Know Your Colts History: A Lot of Hart

by JakeTheSnake on Aug 8, 2008 10:55 AM EDT in Humor

Today, I have two confessions to make.

1. I'm an Ohio State football fan.

Yeah, I know. The Ohio State that runs amok in a weak Big Ten Conference and gets creamed in national championship games except this one. Maybe the last couple of years haven't ended the way that Buckeye fans hoped in January, but win or lose, at least we can take solace in knowing that we've beaten the rival Wolverines 4 years in a row.

2. I like some players that went to Michigan.

Everyone knows that there's no love lost in the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry, but there are some players that donned the maize and blue that I still have a ton of respect for. Obviously Wolverines that play or have played on the Colts, Jim Harbaugh and Marlin Jackson, have lifetime exemptions, and I always liked Braylon Edwards and Desmond Howard, even though they lined up for the wrong team. But in my years as an OSU fan, there's one Wolverine that I have more respect for than any other out there.

His name is Mike Hart.

Sure, I didn't like his rant on Jim Harbaugh (let's hope they don't cross paths in a hotel!) but I'm willing to chalk that up to being young. Normally, I wouldn't be so forgiving, but when you watch him play, it's almost impossible to not like him.

He's not the biggest guy out there and he's certainly not the fastest, but unlike other guys out there with more athletic ability, Mike Hart just knows how to run the football. In his career at Michigan he had three fumbles in 1015 rushing attempts. To put that in perspective, Edgerrin James, one of surest ballcarriers in the NFL, had 324 rushing attempts last season and coughed up the ball 4 times.

That's mighty impressive, but in praising his tight grip on the ball, let's not ignore the fact that he had 1015 carries in 4 seasons. That's a lot of pounding for someone that's 5-9, 206 lbs. to take, but as we all saw on Sunday, the defenders ended up feeling a lot more pain than he did.

Even though Addai is going to make sure that Mike Hart doesn't become a one-man wrecking machine, I'm looking forward to the days when Hart becomes a guy the Colts can bring in to pound on the defense when Joe needs a breather. If the Hall of Fame Game was an indicator of what's to come, I'd say those days are coming sooner rather than later.

1 recs | Comment 5 comments

Read Related

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

I hate Michigan and OSU

I hate (dislike is probably better) both Michigan U and OSU, but love Hart. There is just something about the way he runs. It’s not flashy, it’s not super quick, it’s just damn effective! I doubt we’ll see it based on how the Colts have managed things in the past but I’d love to see a 3 headed monster in the backfield. Imagine how fresh our RB legs would be come postseason if we did. Maybe the fact that Hart holds on to the ball will get Dungy to consider giving Hart 3-6 touches a game.

by Rob-Westside on Aug 8, 2008 4:42 PM EDT 0 recs

Another Buckeye

I get where you’re coming from. As much as I dislike Michigan I always respected what Hart did. Some stars (like Edwards, Henne, Arrington, and a few more) don’t even show up when they play the Buckeyes. But Hart always had good/great games. I’m really glad he’s on our team.

Now, if we can only figure out a way to get Beanie Wells….

by smonroe on Aug 8, 2008 5:52 PM EDT 0 recs

Hart is "all heart MF" *Jerry Maguire

This kid will continue to shock people. I don’t care about his 40 times, production doesn’t lie. Some dismiss production when it is at a Div. III level for guys like Garcon… but Hart played against the toughest competition in Div. I college football and made things happen. I, personally, hate Michigan as well and haven’t cared about anyone who’s come out of that program other than Marlin Jackson… but this kid will NOT be denied. He never has been when he’s been put on the field and there’s no reason to believe he will be now. Will he average his in-game average from the HoF game consistently? No. However, is quick to the hole, consistently makes the first or second tackler miss, or simply refuses to go down when hit by the first or second would-be tacklers, and with decent run blocking is almost guaranteed to get you 3 yards. I see him pressuring Rhodes for the 2 spot late in the year and making Addai work for it entering next season. If this kid is cut… I’ll lose a lot of respect for Polian/Dungy. He’s a winner, always has been… and just sit and watch as he continues to make things happen at this level as well.

Getting compared to Warrick Dunn by Dungy indicates that his talent/value for our team is clear. I’m excited to see tomorrow.

by bamock on Aug 9, 2008 2:16 AM EDT 0 recs

Hart will rule for us...

Just ‘Cos he’s a wolverine;)

Now if only we could get Adrian Arrington…...

by furrycolt on Aug 9, 2008 10:37 AM EDT 0 recs

A fellow Buckeye fan's take on Mike Hart...

I took great pride as an OSU fan in the way the boys shut Mike Hart’s big mouth over the last few years. Hart might have been the Michigan player that I disliked the most in recent memory. He yapped before, during, and after OSU wins against Michigan. I’ve never seen a guy talk so much in this rivalry with so little success….0-4 against OSU in his tenure.

That being said….I always have respected the guy when his mouth was closed. You don’t accomplish the things he accomplished at Michigan without great talent and work ethic.

When we drafted Hart, I was very happy about it. I thought that he could be a true late round steal. The guy isn’t lacking in confidence. He is a proven producer in spite of his small size and lack of ideal NFL speed. Plus, he has my FAVORITE trait in an NFL prospect….a chip on his shoulder. I am a HUGE fan of the guys that just want it more than the next guy. The guys that will not be outworked or under prepared. When push comes to shove in the NFL, the guy that wins the one on one battles is the guy that wants it more….not the MOST athletic guy. Guys like Saturday, Brackett, Rhodes, and Bethea. The unwanted guys that just flat out want it more…that is what you build a franchise on, not the spoiled prima donna that has been dominant athletically since the first grade and has NEVER had to truly work at his craft.

Kind of a long way of saying….Mike Hart could be a pretty good find because it seems that he wants it more.

by Disco Stu on Aug 9, 2008 12:32 PM EDT 0 recs