He's still the boss...

Tony Dungy announced he has decided to stay HC of the Colts for at least one more season. I'm glad to see he's staying and really glad that he didn't delay in announcing his decision. At the gym I go to, it seems like at least one of the local TV stations was constantly showing loops of Dungy...and since I didn't have audio, I kept wondering if there was any news on the matter.

I liked the idea of Caldwell or Meeks taking over for Dungy, I like even better the idea of both of these assistants coming back under Dungy for at least one more campaign. I'd like to see Dungy taken out of the Oil Can next season on the players' soldiers after beating Belichick one last time...regardless if that game is the first or the last game, Dungy should then retire.

Atta boy, Nick

Ex-Boiler, Nick Hardwick gave an expletive-filled tirade describing his direct opponent Richard Seymour last night following the game. This rant proves two things:

First, all of the Chargers run their mouths all of the time.

Second, yet another Patriot is a punk just like his coach. Is anyone surprised that an off-field cheating coach would have an onfield cheating player? We already knew that there was at least one off-field cheating player.

Uh-Oh: Could the Golden Boys Have Cheated, Too?

Looks like the Pats aren't the only ones who might be cheaters in the NFL. The feel-good Colts might also be to blame.

Just like in baseball and auto racing, where the old adage goes, "If you ain't cheatin', you ain't tryin'," it looks like the Colts are the latest to get called out for trying something that's a bit below-board.

Whether or not there's truth to it remains to be seen, but the Colts right now stand accused of piping in extra crowd noise for Sunday's showdown with the Patriots.

What's interesting to me is why a team would think this would really help. This is what makes me think this is either unlikely to be true or, if it is true, is the product of someone aside from the football operations (i.e., the sound team at the Hoosier/RCA/Whatever Dome). I mean, isn't it likely the Pats have played in pretty loud places before?

Apparently, league officials were tipped off when the crowd noise got very loud in the dome.

"This game took place in Indianapolis," said Roger Godell in a prepared statement, "and everybody knows the Indiana crowds never really get loud so we knew something was amiss."*

Seriously, though, I think this is pretty funny and just adds to the brewing hate between these teams and fan bases.

*Statement may be fabricated -- please don't have me kneecapped, Commissioner Goodell.

Pretty Fricking Super

The Indianapolis Colts are World Champs...and from the perspective of a guy who lives just outside of Indianapolis, it's pretty great. The build-up to the game was fun, and the celebrations after have been tame. I am happy for Manning and Dungy both who have constantly been told that they just can't win the big game.

So, Peyton Manning won't have to answer anymore questions about his legacy now that he's won a Super Bowl...or will he? No joke- At 11:45 pm Eastern, on ESPN, the smart guys on ESPN asked the question- "Does Peyton need to win two to cement his legacy as one of the greats?" Seriously, that has to be the most stupid question ever asked. I think his legacy is just fine- he's got some individual records, his team won 13 in a row in 2005, he was part of one of the biggest comebacks in playoff history and his team is now the World Champion. I am pretty sure it's OK to say he's a great quarterback. Further, he now can win the big game; I'd argue he won the last two big games...so shut it, ESPN. He's jumped through plenty of hoops.

Does anyone else think the Colts might win another now?

Colts 38 Patriots 34

Ding Dong, the witch is dead!





I know, I know, the Colts haven't won a Super Bowl yet, but all of the whispers that have followed Peyton Manning & Tony Dungy alike have been silenced. They really needed to play the Patriots to stop people (like me) from doubting that they were even capable of winning the "big game" let alone beating teams from the Boston area during the month of January.

Here's the thing- I find Manning, Dungy, Wayne, Addai, Irsay and many others in the Colts organization likable. It's nice, for me at least, to see "the good guy" win. Conversely, I find Belicheck unlikable...even moreso, I find Mark Hurley and Chris Bois & most other chowdah heads detestable...So it couldn't have happened to a better group of guys.


For those of you who didn't catch this- the Colts had Jim Harbaugh out at midfield for the coin toss...Right away, I was pretty angry. Real great, I thought, Harbaugh, the patron saint of the almost-win in the AFC championship is representing the Colts. That mentality reminds me of another team that I root passionately for. Unlike the Boilers, I don't think the Colts will have the Lombardi trophy on their helmet going through the horseshoe. (ref. the Rose through the "P" during Purdue's Rose Bowl appearance of 2001).

In fact, the whole game reminded me of a Purdue bowl game...with the exception of the fact that the team that I was rooting for actually won the contest.

In other news, another "good guy", Drew Brees was battered, beaten and made to look pretty lousy by the over-rated Bears defense. I really believe that the Saints offensive line played as poorly as any offensive line at that level that I have seen in a while; let alone a Championship-caliber team...Much of the credit should go to the Bears defense, but come on now. I'm pretty excited for Brees & company's future. Oh yeah, and Bush is pretty OK, if you're into that sort of thing.