Expressing the rational side of the argument

by linkish on Dec 28, 2009 6:41 AM EST Comment 39 comments

I'm not surprised to see the huge, draining display of emotion on this site. We Colts fans are a passionate bunch, and that's been proven countless times in the Manning era, particularly over this extended stretch of excellence. It's also very true that we're spoiled beyond belief, to the point that fans of 31 other teams in this league are incredulous at the reaction here. Oh piss, we're 14-1. Ask a Pats fan again how it feels to end 16-0 only to be dinged up to the point you can't perform at your peak level (I'm speaking here of the Pats' offensive line, specifically) to win The Big One.

Personally, I felt shitty at the end of the game. Who wouldn't, after seeing the way our guys looked on the sidelines? I'll guaran-damn-tee you, though, that feeling would be amplified to a near-suicidal degree if we were to succumb to the same hubris that brought down the 2007 Patriots. Obviously the worst, this feeling in our collective gut, is that it came on the final home game of the '09 season. Oh wait, no it didn't! We're assured to play at least one more game at home. That's when the real NFL season begins; the only one that really, truly matters. Isn't that the line we've been fed by the media, and the fan-bases of the Pats and Steelers both? So if we're going to go 18-1, where would you rather have your one loss? Which one is more of a gut-punch, or a middle finger, or whatever ridiculous rhetorical sentiment you attach to it?

Here's another reality for you: most all football players play hurt most of the season. In the modern NFL, the smart teams are the ones that can walk that precarious tightrope of keeping your most irreplaceable players off the IR. For the most part, we are one of those smart teams, and luckily so. Wasn't it correctly pointed out by this blog that most of our playoff upsets were more the result of injuries than rust? As a matter of fact, I believe one or two of those articles were penned by our esteemed blogger-in-chief. (Shoe, I love ya man, I really do. But to think you'd get caught up in the Polian-is-against-us bullshit saddens me.) Here's the extension of the above-mentioned reality: we were playing a Rex Ryan defense today, one of the best in the NFL in addition to being one of the most punishing. Now, who's to say whether someone like Reggie or Dallas or Joe wasn't dinged a little bit in this game? It happens in every game, more so at the end of the season; isn't it the wiser decision to beat a strategic retreat when the meaningful battle is one the horizon? The metaphor is apt: the course of an NFL season is very much like war, storming through enemies one after the other. Now, if you yourself are at the command of our Colts army, and the sitrep is in that Addai took a shot that's lingering with him a bit, or that Reggie has tweaked an ankle, or any possible similar scenario, isn't the wise decision to pull back and direct those troops elsewhere? Hank Baskett is an acceptable casualty; Reggie Wayne isn't.

And that's what's at the root of this: the fact is, we cannot win the Superbowl without Reggie, Dallas, Joe, Free, Rob, Brackett, and more peripherally a collection of others. This has been proven to us year after year after year. That's why Mathis and Frenchy didn't play, nor Jerraud Powers, nor Clint Session, nor Charlie Johnson. We need these men healthy. We rattle off victories better than any team in the history of the league, and we do it when we have the majority of our core players. Every last goddamn one of you knows this; it's inarguable. That's why when one of our major contributors gets hurt, we treat them gently. It's the reason we waited on Anthony Gonzalez and Adam Vinatieri. Gonzo's situation didn't pan out, but we would have been that much better if his talents were available to us; luckily it afforded us a measure of Austin Collie, who so far has proven himself the best receiver bargain in the last draft. A lot of these guys could have, and likely would have played if we were fighting another team for the division crown, et al.

All these guys have been playing football since youth. Players want to play, and they want to win; it's a major point of concern when you find a guy who isn't almost ruthlessly competitive. Fans want to see their teams win football games. But in the order of importance, players want to play in and fans want to see their teams win Superbowls above all else. After winning one almost every player to a man reflects in the moment, stating that that ring, that trophy, that accomplishment, is something that no one will ever be able to take away. You grow up wanting to play in the Superbowl, not in week sixteen. Freeney said it best: they don't give trophies for 16-0. Coming back to the '07 Pats, the most pathetic thing about that season, as Jeff Chadiha reminds us, is that there's a banner hanging in Gillette Stadium, commemorating the 16-0 season; all it will ever remind people of is the monumental sense of failure that comes with not losing a single game until the one that mattered most.

The silliest thing about it all is that people are shocked--shocked, I say!--that this was going to play out in the fashion it did. If you come to this website, you know this was coming, and to expect otherwise is tantamount to lying to yourself. We've been talking about this for weeks. Those of you at the Luke yesterday, you paid your good money to watch a football game. You didn't pay to see a team win; there's no guarantee of victory in the ticket's fine print. Otherwise there would be mass refunds in St. Louis and Detroit, to say nothing of the other horrible teams in the league. Bottom line, we as a team have never, not once, ever insinuated anything other than health trumping the desire to win meaningless games. I'm going to take a 14-1 team that's 80% healthy over a team that's 15-0 and 50% healthy any day of the week. You've got a right to be pissed off, but it doesn't mean that you are right. People talk about football immortality; what do you think winning a Superbowl is? Get some perspective, please, and be rational.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Stampede Blue's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Stampede Blue's writers or editors.

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Great read man.

Added rec.

by huevonkiller on Dec 28, 2009 7:36 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Hey, thanks a lot.

It means a great deal to me.

by linkish on Dec 28, 2009 4:36 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I second that

Finally a well thought out, calm, cool, article in a hot mess of raw emotion. I think the emotion shows we have a lot of fans that care, but maybe haven’t come to realize that this is not the end of the season. I would rec this 2x’s if possible.

by hendoz on Dec 29, 2009 11:48 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm still not exactly sure

what a “rec” is, but I’m assuming it’s good, and I’m delighted you feel the article is worth it.

by linkish on Dec 29, 2009 5:10 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The more Recs

your article gets keeps your article at the top of the FanPost page. Its kinda makes us see it as a “must read” kinda thing.

By the way thanks for actually putting some thought into this post. The last few days a lot of posts have went up and most of them containing nothing but mindless, uneducated garbage. So again, thanks!

Bob Sanders does not play Hide-and-Seek, He plays HIDE and PRAY-HE-DOES-NOT FIND-YOU!

by coltsfan723 on Dec 29, 2009 7:03 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I was bitterly disappointed yesterday mainly because the guys played their hearts out last week at Jacksonville so it seemed to indicate that Coach Caldwell was going to quietly go for it. This morning, however, I have to remember how exciting this season has been and how Coach Caldwell and Bill Polian have been geniuses in managing the personnel. While the historic implications of the loss hurt, I’d rather be sitting at 14/1 then have watched in horror as Peyton went down on that pass rush that forced the fumble and been hurt which could have happened just as easily as 15/0. So, having trusted them this far, one lost potentially “historic” moment, does not ruin my pride in our team or my faith that we have a preeminent coach. As a note, Coach didn’t look too happy either so it may be that he had received his marching orders and had to comply as much as anyone. I felt badly for poor Painter. He wasn’t alone in that fumble. Tom Santi had the ball and lost it. I’ve seen the same thing happen to Peyton. He’s been picked, sacked, etc. Rough first outing for a first game for a rookie quarterback but, with all the bad plays, he completed a couple of very sweet passes. Guess what I’m getting at is that we have a lot of reasons to be proud of our team. Let’s swallow our disappointment and go forward to a super bowl run in the playoffs.

by bluefilly on Dec 28, 2009 9:47 AM EST reply actions 1 recs

Hell,

Peyton could’ve been killed on the blitz Don Brown only just barely was able to catch in time and change direction to pick up. As we know already, Brown isn’t quite there yet as a pass protector. What do you think would be the sentiment in the community if Peyton went down on that play?

by linkish on Dec 28, 2009 4:39 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

This is the kind of situation when the right thing feels wrong

The decision; might have been the right one but the timing and the way they manage their plans were not.

I felt bad and sad for a team that have shown on a NFL record 7 times this season that they just don’t know how to quit. For some reason(bad timing) this game felt like quitting.

The place; why do this in your house? where your team will be “BOOOO” , this was not a smart thing to do and this is why this is a controversy right now.

Now is 15-1 better than 14-2? I think that if we have won yesterday there is no way we play Peyton more than a series in Buffalo so after 15-0 it was going to end the perfect season anyway.

But poor timing and bad place to make the “ok lets quit now” call.

by thebossuzzi on Dec 28, 2009 9:51 AM EST reply actions 1 recs

That was really the worst part of it.

The fact that it was in our stadium. And you’re absolutely right that it feels wrong. It feels wrong to the players, too, because professional players want to win. But every man, on that defense especially, knows that they play better the healthier they are.

by linkish on Dec 28, 2009 4:42 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Great post.

I agree with BBS regarding the level of disappointment I felt after the game, and how cheated I felt. However, looking back at the game, I feel this is the important viewpoint. I’ve seen enough of Josh Thomas, Tim Jennings, Freddy Keiaho, Tony Ugoh, Devin Aromashodu, and other non-starting caliber players starting in the playoffs for us. Health is of the utmost importance to this team. Now, I agree that this move (benching our starters) has acted somewhat as a “promise” by the front office and coaching staff to win the SuperBowl, so I’m going to suppress this anger until we lose a game that actually matters. If that happens, though, the venom is coming ten-fold.

by Manning4Prez on Dec 28, 2009 12:31 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

One thing to consider:

If we do get bounced in the first round, how do you argue that that wouldn’t have happened anyway, especially with the knowledge that we’d have been less healthy overall? 16-1 on the year would be even worse that 18-1.

by linkish on Dec 28, 2009 4:45 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Excellent post

Insert Clever Statement Here

by MrNFL on Dec 28, 2009 1:13 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Thanks

very, very much.

by linkish on Dec 28, 2009 4:45 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Excellent. Good stuff.

by coltsfanawalt on Dec 28, 2009 1:33 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Glad you took the time to read.

Thanks.

by linkish on Dec 28, 2009 4:45 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

EXCELLENT READ... GOOD STUFF BROTHER! PREACH ON!

by Justin Pugh on Dec 28, 2009 1:42 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Thank you, and I shall.

As I said somewhere else, the debate is both important and necessary.

by linkish on Dec 28, 2009 4:46 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The Pro-Quitting Arguments

The same baseless nonsensical arguments over and over.

1) The Super Bowl is the most important thing-
Well, if we were guaranteed that quitting on a game would win us the SuperBowl, then that argument would make sense.
There is no evidence or logical reason to believe that, except, apparently, a vague theory held by a very stubborn old man.

2) Peyton could get hurt-
Peyton could get hurt walking out his front door and slipping on the ice.
Peyton could get hurt driving to work.
He could have gotten hurt anytime in the past 12 years anytime he touched the ball.
Peyton could get hurt in the first game of the playoffs.
Peyton could get hurt in the first half of the Jets game.

3) The complainers don’t understand football-
No, you don’t-
“Just win, baby!”
“Football immortality”
A chance to make history by doing what no football team has ever done.
Everybody remembers the ’72 Dolphins and even the ’07 Patriots, nobody remembers who won the Super Bowl three years ago.
All sports is based on breaking records, which is doing something no one has done before!

4) The Patriots went for 19-0 and see where it got them-
Just because the Patriots couldn’t do it doesn’t mean someone else can’t do it, and shouldn’t try.
Again, ALL sports competition is based on winning, always, and breaking records, which by definition is doing something no one has done before., such as going undefeated.

5) We’re being disloyal to the team-
No, we aren’t. Make no mistake, the players HATE this move, but they are paid alot of money to keep their mouths shut.
After this clusterfuck of an abortion, I owe no loyalty to Polian, Caldwell or Irsay.
The players ARE the team.
And we have Polian on record saying the fans opinion is irrelevant and that they don’t understand football.

6) We had to let them rest for that one quarter so they would be healthy for the playoffs-
I don’t really need to say anything to that, do I?
Except maybe, have you ever been kicked in the gut? How healthy did that make you feel?

7) You complainers are bandwagon fans-
I grew up in Kokomo dreaming that someday Indianapolis would get an NFL team.
At the age of 8, in 1961, I became a Colts and Unitas fan because my local barber had a virtual shrine to Unitas in his barbershop, his walls were plastered with Colts memorabilia, and he would regale us kids with tales of Unitas for hours on end. In 1984 I was living in Indy when my childhood dream came true.
I entered the season ticket lottery with a friend, pooling our money, and won season tickets which I held for 5 years until I moved to Bloomington. I was an ardent fan thru all the tough times.
Please don’t tell me I’m a bandwagon fan, or don’t know football, or that I need to grow up.
I did grow up. With the Colts.

by HoosierHorseman on Dec 28, 2009 1:55 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, I know.

I just took a lot of abuse last nite, and moreso at 18 to 88. I just had to respond.
Several times.
Anyway, I cleaned up the typos for this one, and I’m done pasting now.

by HoosierHorseman on Dec 28, 2009 2:06 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

See, that's why I left you alone.

I may not agree with every single point, but at least you thought it out. You used reason tempered with emotion, and I respect that. I just get tired of the emotion only people, or the people just looking for a fight.

by vintagephoenix on Dec 28, 2009 2:13 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

good point

I don’t agree with Horseman necessarily but its a well thought out argument

Indianapolis Colts, taking focus away from my DBacks every Sunday.

by AJforAZ on Dec 28, 2009 3:19 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Not well said.

It would have been well said if that was the point of this author. But you are putting words in his mouth.

Did this fanpost state you are disloyal? No. Did it state you are a bandwagon fan? Not that I read. It simply was a positive perspective in a sea of negative ones. So is your point that anyone who has a different view than yours somehow accusing you of being disloyal or on a bandwagon? Because that seems like a petty big jump and a purely emotional accusation. This author is not the bad guy, though. Please don’t make him the target of your venom by putting words in his mouth.

Honestly, I appreciate your passion. If someone would’ve called you a bandwagoner or disloyal, I’d amen your response. It’s a tough day. But please don’t nail that to a guy who is simply taking a different perspective amidst your frustration. This wasn’t the point of this excellent post.

by coltsfanawalt on Dec 28, 2009 2:05 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

I am not responding to the author in any way, shape, or form,

And you are right. I should have made that clear.

This is just my own general overview of the entire topic in question.

I tried to create a fanpost once and for some technical reason I couldn’t do it, so this is just my opinion, long form.

by HoosierHorseman on Dec 28, 2009 2:09 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm not sure what I feel, personally.

Perhaps it’s too early for me still. I usually need at least a couple of days to sort out my head after disappointment or hurt. It’s usually best for me to not opine during that time as I am “under the influence” of grief or whatever. However, this blog makes it hard to not discuss it all. Perhaps I should stay away for a bit.

I’m disappointed as a fan that we aren’t undefeated anymore. However, I feel we were warned. I even fell onto to side of “health over record” in my mind, though my heart wanted perfection. I was hoping for both.

My frustration probably comes from the timing of the decision. I’d have liked another scoring drive and a bigger lead first, though we weren’t garunteed any more points that next drive. We’d had our struggles that game already against that defense. I didn’t like Painter being thrown to the wolves from his own ten yard line, either. That is a rough place to take your first NFL snap, and against a rough defense. So I have some frustrations.

I do think that the greater part of me will land with the point of this fanpost. In the end, it’s what I believe. I’m disappointed, but that would happen at any point at which we lose. I guess I’m thankful to not be a fan of some team who is surprised by their occasional win.

by coltsfanawalt on Dec 28, 2009 2:36 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm pretty much emotionally overwrought.

by HoosierHorseman on Dec 28, 2009 2:00 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

You and me both.

Trust that every one of us, whichever opinion you hold, are feeling crushed. My point was that it’s for a better, more important goal.

by linkish on Dec 28, 2009 4:48 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

Fans live vicariously through the exploits of their team

That’s what a fan is. And it’s nothing to apologize for.

by HoosierHorseman on Dec 28, 2009 2:02 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

Absolutely correct.

I’ve long held that sports is the only acceptable venue in which to have an irrational hatred of another person or organisation.

by linkish on Dec 28, 2009 4:49 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Great read

and an even better perspective. I would literally be sick if Peyton were hurt in a week 16 or 17 game that we did not need. Literally hospitalized, I kid you not.

I feel crappy, but those are feelings which fortunately are not fact. The fact is this: the management did what it is paid to do – what it thought was best for the team, bottom line.

I especially like that you pointed out that anyone who is a fan of and knows this team should have also known that this decision was inevitable. Whether it was made in week 16 or 17 doesn’t matter. In fact, I would argue that it would indeed be more difficult to make this decision in week 17. Regardless, we all knew it was coming.

I say this: its done, the decision we knew would be made has been made. Let’s move on to the playoffs. Which is the reason they play the game, yes?

And, thanks for the perspective. Personally, I need more of it.

"I throw, you catch. It's NOT that hard!"
Peyton Manning, SNL, 2007

by peytonsthebest on Dec 28, 2009 2:20 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

+1

by coltsfanawalt on Dec 28, 2009 2:21 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks for the kind words.

I’m a philosopher by nature, so perspective is something that I try to recognize in my own life at every available opportunity. We’re emotional creatures; perspective helps take the sting out of a lot of those emotions.

by linkish on Dec 28, 2009 4:53 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

Excellent post

I didnt have a tantrum over this, because I knew it was a possibility. I was prepared. I was disappointed, because I wanted the Colts to be considered the greatest ever, but as the past has shown me, injuries can destroy a team. Gates and Sproles were awesome last year because Brackett went down and we were short handed at DT. Volek was able to drive down the field because there were no pass rushers. Ive seen the unhealthy story to many times. Its not worth re-reading

by metal_militia on Dec 28, 2009 2:54 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Honestly,

I’d been preparing for this for a couple weeks now, since before the Jax game. It made sense that we played them, because we always try to take care of business in our own back yard. And as Polian said, you can’t prepare backup players in four days’ time.

by linkish on Dec 28, 2009 4:55 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Pretty much summed up.........

Can’t really argue with your post, very well thought out. Yesterday still tastes bad, but now I just want the damned Super Bowl Trophy.

by tim55 on Dec 28, 2009 4:39 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Yesterday will always taste bad

if you’re a red-blooded sports fan. But as Mike Singletary (note, that’s just one tary) said of a loss earlier in the year (paraphrasing): We’re gonna taste this loss, chew this up, swallow it, and get better.

by linkish on Dec 28, 2009 5:00 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

This is not our team-that point has been made by Pollion and Caldwell. This is their team and their decision to make. We can suck it up and follow our Colts into oblivion. Yeah we have won the most games, but the Pats (yuck!!!) are considered the team of the decade because they won 3 Super Bowls. I agree with taking care of your players but the way this was handled was minor league. Pollion’s team in Buffalo went to four superbowls but won zip. The team of that decade was the Cowboys again because they won superbowls, the 80’s team was the niners the 70’s the steelers, why because they won superbowls. If this leads to a super bowl win great, if not history was thrown away and the Colts run the risk of being regarded as prima donas who prance and preen during the regular season, but crumble when the pressure starts. The players know this, and will follow the company line with their mouths, but the body language says so much more. Before you yell at me, I love the players and want us to win, just really disapointed in the way this whole ordeal has been handled by management.

by RPHDWO on Dec 29, 2009 1:39 PM EST reply actions 0 recs