Well, that was a tough way to end the season.  I doubt you'll find too many Colts' fans jumping off bridges.  The Saints were a good team with a great coach and a great QB.  The game could have easily swung the other way if a few balls had bounced differently, but in the end I think the end result is fitting.  Getting off to an early lead was clearly the worst thing that could have happened to Coach Caldwell.  It put him him 'conserve' mode, and he tried 'not to lose' the game.  The key call that fans will forever hold against him was the terrible decision to kick a 51 yard field goal on fourth and 11.  In the end, the Colts lost to an excellent Saints team that was among the best all season.  There's no shame in that.  2009 was a great season for the Colts and a successful one.  It didn't end the way we wanted, but this was still the second best team in Indianapolis history.  I wish it could have ended differently, and but for a few bounces, maybe it would have.  Still, life goes on and there is another season next year.

• Here's what the Colts have to do to improve in 2010:

1.  Get a real kicker. It's hard to overly fault Polian for the Stover signing, and I certainly don't blame him for missing a kick I would never have let him attempt in the first place.  Still, the Colts need a kicker who can convert a 50+ yard kick.  You can't win in the NFL without one.  Perhaps a made field goal and a decent kickoff change everything else that happened in that fourth quarter.  Certainly a punt would have made it interesting.  Vinateri can't be trusted to come back healthy. It's time for a kicker with some leg.

2. Get depth for the defensive ends.  It's been a problem since 2007.  Raheem Brock is a valued Colts, but he isn't a serviceable back up DE.  Freeney clearly wasn't good to go in the second half.  He missed the Saints whole first TD drive.  Brees struggled early, as the Colts had good push.  When the rush died, he took over.  We didn't realize it at the time (though we all feared it), but when Freeney stepped on Sanchez's ankle, the Colts season went up in smoke.  There isn't another Dwight Freeney just sitting out there, but something has to be done to help the team compensate.

3.  Get new offensive tackles.  Right, I realize that the Colts only gave up 10 or so sacks, but there was precious little room to run on the edges.  Anyone watching tonight could see that Addai has moves to spare, but Colts runners are hit in the backfield too often.  It didn't really cost the Colts in the Super Bowl, but better run blocking would go a long way.  I thought Diem and CJ were both substandard in run blocking all year and should be replaced.

• Three more things should happen naturally:

1.  The WR corps will improve.  The young guys played better and better as the season went on, though Garcon never fully got over the dropsies, putting key third downs on the ground against both the Ravens and Saints.  On the key third down in the fourth quarter, Collie tried to get a pass interference call instead of just going up to make the catch.

2.  Caldwell has to coach more aggressively.  If he didn't learn his lesson tonight, he never will.  To his credit, he made the right call on a key fourth down, but screwed the end of half and fourth quarter scenarios.

3.  The secondary will improve.  Losing Sanders, Jackson, and Powers for long stretches hurt.  All three healthy would probably have made a huge difference against the Saints.  I expect the 2010 Colts' to have an even better defensive backfield.

• Some myths were pretty well shattered tonight:

1.  Larry Coyer is a genius at bringing pressure. Nope. It's Freeney and Mathis.  Anything else is still just caused by them.  Take them away, and the Colts' D rots.

2. The special teams are better because of a new coach.  They sucked tonight.  They kind of have all year. They always will. This team can't return punts, kicks, or kick field goals.  The key to good special teams is a good kicker and a punter.  We have one and we need the other.

3.  Jim Caldwell is a better coach than Tony Dungy.  He had a great year.  I still believe in him.  He got worked tonight.

Finally, this is not innate of anything, but the NFL HAS to fix the possession to the ground rule on a catch.  I never have ANY idea what is a catch any more.  I was stunned they overturned the 2 pt conversion call of incomplete.  Now, I feel the the play WAS a completed pass according to 'reality', but according to my understanding of the rule, I see no way that what Lance Moore did constituted possession. The problem is that the rule creates a weird judgement zone where the official has to determine how long a guy has possession for.  It was designed to take that element OUT of the game, but I don't see that it's working. The rule should be two feet with possession=good catch.  Forget this "maintain possession to the ground" crap.  It doesn't work.

Comments (74)

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Thanks!
written by JTBLA, February 07, 2010

First off, big thanks to Deshawn and Demond. This is an awesome blog with great analysis and insight. And you do an excellent job on the left side links that help me find stuff that I otherwise would have missed.

Key stat:
In the second quarter and first drive of the third:
Saints, 34 plays, Colts 6. Manning can't score if he doesn't have the ball. The Garcon drop was a killer and momentum-changer.

Hated the 2 Mike Hart runs at the end of the 1st half. That was getting too conservative and played right into the Saints hands.

Oh well, a great season but a disappointing ending. Reality is that there is no guarantee any team ever gets back, which is why it makes losing so hard.

Take care Colt fans!

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Couldn't have said it better then Peyton
written by Dan Smith, February 07, 2010

Great summary DZ, I'm with you. It simply comes down to who executes the best in clutch situations, tonight, N.O. was that team. This loss and the adversity that will follow it will only sharpen and crystalize the teams collective will to go down to New Orleans in their first game of the regular season, in the Superdome and hand out some "PAYBACK!" I couldn't agree more with you, "What the heck is the coach thinking having Stover try to kick a 51 yarder?" Way too conservative with the lead, it definately costed us. If their was any one team that was going to upset us on this big stage, I was ok with it being New Orleans. The whole country because of Katrina was pulling for them. Sean Payton and Drew Brees are not only classy talented people, but they definately have used this wonderful game to instill hope, belief, confidence, and fun in a people who desperately need it. I really didn't see any arrogance on the part of these two men, or the Saints team. Some fans on the blogs, yeah, but hey, thats to be expected. I really enjoy 18-to-88, thanks for always putting out great stuff.

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...
written by Bobeo, February 07, 2010

Pretty much agree with everything you have said tonight. I can accept it. The Saints are a great team. I look forward to playing them again.

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Hey, with a crappy attitude like that....
written by Bob M, February 07, 2010

Vince Lombardi's ghost will never make an appearance in "A DZ Christmas Carol" and

You'll have trouble working yourself up to an early death by simultaneous coronary/stroke//collision with a bus carrying 75 pregnant hippos.

My advice, go to the local AK-47 Rental Mart (what, like they don't have them in Argentina?), get yourself a gun and a few extra banana clips, maybe a case of grenades, "just in case," and paint the town red. Literally.

Either that or, well, the Colts ARE in pretty good shape for next year.....

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The Lance Moore conversion
written by Bob M, February 07, 2010

I clearly have a thing or 12 to learn about possession. This year was the first I recall being SO WRONG so often about TD possessions (started in the first week's SD/OAK game when I thought OAK got screwed, but then saw a half dozen others).

My understanding, as the season went on, is that the threshold for a TD (or 2 pt conv) is much higher than a catch on the field. An example of this threshold (new to me) is that a guy on the field clearly catches the ball in the air, maybe has a foot down, is contacted, then hits the ground and the ball pops out. The old "ground can;t cause a fumble" routine suggests a catch, a tackle, and that killed the play before the ball came out.
In the EZ this year it seems that a guy must do all that, and then get up with the ball, or at least keep possession while on the ground.

And Moore's catch didn't pass that test, which I now understand must be faulty. But not sure where the reality lies anymore.

I thought Freeney looked good later in the game as well--when he was doubled, he got a push, and when singled really schooled Bushrod, but on 3 step drops (okay, there were a couple check-down plays where Brees had enough time to make soup), there isn't much pressure to be brought. And Brees had a LOT of short passes where we dutifully "kept the play in front of us" but allowed him to do it over and over and over again. Not sure the DL is the answer there. Won't rewatch the game, so won't be able to formulate much of an answer to what MIGHT be the fix to that.....

As my 9 year-old said at prayer-time tonight, "Well, this will just motivate me further next football season." Good attitude, but let's see if I can get him to do pushups and situps (dare I say sprints?) a month before the season starts.

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...
written by garcon85, February 08, 2010

I like Eric Allen now puts Drew Brees over Manning, lol. it just laughable sometimes with so called experts. seriously people were talking about it Manning won the superbowl he would be the greatest ever, now he's just chopped liver. I don't get it and just makes me mad.

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have a good few months
written by AG79, February 08, 2010

i'll be back closer to draft time. i wish it would have ended a little better, but i'd rather it be the saints than the cowboys or favre, i guess.

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2010
written by Scott K, February 08, 2010

It's easy to like this team to get back next year for reasons stated above, but they're going to have a much harder time most likely at getting back to the SB.

AFC was a little down this year. Patriots seemed to mail it in with the Welker injury, and they were just 4-4 after 4th & 2. The Steelers are going to get Polamalu back for this season. Chargers are still a threat. Don't rule out Houston maybe taking that playoff push finally in 2010.

And also I see three serious problems with the Colts themselves.

1. Is this the last game for Tom Moore and Howard Mudd? I believe it's a done deal for Mudd, and Moore is likely to follow. We give Manning a lot of credit for the offense and the pass protection, but those guys are no worse than 2nd most responsible for the consistent success. Replacing them won't be that easy. Mudd has made some no-name guys without much talent into a very competent looking group.

2. This defense can't be counted on to beat good QBs in the postseason. Brees was a little shaky on the first two drives, but he picked them apart after that. We've seen it with Rivers, Brady and Roethlisberger in the past. All 3 of those guys are still factors in the AFC. You won't have a chance to beat Sanchez & Flacco every year (and those are two QBs likely to get better next season).

3. Have to run the ball better. It's been 2.5 years now, and you can't keep relying on Manning to be superman every week at this stage of his career. They have to get back to running it better, creating more balance and becoming dominant with play action again. I think they improved in the 2nd half of the season this year, but they're still not a unit you can routinely count on to average 100 yards and 4.0 YPC a game for a season.

Never ever want to blow a SB opportunity when it presents itself, and they did tonight. This one stings a lot.

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Back up DE's
written by hagarwood, February 08, 2010

I agree we need some better depth and future prospects at DE - Graham, Hughes early, Selvie middle, or Schofield late are possibilities, but we need to generate better pressure generically. We need better push at DT and a blitz outside LB. Didn't seem we blitzed much; even considering how rarely we blitz now. We needed to gameplan for their offense's improvind ability to handle Freeney and Mathis as the game went on. Another case of a little too conservative "coaching" . Great site - just some food for thought. We can celebrate a very good season and enjoy NO's success, since they are not as unpleasant as choice as some could have been.

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FWIW (not much) PFT supports our beef with the Lance Moore "catch"
written by Bob M, February 08, 2010

http://profootballtalk.nbcspor...oint-play/

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Wait a sec, that looks like crap!
written by Bob M, February 08, 2010

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com
/2010/02/07/league-defends-decision-
on-two-point-play/


assemble the three lines and paste

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and upon further thought
written by Bob M, February 08, 2010

The 51 yard FG and the on-side kick yielded two Saints TDs. Yes, the D had a chance to stop them, many times, but the Saints should never have gotten the ball in great field position twice like that. Add in the pick-six because Manning was pressured into mounting a late-game comeback, and there's a 21-pt swing.

Essentially it was a tie game the Saints would have won in OT, not the 14 pt romp the score looks like.

I predict thatin 2010 we have the first ever NFL team with four 1,000 receivers. Now THAT would be bitchin'.

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written by Scott K, February 08, 2010

Anthony Gonzalez wouldn't have dropped that 3rd & 4 pass.

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No way
written by Bob M, February 08, 2010

He would have caught it with his hands behind his back, becaause of the surface tension of sweat across his chrome dome. That's like en electro-magnet.

Remember, his injury was very early in the year so he should be good to go from the start of TC--and he seems to be somewhat of a smart/obsessed Peyton clone in a WR body. I would not be surprised to see him come out and start the year off with an 80+% catch rate and 50 catches for 700 yards and 7 TDs by the mid-point. That'll tail off, but I expect him to come out with a vengeance, and with proven depth all around him, gonna be hard to double anybody.

(I DO really like the way Garcon gets off the line and sheds bumps, however. He's got a martial arts attitude and really swipes the DB hands away--he makes attacking them part of his first step rather than being reactive and being moved, even slightly, off his route.)

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...
written by Attila, February 08, 2010

There is not one good kicker in this draft class, so Vinatieri is the man. A backup DE is needed, that's clear. OT's are needed too, but in the first round of the draft, DE or CB. Hayden can't cover receivers and is injury prone. Other than him, you have Powers and Lacey. Goodbye Jennings!

One difference was, that the Saints are used to not having pass rush, so their CBs can cover without it.

Anyone remember Wayne's incomplete sideline catch from last year's playoff game? It's similar to this 2 point conversion. Wayne juggled it, but had control. Either Ron Winter or Scott Green cheated that decision. I think both

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...
written by Attila, February 08, 2010

So here is my mock draft, knowing the holes in the Colts game:

1. CB Brandon Ghee
Great size, long arms, and can run with receivers. Hayden can't. This pick would send a msg to Hayden, like the Brown pick did with Addai.

2. LB Daryl Washington
He has longer arms, than Charlie Johnson. Session would have had a pick in the SB, if he is taller.

3. (Trade 2011.2) OT Rodger Saffold
Best player at the Shrine game. Not great size for LT, but bigger than Ch. J., and is strong.

3. DE Brandon Sharpe
Has the frame to bulk up a bit. 15 sacks this year.

4. OT Chris Scott
He could develop and lose some fat in the meantime. Is strong and nasty. Can play 4 positions.

5. DT Geno Atkins
For DT depth, plus he can rush the passer from inside. There are some other undersized DT here, who fall because of their height.

7. TE Michael Hoomanawanui
Blocking TE. Santi and Tamme don't cut it.

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Kravitz actually wrote
written by Cass, February 08, 2010

the correct column this time. I'm shocked:

http://www.indystar.com/article/20100208/SPORTS15/2080358/1100/SPORTS03/

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written by kinnickcolt, February 08, 2010

GET BOB SANDERS BACK ON THE FIELD! if anybody thinks he doesnt make a difference or "they really dont need him" they are sorely misunderstood and CLUELESS!

I STILL LOVE YOU PEYTON! yes they will call you a choker. again...rip you for choking and ignore everything else.

the atlanta colts. Im not sure when to stop puking. before timmy teBLOW or after who dat?

garcons dropped pass totally changed the game. that was the play of the game. I think he will end up being great but that dropped pass will come back to haunt him like bill buckners blunder

I feel sorry for peyton. he did all he could. he really looked like he was the only one trying. him and dallas clark. that BLEEPING JENNINGS! get rid of his sorry a$$.

if the colts would have scored at the end to tie it (no thanks to BULLCRAP call on changing that two point conversation...and yes it was bullcrap)it wouldnt have mattered because there was no way they (and I mean everybody in charge of this game) were going to let the saints lose this game. Im going to wipe this game from my mind because the colts never had a chance going in.

Im not blaming the refs in this game. no way. but that overturned call and the saints coaching staff practically making the onsides kick call was disgusting. the colts had the ball and the refs were horrible for letting that thuggery take place in that pile for that long.


the defense was atrocious and what a way to end a great season. to me it showed 3 things in particular and you pretty much named them. they NEED a kicker. AND THEY need a return man for special teams. AND they NEED bob sanders back on the field. I got so sick of people saying they didnt miss him. OH THEY MISSED HIM PLENTY. this would have been the perfect game for him to excel. against the thugs. the thugs won. and lets talk about how poor new orleans is so much better off now. NOT! Im going to try and wipe this game from my memory. the worst superbowl ever!

and in the end its all peytons fault! how unfair

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written by kinnickcolt, February 08, 2010

and I forgot to add...I dont think its fair to rip on jim caldwell and even compare him to tony dungy. tony dungy had marvin harrison, a kicker and bob sanders playing. those are 3 very key guys that you are not figuring in on. and the fact that freeney wasnt 100% made a HUGE difference. I say leave jim caldwell out of this!

the last game was atrocious but lets face it..there was no way anybody was going to allow "the poor saints" to lose this game. I think thats pretty obvious now

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written by jmarsh, February 08, 2010

I think it's perfectly fair to blame Caldwell and Coyer. I'll forgive physical mistakes over mental ones anyday. Garcon had a huge huge drop, but even with that the two teams were pretty close to even on the field.

Payton played to win the game. Caldwell played to not lose it. Giving away a valuable posession at the end of the first half and having your octogenarian kicker try a 51 yard field goals are inexcusable mental mistakes.

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written by Platinum, February 08, 2010

I agree especially with #3. With Freeney hurt last night, the defense had no other gamechanger. With all respect to Mathis, Bethea, Bullitt and the rest of the lads who all played their hearts out, there're two game changers on the Colts D, Freeney and Sanders. Funny when people talk about trading Sanders away and what-have-you, he's the only other game-changer Indy has on defense. Look at the Steelers w/o Polamalu... In a game like yesterday's, you had to force mistakes from them and we couldnt. No pressure with Free hurt, no Zombies flying around with Sanders hurt. Bethea, Bullitt, Hayden, Marlin, Jennings, etc are all very good players, they'll kill a team that makes mistakes however they're not guys who'll force teams into mistakes. Freeney + Sanders are the type, i feel Powers could well be on his way to becoming a gamechanger.

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manning
written by This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , February 08, 2010

CHOKES AGAIN!

9-9 in the postseason and that INT says exactly why.

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written by DZ, February 08, 2010

9-9 in the post season has nothing to do with the QB, clown.

His postseason passer rating is higher than Elway's, Brady's, and all but about 6 or 7 QBs in history.

why not find something else to harp on?

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written by TD23, February 08, 2010

I don't blame Peyton at all. He made some bad play-calls and was inaccurate deep, but all 45 guys, plus the coaches can take their share of blame. BUT, I say this, he should NOT be the highest paid QB, when he turns 35. He is on the level of the best 3-5 QBs, not above them.

Caldwell and the coaches made a lot of bad choices, including going into the game with only 7 DLmen. They were gassed in the 3rd quarter. He is still better, than Dungy. Dungy wasted too many opportunities with better rosters.

After the Minnesota game, it was clear, higher powers want to give this to the Saints. Last year, these higher powers wanted to make it up for SD for the Hochuli mistake. These players deserve to get a fair officiating at the top of their careers. They usually don't get it.

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written by DZ, February 08, 2010

Dungy wasted more opportunities? Like what? other than 2005 what opportunity did Dungy waste exactly?

Another warm body wouldn't have helped the D line last night. They needed a healthy Freeney or a player not currently available.

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written by TD23, February 08, 2010

2008 for sure... Caldwell brought this team to the SB in his first year with a bunch of DBs, who can't cover a turtle without pass rush.

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written by DZ, February 08, 2010

2008? That team was awful. That was far and away Dungy's best coaching job.

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written by DZ, February 08, 2010

the 2008 corners were Jennings and Ratliff.

I'll take Lacey and Powers any day.

This team had MUCH better talent.

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haha
written by This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , February 08, 2010

"9-9 in the post season has nothing to do with the QB, clown."

If there was no truth to what I wrote you would 1) ignore it or 2) not need to call me a name for bringing it up like a 5th grader.

When I see an INT like that one from the best QB I have ever seen in my life, it spells choke in big letters, that's why I wrote it. If you disagree, fine, call me names and point to the fact that only 6 or 7 QBs have better numbers. Yay, numbers! How about not throwing an INT in the most important time of the game? You can take your regular season numbers and passer ratings, I'll take my Big Ben and his 9-23 2 INT game where he actually won the game. No way do I think Roethlisberger is in the same league as Peyton, but in the 4th Q of a postseason game I also don't think they are in the same league. Peyton proved this once again by throwing his worst pass of the season in the most crucial time of the year.

I know the truth hurts, but calling me a clown in an attempt to deflect the pain is foolish.

Nice blog by the way. You'd probably have actual visitors if all your posts weren't so angry.

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by the way
written by This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , February 08, 2010

Manning's playoff passer rating is 84.6, compared to a career passer rating of 95.2 percent, the LARGEST DROP-OFF of any QB with more than three postseason games played.

So while he may have a higher rating than a lot of crappier QBs, it is not nearly as much of a differential in the postseason, when the other QBs still are merely adequate, but Manning drops down a full notch.

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written by DZ, February 08, 2010

I'll take my Big Ben and his 9-23 2 INT game where he actually won the game

That's why I called you a clown.

That's the dumbest statement I've ever heard.

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(those stats)
written by This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , February 08, 2010

thru 2009 -- I assume this year only makes it more so. I'll leave you to do the math (angrily)

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written by DZ, February 08, 2010

Actually his passer rating in the post season is 87.6. That's better than Roethlisberger. Better than Brady. QBs don't win and lose games teams do. All a QB can do is play well.

You want to rip the Colts, fine. They lost. Ripping Manning makes little sense. His play wasn't in the top 10 reasons Indy lost that game.

Most of what you just said comes from not doing math.

I'm not sure why you think I'm angry. I'm not angry that you said you'd prefer a 9-23 2 pick game, or that you are too lazy to look up current statistics.

I just think it makes you a clown.

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Nice
written by LDG, February 08, 2010

Good write-up...during the season this is the first site I check at work every morning with my coffee and I've been doing it for the last few years. I appreciate the time waster you give me while waking up each morning.

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Another Busted Myth
written by Chip Bennett, February 08, 2010

#4 Joseph Addai needs to be replaced as the Colts' starting RB.

Anybody who watched the post-season (and, especially, the Super Bowl) and still thinks that needs to have a freaking lobotomy.

Addai more than proved that he is one of the best RBs in the league.

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written by DZ, February 08, 2010

I almost listed that, but I already considered it busted months ago.

The Colts' line is not good...at all. Addai has never been the problem.

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Addai and O-line
written by LDG, February 08, 2010

Agree...Addai proved yet again he is a solid back yesterday and Brown also looked good. As far as the O-line...there is somethign i've been meaning to ask.

So other teams move around linemen when they are either too old or decide they can't play LT/RT. I don't understand why the Colts haven't experimented with moving Ugoh to RG/LG at all? He seems to be a very good run blocker and moving him in will leave him less exposed during pass protection. Same with Diem...if dude is too slow and old now move him inside and get a couple more years out of him.

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Responding to Sideshow Bob
written by Chip Bennett, February 08, 2010

If there was no truth to what I wrote you would 1) ignore it or 2) not need to call me a name for bringing it up like a 5th grader.

Well, at least you admit to having the mental acuity of a fifth grader.

When I see an INT like that one from the best QB I have ever seen in my life, it spells choke in big letters, that's why I wrote it.

First, Wayne sat on his route. Second, Porter made a great play. Manning doesn't play in a vacuum, Mr. Fifth Grader.

If you disagree, fine, call me names and point to the fact that only 6 or 7 QBs have better numbers. Yay, numbers! How about not throwing an INT in the most important time of the game? You can take your regular season numbers and passer ratings, I'll take my Big Ben and his 9-23 2 INT game where he actually won the game. No way do I think Roethlisberger is in the same league as Peyton, but in the 4th Q of a postseason game I also don't think they are in the same league. Peyton proved this once again by throwing his worst pass of the season in the most crucial time of the year.

Do you know the difference between analysis an anecdote? Probably not; those concepts aren't taught in the fifth grade.

I know the truth hurts, but calling me a clown in an attempt to deflect the pain is foolish.

The *truth* is that the Saints outplayed the Colts. That truth is disappointing, but it doesn't hurt; it is just reality to be faced.

Further, the *truth* is that the Colts' three turnovers (muffed onside kick, missed FG, INT), plus some bad coaching decisions (not playing for points in the two-minute drill at the end of the first half, attempting a 51yd FG with a kicker who only has a 45yd leg, letting Tim ten-yard-cushion Jennings and the other DBs play zone instead of more aggressively, etc.) cost the Colts the game.

The *truth* is that Manning only played a (minor) role in even one of those factors.

The *truth* is that the offensive line let too many run plays get bottled up at or behind the LOS (despite Addai's gallant efforts), Collie got caught turning the wrong way on too many screens and short slants, and Garcon dropped a HUGE ball in the second quarter.

The *truth* is that Manning had absolutely nothing to do with any of those.

Nice blog by the way. You'd probably have actual visitors if all your posts weren't so angry.

Is your two-hour delay about over yet?

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Keep the faith
written by SM, February 08, 2010

I just started reading this blog this season, and I wanted to tip my hat to the writers for their careful insight and dedication to the Colts fan base. It really made the season more fun to watch this team's journey and know that there were fans just as crazy as me.

That being said, I couldn't agree more that this team will be back, maybe more determined than ever, and hopefully will learn from some glaring weaknesses (OL) and overall bad coaching decisions. I think Polian was kind of vindicated, unfortunately in a bad way. We know that if Freeney played the full game, the outcome would likely have been different. So the healthier team won, whose playmakers made plays.

We saw two coaching-style extremes: one maybe too aggressive (re: 4th and goal) that happened to work out, and one too conservative in which nothing worked out. Caldwell is a smart, thoughtful coach who I think and hope will recognize some mistakes he made.

Finally, there were intangibles that we couldn't control. Like having the whole world supporting your opponent (the media, POTUS, all of South Florida) except for anyone in or from Indiana (pop. 5-6M). I mean they practically had homefield advantage.

So I think Colts fans have a lot to look forward to, hats off to the Saints, and maybe we'll have a rematch in, I don't know, say 2012.

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written by Mrs. DemondSanders, February 08, 2010

"...except for anyone in or from Indiana.."

And really? Not even. Everyone in the Northern third of the state thinks they are "from Chicago" and roots for the Bears.

And yes, this is really Demond's wife. I almost never comment here (it's been years I think) but I had to point that out because it drives me absolutely crazy.

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@Mrs. DemondSanders
written by Chip Bennett, February 08, 2010

And don't forget all of the Purdue traitors who couldn't differentiate being happy for a hometown hero (Brees) and actively rooting for him against your own freaking hometown team. (Ditto for the IU traitors rooting for Courtney Roby.)

Heck, I'm happy for Brees, and think he's an outstanding quarterback and an even more outstanding person.

But last night, I was absolutely rooting for him to lose.

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written by m@chu, February 08, 2010

the broken heart photo was absolutely the best possible image you guys could have used. I found myself unable to fall asleep last night, tossing, turning, reliving every missed opportunity or bad decision. Woke up this morning, and I was immediately b*tch slapped back into reality ... wondering what could have been done differently.

seriously, just like I was a teenager who just had his heart broken.

now every song I hear on the radio is going to be speaking straight. to. me.

on another note -- what would really brighten my day would be a recap of DS's visit with JC. Are we going to see that? + photos?

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I promised myself not to post here until at least the draft, but I am giving myself a day to grieve
written by dmstorm22, February 08, 2010

All I can say is nobody better kill Manning for this. There is no other QB that could have made this a 14 win team. Just like last year was an 8-8 or 9-7 team masquerading as 12-4, this was a 10-6 or at best 11-5 team with a Rodgers or a Rivers at QB.

You lose your #2 wideout, and have to rely on essentially two rookies and an o-line that cannot run block and is getting worse at pass blocking. On defense you lose one LB, one corner and your all-pro man beast safety to injury, and you still go 14-2. That was amazing. The Saints were healthier, and becuase of that, more talented. The Saints really had an injury-free year.

What Manning has done the last two years is incredible. This team, with all the injuries and turnover, had no business being in the Super Bowl.

If Bob can play in the playoffs next year, and Gonzo comes back like he should, and maybe even Marlin (imagine Powers as our nickel and Lacey as the dime, and Jennings in a Raiders uniform or something) stays healthy, the '10 Colts can easily be better than the '09 Colts. Or so I will tell myself.

Finally, I hope Manning has that pick-6 on a never-ending loop all of next year, and comes back with a "I'm dominating the league, screw everybody" vengeance.

Also, can Polian draft some DEs. Seriously, other than o-line, the offensive personnel is fine, and when healthy so is the secondary. We need rotational DEs. The Giants won in 2007 because of Justin Tuck. We need a Tuck. I would love to see us switch to a more Coyer-friendly Jim Johnson type scheme, where Freeney and Mathis will still be used. I did not see one double-a gap blitz yesterday, the move that won the 4th and 2 game. Coyer ran the most bastardly version of a Tampa-2 ever, staying in 4-3 when the Saints go 3 and 4 wide?? Honestly, Coyer was a great DC in Denver when he ran a Jim Johnson-lyte blitz scheme (great except when he played Peyton), let that man do what he does.

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Is was a completed pass....
written by Punching Kitty, February 08, 2010

Moore had the reception, bobbled it, regained possession on the ground. Whe he regained possession on the ground (albeit, a fraction of a second), the ball was in the endzone. The play is over at that point. It doesn't matter that the ball was knocked out after that - similar to when a runner sticks the ball out on a goal-line dive and a defender smacks it out - the ball crossed the plane... hope that clears it up...

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written by Monkey Business, February 08, 2010

I've been getting some first class hate from KSK readers. Follow it here:

http://twitter.com/monkeybiziu

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Via Mike Reis
written by J.C., February 08, 2010

"Peyton Manning is a great quarterback, but what we learned tonight in Super Bowl XLIV is this: He’s no Tom Brady in the pressure moment on the game’s biggest stage.

Looking to lead the Colts back from a 24-17 fourth-quarter deficit against the Saints, Manning threw an interception that cornerback Tracy Porter returned 74 yards for a touchdown, a key play in New Orleans' 31-17 upset victory.

It was a costly mistake, the kind of miscue that Brady, in his four Super Bowl appearances, never made in the critical fourth-quarter situation.

Even in the Patriots’ Super Bowl loss to the Giants, Brady had led a fourth-quarter drive for a touchdown before the defense couldn’t hold.

For all the stories that were written over the last week about which quarterback was the best of the decade – Brady or Manning – one aspect was overlooked: How Manning would lead the Colts in Super Bowl XLIV.

If you measure a quarterback by how he responds in the pressure moments on the game’s biggest stage, the debate ended with authority tonight."

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@JC
written by bubbadeez, February 08, 2010

Mike Reiss is a f**king moron and you are full of cowardice. Post your own s**t, or shut the f**k up. You want to talk s**t, but you do it second-handed.

"The Warrior" sits on the bench when a game is within reach, rides his better team to accomplishments, and take credit for them.

Go kick someone else when they are down, you steroid-taking, Guido-wannabe jackass. Anyone who says it's Peyton choking, or not rising to the occasion clearly doesn't know s**t about football. That includes you. YOU may be a big fan, but fans are still morons, and usually ungrateful ones at that.

Go rage away on someone completely smaller than you with a knife to a kids neck.

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written by DZ, February 08, 2010

Brady sure was clutch when he lead the Pats to fewer wins than Matt Cassel last year.

Or when he lost to an AWESOME Ravens team.

He won 7 playoff games with a worse rating than Manning had last night.

Crediting QBs for wins is retarded.

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written by DZ, February 08, 2010

Re: lance moore

The point is that he never HAD possession. In super frame by frame slow mo, he appeared to have the ball, but the standard has always been more than for a split second. He had it, lost it, had it again for less than 1 full second and it was knocked out.

That IS NOT possession.

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Re: lance moore
written by MattW, February 08, 2010

There was a line judge 5' from that play, and I think he made the right call.

Peyton's interception was like Favre's in that it probably had no effect on the game's outcome. Even if we score on that drive does anyone think our D keeps the Saints from kicking the game winning FG with 20 seconds left on the clock in the drive following?

Caldwell called the game like he thought our talent level was a lot higher. Given a healthy Freeney and Wayne I think it would have been the way to call the game. If Payton was not an extremely aggessive play caller it would also have been how to call the game. If we had Rivers instead of Manning it would also have been the way to go.

How many times this year did we not try to drive down the field with less than 2 minutes to go in the 1st half? I got a bad feeling when we tried to run the clock down at the end of the half. How many 50+ yard FGs has Vinatieri kicked in the last 3 years? Dungy always said to not do things differently in the post season than the regular season, and I feel like the Colts ignored that advice in this game.

Addai had a huge game and practically carried the team on his back on most of the successful drives. Garcon had the costly drop but he played well overall and toasted Greer (the Saints best corner) on more than one play. Powers I think was hurt? It seemed like Jennings was out there more than Powers after the first two drives (3 and outs). Tackling from the secondary was awful.

With the way offensive holding is no longer called we may need a big DT who can collapse the pocket to force QBs out to Mathis and Freeney. Other than Lilja and Saturday our line play on running downs is awful. That needs to be fixed. If all of our receivers come back healthy it is probably the deadliest receiving corps in the league. The secondary is good with healthy players. Powers and Lacey may develop into shut down corners.

We need to rebuild the offensive and defensive lines this offseason. Freeney's replacement needs to be drafted in 2010 or 2011 or a big, fast DT needs to be drafted. It is also time to see if Mcafee (sp?) can kick 50-60 yard fgs in the NFL.

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written by DZ, February 08, 2010

Good points, but we've been looking for that big fast DT for 10 years now.

As for the pick, if it comes with the Colts down 3 or 4, or ahead, it's a back breaker (like Farve's was). When you are already trailing by 7 with 3 minutes to play (and the Saints had three time outs), the odds are long that you are going to win. The game probability chart shows that.

That game was lost 5 minutes before the pick. Blaming Manning for that loss is what people do who assume quarterbacks are the reason for everything in football. It's lazy.

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written by J.C., February 08, 2010

Bubba:

I talk my own s**t - that's the first thing I've copied and pasted, maybe ever.

Manning was awesome last night. The pick-six looked more like Reggie's route and Porter's anticipation of the play than a bad throw or a mistake.

Still - it's a pick-six in the 4th Quarter of the SB down a touchdown.

Personally I wish whoever hit Manning during the return hit him harder. It would have made up for the last 10 years of him never getting f**kin touched.

Re: 2pt Conv.

I thought he clearly had possession and broke the plane, then lost possession, thenb regained it with the ball in the endzone ALL before being touched down. There's nothing in the rulebook about one full second.

Once the plane is broken with possession - it's good. In my opinion, and that of the official, he broke the plane with possession twice.

Didn't matter bc Porter iced it anyway.

But I'm not hearing 'Manning Choked' stuff anywhere. The radio is more filled with Payton has balls stuff, and Brees was unreal.

Which he was.

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written by DZ, February 08, 2010

JC I agree with you that it SHOULD have been a good conversion, but by the rule (which is horrible and needs to go back the way it was), he did not maintain possession through the act of hitting the ground.

The story should be Payton and Brees. Both were amazing.

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general thoughts and @JC
written by bubbadeez, February 08, 2010

I have never been impressed with Payton, but I have always liked Brees. I don't think it was so much of what Payton coached last night, but it was what Caldwell did. He decided (or maybe it was Moore) that 3 runs up the gut to finish the half was the right thing to do. That is BS. Caldwell got out-coached, but to me it wasn't the greatness of Payton, it was the short-comings of Caldwell. He thought a ten point lead going into the half was enough. He never dreamed of the on-side kick attempt, and to me it shows further supports the case of Bill B. going for it on 4th and 2. Do whatever you can to not let PM have the ball.


And @ JC...

Good, come talk s**t, don't hide behind a copy-paste with nothing else to say. I will quote and copy paste, but I will add my own thoughts to it as well. You act tough ready to take anyone on, but it is pure f**king cowardice to show up here with your tail between your legs, head lowered and giggling while you point toward someone else talking s**t about the Colts. That is the literary equivalent of what you just did. That is the kind of s**t a 12 year old does.

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@bubadeez
written by dmstorm22, February 08, 2010

This is the first time JC has ever copy-pasted. He usually brings it.

I totally agree with you, JC. By the rules established back in Week 1 with the Louis Murphy TD, that should NOT have been a 2-point conversion, but my eyes told me it was.

The biggest problem I had with the game was the white-flag waved when we took over at the 1 after the stop on 4th and 1. We were jacked up, and the Saints looked dead, after missing their "man-up" power run. We should have taken advantage of that, made it like 13-3, and then gotten the ball. Even if they do the onside kick (which they might not do down two scores, as the risk of not recovering is then greater), we are up. That was where it was lost.

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written by J.C., February 08, 2010

DZ:

I think the deciding factors in the 2PT was that he was never touched down, or rolled out of bounds. The ball never touched the ground either.

Therefore........he was just live..... a la Marvin v Denver in 2004.

By the time the DB kicked the ball, he had regained possession, clearly broken the plane, was not out of bounds, and had not been touched down.

Is your brother OK?

Nary a peep.

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written by DZ, February 08, 2010

but the question is what constitutes 'reestablished possession'. We can agree he didn't have it before the first bobble. Then he appears to have it for a split second before it is kicked away. The official was right on top of it, but in slow mo, it appears he had it for longer than he really did.

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written by J.C., February 08, 2010

A split second is all that's necessary, per my understanding of the rule.

Unless he's touched down, at which point the 'control it to the ground' rule comes in.

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I think JC is right
written by dmstorm22, February 08, 2010

The way I understood the week one ruling was that if you were contacted and going to the ground, you have to mantain possession all the way through.

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written by GuruBlue, February 08, 2010

Purdue's kicker comes to mind as a good one to get, he has the strongest leg I have ever seen. Unfortunatly, he is a Junior and not coming out early...Texas has a hell of a kicker, not sure what his name is, but he hit that big one from around 50 yards to beat Nebraska...so he has a big game winning kick to his credit...We need to use a 3rd or 4th round pick to get the best kicker in the draft and square this problem away for good...I think UCLA has a bad ass kicker that will be in this draft too

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2 pt conversion
written by Dr. Ben, February 08, 2010

Possession, re-established possession...on and on. The NFLs ridiculousness in making rules clear and consistently enforced (much less available to begin with) makes it a moot point, really. Even if we had access to the actual top-secret book of rules it would be enforced and justified differently at different times. I've felt like the rules are a lot like the US tax code: very much in need of simplification.

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M@cho
written by J.C., February 09, 2010

I didn't see your first post man, my bad.

I guess the brothers didn't win the lottery for season ticket holders, so they weren't here in SOFLO.

I woulda loved to have met them, but when the Patriots go to the Bowl in INDY I'll be sure to make the trip.

In all seriousness, after I took my shots at you guys and acted petty and childishly (as was my right to do given the abuse and taunts I endured at the hands of DZ and DS for just about the entirety of elapsed timed between our Epic Superbowl Collapse and yours), I have this to say:

You'll be back. It wouldn't shock me if you guys start 12-0 AGAIN. You're deep, talented, relatively young, well coached and draft excellently.

We, on the other hand, are f**ked. For another year at least.

I'll conclude with this. Like all Patriot fans, or (and there was a LOT of this on South Florida radio today) people who resented the media prematurely crowning him the "Greatest Ever" - we loved to see him throw a pick-six to ice the game on the biggest stage.

We don't like him, his brother, his smirk, his commercials, or losing to him which happens a bit too much. Just as you all love to see Tom Brady fail, we rejoice when Peyton Manning fails as well.

Of course you always say 'It's not his fault, it's a team sport' and you're absolutely correct. Last night was NOT his fault. I thought he was brilliant, especially that rolling right touch pass to Dallas Clark. Nobody in the history of FOOTBALL can make that throw. He can, and makes them regularly.

Yea he got hurt by a TERRIBLE drop early that could have put the Colts in a commanding position. Yea your special teams suck, completely. Yea you got outcoached. It happens.

But for the record, I will NEVER allow someone to say that the game was 'pretty much over' before the pick-six or anything to that effect. I read that last night and it's f**king bulls**t and you all know it. That's where he's SUPPOSED to go win it. Not give them a score and get mauled at the end of it in humiliating fashion.

Here's what it all comes down to now after that LOSS with respect to team of the decade. I'm certainly not going to comment on Peyton Manning's legacy because his career is nowhere near over, he's the past passer I've EVER seen, and he plays for an organization that will always keep him competitive.

In my worthless opinion, the Colts are the third best team of the decade behind us and Pitt.

The Patriots (and I think we'd all concede they woulda beat the Bears that year) were two plays - Caldwells drop and Tyree's magic - from winning five championships in seven years, a 19-0 immortal season, Tom Brady cementing his legacy as the best ever (FIVE RINGS, 50 SCORES, 19-0) and the hate for our team growing exponentially, if that's possible.

TWO PLAYS!! Just goes to show anything can happen on Any Given Sunday.


As it stands now, Peyton is still #2. 9-9 in the post season sucks, and DZ can take his passer rating stats and stuff it up his brother's ass, if Demond would come out of hiding.

For those of you who just started reading 18to88, the only reason I came here in the first place was becase CHFF linked to 88 Reasons to Hate the Pats in 2007, I responded, they responded back, and it's been Hatfield v McCoy ever since with me being whichever family won.

After the Patriots lost the 19-0 game to the Giants, I showed up to 'take my medicine' like a man, for which Nate Dunlevy (who I consider a friend although I've never spoken to him or seen him in person) has shown me major respect, which, despite my profane rants and s**t talking, has been reicprocated big time.

His brother however, reiterated for months how he was going to go 'Watch the Superbowl again on DVR' just to rub it in my f**king face.

That's why Bubba Deez needs to step the f**k off when I play back at them because he doesn't know the history. And I say that with an element of jest man. Don't take it personally.

You guys celebrated when we lsot the 19-0 game.

I celebrated last night.

That's The Rivalry.

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written by diogenes, February 09, 2010

Amen to what Dr. Ben wrote. There's no consistency which I can detect in how NFL games are officiated.
I was watching the Super Bowl in a sports bar and said to a stranger before the game that one of the early keys to the otcome would be how tight or how loosely the refs called the game. I asserted that if holding, pass interference and personal fouls were called loosely, it would strongly favor the Saints. If tightly, then the Colts would benefit.

This is not to say, like the childish posters often do, that I'm blaming the loss on the officials. But during the "scrum" that developed after the on-side kickoff, at least one COLT player threw a punch, as did others, and for that infraction of the rules any player is supposed to be automatically ejected. That didn't happen.

The officials refrained from calling obvious offensive holding, and at least one clear pass interference, etc. Or as Peter King wrote, the officials essentially let the players play and were not intrusive.

The NFL is the hardest game to officiate. Since the officials can have an impact on such a large percentage of a team's total scoring, it is imperative that the officiating be as good as possible. Yet the rich and enormously successful NFL continues to refuse to pay for young, physically fit, full-time professional referees.

I find that to be disgraceful and indefensible, and a perennial insult to all the fans of every team.

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written by diogenes, February 09, 2010

Sorry about my typo. "Otcome" should read outcome.

Like Peyton Manning, nobody is perfect. Except the Patriots' coach. He never makes any mistakes. That's why, for example, in their last four drafts the Patriots have gleaned one kicker and one position player starter.

The Patriots have not only the greatest owner in sports history, but the greatest coach, the greatest quarterback, the greatest fans and they used to have the greatest field goal kicker--until he left the Patriots.

I'm shocked that their fans only modestly assert that their team is the "Team of the Decade", when clearly they must be the greatest NFL team of all time.

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@JC again
written by bubbadeez, February 09, 2010

I do know the history, I have been coming to this site for a while, under the name Derek, that got taken away from me when Bloguin changed the layout of the site, and I just stuck with my usuername after that.
I have been coming to the site since the Colts won the Superbowl (because I didn't know about this site until then) and was googling Peyton Manning, to find out how many columnists actually manned up and ate their words.

That being said, what you posted earlier struck me as sheepish and low. I had been getting back-handed sympathy about the game, at work by fair-weather Saints fans, that don't know s**t about football, and after 5 hours it just struck me as cowardly and felt like the proverbial last straw when I checked the site on my lunch break.

I don't really have a problem with JC, or him coming to the site and 'representing' his s**t ass team. It was only the way you stood next to the post, and pointed your finger at it, like a snot-nosed punk pre-teenager does, when he is standing next to his dad, or a cop, or a teacher, or whatever....You get the point I am sure.

2 Point Conversion:
I don't know why they even needed to challenge in the first place. I was dumbfounded when they actually said no good, and had to challenge to get it. That was bulls**t, and the refs sucked both ways, all night.

Refs sucking:

Freeney and Mathis were blatantly held at least twice each, and the refs are f**king crap for it. Let's pretend the media fiasco didn't play into it, and the refs actually just ignored it. I think they are f**king fans watching the game sometimes.
The SCRUM! was a crock of s**t too. 3 times a saint was pulled out of the pile by a colt or a ref and they ran back in. I didn't see the colts doing that (of course i look at it through horse-shoe glasses) but i did see them throwing punches, AFTER getting shoved in the back by the guys that pulled them off. Then a bunch s**t happens, to include saint and colts punching each other in front of the ref, hitting the ref to try to get back into the guy he was hitting (#28 of the Saints) dragging a colt out of the pile by his face-mask, twice (#27 and #54 of the saints) and taunting not only right in front of the ref, but with one hand on the ref's back (#31 of the saints)
A whole lot of flags should have been thrown, against both teams, on both sides of the ball, definitely including special teams. For years, the officiating in the NFL has gotten worse, and worse, and worse. Every year, they lower the bar, whether it is the tuck rule, or just not calling a rule that has been around for 25 years.
And for the record, that was the incorrect application of the tuck rule, and that is why it was s**tty. His arm was not going forward in a passing motion, it was going forward in a "OMFGBBQSAUCE-I-GONE-GIT-SAXORED!!" motion.

But don't get me wrong, I don't blame the refs for this loss at all. I blame the coach, the poor decisions, and the utter lack of effort that some guys were giving. The receivers, including 87, should have played better... like catching the ball, or at least trying to put your body up for the catch, and not letting DBs jump your routes.

2003AFCCG should have taught every Colt one thing. Even if you think a flag is gonna be thrown, get the damn ball anyway, because refs are unreliable at best.

All 3 main receivers let me down in one way or another. I don't expect them to be perfect, but I expect effort (Collie and Wayne, go get the ball damnit!), and I expect that if the ball hits your hands, you catch it (Frenchie!!!)

No, we plain old lost that game. We lost it so well, that it took a failing in coaching, special-teams, defense, and offense. And we still had a chance.
We had more yards, yards passing, yards rushing, first downs, and a lack of TOP by 30 seconds. We gave the game away a number of times, and that is what hurts.

The Saints didn't come out and whoop our asses, like they probably could have, but we straight up f**ked ourselves in the ass, repeatedly, in almost every way that you can.

That is why i am pissed. That is why I am disappointed. That is why s**t will get under my skin for a while, much quicker than normal.

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JC
written by dmstorm22, February 09, 2010

I can't imagine how Pats fans ever got over SB XLII. It's been two days and I'm still replaying the drop and the onside kick in my head. I can't imagine losing a SB like that, or like the Titans did in '99. I'll just be thankful my team wasn't that close.

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written by diogenes, February 09, 2010

I've lived in Massachusetts and Connecticut and have witnessed first hand Boston football and baseball fans before the Red Sox and Patriots won Most appeared to have strong masochistic tendencies.

Only a person from Boston could think of a concept such as "Harvard beats Yale 29-29" or Red Sox defeat
Cincinnati three games to four.

Then the Red Sox end the totally imaginary curse of Babe Ruth and actually win a World Series after 86 years. Similarly, the Patriots, destroyed in the most one-sided rout in SB history (by the Bears)
finally win a championship, their first in what, 41 years, and two more in the next three years.

This resulted in massive cognitive dissonance for
the Sox and Patriots fans. And now, since Boston hasn't won a championship in any professional major
league sport in like four years and nine months,
they are totally, I think the clinical term is, whacko. They never really get over anything....

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re: dmstorm
written by m@chu, February 09, 2010

I'm with you -- I still feel like I was on the short end of a break up. Can't listen to the radio for fear of songs (or talking heads) that remind me of her (or the loss).

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written by J.C., February 09, 2010

Storm:

Nobody has gotten over it, it haunts us all. It will forever.

When you guys rejoiced in our despair, I ached for the day that I'd feel some retribution.

It finally came.

I like the article in the Star yesterday about the ELEVEN fans that greeted players on the tarmac yesterday.

I mean......that's some sad s**t.

Fantastic.

Meanwhile, Demond - my primary tormentor for a good 18 months - is still off the grid like Tiger Woods.

That's some pussy ass s**t.

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written by J.C., February 09, 2010

Diogenes:

Was May of 2008 4 years and 9 months ago?

Celtics/Lakers?

Who you callin whacko f**k face??

Hey Bubba, you whiney punk......http://bleacherreport.com/articles/342670-mannings-legacy-two-schools-of-thought

There's another link for you. I mean, seeing as how this blog's left margin is composed of other people's words, I assume you'll keep your mouth shut this time.

If not - I'll spar with you some more.

Colts losing in the Superbowl is a celebratory occasion where I'm from, so I'm feelin good.

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JC
written by dmstorm22, February 09, 2010

revel in it. This is probably more hapiness than the Pats will give you next year.

I have to say, though, I'm already over it, to the most part.

I actually felt worse and more despondent after the 2003 Title Game. This, though, was far worse than the 2004 Divisional, and both SD losses, but nothing close to the Steelers loss. That haunted me until the AFC Title Game win the next year.

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BTW
written by dmstorm22, February 09, 2010

more depressing than this loss....... the fact that I found out the NFL is standardizing the Super Bowl logo (http://sports.espn.go.com/dall...id=4886793), so that only the numerals, and the stadium backdrop change every year. Also, they are changing the Title Game trophies to some silver ball shaped deal.

Sure, the NFL Cartel has to now make all the logos look alike, god forbid there is any sort of vibrance in the league (although I must say, logos have sucked in recent years).

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@JC
written by bubbadeez, February 10, 2010

I hope you do feel good about the loss. I danced and celebrated when 18-1* happened. I celebrated when 'The Warrior' got carried off the field in tears. If you wouldn't celebrate this loss, then you are a fair-weather fan. I know you are not. I still stand by what you did a couple of days ago was something a cowardly 12 year old does. It is not your norm, but it is still s**tty. Don't like it? I don't care. Enjoy your s**t ass team. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have 2 football teams to root for almost every week. The Colts and whoever plays the Patriots.

Isn't this 'The Warrior' on the left side of this photo?




Either way, I don't give a damn about him, you, or the rest of the Patriots. I hope for a plane-crash every time they have an away game.

Pretty macho of you to call someone a punk on the internet. Especially someone who holds a knife to a kid's neck. By your own admission. Shame your daddy got you off of that one, maybe you would have been someone's punk in an 8'X4' cell. Then you could have more in common with your 'Broke-Back-Warrior-QB.'

Either way, go f**k yourself.

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written by bubbadeez, February 10, 2010

photo wouldn't link, oh well.

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