The Cincinnati Bengals’ turnaround is too fresh – six games into 2011 – to be labeled anything more than an incomplete success. But the Indianapolis Colts would be wise to take notes after seeing it up close.
The Bengals are 4-2 after their 27-17 win over the still-winless Colts on Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati.
Cincy’s start is both surprising and instructive in a loose way to the 0-6 Colts.
Here’s a team in Cincinnati that lost its starting quarterback, Carson Palmer, not to injury but to indignation. Palmer was fed up with what he considered the Bengals’ years of mismanagement. He demanded to be traded or he’d retire. His feelings, after taking a beating so long, were understandable.
The Bengals decided – since fate was forced upon them – to let him retire and rebuild with youth. This followed a decision to discard troubled souls that kept them in the headlines with police case file numbers instead of fantasy football numbers. They also felt they’d gone as far as possible with Chad Johnson/Ochocinco and his public analysis of the franchise.
Then the Bengals drafted quarterback Andy Dalton and threw him into the mix. And they went about assembling a young defense that has ranked No.1 in the NFL in the early stages of this season.
Dalton’s play against the Colts on Sunday was solid, bordering on superb. He completed 25 of 32 passes for 264 yards and a touchdown. His favorite targets are all young guys (Jerome Simpson in his fourth season, Germaine Gresham in his second and A.J. Green in his first). In fact, 35 of the Bengals’ 53 active players entered this season with NFL experience of four years or less.
While they needed some breaks against the Colts – Dallas Clark’s fumble early, Pierre Garcon’s fumble late – they got them. And they took advantage of them.
Cincinnati’s future seems bright. The Colts’ future remains partly cloudy with a chance of storms.
Now, there are vast differences between the Bengals and the Colts. Cincinnati has been mired in mediocrity for several years. The Colts have been one of the NFL’s elite teams for a decade. This Colts season is quite possibly an anomaly, brought on by the absence of Peyton Manning, which discombobulated everyone in the organization.
But the time is coming when the Colts will have to regroup and reorganize their direction. That could be next season if Manning is unable to return to the field, but it will be within four years even if he does return in full health.
The decisions they have to make are similar to the ones the Bengals made. They must know when it’s time to mark a finish to the past, to an era – good or bad – and embark on a new path.
There are veterans, such as Reggie Wayne, Robert Mathis and Jeff Saturday, that the Colts will have to decide whether to keep around or let go.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter, in a role-playing exercise as general manager, suggested the Colts would be wise to trade Wayne and Mathis immediately for fourth-round picks. He caught all sorts of grief, with Colts owner Jim Irsay tweeting that no trades are coming.
Yet while it seems outrageous – Wayne and Mathis are All-Pro caliber, still – Schefter was right in saying teams sometimes have to discard the past to move into the future. The Colts could land more draft picks to go with the high one that seems inevitable at this point.
There’s no standing still in the NFL. If you’re not moving forward, you’re moving backward. The Bengals and Colts reflected their directions with their performances on Sunday.
The Bengals scored when necessary and came up with the right amount of big plays, such as Carlos Dunlap’s fumble return late in the fourth quarter after Garcon either A) carelessly lost the football looking for extra yardage or B) suffered brain lock and tried to lateral to a lineman who hasn’t caught a football since his Pop Warner team.
Indianapolis had too few great plays (Dallas Clark’s one-handed touchdown catch was a keeper) and continued to find a way to lose in the fourth quarter. They’re 0-6 with a road trip to New Orleans next on the docket. Brutal.
Maybe this flips completely around for the Colts the second Manning runs back onto the field in full uniform.
Or maybe the time has come to think outside the box and get on with the future. Who would have thought two months ago that the Colts might want to be more like the Bengals?
Manning finds himself trying to help Colts from…
Posted on 28 September 2011.
INDIANAPOLIS – Peyton Manning has gone from being the Indianapolis Colts’ most valuable player to their most valuable adviser.
The quarterback who continually made all those improbable comebacks again finds himself trying to bail out the Colts, this time from the sideline.
It’s an unusual place for the guy who has been a fixture behind centre.
“He’s a resource for us, and he’s a guy that’s been around this system for a long time,” coach Jim Caldwell said Monday. “It’s what I identify as, ‘intellectual property,’ and I don’t think that you’re very smart if you don’t use it.”
Yes, Manning is still adapting to his new place in the Colts hierarchy.
After opening his NFL career with 227 consecutive starts including the playoffs, Manning has now missed three straight games since having neck surgery to repair a damaged nerve. The Sept. 8 operation was the third on his neck in 19 months, and nobody knows when he’ll return to action.
Doctors say it will take at least two months for Manning’s spinal fusion to heal properly and even longer to get back into playing shape — a timetable that could keep him out for the rest of the season, especially if the Colts (0-3) keep losing.
But that doesn’t mean Manning has been out of sight or out of mind at the team complex.
Last week, Manning briskly walked laps around the Colts’ practice fields. He’s been involved in team meetings and Sunday night, he showed up in the coaches’ booth. He could be there again Monday night, if the doctors allow him to travel.
Team officials want Manning involved.
“He will do what he does all the time. He will attend the quarterback meetings, take his own notes, make his own suggestions,” Colts vice chairman Bill Polian said on his weekly radio show Monday night. “The only difference is that the quarterback in the game will have a very loud voice in the background.”
It’s been a calming presence for Kerry Collins and Curtis Painter.
Collins, a 17-year veteran, is still trying to get used to the Colts’ offence, the no-huddle calls and his new receivers. Painter is in his third season as a backup to Manning but has thrown only 39 passes in the regular season and could make his first NFL start at Tampa Bay if Collins can’t go.
Collins has been dealing with a sore throwing shoulder and a possible concussion.
On Tuesday, Indy re-signed veteran Dan Orlovsky, but he has yet to play in a regular season game with the Colts.
Manning will now advise all three.
“Prior to that (touchdown drive) it was just communication,” Painter said of Manning’s influence during Sunday night’s loss to Pittsburgh. “After that drive, (we talked) a little bit.
“I wasn’t in there too long so I didn’t talk to him a ton. There was constant communication throughout the whole game.”
All of the quarterbacks appreciate the help, though they and everyone else realizes it still comes down to execution.
“Peyton, he’s not here, he’s not playing and guys have to play with who’s on the field,” said centre Jeff Saturday, one of Manning’s closest friends.
But league rules are part of the reason Manning was occasionally muzzled Sunday.
Coaches upstairs, Polian said, are prohibited from speaking directly to the quarterback through the helmet radio, though they can speak with the offensive co-ordinator and quarterbacks on the sideline.
Otherwise, Manning can provide all the advice he, the coaches or his teammates are willing to accept.
“Those are the rules and they would apply to Peyton on game day,” Polian said. “But as long as he’s under contract he can play any role that he wishes.”
The Colts intend to keep Manning on the active roster as long as possible.
While it’s likely Manning won’t throw a pass this season, the Colts are hoping he’ll return to practice in December. That would give them a chance to see if Manning has regained full strength in his throwing arm.
But until then, Peyton’s place will be playing the role of special adviser.
“It’s always good to have him around,” Caldwell said. “We talk, we share information and we don’t care whose idea it is.
“It’s not who’s right, it’s what’s right. So we use everything we possibly can to try to get ourselves in position to get a victory.”
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Posted in 1, colts-news, Curtis Painter, Indianapolis Colts, Jeff Saturday, Jim Caldwell, Peyton ManningComments Off
Collins’ play last season gives Colts hope
Posted on 07 September 2011.
The last game Indianapolis Colts quarterback Kerry Collins played in, he completed 70 percent of his passes for 300 yards, two touchdowns and a passer rating of 111.1. Those are strong numbers.
Too bad he’s not going against the Colts defense this week.
Collins’ two best games as a member of the Tennessee Titans last season were against the Colts. Oddly, he completed an identical 28 of 39 passes in each game. He had a combined 544 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions. So there’s relatively recent evidence that Collins can still deliver the goods.
Further, the Houston Texans – Indy’s opening-day opponent on Sunday in Houston – ranked dead last in pass defense a year ago. All hope may not be lost, even with Peyton Manning sidelined.
“I feel comfortable with the offense,” Collins said. “I feel like I’ve come a long way in a short time since I’ve been here. I’ve really buckled down and grinded on it. Certainly, I’ve got a lot to learn, but as far as my comfort level, it’s pretty high”.
Collins, 38, became the likely starter at quarterback for the Colts when the team announced Monday that Manning is doubtful to play for the first time in his career. Manning is recovering from neck surgery and his rehabilitation has slowed, the team said.
Collins joined the Colts two weeks ago, and played in the final preseason game, a win at Cincinnati. He didn’t put up great numbers (5-of-10 passing for 45 yards) but he also played without starters Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark, Pierre Garcon and Joseph Addai.
“We had only had three practices up until then, and I think he’s done a good job of working and learning the offense,” Colts center Jeff Saturday said. “I can’t imagine trying to learn something as complicated as quickly as he has. He did a great job and put the ball where it needed to be. There are little things that we need to clean up, but other than that, I’ve got full confidence that if he’s the guy, we’ll be ready.”
Colts coach Jim Caldwell has known Collins for 20 years. The two were at Penn State when Collins was a player and Caldwell was the quarterbacks coach. So there’s a comfort level and rapport between them that has returned in their reunion.
Caldwell feels this week of practice should give Collins a dose of confidence heading into Sunday’s game.
“I don’t expect him to be perfect,” Caldwell said. “We have to have some other guys step up and give him some assistance here and there, which we have a lot of guys who can do that, and I think he’ll be fine.”
Collins won’t likely have the Colts’ full weapons at his disposal, as receiver Anthony Gonzalez is not expected to play and receiver Austin Collie is questionable. It’s also uncertain whether receiver Blair White will be available.
But Collins will have Wayne, a good place to start. The two have talked and no hard feelings remain over Wayne’s comments supporting Curtis Painter when Collins was signed. Collins will also call on Clark, Garcon and Addai – key players who did not join him on the first-team offense in the Cincinnati preseason game.
“Obviously, the more reps I can get the better,” Collins said. “I’ve worked in a situation before where it does come down to the latter part of the week. To know sooner rather than later will definitely help my mindset going throughout the week.”
Indianapolis Colts say quarterback Peyton Manning…
Posted on 06 September 2011.
INDIANAPOLIS — The unthinkable suddenly seems possible in Indianapolis — opening the season without Peyton Manning.
The four-time league most valuable player — who has never missed a start in his pro career — is considered doubtful for Sunday’s game at Houston because of lingering soreness in his back after offseason neck surgery.
If Manning sits, it would be the first time the quarterback missed a meaningful game after 227 consecutive starts, including playoffs.
“I hate it for Peyton,” said Pro Bowl center Jeff Saturday, one of Manning’s closest friends.
Team officials have not said how much longer it could take Manning to recover, leaving that decision to Manning and his doctors.
“If anything, we want to go out there and step it up,” Pro Bowl safety Antoine Bethea said. “Of course it will be different (without Manning), but it’s one of those things that if it happens, everybody else has to step up. It’s next man up.”
Manning had surgery to repair a nerve May 23, but the recovery has taken longer than the expected six to eight weeks that would have put him back on the field for the start of training camp. Instead, Manning started camp on the physically unable to perform list and wasn’t activated until last week.
Manning did limited work at practice last week, which led to complaints about back pain. The team issued a statement Monday saying team doctors re-evaluated Manning over the weekend and instructed him to stop practicing while he undergoes more tests.
No additional surgery has been scheduled.
“At the conclusion of the diagnostic process, if there are any new developments in the prognosis which we outlined for Peyton at the start of training camp we will report them,” the statement said.
Notes
• Linebacker Tavares Gooden, a 26-year-old who was cut by Baltimore on Saturday, signed a one-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers.
• Running back Chester Taylor, 31, signed a one-year contract with the Arizona Cardinals. Taylor was released by the Chicago Bears last weekend.
• The New Orleans Saints announced Sean Payton, 47, who coached the team to its first Super Bowl championship two seasons ago, has agreed to a contract extension through 2015.
• Washington coach Mike Shanahan ended the suspense and announced Rex Grossman as the starting quarterback, giving the nine-year veteran the nod over John Beck going into Sunday’s season opener against the New York Giants.
• Former coach Buddy Ryan, 80, will not miss the latest edition of his twin sons’ rivalry — not even after receiving a diagnosis of cancer for a fourth time.
Rob Ryan, the Dallas Cowboys’ new defensive coordinator, said his father planned to delay surgery until after Dallas played the New York Jets, coached by Rex Ryan, on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Rob Ryan said his father learned last week he had cancer in a gland in his neck.
“He’s going to get operated on after the game,” Rob Ryan said. “He just wants to see these two rams bat heads and we’re going to get after it.”
Not much else going on in the NFL world today.
Posted in 1, Antoine Bethea, colts-news, Jeff Saturday, Mike Shanahan, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, Peyton ManningComments Off
A Thought on the Indianapolis Colts: Does This…
Posted on 30 August 2011.
Our NFL previews for 2011 roll on. Did you miss Jason Lisk’s wicked cool statistical analysis of your team? Scroll to the bottom.
If the Indianapolis Colts make the playoffs in 2011, they will set the record for most consecutive playoff appearances by a franchise in NFL history. The Colts have made the playoffs in nine straight seasons, tying the NFL record with the Dallas Cowboys from 1975-1983 (and Dallas actually made the playoffs in 17 or 18 seasons). It is a testament to the consistency of Peyton Manning and the Colts organization that you could pencil them in for double digit wins and a playoff appearance every season for almost a decade.
This year, though, Peyton Manning has yet to make an appearance in a game as he is still recovering from a 2nd neck surgery in the offseason. While we think Manning will be back, he is 35 and it has led to speculation as to whether he will be ready to open the season. While the team isn’t among the oldest in the league by average starter age, most of the best players are. On offense, center Jeff Saturday is 36, and Reggie Wayne turns 33, and as we’ve seen with other star receivers, it’s about at that age that they can start to slow down. The Colts must hope he lasts as long as Marvin Harrison, who went strong through age 34. Dallas Clark is 32 and coming off a season-ending wrist injury.
Bookend defensive Ends Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney have been instrumental in the Colts’ run over the last decade, and both will be over 30 this year, along with MLB Gary Brackett. The Colts have churned over their corners in the Cover-2 scheme, and go through outside linebackers as well. The constants over the last five years, though, have been Mathis and Freeney. They both played 16 games last year, but will that continue as age creeps in?
The Colts are a veteran unit, and so they have often seemed to disregard the preseason. Still, is the preseason meaningless? If we look at point differentials for the previous year’s playoff teams in just the first quarter of Game 1, the first half of Game 2, and the first three quarters of Game 3 (the parts of the preseason when the starters and top reserves are most likely in the game), we see a positive relationship with whether they return to the postseason.
Here is a summary of the 60 playoff teams from 2005-2009, how they performed by point differential in those 6 quarters for the preseasons in 2006-2010, and how they did during the following regular season.
By point differential, the Colts aren’t the worst of the 2010 playoff teams during those 6 quarters (-19) this preseason. Seattle (-34) and Chicago (-21) both have been worse. But no one expects much of Seattle, who made the playoffs at 7-9, and Chicago is probably on a lot of lists for teams due to regress after reaching the championship game a year ago. Baltimore (-14) and Kansas City (-11) also join that -11 to -20 group with the Colts. Kansas City was another likely decline candidate even before the preseason, while Baltimore would be a little more of a surprise.
Still, the Colts seem to be the team where we are willing to completely ignore what is going on in the preseason, because a) Peyton Manning is out; and b) the Colts always mail in the preseason. As to the second point first, while the Colts don’t try to win in the preseason, it’s not true that they have been horrible in the six quarters I measured. Here is how they did the previous five preseasons in those quarters most likely to be played by starters and top backups:
- 2010: -7
- 2009: +14
- 2008: -17
- 2007: +24
- 2006: +2
In both Super Bowl seasons, they had a positive point differential, and in 2007, they had their best preseason performance and won 14 games. The Colts may not try to win games in the preseason, but they have been worse when “going against the 1′s” this year than in recent times. They were a combined +18 over the previous 5 preseasons.
Now, the obvious explanation is no Peyton Manning, and though the dropoff from Manning to Curtis Painter certainly is a big part, I’m not convinced that’s all of it. Colts fans better hope that is the only explanation, though. I think it calls into question whether this team is doing as good a job at finding depth of talent with young draft picks and free agent pickups to fit the system as they were 3-5 years ago, when the Colts dominated in finding replacement parts late in the draft.
You don’t tug on Superman’s cape, you don’t spit into the wind, and over the last decade, you don’t pick against the Colts in the regular season. Still, everything must end. The Colts may get one last hurrah out of the currently comprised core group, if Manning’s neck surgery is an afterthought by week 2 and the other key veteran parts stave off the aging effects for one last time. Or we may look back and see that the run had already begun grinding to a halt following Tracy Porter’s interception return, and this team made the playoffs despite a big dropoff last year, because they played in an easy division where they had to merely outduel Jacksonville down the stretch, and it continues this year as the veterans decline.
I think the Colts are a lot closer to missing the playoffs in 2011 than to being strong Super Bowl contenders. They may still break that playoff streak record because the division is still pretty soft. They are not going to completely fall apart if Manning is under center, but they might slip to more of a league average team. If Manning wants to make a John Elway-like run to Super Bowls late in his career though, I suspect it will have to be with a new set of impact playmakers on offense and defense.
2011 NFL PREVIEW: New Orleans Saints
2011 NFL PREVIEW: Tennessee Titans
2011 NFL PREVIEW: Denver Broncos
2011 NFL PREVIEW: Arizona Cardinals
2011 NFL PREVIEW: Buffalo Bills
2011 NFL PREVIEW: Carolina Panthers
2011 NFL PREVIEW: Cincinnati Bengals
2011 NFL PREVIEW: Cleveland Browns
2011 NFL PREVIEW: Jacksonville Bengals
2011 NFL PREVIEW: Minnesota Vikings
2011 NFL PREVIEW: New York Giants
2011 NFL PREVIEW: Pittsburgh Steelers
2011 NFL PREVIEW: St. Louis Rams
[photo via Getty, table courtesy Mark Mize]
Not much else going on in the NFL world today.
Posted in 1, Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, colts-news, Curtis Painter, Dallas Clark, Dwight Freeney, Indianapolis Colts, Jeff Saturday, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, Peyton Manning, Pittsburgh Steelers, Reggie Wayne, Robert MathisComments Off
Singer Sandi Patty returns to watch Colts camp
Posted on 08 August 2011.
ANDERSON, Ind. —
Elected officials, VIPs and special guests can be a regular sight daily at Indianapolis Colts training camp.
Among the guests during the first week of camp at Anderson University was gospel singer Sandi Patty. Patty was living in Anderson when the Baltimore Colts moved to Indianapolis in 1984 and was a season ticket holder.
“I love the Colts so much. When Art Schlichter was the quarterback I was (at training camp) a lot. I’m just a big fan,” Patty said on Thursday.
Patty now resides in Oklahoma City after calling Anderson home for years. She still has family in the area and makes regular visits to the Hoosier state. And the timing of her visit coinciding with Colts camp was purely intentional.
“I strategically planned to come visit my family the week the Colts were in here for camp,” Patty said. “I do have family here and I try to visit every couple of months. My kids are here. One lives in Indianapolis. One works at East Side Church of God. One goes to school (at Anderson University), one goes to Butler and my parents are still here.”
Patty has performed “The Star-Spangled Banner” at Colts home games in previous years, the most recent being a game last December. She has performed the national anthem for the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder.
“I have gotten to perform at the Colts games,” Patty said. “And, to whoever, my schedule is available to the Super Bowl.”
Patty has also shared the stage with some of the Colts themselves during past holidays.
“One of my favorite memories of the Colts was off the field. When I did Yule Tide Celebration with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra about four years ago. Ben Utecht, (tight end) who used to play for the Colts, he sang beautifully,” Patty said. “Ryan Diem, Jeff Saturday, Dallas Clark and Justin Snow were all at the concert. At the very last, the whole cast sings “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” and I had them all come up on stage and join us. They just smiled a lot.”
Playing football and singing on stage are miles apart in terms of the physicality involved in the preparation for a game/performance. But the mental aspect is where Patty sees a solid comparison, especially as it pertains to the Colts’ maestro of a quarterback.
“One of the things I love about Peyton Manning is he reads plays like someone would read an orchestra score. He knows every nuance,” Patty said. “That’s where I’m going to stop with the similarities because there’s much more (physical) risk out (on the football field).”
Patty’s music schedule will bring her back to Anderson on Sunday, Aug. 21, as her Sandi & Friends show will come to the Madison Park Church. She also has a new album due on in October called “Broadway Stories.”
“(The show) is some great Christian songs from the ’80s,” she said. “The new record is some of my favorite Broadway songs that I’ve always wanted to do.”
Patty sees the Colts Camp as a positive for the city that she called home for many years. And as a way for the city to promote what she believes is its best commodity.
“It takes getting people into this town to meet the people in this community. I’ve always said that the best resource Anderson has is its people,” Patty said. “I do love and it’s great that (the Colts) are here. It’s so great for our community. So, yay for Anderson.”
A big part of the people that Patty feels plays a huge part in the success of the Colts Camp being back in Anderson is an obvious one: the fan base.
“I think the Colts have some of the best fans,” Patty said. “There are some crazy fans in the NFL and we have some of that, but we also have great respectful fans that … know when it’s time to be crazy and chill when it’s time to chill. To see the support of them coming out, it’s awesome and I welcome them all to Anderson.”
Thanks for reading! .
Posted in 1, colts-news, Dallas Clark, Indianapolis Colts, Jeff Saturday, Justin Snow, Peyton Manning, Ryan DiemComments Off
Finally, we can think about the action on the…
Posted on 26 July 2011.
[unable to retrieve full-text content]We’ve received a prepared statement from Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, seen Colts center Jeff Saturday embrace Patriots owner Bob Kraft, talked with the Indianapolis Super Bowl Host Committee folks and seen the relief on the faces of the national NFL writers who’ve been on sidewalk detail these last couple of months.
Leave any suggestions in the comment box.
Posted in colts-news, Indianapolis Colts, Jeff Saturday, Peyton ManningComments Off
Video: Colts player embraces owner who ‘helped…
Posted on 25 July 2011.
If there was one moment that put the lockout in perspective, made people recognize the very human element of the game, and provided a lasting image, it was when NFLPA player rep and Indianapolis Colts center Jeff Saturday(notes) took to the podium as the lockout’s conclusion was addressed. Saturday had something else on his mind — he wanted to honor New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who lost his wife of 48 years, Myra Hiatt Kraft, to cancer last week. Through his wife’s illness, Kraft never lost his dual imperative — to take care of her and to be a mainstay in NFL negotiations.
“A special thanks to Myra Kraft, who even in her weakest moment, allowed Mr. Kraft to come and fight this out,” Saturday said. “Without him, this deal does not get done. …. [He] helped us save football.”
Then, the two men embraced.
If you want to see the best faces of the league, you’d have a tough time doing any better.
Related: Jeff Saturday, Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots
Running low on time today, i’ll be back tomorrow hopefully with some more news.
Posted in 1, colts-news, Indianapolis Colts, Jeff Saturday, New England PatriotsComments Off
Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay clearly hopeful an NFL labor deal gets done soon
Posted on 21 June 2011.
Chicago — Although he repeatedly stressed the fragility of ongoing labor negotiations between NFL owner and players, Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay made it clear Tuesday he thinks the time to strike a deal has come.
Entering the scheduled general meeting of owners in Chicago, Irsay said he thinks, “this is the season to make a deal.”
“These things chug along, they are stop-and-start and fragile,” he added. “But I think it’s important now that we stay the course and get something done.”
A large group of owners, and possibly at least 24 of those who would be required to approve a new collective bargaining agreement, are believed to share Irsay’s position. The Chicago meeting, he said, represents a chance, “for getting updates and for all 32 of us to express our feelings.”
Irsay described Colts center Jeff Saturday, a prominent member of the now disbanded players’ union as, “a great guy and a great Colt.”
“He’s always been a level-headed guy who wants to get a deal,” Irsay said. “And as I’ve said all along 90 percent of us on both sides want to get a deal done. It just makes sense that you find a way.”
Irsay’s remarks were an undeniably positive sign for those hoping a deal will be struck soon to lift the lockout and get training camps and preseason back on track. Irsay made it clear he is eyeing that same calendar closely, noting it is one thing to posture in October and another to put up roadblocks to a deal close to July.
“The logic is pushing on both sides now,” Irsay said.
What do you guys think about this.
Posted in colts-news, Indianapolis Colts, Jeff SaturdayComments Off
Jeff Saturday: NFLPA ‘smart’ to avoid draft-night conflict with NFL
Posted on 29 March 2011.
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Indianapolis Colts center Jeff Saturday, a member of the NFL Players Association executive committee, said Monday he thinks it was a “smart” decision for the NFLPA to back off its would-be draft-night conflict with the league. / ALEX BRANDON / Associated Press
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Posted in 1, colts-news, Indianapolis Colts, Jeff SaturdayComments Off
Saturday believes court case will keep NFL season safe in ’11
Posted on 28 March 2011.
On the eve of the first NFL work stoppage in nearly 25 years, two men sat in a restaurant in Washington D.C., drinking beer and discussing both sides of football’s increasingly muddled labor debate.
Conversations like this were happening in bars and eateries across America that night, but this was the only one that included Indianapolis Colts center Jeff Saturday and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
“I called Roger and I just said, ‘Hey man, I’m heading back to my hotel and I’d just like to talk to you,’” the five-time Pro Bowler and player representative told NFL Network’s Rich Eisen in an exclusive interview on “NFL Total Access.” “‘I know we’ve got one more day and I just want to lay out what I feel is important to the players.’”
Saturday called it a “heart to heart” conversation with Goodell, with each man explaining his side of the situation.
“I wanted him to feel it from the players and understand that nobody’s leading us to different areas. This is player-lead.”
However, less than 24 hours later it was Saturday who would tell league officials that the union was pulling the plug on negotiations and decertifying. It was a decision he called the “toughest of his life.”
The players want to play. That was the crux of Saturday’s conversation with Eisen and it’s been the NFLPA’s main talking point since the labor battle began in earnest. Despite how it may appear, Saturday said the union broke off talks and decertified so that football could be played.
They’re looking forward to the antitrust lawsuit set to begin April 6 in Minneapolis, seeing it as the most direct route back onto the football field.
Saturday told Eisen that after everything plays out in the courtroom, he foresees NFL players in uniform by the end of July or early August.
“I would not see it going past that point,” Saturday said.
Saturday and his family make their home in Indianapolis, and he understands the importance the 2011 season holds for the city with Lucas Oil Stadium scheduled to host its first Super Bowl next February. He also understands that his status as a key player in the labor battle may have personal repercussions down the line.
“I can assure you my job stability went way down when I walked in that room,” he said.
The NFL Players Association finalized a plan on Monday to re-work its signature draft event, “The Debut,” expanding it to three days, but not interfering directly with the NFL Draft itself, which begins at Radio City Music Hall on Thursday, April 28. Saturday agreed with the NFLPA’s decision.
“I think it was smart that they didn’t compete necessarily for the actual draft time, I just think you’re getting to the point where it affects fans and I don’t think anybody wants to do that,” said Saturday, who went undrafted before signing with the Colts in 1999. “You leave it up to the player, let them make the decision where they want to be on draft day, however they want to do that.”
That’s all for today.
Posted in 1, colts-news, Indianapolis Colts, Jeff SaturdayComments Off
Irsay preaches patience; Colts owner hopeful about labor deal despite ‘heavy lifting’ remaining
Posted on 15 March 2011.
INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay and team vice president/general manager Chris Polian spoke to Indianapolis-area media during a press conference late Monday afternoon.
Irsay and Polian both attempted to address the current labor situation — the decision by the National Football Players Association to decertify last Friday and the National Football League’s subsequent option to lock players out —and how it relates to the Colts.
“[The NFLPA’s decertification] was disappointing to me. I believe this thing is going to get done through mediation, through negotiations and not through lawyers,†Irsay said.
He remains hopeful that a resolution to the collective bargaining agreement negotiations, and the subsequent law suits between the union and the league, can be settled sooner rather than later. The Colts’ owner, though, is also realistic.
“You just can’t say I’m optimistic and magically things get done. There’s a lot of heavy lifting to do. We are hoping to get back to the point of getting a deal done,†Irsay said.
Irsay is preaching patience about the labor situation. “I talk about letting the process unfold,†he said. “I believe we’ll get something done and it will be positive. But it’s not going to happen by just saying it. We’ve got to get something done.â€
As far as his relationship with quarterback Peyton Manning, who is one of 10 plaintiffs in a class action suit against the NFL, and center Jeff Saturday, Irsay is fine. Saturday is a member of the NFLPA’s executive committee.
“I don’t take those sorts of things personally. Peyton, Jeff Saturday are very close friends of mine,†he said.
“It’s not something that you take personal. [Negotiations are] tough and you’ve got to get things resolved. You get something done, you shake hands and move forward.â€
Irsay is looking forward to signing Manning to a new deal when the opportunity presents itself. “The No. 1 dynamic is getting a long-term deal done for Peyton, offering him the highest contract that’s ever been out there in the NFL,†he said. “We’re together on his legacy in Indianapolis.â€
Polian, meanwhile, talked about the preparations the team has taken for the lockout.
“We’ve, to the best of our knowledge, tried to prepare for any eventuality. It’s a very fluid situation. But a lot of things are out of our control,†he explained. “We’ve done everything under the rules presented to us at this point. Those are the cards dealt to us and we’ll do our best to be prepared.â€
For however long the labor impasse goes on, Irsay isn’t planning on making any personnel moves in the Colts’ offices, the coaching staff or other support workers.
“My focus [with] every single employee is getting ready for a great year. We’re not going to furlough, pay cuts or any those sorts of things. The organization’s focus is on the [April] draft and season,†he said.
As for any possible hardships for any of the 31 other NFL owners if the lockout is a lengthy, Irsay could only talk about his own situation.
“I can’t speak for other owners in terms of their finances and personal wealth. But we have to be smart enough that we can get a deal done in a timely way,†he said. “We’re on the same page. And we’re really looking forward to getting something done. I know all of the fellow owners are of the same mind set. This is something we need to negotiate and get done.â€
Does Irsay fear a backlash from disgruntled fans because of the labor situation? “You always worry about that,†he said. “It’s March 14, so we’re talking about projection. You’re very sensitive to that. But to project fear is way too early.â€
That’s all the news for today.
Posted in 1, colts-news, Indianapolis Colts, Jeff Saturday, Peyton ManningComments Off
More active players join NFL labor talks on Day 6
Posted on 23 February 2011.
WASHINGTON (AP)—NFL Players Association executive committee members Brian Dawkins(notes), Jeff Saturday(notes), Mike Vrabel(notes) and Brian Waters(notes) participated in labor negotiations Wednesday, the sixth consecutive day of federally mediated talks between the league and union.
Denver Broncos safety Dawkins, Indianapolis Colts center Saturday, and Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Vrabel and guard Waters, along with former player Sean Morey(notes), arrived in the morning at the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, a U.S. government agency.
They joined NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith and their respective negotiating teams for the talks that consumed 35 hours over the first five days. The mediation is scheduled to continue Thursday—making for a full week.
Also on Thursday, at the NFL’s annual scouting combine in Indianapolis, the league is holding a meeting with general managers, coaches and other officials from all 32 teams.
“It’s a normal part of the combine, which is always filled with meetings galore,†NFL spokesman Greg Aiello wrote in an e-mail to The Associated Press after ESPN.com first reported about the GMs-coaches session. “There was such a meeting last year. It’s not the first time.â€
Still, with the current collective bargaining agreement set to expire next week, the NFL is expected to update attendees on the labor negotiations— although Goodell and general counsel Jeff Pash would be in Washington, not Indianapolis, on Thursday.
The union called off a meeting it was supposed to hold Thursday in Indianapolis with some player agents, citing the ongoing mediation. Instead, the NFLPA will host agents on Friday.
The four active players who showed up Wednesday in Washington, and Morey, are on the NFLPA’s executive committee; at least nine of that panel’s 11 members have been present at some point during the talks in the office of mediator George Cohen.
All participants have been abiding by Cohen’s request not to discuss the talks publicly, and no details about what’s been discussed have been revealed by either side.
After months of infrequent and sometimes contentious bargaining, the league and union have been communicating face-to-face since Friday.
They agreed to try mediation in a bid to find common ground before the current labor deal expires at the end of the day March 3. The union has said it believes team owners want to lock out the players as soon as the next day, which could threaten the 2011 season.
The league and union went more than two months without any formal bargaining until Feb. 5, the day before the Super Bowl. The sides met again once the next week, then called off a second meeting that had been scheduled for the following day.
The most recent CBA was signed in 2006, but owners exercised an opt-out clause in 2008.
The biggest issue separating the sides is how to divide about $9 billion in annual revenues. Among the other significant points in negotiations: a rookie wage scale; the owners’ push to expand the regular season from 16 games to 18 while reducing the preseason by two games; and benefits for retired players.
AP Sports Writer Joseph White contributed to this report.
That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow.
Posted in 1, Brian Dawkins, Brian Waters, colts-news, Indianapolis Colts, Jeff Saturday, Kansas City ChiefsComments Off
![Colts’ Saturday Added To AFC Pro Bowl Roster](http://www.coltsreport.com/wp-content/themes/gazette2/thumb.php?src=<img src="http://www.coltsreport.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/f79a6ac88ds-logo.jpg.jpg" />&w=100&h=100&zc=1&q=90){kind=logo}
Colts’ Saturday Added To AFC Pro Bowl Roster
Posted on 24 January 2011.
By WISE Web Sports
Colts’ Saturday Added To AFC Pro Bowl Roster
UNDATED (Indiana’s NewsCenter) – Indianapolis Colts center Jeff Saturday has been named to the 2011 Pro Bowl.
Saturday, a 12 year veteran with the Colts, has had four previous Pro Bowl nominations, from the 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2009 seasons.
The veteran has started 172 of 181 career games, and he has participated in 130 career victories with Indianapolis, the third-highest total by any Colts player since 1953 (141, QB-Peyton Manning; 132, QB-John Unitas).
Saturday is replacing Pittsburgh center Maurkice Pouncey, whose club has advanced to Super Bowl XLV.
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