The Chicago Tribune has an AP story up on rookie TE Jacob Tamme and how  he and Tom Santi will change the Colts offense:

Most scouts graded Tamme a better receiver than blocker, not surprising for a converted receiver, but that's part of the reason Tamme was still available when the Colts picked at No. 127.

Indy took a different view.

Thinking if they had two versions of Clark to use, Colts scouts figured defenses would have even more problems contending with Indy's already potent offense and hedged their bet by taking Virginia's Tom Santi as a bigger blocking tight end in the sixth round.

The rookies should give Indianapolis a new look.

Speaking of the Colts offense, Bob Kravitz seems to take issue with the Colts re-signing Dominic Rhodes (tip to Bullard47):

Let’s put it this way: If the Pacers had just signed Rhodes, we’d be killing them right now. But because they’re the Colts, and they’ve had a pretty good history of employing high-character guys — and because they still are basking in the glow of the Super Bowl — we’ve given them the benefit of the doubt.

Um, to put it simply: Yes. The Colts have earned the benefit of the doubt. The Pacers have not.

NFL.com's Vic Carucci thinks Dominic Rhodes is the missing ingredient the Colts needed to get back into the title hunt.

Here is the entire pre-season schedule. For us, football starts in less than three months. YES!

Colts.com has articles up on TE Tom Santi and OC Steve Justice. Here's an interesting part about Justice:

But as much as any honor, Justice said it is a statistic that mattered to him, and that drove him throughout a prestigious collegiate career.

The statistic: zero.

As in, zero plays missed in college because of injury.

“It’s the heart of a competitor,” Justice said recently in an interview for this story, the sixth of a nine-part series of stories on the Colts’ 2008 NFL Draft class that will run on Colts.com in the coming days.

“You want to be out there every snap you can and help the team win as much as possible.”

The Indy Star made is official: Colts sign Rhodes to a one year, $605,000 contract. This means Dom must show up and have a great camp, because this contract is nothing. Look for Dom to work on having a stellar year. I think he wants a longer term contract, and he wants it with the Colts.

Next up: Rosy Colvin, then minicamp, and then we gear up for a 2008 team that looks much more improved over the 2007 one.

Photo: NY Daily News

With Dominic Rhodes likely back in the fold, the next step is to sign former Patriots LBer Rosevelt Colvin. After Indy released Bryan Fletcher and Dylan Gandy last week, it was really only a matter of time before they started reaching out to veterans like Dom and Colvin.

We discussed the benefit both these players could add, but it's important to remember that simply getting signed means nothing when the 53 man roster is selected. Last year, Indy brought back OG Rick DeMulling only to cut him at the end of pre-season. However, I find it very hard to believe that Rhodes will get cut.

Despite what some think, Rhodes can still play and it was moronic on the part of the Oakland Raiders to draft RB Darren McFadden when they had Rhodes, Justin Fargas, and Michael Bush on the team. Rhodes saw extensive action during the last four games of Oakland's 2007 season after Justin Fargas went down with injury. Rhodes rushed for 279 yards and a TD, averaging 4.3 a rush. Rhodes also caught 10 passes for 60 yards during that stretch. Just so people can compare, Kenton Keith caught a total of 13 passes for 77 yards and 0 TDs for the 2007 regular season. (Note: Keith had a receiving TD in the playoffs though). He also dropped a ton of balls thrown at him, with one resulting in a turnover in the San Diego playoff game.

So, there is no question Rhodes is an upgrade over Keith, but even Kenton has his uses. K2 was very good as a short yardage, goal-line runner in 2007. He also ran for 4.4 yards per carry behind a very beaten up o-line, and notched 3 rushing TDs. The key to K2 keeping his job is how willing he is to play play special teams and how much he can add to the short yardage package over rookie Mike Hart.

Hart is clearly a fan favorite both because of his college career and his personality. When you read about Hart, it is hard not to like him:

The hand stuck out. Suddenly, to Mike Hart, the NFL was no longer a distant dream.

The hand belonged to Colts quarterback Peyton Manning.

“I said, ‘I’m Mike,’’’ Hart said.

Manning’s reply: “I’m Peyton.”

“I was like, ‘I know who you are,’’’ Hart said, recalling the story with a smile.

And because the hand was a real hand – because it wasn’t on television and because it wasn’t animated – Hart said it took a moment to realize the reality of the moment.

“I grew up watching Peyton,” said Hart, a running back from the University of Michigan and a sixth-round selection in this past weekend’s 2008 NFL Draft.

“When I saw Peyton, I was like, ‘I’m not playing with him on a video game. I just shook his hand.’ “It’s nice. I’m definitely a little in awe.”

Bill Polian has often compared Mike Hart to James Mungro, a RB whose career was ended by a knee injury during pre-season in 2006. If Kenton Keith wants to stay a Colt, he has to beat out Hart for that roll. I have a very hard time imagining the Colts keeping 4 RBs on the active roster. Another possible RB prosect is rookie free agent Chad Simpson of Morgan State. He's a fast player who has kickoff return ability.

The more you look at it, the more it seems that Kenton Keith has a big mountain to climb to keep his job.

Tip to raynman for giving us the heads up: NFL Network's Adam Shefter is reporting the Colts and Dominic Rhodes are close to an agreement that will bring RB Dominic Rhodes back to the Colts. Shefter says Rhodes spoke with the Colts, wants to return to Indy, and an agreement is close.

Looks like Dom is coming back to Indy. This is a very good thing, folks. The more depth at RB, the better. Rhodes ran all over teams in the 2006 playoffs, including 113 yards and a TD in Super Bowl 41.

UPDATE: Ok, it's pretty close to confirmed, via Adam Shefter. Welcome back, Dom.

I've been throwing around the idea of securing my place in line for season tickets, even though I'm about 500 miles away, and will be moving even farther away in the near future.  I was trying to find out how long the Waiting List was for tickets, and nobody seemed to have a definitive answer.  On Sunday, I found my answer.  I read an article in the Indiana Business Journal, asking the question: "Is Lucas Oil Stadium too small already?"  I'll get to that part later.

There was a table in the article that had the numbers for each of the 3 wait lists:

I finally have my answer, and it is much bigger than I was expecting.  25,000 is a very healthy waiting list.  I'm sure if we looked at the number pre-Super Bowl, it would be less than 10,000.  It's good to have a decent sized waiting list, and Larry DeGaris, director of academic sports marketing programs at the University of Indianapolis, agrees with this:

“It doesn’t hurt the team to create a sense of scarcity,” DeGaris added. “If you have excess supply, that’s not good for a team. You devalue your entire product.”

 As great a run the Colts have experienced over the past 7-8 years, it seems unrealistic for the franchise to continue to win 12 games a year for 20 years and beyond.  There will be a slow period, and that wait list will be down to 0.  DeGaris also gave an example of this phenomenon, in a slightly larger market than Indianapolis:

“The New York Knicks had a waiting list of 15,000 for season tickets until 2005,” DeGaris said. “When that team hit hard times, the waiting list evaporated. Knicks officials went through the entire list, and still couldn’t fill Madison Square Garden.”

You always want the product to be good enough to stay on the "demand" side of the supply/demand curve.  Demand is obviously very high right now, and should continue at least until #18 hangs them up.   That's why I don't agree that the Luke is too small.  Sure they may be losing some money right now, especially with the luxury boxes.  For a city the size of Indianapolis, which is still primarily a basketball-first city and state, the overall size is perfect. 

For information on joining the Colt's waiting list, see this website.  I should have gotten in before they went out and won the Super Bowl.  Oh well, I guess I'll get in line with all the other Colts fans who want to sit in the nose bleeds of the new digs.

Lost in the OMG story of the day (Marvin Harrison getting interviewed by cops) is the very real story from ESPN's John Clayton that the Colts have parted ways with OL Dylan Gandy and TE Bryan "Mr. Suggestion" Fletcher. This comes less than a week after the Colts drafted three interior o-linemen and 2 TEs. Tip to Aerostar193.

I guess I can see releasing Fletcher, mainly because Jacob Tamme is likely to take his place as the pass catching TE who can't block. Also, Tamme has speed whereas Fletcher has little. I will also remember Fletcher for that catch he made in the 2006 AFC Championship game against the Pats. His nickname, given to him by Peyton Manning, stems from Fletcher constantly making suggestions in the huddle on what plays to run.

Dylan Gandy is a different story. I actually thought he was going to compete with rookie Mike Pollak for the starting OG spot, but I guess Polian has more faith in Pollak, Steve Justice, and Jamey Richard that in Dylan Gandy.

Both Fletcher and Gandy had recently signed one-year restricted free agent tenures this off-season.

From AOL Fanhouse's Michael David Smith:

Anthony Gargano of WIP radio in Philadelphia is on ESPN this afternoon reporting that Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Marvin Harrison is accused of being involved in a recent shooting at a bar Harrison owns in Philadelphia.

According to Gargano, police have uncovered a gun registered to Harrison in connection with the incident. His report further states that a fistfight broke out when Harrison escorted a man out of his bar, called Playmakers. When the man fled, gunfire was exchanged. The man's car was struck by a bullet and his hand was grazed, the report said.

Neither Harrison nor anyone else has been arrested in connection with the incident. Gargano reports that police are awaiting witnesses coming forward.

So, just to recap the facts: Marvin Harrison has not been charged, arrested, or convicted of shooting anyone. It also seems that no one was actually shot. He is supposedly accused of having some involvement in it because a gun registered to him is connected to the incident. Was the gun fired? Was it fired by Harrison? Don't know.

Until we do, we (and just about every other logic-minded person on the planet) will give Marvin the benefit of the doubt until details surface. The last time Marvin was accused of something wrong (attacking a small kid), it turned out to be a total and complete lie. So, we wait for the facts.

UPDATE: From nicjohns:

The man the shots were intended for told police that Harrison was not the shooter, but reportedly there is an innocent bystander hit by a stray bullet in the shoulder who is willing to testify that Harrison was the shooter.

This all coming from the same Anthony Gargono, the best part was him saying someone claimed when the fist fight took place at the bar Harrison beat him pretty good claiming his “hands were almost ninja like”.

Quick note: People coming in here claiming Marvin Harrison is a thug ala Pacman Jones will get their comments deleted. Saying such things is akin to trolling, and comparing Marvin Harrison to Pacman Jones on ANY level is stupidity defined.

Colts rookie camp starts today at West 56th Street:

The 22 rookies recently acquired by the Colts will report to the team's practice facility Friday for the first time, then will spend the weekend at a three-day rookie camp designed to allow them to acclimate, learn and prepare.

When it begins, Polian – in his 11th season as the Colts’ President – said they will receive two messages. One, that they will have every chance regardless of background or draft status to make the 53-man roster. The other, Polian said, is equally important:

College is over. The NFL Draft is over.

All that matters as far as the Colts are concerned is the future.

Starting right now.

“This is the real world,” Polian said, discussing what the rookies will be told at the beginning of the team’s 2008 rookie camp at the team’s practice facility Friday.

“All that took place on draft day, and before that, is the phony world of the draft. This is now the real world of the NFL. It doesn’t have to do with marketing and it doesn’t have to do with seminars on how to be a better person.

“All that stuff is fine and dandy at the appropriate time, but this is about competing for a job in the National Football League.”

The Colts made a conscious decision to improve the interior of their offensive line in the 2008 NFL Draft, taking OG Mike Pollak, OC Steve Justice and OG Jamey Richards. They also wanted to gain more depth at running back, drafting Michigan legend Mike Hart in round 6 and signing rookie free agent Chad Simpson out of Morgan State. Special teams, in particular the return game, were also a focus. Bill Polian drafted Mount Union standout Pierre Garcon to compete with current returner TJ Rushing. Simpson also has the skills to return kickoffs. Georgia standout DE Marcus Howard will likely play special teams and get acquainted with d-line coach John Teerlick.

When we get pics of the 22 rooks at camp, we will post them. Rookie camp runs through Sunday.

From NFLDraftBible:

INDIANAPOLIS
WR Rudy Burgess, Arizona State
SS Jamie Silva, Boston College
DE Curtis Johnson, Clark Atlanta
OLB Anthony Adams, Grand Valley State
DT Colin Ferrell, Kent State
SS Jordan Senn, Portland State
WR Sam Giguere, Sherbrooke Canada
CB Brandon Foster, Texas
DT Dan Davis, UCONN

Curtis Johnson is someone the Colts have eyed for a while, looking to convert him to a DE. Burgess is a WR the Colts and Jags got into a bit of a bidding war for. Burgess opted for the Colts. I love how Indy drafted a guy named Pierre Garcon and then signed a guy from French Canada: Sam Giguere. I also like how actor Colin Ferrell is switching careers and now playing for the Colts.

Just kidding. Though, after watching that dumb Daredevil movie, I wouldn't mind seeing Colin Ferrell get knocked around a few times.

Still no signing yet for Rudolph Hardie, but Titus Brown signed with the Dolphins.

UPDATE: These players were signed recently as well:

Charles Dillion WR Washington State
Adam Tafralis QB San Jose State
Chad Simpson RB Morgan State

 

There have been some great analysis stories done already by BBS and by Bullard47 on the draft, so I'll try to touch on some things these guys didn't talk about.  By the way, you'll notice my new avatar next to my name.  It was submitted by the aforementioned Bullard47 here.  He'll get to give us his excellent opinion on the main page for a day.  The picture is fantastic, as I wasn't expecting the Golden Dome to be worked in.

Back to the draft...I think we got excellent value for almost every pick we made.  Pollak seems to be a great steal for Polian and Co. at #59.  The crop of Interior Lineman wasn't very good up top this year, with Brandon Albert and Chilo Rachal as the only 2 Interior Lineman to get picked before Pollak.  He seems very excited to be joining the Colts (who wouldn't?), and said this yesterday:

"I couldn't have asked for a better way for it to work out," said Pollak, who has a chance at the first string because Indianapolis lost Jake Scott in free agency. "I'll get to learn from all of the older guys. When I spoke with coach (Tony) Dungy and (general manager Bill Polian), they told me they felt that my game was perfect for what they have there."

We picked 2 Tight Ends, and 1 WR, which I thought we'd do.  We really only had 2 TE in Clark and Fletcher, and we are dangerously thin at WR, especially with the health of Harrison still up in the air.  I think the thought is that if either Marvin isn't back yet, or one of the main 3 WR gets hurt, Clark can step in and play the slot receiver.  I'm also really excited to have a speedster to return punts and kicks in Pierre Garcon.  Watching the video posted below gets me excited.  I really can't remember the last guy the Colts had that, when he caught the ball on a return, you expected him to take it to the house.  I hope Garcon makes me feel that way. 

As much as it pains me to say as an ND grad, I'm very glad Mike Hart fell into our laps at pick 202.  Running backs always seem to make an immediate impact in the NFL, and I definitely see Hart playing a big role in 2008.  He NEVER fumbles the ball .  Maybe he can teach KK how to hold onto it.  Michigan has always loved running the slow progressin g, off tackle run, and Hart always seemed to find a sliver of daylight and burst through, just like Addai does now.  This will be a great asset running the stretch play.  He's used to long handoffs and running outside off-tackle, or further.  He's a great fit.

We all loved the Marcus Howard  pick.  We all know everything about him.  Great pick, especially for the 5th round.  I also liked the Philip Wheeler selection.  He is a head hunter, much like #21.  Some people mentioned we may move him to DE, which makes some sense, although he's never played on the DL before.  For right now, he seems like a 3rd down pass rusher, most likely as a 5th DL.  We'll have to see what happens in training camp.

I have to confess:  in the poll below, I gave the Colts a C, but only because Polian loves those C grades.  Overall I give the Colts a B+.  They back filled areas of need, but seemed to go too heavy at one certain position.  Also, without a first round pick, there doesn't seem to be, for this moment in time, that superstar pick.  Hopefully one of these guys becomes that.  Great job by the Polian, Coach Dungy, and the rest of the staff!