Bullitt all at the Colts’ disposal, this team now has multiple options at the safety position in the secondary. Although cornerback is a question mark, safety certainly is not one. Even if Sanders is unable to stay healthy, the Colts have a solid backup in Bullitt, and Bethea has proven that he can step his game up when the Colts need to rely on him more. Bethea’s new contract will also get the safety into training camp much sooner, and avoid the headaches and problems that stem from a holdout. Of all of the players demanding new contracts for the Colts, Bethea had the best argument for why he was deserving. It is also nice to see a player earn a contract in the NFL, not simply handed one, and Bethea certainly earned it.

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Here’s Hoping for the Best

Although defensive back, Marlin Jackson, is no longer with the Indianapolis Colts, he is once again in the headlines, and it is worth mentioning. Jackson was plagued with injuries throughout his career with the Colts, and this offseason Indianapolis let him test the free agency waters. Eventually Jackson was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles, where he looked to start a new chapter of his NFL career. 

However, Jackson was unable to shake his past injury history, and in OTA’s for the Eagles he injured his right ankle. Jackson reportedly was visibly upset and left the building crying. With the Colts Jackson experienced problems with his knees, so the good news is that he do not re-injure either of his knees. However, this new injury only adds to the long list of past injuries for Jackson. 

Although Jackson is no longer with the Colts, it has to be crushing for the former Colt to once again suffer a serious injury. This was a young man who had talent and potential coming out of college, but injuries never allowed him to reach that potential. Here is hoping that Jackson makes a full recovery, and is finally able to overcome his injury-plagued past.

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