A Colt No More

Damn, I love football. In the offseason and still getting all the 'pub.'

Am I going to far in saying that former Colts quarterback and 4X-NFL MVP, Peyton Manning, should be the most sought after free-agent in NFL history?!? Am I going to far in saying that the Indianapolis Colts and owner Jim Irsay just made the biggest sports gamble in recent memory?!? Am I going to far in saying that, while I wrote it, Stanford Cardinal quarterback turned NFL draft prospect, quarterback Andrew Luck, literally has the biggest boots to fill, of-all-time?!?

No, No, and No.

Coming from the biggest Andrew Luck supporter this side of Palo Alto, you better buckle up my man! The guy you're replacing may have one of the most awkward side-profiles of all time but just put together a historic, Hall Of Fame, record-breaking career, and he ain't done yet. His last five years in The League, (sans 2011), Manning hung up 4,000+ yards to go with 27+ touchdowns in each of them. You want the short or long list of suitors?!? Miami, Washington, Arizona, and Kansas City, shall I go on?!? Not needed. There are plenty of teams in the NFL that know all to well how much Peyton Manning can improve their Super Bowl odds and get their fan bases all fired up for 2012. For the haters, that means you Patriot fans, he's 1 for 2 in the 'big dance,' and it isn't like you don't what it feels like to drop a couple, right?!?!

I hope Colts owner Jim Irsay knows what he's doing, or at least has a plan other than parting ways with one of the two greatest quarterbacks of a generation. After cleaning house in the Colts front-office, then moving to Manning, I seriously hope Irsay has some people he plans on putting around the young Andrew Luck. I, unlike those in 'The Beltway,' think Peyton stays in the AFC, casting his shadow over Indy for more than a year or two, thus casting it over Andrew Luck. Can the confidence of the Stanford quarterback and electric ability under center turn the proverbial page for Colts fans? Can Luck become the new face of football in the Mid-West?!?! At least he saves you a cool $30-Million, cause that's what it's about right?!?!

For what it's worth, Peyton was a rock in Indianapolis. Consecutive games played, a pair of Super-Bowl appearances, the type of signal-caller that made you watch the game. He's the quarterback who will forever be historically linked to the likes of Tom Brady and yes, Ryan Leaf. He's the quarterback that put together the funniest commercials, for whatever that is worth, and turned the NFL into a 'passing league,' that's right, it's on him. Now you and I get the to the fun part, watching the Montana of our time play in another uniform, similar to, ummmmm right, Montana. Because he's a Colt no more.

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Casual Thoughts

We're in a 'sporting world funk,' a term oft-used for that period in between the Bowl which is defined as 'Super' (for copyright sakes we've got to refer to it as that), and NCAA's March Madness. A period in which the release of SI's annual Swimsuit Edition and New York Knicks sudden superstar Jeremy Lin would just have to suffice. Be that it as it may, we've got some Casual Thoughts . . .

Let's Get After It!

The Miami Heat are going to hang one up in 2012. What the Mavericks did to 'Bron Bron' and 'D-Wade' last season was comical, and we got our rocks off on it, but I highly doubt we get to do that again, not this year. Headed into the All-Star break winning eleven of twelve, came out thrashing Portland on the road with LeBron putting up 38 points and 11 boards, you good?!?! No way the Heat find a way to mess this one up. Start to respect what has been put together on South Beach rather than a couple exciting weeks at MSG with a kid who played his college ball in Cambridge. LeBron, Wade, and Bosh vs. the Knicks on February 23rd - 22 boards, 13 assists, and 67 points. How far away did we really thing they were after reaching The Finals a season ago? Really!?!?

Be what you are, stop pretending #NFL. Waa, Waaa, the Saints placed bounties for their defensive players to knock players out and injure opposing players like Kurt Warner and Brett Favre (p.s. no one cares). Let's all throw our arms up in disgust and hand out suspensions, fines, and take away draft picks! Let Mike Greenberg and John Clayton pontificate and Adam Schefter give us hourly updates on what the commissioner may or may not do. Or . . . wait for it . . .how about we do absolutely nothing! There is a thought, treat it like a non-story, and move on! NFL players are now bigger, faster, and stronger than they've ever been, and it isn't because babies are getting bigger and bigger everyday! The NFL is a violent league, it's a sport where grown men get paid to smash each other play in, play out, don't be shocked when you are what you are! Crack down on HGH use and then we'll talk. #EverTheRealist. Or is Rodney Harrison the only guy to ever get suspended?

As far as Brewers slugger Ryan Braun goes . . .no dice! Doesn't matter what just happened as far as his case being overturned, just doesn't matter. The 2011 National League MVP isn't getting into The Hall, isn't getting the benefit of the doubt, and his story just doesn't pass the smell test, sorry Mr. Braun. How does this go, going forward? Braun better hope his numbers don't tail off this season, or he'll hear it. Braun better hope 2011 isn't the only season he's the N.L. MVP, or he'll hear it. Braun better hope that 2011 wasn't the only season which he failed a performance enhancing drug test, or he'll hear it. The once pride of the National League and the future of the new Major League Baseball, just made a huge stain on the game that he can't erase. Further more, he's got those of us who believed the game was getting closer and closer to clean, to now believing this is the same game with a different twist on it. Wag your finger all you want Ryan Braun, it just doesn't change things today.

We're getting back after it every week now, make sure you check out the latest episode of TheRightNowPodcast and for up-to-date Lynchy, follow us on Twitter!