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	<title>Midwest Sports Fans &#187; bill polian</title>
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	<description>A sports blog by and for Midwest Sports Fans</description>
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		<title>@JimIrsay Tweets of the Day: How Jim impacted the new season of American Idol and why Steven Tyler is a wanker</title>
		<link>http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2011/01/jim-irsay-tweets-conversation-with-steven-tyler-american-idol-wanker/</link>
		<comments>http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2011/01/jim-irsay-tweets-conversation-with-steven-tyler-american-idol-wanker/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 21 Jan 2011 14:56:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jerod Morris</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Jim Irsay Tweet of the Day]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[NFL]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[american idol]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bill polian]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jim Irsay]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[steven tyler]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Twitter]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/?p=25684</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In today's episode, Jim regales us with tales of a talk he had with Steven Tyler, formerly of Aerosmith and now of American Idol, and why the famous singer is actually a "wanker."]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Twitter has done many things since it exploded onto the scene a        couple of years ago. From the perspective of a die-hard, obsessive        sports fan like myself, one of the great effects of Twitter has been  to       give us peeks behind the curtain, so to speak, at what our  favorite       athletes and sports figures are like.</p>
<p>Well, there is perhaps no more entertaining and off-the-rails curtain to peek behind than that of <a href="http://twitter.com/JimIrsay" target="_blank">Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay</a>.        He joined the micro-blogging site not too long ago and quickly     became  a   prolific, must-follow tweeter. Knowing a little something     about   Irsay&#8217;s  backstory &#8211; especially his indefatigable love of  music &#8211;    will   help you  to put his tweets into context. <a href="http://www.angelfire.com/ia3/colts5/irsay.htm" target="_blank">This quick Irsay biography</a> tells you all you need to know.</p>
<p><strong><em>The @JimIrsay Tweet(s) of the Day </em></strong>is our daily (for the   most part)    segment that celebrates the  most compelling of Irsay&#8217;s   tweets. In today&#8217;s episode, Jim regales us with tales of a talk he had with Steven Tyler, formerly of Aerosmith and now of American Idol, and why the famous singer is actually a &#8220;wanker.&#8221;</p>
<p><span id="more-25684"></span></p>
<p>If you are active on Twitter, I encourage you to <a href="http://twitter.com/JimIrsay" target="_blank">follow Irsay</a> because I guarantee that his tweets will provide daily sparks of humor,        intrigue, insanity, and inspiration &#8211; sometimes all at the same    time  &#8211;    to your feed. But if you&#8217;re not a Tweeter, just stop in here    every   day   and I&#8217;ll fill you in on the best of what you may have    missed.</p>
<p>Here is the best of <a href="http://twitter.com/JimIrsay" target="_blank">@JimIrsay</a> for January 21st, 2011. See if you can figure it out.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/jim-irsay-steven-tyler.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-25685" title="jim-irsay-steven-tyler" src="http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/jim-irsay-steven-tyler.jpg" alt="jim-irsay-steven-tyler" width="584" height="259" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;-</p>
<p><a href="http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/jim-irsay-wanker.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-25686" title="jim-irsay-wanker" src="http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/jim-irsay-wanker.jpg" alt="jim-irsay-wanker" width="569" height="185" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em><a href="http://twitter.com/JimIrsay/status/28143954184638465" target="_blank">Link</a> / <a href="http://twitter.com/JimIrsay/status/28144521078378496" target="_blank">Link</a></em></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">So, for those of you who watch American Idol &#8211; a subset of America to which I do not belong &#8211; and who will end up not liking Tyler and missing Simon Cowell as this season trudges along (I&#8217;m going to guess&#8230;most of you?) now you know who to blame. It was Jim Irsay. He could have been out finding another offensive lineman for Peyton Manning or negotiating the star QB&#8217;s new contract. Instead, he chatted with dude looks like a lady.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Actually, if I were a Colts fan, I think I&#8217;d rather have Irsay chatting up movie stars and let Bill Polian handle the personnel stuff. and if I were an Idol fan, I think I might want Irsay instead of Tyler. Just a thought&#8230;</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">**********</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/irsay-twitter.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-25066" title="irsay-twitter" src="http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/irsay-twitter.jpg" alt="irsay-twitter" width="250" height="250" /></a></p>
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		<title>The Indianapolis Colts are Keith Hernandez</title>
		<link>http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2010/01/indianapolis-colts-balk-at-pro-bowl-participation/</link>
		<comments>http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2010/01/indianapolis-colts-balk-at-pro-bowl-participation/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 27 Jan 2010 22:36:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jerod Morris</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[NFL]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[2010 pro bowl]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bill polian]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Indianapolis Colts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/?p=10348</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[By brazenly contradicting the NFL's wishes for their Pro Bowl participation, the Indianapolis Colts are having their second "We're Keith Hernandez" moment of the season. ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Remember the episode of Seinfeld when Keith Hernandez convinces himself to make a play on Elaine because <em>he is Keith Hernandez? </em>That line was immortalized in a hilarious voice-over and to this day is used by pop-culture turd fergusons to refer to someone who basically thinks they can do whatever the hell they want.</p>
<p>Well, the Indianapolis Colts are proving this season that &#8211; at least in their owns minds &#8211; they <em>are </em>Keith Hernandez.</p>
<p>The first example of this was when the Colts <a href="http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2010/01/greg-oden-nude-photos-pics-lesson/" target="_blank">whipped out their </a><a href="http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2010/01/greg-oden-nude-photos-pics-lesson/" target="_blank">Odens</a> during the final two weeks of the season and pissed all over an opportunity for an undefeated season.</p>
<p>The latest example, which has been leaking out today, is that the Colts who were elected to the Pro Bowl may boycott the event altogether.</p>
<p>Say it with me now Indianapolis: <em>we&#8217;re Keith Hernandez.</em></p>
<p><em><span id="more-10348"></span><span style="font-style: normal;">Now that I&#8217;ve been sufficiently snarky and pop-culturey (because, didn&#8217;t you know, that what&#8217;s bloggers are supposed to do!) let me state a couple of things:</span></em></p>
<p><em><span style="font-style: normal;">First, I was upset that the Colts didn&#8217;t go for an undefeated season, and I understand <a href="http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2010/01/colts-pr-problem-jim-irsay-bill-polian-picture/" target="_blank">why their fans were upset</a>, but it is a little harder to criticize the move now that they are in the Super Bowl and very healthy. I still disagree with it on principle, and there was certainly a KH factor at play there, but as Machiavelli theorized, the ends justify the means. </span></em></p>
<p>Second, the Colts have shown this season that their first, second, third, fourth, and fifth objectives (and so on and so forth) are one in the same: win the Super Bowl. If giving up on a perfect season didn&#8217;t prove that then nothing will.</p>
<p>So we really shouldn&#8217;t surprised that <a href="http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/01/27/colts-might-rebel-against-pro-bowl/" target="_blank">they are balking</a> at having their best players fly to Miami on Sunday for the Pro Bowl only to fly back to Indy so they can immediately turn around and fly back to Miami on Monday as a team. That&#8217;s a lot of travel and a lot of flying for your best players to be doing. I wouldn&#8217;t want my guys doing it either.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/bill-polian-jim-irsay.jpg"><img class="alignright" style="margin: 5px;" title="Colts Balk at Pro Bowl Participation" src="http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/bill-polian-jim-irsay.jpg" alt="indianapolis colts pro bowl" width="250" height="250" /></a>Could the Colts&#8217; Pro Bowl players stay in Miami Sunday night and meet their teammates there on Monday? Sure they could. But why should they have to?</p>
<p>The Pro Bowl is a sham as a competitive event anyway. Look no further than the <a href="http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2010/01/pro-bowl-preview-spread-pick-prediction-tickets-tv-kickoff-time-updated-rosters/" target="_blank">number of players who don&#8217;t even show up</a>. I think it&#8217;s great that the NFL moved the Pro Bowl to the week before the Super Bowl to build some buzz around it, but the Super Bowl participants should be excluded from anything they don&#8217;t want to participate in.</p>
<p>In the overall landscape of the NFL, the Pro Bowl is, oh, about 1/1000th as important as the Super Bowl. If Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne, et al, don&#8217;t want to have their normal routines disrupted, the NFL should acquiesce with no questions asked&#8230;or move the meaningless exhibition back where it used to be.</p>
<p>Does it take an I-don&#8217;t-give-an-eff GM like Bill Polian to so brazenly contradict the NFL&#8217;s wishes? Probably. But I bet the rest of the NFL and fans of any team would side with the Colts in this Keith Hernandez moment.</p>
<p>Hopefully the NFL will do the same.</p>
<p><strong>Update:</strong> <a href="http://twitter.com/mortreport" target="_blank">Chris Mortensen&#8217;s Twitter account</a> has been going crazy since I posted this. Here are the <a href="http://twitter.com/mortreport/status/8297963427" target="_blank">key tweets</a>:</p>
<blockquote><p><em>Colts Pro Bowl players will practice Sun., get on charter jet, fly to S. Fla, get introduced in pregame &amp; stay over, wait for teammates Mon.</em></p>
<p><em>League compromise: Colts Pro Bowl players won&#8217;t have to be available for media, which allows them to practice @ home Sunday before leaving.</em></p></blockquote>
<p>So it looks like the Colts Pro Bowlers will be staying over the night in Miami and awaiting the arrival of their teammates. Sounds reasonable to me. While I&#8217;m sure Jim Caldwell and Bill Polian would rather have the whole team together for travel, minimizing the time on planes is important too.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">**********</p>
<p><em>* – Bill Polian and Jim Irsay photo credit: Michael Conroy, AP via </em><a href="http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/columnist/forbes/2007-01-23-colts-polian_x.htm" target="_blank"><em>USA Today</em></a></p>
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		<title>The Colts&#8217; Self-Inflicted PR Problem</title>
		<link>http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2010/01/colts-pr-problem-jim-irsay-bill-polian-picture/</link>
		<comments>http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2010/01/colts-pr-problem-jim-irsay-bill-polian-picture/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 16 Jan 2010 19:10:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>AJ Kaufman</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[NFL]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Baltimore Ravens]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bill polian]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Indianapolis Colts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jim Irsay]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nfl playoffs]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/?p=9874</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Why does the city of Indianapolis seem so lifeless when their 14-2 team, seeded #1 in the AFC, has a primetime playoff game tonight? There are many reasons, and the blame goes to Bill Polian and Jim Irsay for one infamously misguided decision.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>So I am walking around every corner of downtown the past four hours, doing tours, meetings, getting lunch, observing, chatting with football fans, etc, and all I see are Ravens fans.</p>
<p>AirTran added 3 extra flights from Baltimore yesterday to accommodate demand. Many are quite pleased to get &#8220;inexpensive seats.&#8221;</p>
<p>Realize Baltimore has a VERY small fan-base, and the Colts have every game sold out.</p>
<p>Therefore what happened?</p>
<p><span id="more-9874"></span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/bill-polian-jim-irsay.jpg"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-9876" style="margin: 5px;" title="bill-polian-jim-irsay" src="http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/bill-polian-jim-irsay.jpg" alt="bill-polian-jim-irsay" width="250" height="250" /></a>Well, there were well over 4000 tickets for this game on StubHub as of last night, with the vast majority well below face value! Why? Well, a combinatioin of many factors &#8212; none of which, in my view, are &#8220;the bad economy,&#8221; as this team sells out everything, as do all other NFL playoff teams.</p>
<ol>
<li>People are waiting for the potential game with SD next Sunday. Rightly or wrongly, this is true.</li>
<li>NFL tickets are a rip off. &#8220;Face value&#8221; for nose bleeds are $85.  People are not avoiding this game due to the economy, but because that is unaffordable for one game, or again, they&#8217;ll save their big money for the conference title game, assuming there is one. They&#8217;re better off watching on TV.</li>
<li>Night game. People were already drinking/tailgating at 8:45 am when I drove by. The game is at 8:15 pm, so it will end close to midnight. Older folks and people with kids will not attend.</li>
<li>And most importantly, the city is dead. For 15 weeks, the Colts are talked about like gods, non-stop on sports radio thru Christmas, then  Irsay, Polian, and Caldwell take the wind out of everyone&#8217;s sails by throwing the final two games for no reason. Apathy has set in for the past fortnight, which was preceded by anger.</li>
</ol>
<p>The past week there&#8217;s been more Pacers and college hoops talk than Colts on radio. The city seems bored. They&#8217;ll wake up if Indy wins, as they will then play SD, but there is no emotion for this game, unlike if the Colts came in 16-0, chasing history.</p>
<p>The Jets debacle with its fallout, and the arrogance/hypocrisy shown in Buffalo in the first quarter of week 17, left a bad taste in these midwesterners mouths, just as the Pacers have done since 2004. Indy fans are different. Irsay and Co. messed up, and they will pay by seeing 10-15% purple in the seats.</p>
<p>Update: Also, I endorse the sentiments of <a href="http://www.indystar.com/article/20100116/SPORTS15/1160342/1034/SPORTS15/Kravitz-Colts-gulp-must-come-to-play-early-in-this-one" target="_blank">Bob Kravitz in his latest column</a>:</p>
<blockquote><p><em>Crunch all the numbers, do all the computer simulations, compare and contrast and sketch out the matchups that give the Indianapolis Colts the edge here, The Professional Football Team From Baltimore (TPFTFB) the edge there. In the end, here&#8217;s what it all comes down to:<br />
</em></p>
<p><em>If the Colts don&#8217;t choke, if they don&#8217;t fold like origami the way they did in 2005 and 2007, they win.</em></p>
<p><em>That simple. That harsh.</em></p></blockquote>
<p style="text-align: center;">**********</p>
<p><em>* &#8211; Bill Polian and Jim Irsay photo credit: Michael Conroy, AP via </em><a href="http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/columnist/forbes/2007-01-23-colts-polian_x.htm" target="_blank"><em>USA Today</em></a></p>
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		<title>Wes Welker Injury Update: MRI Necessary, But &#8216;Serious&#8217; Knee Injury Feared (Video)</title>
		<link>http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2010/01/wes-welker-injury-update-serious-knee-injury/</link>
		<comments>http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2010/01/wes-welker-injury-update-serious-knee-injury/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 03 Jan 2010 22:05:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jerod Morris</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[NFL]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bill polian]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Indianapolis Colts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jim Caldwell]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[new england patriots]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wes welker]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wes welker injury update]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/?p=9131</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Wes Welker left today's Patriots-Texans game in the first quarter with what is feared to be a "serious" knee injury. ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Somewhere in snowy New York, once they came in out of the Buffalo cold and their faces thawed enough to allow movement, Bill Polian and Jim Caldwell must have smiled a small &#8220;I told you so&#8221; smile to themselves.</p>
<p>The reason is the knee injury suffered today by Patriots&#8217; WR Wes Welker, which is feared to be &#8220;serious&#8221;.</p>
<p><span id="more-9131"></span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/wes-welker-injury-update.jpg"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-9132" style="margin: 5px;" title="wes-welker-injury-update" src="http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/wes-welker-injury-update.jpg" alt="wes-welker-injury-update" width="250" height="250" /></a>Now don&#8217;t get me wrong, I&#8217;m not saying that Polian and Caldwell want other players to get injured. But after the grief they took this week from just about everyone (including me, who hated the decision while still lambasting Colts fans for their reaction to it), what happened to Welker is clear proof of why many teams decide to bench their starters when late-season games will have no effect on playoff seeding.</p>
<p>But back to Welker.</p>
<p>He went down in the first quarter of today&#8217;s Patriots-Texans game &#8211; which was meaningless for the AFC champion and first round home team Patriots &#8211; without even really being touched. Though he was in the process of being tackled, <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/boston/nfl/news/story?id=4792582" target="_blank">Welker&#8217;s injury</a> occurred when he planted his foot and his leg just completely gave out.</p>
<blockquote><p><strong>Update:</strong> Here is the video of Wes Welker&#8217;s injury:</p></blockquote>
<p><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="480" height="295" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/u3Qg_Qb4JsY&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" height="295" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/u3Qg_Qb4JsY&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></p>
<p>Immediately, my brother said it was, at a minimum, a blown MCL. And my brother would know about such things. He&#8217;s a physical therapy major and has torn his ACL three times (and is currently healing from his third surgery).</p>
<p>Though no official <a href="http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/01/03/welkers-family-absolutely-sick-about-injury/" target="_blank">Wes Welker injury update</a> will be available until an MRI is taken, a recent post at Pro Football Talk pretty much tells Patriots fans all they need to know:</p>
<blockquote><p><em>Although Patriots coach Bill Belichick said after the game that he didn&#8217;t have an update on Welker&#8217;s condition &#8212; and although a complete diagnosis can&#8217;t be made until Welker has an MRI &#8212; Welker&#8217;s dad seems to have concluded what just about everyone watching the game concluded: Welker&#8217;s injury is serious, and he won&#8217;t be on the field in the playoffs.</em></p></blockquote>
<p>What a shame. The two teams I follow (the Browns and Dolphins) are eliminated from playoff contention, but I hate to see any player injured, especially a great player on a potential Super Bowl contender.</p>
<p>If there is any small sliver of bright side for the Patriots, it is that they have virtual Welker clone Julian Edelman on the roster. <a href="http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/boxscore?gameId=300103034" target="_blank">In Welker&#8217;s absence</a> today, Edelman caught 10 passes for 103 yards.</p>
<p>Still, it&#8217;s hard to see how even Edelman can replace Welker&#8217;s superior production this season. Playing basically 13 games, <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/gamelog?playerId=5941" target="_blank">Wes Welker</a> caught 122 passes for 1,336 yards. That is outstanding, and set an NFL record for passes caught per game.</p>
<p>After seeing Welker go down, then watching Pat White lay motionless on the field, and remembering how Ben Roethlisberger went down in Week 17 last year during a meaningless game against the Browns, it made me just a little less incredulous at Polian and Caldwell for their decision. I still don&#8217;t like it because Indy was 14-0, but it does remind you just how risky every snap is in the NFL.</p>
<p>I&#8217;m hoping Welker&#8217;s injury isn&#8217;t as serious as it looked, but right now there isn&#8217;t much of a reason to believe we&#8217;ll see him any more this season.</p>
<p>And, for the record, New England lost to the Texans&#8230;not that anyone in New England really cared once Welker got hurt. I would imagine every snap was an exercise in holding breath hoping nothing happened to Tom Brady or Randy Moss. Luckily, it did not.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">**********</p>
<p><em>* &#8211; </em><a href="http://www.tsn.ca/nfl/story/?id=304614" target="_blank"><em>Wes Welker</em></a><em> photo credit: The Canadian Press via TSN.ca</em></p>
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		<title>Line of the Day (Week? Month? Year?) From Jason Whitlock</title>
		<link>http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2009/12/line-of-the-day-from-jason-whitlock/</link>
		<comments>http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2009/12/line-of-the-day-from-jason-whitlock/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 30 Dec 2009 16:25:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jerod Morris</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Funny]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[NFL]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sports Writers and Reporters]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bill polian]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[curtis painter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Indianapolis Colts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[jason whitlock]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jim Caldwell]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[The excerpt that follows is, unquestionably, the line of the day today in sports writing. It might be the line of the week...the month...or perhaps even the year. Either way, it is equal parts perfect analogy and terrifically funny.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The excerpt that follows is, unquestionably, the line of the day today in sports writing. It might be the line of the week&#8230;the month&#8230;or perhaps even the year. But lest hyperbole get the best of me and defeat the genius of time and perspective, I&#8217;ll stick with simply calling it the line of the day.</p>
<p>Either way, it is equal parts perfect analogy and terrifically funny.</p>
<p>And it involves mocking Curtis Painter. Brilliant!</p>
<p><span id="more-8948"></span></p>
<div style="float:right;margin:5px;">[simple_thumbnail]</div>
<p>From <a href="http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/indy-coach-gm-will-regret-giving-up" target="_blank">Jason Whitlock&#8217;s column today</a> at FoxSports:</p>
<blockquote><p><em>Knocking boots with Beyonce has never been one of my goals, but if presented the opportunity, you best believe I won’t labor through 20 minutes of foreplay and signal for Curtis Painter to finish the job.</em></p></blockquote>
<p>The line obviously comes during the course of taking Bill Polian and Jim Caldwell to task for resting starters during last Sunday&#8217;s loss to the Jets. The crux of Whitlock&#8217;s argument is that the Colts very well might have lost their edge by removing the burden of victory from the players, since Polian and Caldwell will now be the ones blamed if and when the Colts do not win the Super Bowl.</p>
<p>I don&#8217;t know that I totally buy into Whitlock&#8217;s theory, but it certainly has <em>some </em>validity. And though <a href="http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2009/12/two-more-reason-to-hate-colts-fans-petulance-patriots-envy/" target="_blank">Colts&#8217; fans reacted stupidly</a>, I share their general disagreement with the decision.</p>
<p>But amidst all of this arguing, one thing is for certain: Curtis Painter should never be signaled to finish the job, whether in bed or on the football field. I think we can all agree on that.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">**********</p>
<p><em>* &#8211; Jason Whitlock photo credit: </em><a href="http://johnclay.bloginky.com/2009/08/28/whitlock-calls-pitino-a-playa-trying-to-save-his-marriage/" target="_blank"><em>John Clay&#8217;s Sidelines</em></a></p>
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		<title>NFL Power Rankings &#8211; Week 17: Requiem for an Undefeated Season</title>
		<link>http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2009/12/nfl-power-rankings-week-17/</link>
		<comments>http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2009/12/nfl-power-rankings-week-17/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 29 Dec 2009 19:49:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Big MB</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[NFL]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[nfl power rankings week 17]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[There is finally a new team atop MSF's power rankings, and it is not the Colts nor the Saints. Philip Rivers and his Chargers have ridden a wave of momentum to the top after the Colts controversial loss to the Jets.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Well all, it’s here.</p>
<p>This is the final Power Rankings of the Year, and with it comes major shake-ups to the top Five, as the last of the undefeateds have fallen.</p>
<p>I want to thank all of my readers for your support through this season, and I look forward already to next season’s power rankings.</p>
<p><em>(On a special side note, congrats go to Cleveland for winning their third straight. Perhaps mentioning them in my Power Rankings has been good luck for the Browns; perhaps Mike Holmgren needs to be made aware of this and he could send a little compensation my way :-D.)</em></p>
<p><em><span id="more-8894"></span></em></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/nfl-power-rankings-week-17.jpg"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-8901" style="margin: 5px;" title="nfl-power-rankings-week-17" src="http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/nfl-power-rankings-week-17.jpg" alt="nfl-power-rankings-week-17" width="250" height="250" /></a>1. San Diego Chargers (12-3)</strong></p>
<p>Yes Philip Rivers, you and your Chargers are #1.</p>
<p>With the Colts’ loss, the Chargers have now become the hottest team in the NFL after winning their tenth straight in blowout fashion against the Tennessee Titans. Right now, this team seems to be unstoppable, and I’m not sure even the Colts can stand in their way.</p>
<p><strong>2.New Orleans Saints (13-2)</strong></p>
<p>The Saints have now lost two in a row, and are beginning to look quite vulnerable after a very disappointing loss to Tampa in overtime after the Saints’ kicker missed what would have been a game winning field goal late in the second quarter.</p>
<p>I’m beginning to worry about the momentum of the Saints going into the playoffs. They have had several very flat first halves that have required late comebacks that, in their last two efforts, have fallen short.</p>
<p>The good news for the Saints is that they are in the NFC and right now, the only team I see as a true threat in that conference is Philly.</p>
<p><strong>3. Indianapolis Colts  (14-1)</strong></p>
<p>I’ll be honest, it’s going to be hard for me to keep this short, because I, as well as most of Colts’ Nation, am still fuming from this loss.</p>
<p>What was the point of playing Jacksonville?</p>
<p>What was the point of playing almost three quarters against the Jets, only to give away the game and a chance at history?</p>
<p>Here is the biggest problem I see, and the reason for the Colts’ plummet to third (and it would have been more had it not been for Minnesota’s loss): Looking at the players on the sidelines, including Manning, Wayne, and Clark, you could see more than just disappointment on their faces. You could see pain, frustration, and most importantly, a loss of morale.</p>
<p>The biggest question is, how will this effect the team going into the playoffs? Obviously now, the Colts will not play their starters for more than a series or two in Buffalo, which means they won’t see much time until three weeks from now in the divisional playoffs.</p>
<p>Déjà vu any one?</p>
<p><strong>4. Philadelphia Eagles (11-4)</strong></p>
<p>After the last two weeks, I am beginning to see Philly as the powerhouse in the NFC. They continue to play better, while Minnesota and New Orleans seem to have regressed.</p>
<p>Right now, I think that I would have to classify Philly as the favorite in the NFC, and they have clinched the NFC East.</p>
<p><strong>5. New England Patriots (10-5)</strong></p>
<p>Nothing breaking here with the exception of Randy Moss’ three touchdown day, which is a great sign for Patriots fans everywhere, and the fact the Pats have clinched the AFC East. One thing is for sure, you can never look the other way on the Patriots. They are still very much a contender.</p>
<p><strong>6. Minnesota Vikings (11-3)</strong></p>
<p>I personally believe that Brett Favre did everything he could to win this game, so get off of his ass. However, I am concerned about the Vikes’ recent struggles.</p>
<p>Something isn’t clicking in Minnesota and I’m not sure what it is, but I would pay very close attention in Week 17 to see how they react to their OT loss to the Bears.</p>
<p><strong>7. Cincinnati Bengals (10-5)</strong></p>
<p>Cincy has clinched the AFC North and will likely be the fourth seed, especially if they pull a Jim Caldwell and lay down for the Jets.</p>
<p>I’m not sold on Cincy though, and it is my guess that they will likely fall to the Chargers in the divisional round, although I’m not so sure they can even make it out of the Wild Card round.</p>
<p><strong>8. Green Bay Packers (10-5)</strong></p>
<p><strong>9. Arizona Cardinals (10-5)</strong></p>
<p><strong>10. Dallas Cowboys (10-5)</strong></p>
<p>These three teams are all in the playoffs, and will most likely play on Wild Card Weekend. (Follow the link to see all of the <a href="http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2009/12/nfl-playoff-picture-nfc-afc-scenarios-jets-ravens-steelers-broncos-texans-jaguars-dolphins/" target="_blank">AFC and NFC playoff scenarios</a>)</p>
<p>My guess is that the matchups will be Arizona hosting Dallas, and I believe that Philly will end up with the bye in round one, making our other matchup Green Bay versus Minnesota, which I think will be a great game, as it always is when we get to see two division foes duking it out on Wild Card Weekend.</p>
<p><strong>11. New York Jets (8-7)</strong></p>
<p><strong>12. Baltimore Ravens (8-7)</strong></p>
<p>Well thanks to Jim Caldwell and Bill Polian, the Jets, along with the Ravens, control their own destiny.</p>
<p>Win and in. Lose and anything could happen.</p>
<p>The Jets will play Cincy, who has nothing to play for, and the Ravens will play Oakland, so I expect both of these teams to win, but then again, that’s why the play the games!</p>
<p><strong>13. Denver Broncos (8-7)</strong></p>
<p><strong>14. Houston Texans (8-7)</strong></p>
<p><strong>15. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-7)</strong></p>
<p>Three teams, all outside looking in.</p>
<p>With the Colts rolling over late to the Jets, it gave New York the advantage over Denver, so now the Broncos need a loss from either Baltimore or New York, and a win for themselves.</p>
<p>Pittsburgh needs three of the four 8-7 teams to lose to make the playoffs, essentially dooming their own fate in 2009, while Houston can make the playoffs with any combination of two from Baltimore, New York, and Denver losing, with a Houston win.</p>
<p>And that wraps it up for the 2009 NFL Power Rankings.</p>
<p>I want to once again thank all of you for your support this season, and I look forward to next season with bated breath.</p>
<p>I am happy to announce the return of <a href="http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/category/ill-tell-you-this/" target="_blank"><em>I’ll Tell You This</em></a>, starting next week with a Playoff Preview Special, so be sure to tune in!!!</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>**********</strong></p>
<p><em>* &#8211; Philip Rivers photo credit: </em><a href="http://behindblondiepark.com/2009/01/18/nfl-hot-qbsits-just-a-girl-thing/" target="_blank"><em>Behind Blondi</em>e Park</a></p>
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		<title>Two More Reasons to Hate Colts Fans: Petulance and Patriots Envy</title>
		<link>http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2009/12/two-more-reason-to-hate-colts-fans-petulance-patriots-envy/</link>
		<comments>http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2009/12/two-more-reason-to-hate-colts-fans-petulance-patriots-envy/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 29 Dec 2009 19:20:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>KVB</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[NFL]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bill polian]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[As if we needed it, Colts fans have given the rest of us even more reason to hate them. Their reaction to the decision of Bill Polian and Jim Caldwell to pull the starters last Sunday has shown us all their petulance and obvious Patriots envy.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>This has gotten ridiculous.</p>
<p>Colts fans (for whom we previously counted down <a href="http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2008/08/7-reasons-to-hate-the-indianapolis-colts/" target="_blank">reasons why they suck</a>) have officially lost all respectability with their reactions to Sunday’s 29-15 loss to the Jets.</p>
<p>While Sunday&#8217;s game caused some people to pop the cork on their champagne bottles in celebration (see: Shula, Don; Morris, Mercury; et al.), the Colts loss was still just their first of season.</p>
<p><strong><em>GASP! </em></strong></p>
<p>And now it has incited riot-like, idiotic reactions felt from South Bend to Evansville. Not to mention endlessly annoying national media coverage as they continued fielding emails from angry Colt fans on ESPN radio this morning.<span id="more-8878"></span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/colts-fans-suck.jpg"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-8893" style="margin: 5px;" title="colts-fans-suck" src="http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/colts-fans-suck.jpg" alt="colts-fans-suck" width="300" height="203" /></a>Don’t believe me that Colts fans have gone on tilt? Wait this is <em>MIDWEST</em> sports fans, right? You certainly believe me unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past decade week.</p>
<p>It started with boos at the 5:36 mark in the third quarter (home team up 15-10) and turned into booing the team off of the field after the game.</p>
<p>Then we saw utter disappointment from players and coaches during the post game talk with the media. This is when every Colts fan began repeating over and over again: <em>“Did you see how pissed Peyton looked after the game!!!” </em></p>
<p>No sh*t Sherlock, they just LOST.</p>
<p>(Of course, with how bad the Colts fared with out him, they probably locked in Peyton Manning to receive unanimous votes for MVP now.)</p>
<p>A loss is a loss no matter if it is your first of the season or 30<sup>th</sup> of your career. What fans (short for “fanatics”, as Colin Cowherd always says) overlook is that head coach Jim Caldwell was extremely disappointed in the loss as well. But the decision to pull the starters was made before the heat of the moment (and boos) arrived.</p>
<p>And the goal for the Colts, as they have stated numerous times, is to win a Super Bowl, not to go 16-0. You cannot be so shortsighted that you fail to see that.</p>
<p>Unless you’re a Colts fan.</p>
<p>But obviously the majority of Colts fans don&#8217;t see it that way, so let&#8217;s delve deeper into this because they will not.</p>
<p>Living in Indianapolis I find a deep-seeded envy towards the New England Patriots in Dolts fans. (By the way, they will be referred to as “Dolts fans” the rest of the article because their tiny brains really have no grasp on reality.)</p>
<p>Anyway, in large because of the early domination this decade that the Patriots had on Peyton and company, Dolts fans hate everything about the organization and their style. They claim they want nothing to do with it. <em>&#8220;Dungy is a class act,&#8221; &#8220;Polian wouldn’t do that,&#8221; &#8220;Peyton is a great guy,&#8221;</em> etc, etc.</p>
<p>Examples: Dolt fans envy Tom Brady because people with football knowledge actually had the gall to put Brady on a pedestal above Manning because Brady went to four Super Bowls while running over the Colts in the process.</p>
<p>This is the only city in America that still accuses Bill Belichick of cheating after every victory. They hate the unkempt style of Belichick and his arrogance. The fourth and two call when they played each other earlier this season was just icing on the cake.</p>
<p>You could call downtown Indianapolis &#8220;Little Manhattan&#8221; after the Giants upset New England in the Super Bowl. Now every Giants touchdown comes with a <em>“Hot damn! Way to go Eli!”</em> from all the Dolts faithful.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/patriots-16-0-banner.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-8892" style="margin: 5px;" title="patriots-16-0-banner" src="http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/patriots-16-0-banner.jpg" alt="angry colts fans have patriots envy" width="157" height="300" /></a>They hate Randy Moss because “he’s a thug” not because he’s the best big play receiver in football on a different team, yet failing to remember the actual (at the very least, the accused) <a href="http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2009/01/marvin-harrison-shooting-second-source/" target="_blank">thuggery of their own receiving legend Marvin Harrison</a>.</p>
<p>The point is that it&#8217;s a style thing, a mentality. And, yes, it&#8217;s turned into envy over the course of this decade.</p>
<p>In the back of every Colts fan&#8217;s head was the 16-0 banner hanging in Gillette Stadium and how great it would be to do the same. <span style="text-decoration: line-through;">And the difference between morals and ethics.</span> (Sorry, I am a huge fan of the movie Election.)</p>
<p>But without perspective Colt fanatics don’t realize that the banner just reminds Patriots supporters of their miserable Super Bowl loss.</p>
<p>It is amazing Bill Polian had to explain this to <a href="http://www.sportsbybrooks.com/radio-show-cut-short-after-fans-jump-colts-gm-27495" target="_blank">irate callers on his radio talk show</a> Monday evening. Bill Polian, the man who has been the architect of two AFC dynasties (Buffalo in the &#8217;90s, Indy in the &#8217;00s) had to explain to Dolt fans how he (successfully) runs their organization, which is what he probably thought was the reason they were fans of the Colts organization to begin with.</p>
<p>Polian’s quote from his radio show on <a href="http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-4450-Indianapolis-Colts-Examiner~y2009m12d29-Indianapolis-Colts-President-Bill-Polian" target="_blank">examiner.com</a> :</p>
<blockquote><p><em>“What this really boils down to is whether or not you believe that 16-0 has meaning. We don&#8217;t think, and haven&#8217;t thought about it and have made it clear from Thanksgiving on when the issue was first raised – by other people, not us – that 16-0 was not something that was important to our season.”</em></p></blockquote>
<p><em> </em></p>
<p><a href="http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/bill-polian.jpg"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-8891" style="margin: 5px;" title="bill-polian" src="http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/bill-polian.jpg" alt="bill-polian and angry colts fans" width="220" height="230" /></a>Polian is obviously referencing his fan base&#8217;s envy toward the Patriots&#8217; perfect regular season, which unfortunately for him just happened a few short seasons ago. And obviously Polian is taking the less myopic view and looking at the big picture: that, in the end, it&#8217;s Super Bowl or bust.</p>
<p>During the game last Sunday, the players predictably had a look on their faces that 16-0 was important to their season. And why shouldn&#8217;t they? These guys would never have made it to the NFL without an unyielding competitive fire that naturally would lead to them getting pissed off when removed from <em>any</em> game, let alone on in which they were gunning for 15-0.</p>
<p>Of course, on the flip side, maybe they had looks of disgust simply because they lost a lead and got booed out of the stadium by their &#8220;faithful.&#8221;</p>
<p>Dolt fans just need to hope that this doesn&#8217;t linger with the players and effect them in the playoffs. Surely they can have some perspective and confidence in Peyton and company to be mentally strong enough to move on and complete the goal in Miami this February.</p>
<p>If not, they may see New England end their season (again) in the second round.</p>
<p>Remember Colt fans, jealousy is a crutch and envy is a waste of time.</p>
<p>There is nothing wrong with Colts fans and Colts players being upset that they did not go full bore at a 16-0 regular season. Fans and players alike are competitive, and that&#8217;s what makes sports awesome.</p>
<p>However, once the decision was made &#8211; a decision that was determined to be <em>in the best interests of the Colts&#8217; Super Bowl chances <strong>according to the same highly astute people who led their organization to more wins in the &#8217;00s than any other franchise has ever won in any decade &#8211; </strong><span style="font-style: normal;">Colts fans should have followed the lead of Colts players and moved on.</span></em></p>
<p><em><span style="font-style: normal;">Did you hear Peyton Manning bitching about it in the postgame press conference? No. So what makes Colts fans think they have any place to bitch or second guess Bill Polian and Jim Caldwell?</span></em></p>
<p><em><span style="font-style: normal;">The Indianapolis Colts were once a veritable scourge on the Circle City. The team sucked, no one came to games, and people were embarrassed to say they rooted for Indianapolis. (Anyone remember the Ron Meyer and Ken Venturi eras?) </span></em></p>
<p><a href="http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/angry-colts-fan.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-8890" style="margin: 5px;" title="angry-colts-fan" src="http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/angry-colts-fan.jpg" alt="angry-colts-fan" width="250" height="250" /></a><em><span style="font-style: normal;">Since 2003, the Colts have not won less than 12 games. That is mind-boggling. And this year, they are 14-1 with the #1 seed in the playoffs in the first season without Tony Dungy.</span></em></p>
<p><em><span style="font-style: normal;">Yet, during their final home game of the season, they were booed off the field.</span></em></p>
<p>Whether it be restlessness, ignorance, a sense of entitlement, or simply a fan base collectively being spoiled to the point of being one big whiny brat, Colts fans have shown us what they are really all about over the past 48-72 hours: envy and petulance.</p>
<p>And all because the decision makers of the Colts did what they thought was best to put the team in the best position to bring another Super Bowl title home to the city.</p>
<p>Too bad, if it happens, that it will be to a city and a fan base that doesn&#8217;t deserve another one.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">**********</p>
<p><em>* &#8211; Colts fans leaving photo credit: </em><a href="http://media.journalinteractive.com/images/ColtsFans.jpg" target="_blank"><em>Media.JournalInteractive.com</em></a></p>
<p><em>* &#8211; Patriots 16-0 banner photo credit: Chris Forsberg, Boston.com via </em><a href="http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/reiss_pieces/2008/09/the_160_banner.html" target="_blank"><em>Boston.com</em></a></p>
<p><em>* &#8211; Bill Polian photo credit: </em><a href="http://www.stampedeblue.com/story/2006/10/20/11812/936" target="_blank"><em>StampedeBlue.com</em></a></p>
<p><em>* &#8211; Angry Colts fan photo credit: Matt Kryger / The Indianapolis Star via </em><em><a href="http://photos.indystar.com/galleries/slides/7754?page=1&amp;template=default" target="_blank">IndyStar.com</a></em></p>
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		<title>Tony Dungy Retirement Rumors Escalate &#8211; Bob Kravitz Column Way Off Base</title>
		<link>http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2009/01/update-tony-dungy-retirement-rumors-escalate-bob-kravitz-column-way-off-base/</link>
		<comments>http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2009/01/update-tony-dungy-retirement-rumors-escalate-bob-kravitz-column-way-off-base/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 05 Jan 2009 17:12:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jerod Morris</dc:creator>
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		<description><![CDATA[The Tony Dungy retirement rumors continue to escalate today, with one website putting the likelihood of Dungy retiring at 70-30.  Bob Kravitz wrote a column in the Star today, in which he says it is time for Tony Dungy to go, that is way off base.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/dungy.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1138" style="border: 5px solid black; margin: 5px; float: left;" title="dungy" src="http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/dungy.jpg" alt="Tony Dungy Retirement Rumors Escalate" width="153" height="199" /></a>I actually have to get back to day job today, so updates will be a little more sparse.  However, I&#8217;ve seen some news this morning regarding the escalating rumors of Tony Dungy&#8217;s possible retirement.</p>
<p>I have already gone on record as saying that <a href="http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2009/01/could-saturdays-colts-chargers-game-be-tony-dungys-last-game-as-colts-head-coach/" target="_self">I hope Tony Dungy does not retire</a>.  Bob Kravitz of the Indianapolis Star <a href="http://www.indystar.com/article/20090105/SPORTS15/901050338" target="_blank">obviously disagrees with me</a>; and from the looks of the comments section of the article, he disagrees with about 99% of the Colts fan base as well.</p>
<p>An email exchange I had with a major sports blog earlier today summed it up the best.  I emailed them a link to Kravitz article as a tip, hoping they would post it so sports fans around the world could view Kravitz&#8217;s drivel and realize what sports fans in Indy have to put up with.  Their response: &#8220;What a buffoon.&#8221;  I couldn&#8217;t have said it any better myself.</p>
<p>One line in particular stood out to me in Kravitz&#8217;s article about Tony Dungy: &#8220;As much as we all respect and like the man, the numbers cannot be ignored.&#8221;  Kravitz then follows this up by discussing Dungy&#8217;s disappointing playoff record.  The truth though is that Kravitz is right, the numbers cannot be ignored, he was just right for a reason in opposition of his main point.  Tony Dungy&#8217;s record as Colts head coach, <em>the numbers</em>, make it implausible for any Colts observer to say the franchise is better off without him.  Six straight 12-win seasons, a plus-.750 winning percentage, a Super Bowl championship &#8212; the numbers are in Dungy&#8217;s favor, not working against him.</p>
<p>And, of course, Bob Kravitz seems to contradict himself by essentially saying that Colts fans would be stuck <a href="http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/sports15.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1157" style="border: 5px solid black; margin: 5px; float: right;" title="sports15" src="http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/sports15.jpg" alt="Indianapolis Star Columnist Bob Kravitz off base as Tony Dungy retirement rumors escalate" width="100" height="100" /></a>with Jim Caldwell, and that &#8220;the Colts should understand turning to Caldwell will be a tough sell.&#8221;  Why then is it in the team&#8217;s best interest for Tony Dungy to go?  If the already determined successor is &#8220;Tony Dungy Lite&#8221; and would prove a tough sell, how does the franchise improve by Tony Dungy leaving?</p>
<p>Is Bob Kravitz confusing anyone else?  If I&#8217;m off base here, please tell me.  My head was spinning after reading the Kravitz column because it just did not seem to make any coherent sense.</p>
<p>Mike Florio at ProFootballTalk has an interesting take on the issue, while claiming that sources around the Colts say its about <a href="http://www.profootballtalk.com/2009/01/05/early-signs-point-to-dungy-departure/" target="_blank">70-30 that Dungy will, in fact, retire</a>:</p>
<blockquote><p><em>In a city where the Colts often keep the primary newspaper in town on a choke chain, Kravitz (in our view) wouldnâ€™t be sliding out onto that specific limb unless he already knows what Dungy is going to do.</em></p>
<p><em>Of course, thereâ€™s also a chance that Kravitz has gotten a nudge from G.M. Bill Polian, who might want to use the transition to a new head coach as cover for the teamâ€™s looming struggles in the last capped year under the current CBA, which for the Colts will be the day of reckoning after years of pushing cap dollars into future seasons.</em></p></blockquote>
<p>I suppose a gentle nudge from Bill Polian might explain what I consider to be a pretty nonsensical article by Bob Kravitz, but I am having a hard time believing that would be true.  Of course, Florio has posted some pretty unflattering remarks about Bill Polian in the past, much to the <a href="http://www.stampedeblue.com/story/2006/10/20/11812/936" target="_blank">dismay of some Colts supporters</a>.  I&#8217;ll be honest and say that I don&#8217;t know enough about the situation to accurately comment; but the notion that a GM would give a &#8220;nudge&#8221; to a local columnist to write a negative article about the most successful coach in franchise history is, well, interesting.  I&#8217;ll put it that way.</p>
<p>The Colts obviously <a href="http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2009/01/as-indianapolis-colts-2008-season-ends-there-are-major-questions-for-2009/" target="_blank">have some questions heading into 2009</a>, none more important than the status of their current head coach and if he will be there next season.  As the Tony Dungy retirement rumors continue to escalate, I just hope we do not see any more stories like the one penned by Bob Kravitz.  Tony Dungy deserves far more respect, and not just because he is a good and decent man; but because he is without the question the best person to lead the Colts as head coach for next season.  Colts fans and interested observers like myself are anxiously awaiting his final decision, and hopefully we don&#8217;t have to sift through any more Kravitzesque drivel while keeping up with the latest Tony Dungy updates.</p>
<p>What do you think?  Is Bob Kravitz off base in his criticism of Tony Dungy?</p>
<blockquote>Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.</blockquote>
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