This week the Colts signed Kelvin Hayden to a five-year $43 million dollar deal.

That is great in that it helps solidify the secondary that at times can be suspect when Bob Sanders is not in the lineup. Hayden has been a solid and consistent player for the Colts and keeping him was a wise choice; however, it now opens up the question about what other free agents are the Colts going to be able to sign?

Here are the Colts free agents that are still unsigned:

• Dominic Rhodes – a nice running back to have in the stable to help keep Addai fresh.
• Tyjuan Hagler – another good linebacker that the colts cannot really afford to let go.
• Hunter Smith – he doesn’t get the work load that most NFL punters get but he is a consistent punter.
• Josh Thomas – proved his worth filling in over the course of two seasons. A proven defensive linemen is something that the Colts cannot really let go of.

One player that we can reasonably assume will not be back with the Colts next year is wide receiver Marvin Harrison. Over the weekend, Harrison refused to restructure his contract, forcing the Colts to cut him. Simply put, Harrison is making too much money for someone who offers his current level of production. All Colts fans love Marvin, but the fact is that he has lost a step or two and is a shell of a player he once was.

What will be interesting is to where Harrison winds up. The Eagles are an obvious candidate, since Harrison is from Philly, but some observers apparently think that Harrison won’t get contract offers from anyone. We’ll see.

———-

Bill K is a big White Sox and Colts fan living in Fort Worth, Texas who also maintains his own personal blog: Average Guy Sports.

Last week, the Philadelphia D.A. announced that she would not be moving forward to press charges — at this time — because of a lack of credible witnesses. She did, however, say during the press conference that she was comfortable that she knew who fired the gun.

This matches up with what my sources in Philly have told me, which is basically that everyone knows Marvin Harrison pulled the trigger, but the D.A.’s office is worried about the credibility of the witnesses in what would no doubt be a high profile prosecution.

Most people, including me, thought that meant the credibility of Dwight Dixon. Dixon was one of the victims of the April 2008 shooting who claims that Harrison was the shooter, but who also filed a false police report immediately after the shooting took place. According to a new article published on ESPN.com today, the Philly D.A. is actually in possession of another statement from a second victim who corroborates Dixon’s claim that Harrison was the shooter.

The second witness is Robert Nixon, who was hit in the back by a ricochet of one of the shots. Like Dixon, Nixon told police one thing immediately after the shooting took place, and then changed his mind a short while later. On May 2nd, presumably four days after telling police he knew nothing, Robert Nixon signed a statement saying he was certain that Marvin Harrison was indeed the man who fired the gun.

Lynne Abraham, the Philadelphia D.A., addressed Nixon’s contradictory statements during her press conference, saying that he had admitted to fabricating many of the details in his first statement. According to ESPN, their law enforcement source, who has seen a second statement by Nixon, says that the many of the details have changed, but that Nixon’s citation of Harrison as the shooter remains consistent.

So…what does this mean?

Essentially nothing in the immediate future, because Abraham has already decided to not to move forward with charges against Marvin Harrison. However, it could be a harbinger of future headaches for the future Hall of Famer.

One of the reasons why Dwight Dixon’s story has been seen as less than credible is because he was all over the place in the stories he gave to police immediately after the shooting. He gave two false accounts of how he was shot, one to the hospital where he received treatment and the a different one to police. Once he was confronted with the ballistic evidence from the gun, he finally came forward with the current version of his story: that he and Harrison had gotten into an argument and physical altertcation, and that Harrison had shot him.

Now, according to this ESPN source, Robert Nixon’s current story matches up with Dwight Dixon’s current story. The problem for Abraham is that their initial stories were contradictory. This is a major part of the reason why she claims the case is not strong to present in front of a grand jury.

And there is another interesting contradiction pointed out by ESPN.

Harrison had registered a weapon matching that description, but told police he did not have the gun with him in Philadelphia on April 29 and that the weapon had not been fired in at least one year. Ballistics tests later confirmed that five spent bullet shells found at the crime scene came from Harrison’s gun.

Yet, Abraham never addressed this contradiction during her press conference. My question is why? Seems pretty germane to me.

As cited in this article on Philly.com, Dwight Dixon’s lawyer Robert Gamburg, and others who are involved with the Marvin Harrison shooting investigation, are miffed as to why the D.A. would not be moving forward even with the contradictory statements by the witnesses.

“It’s mind-boggling,” Gamburg said. “I can name 15 district attorneys who would have been more than willing to go to court with the evidence they had and present the case.”

Opting not to file criminal charges because of credibility issues “would eliminate about 85 percent of the murder prosecutions in the city of Philadelphia,” Gamburg added.

Abraham’s announcement disappointed some in law enforcement. “We feel like they’re just afraid someone will come in here and make them look silly,” said a police source who worked on the case.

“Nothing is ever a sure thing when you go to trial, but that doesn’t mean you back off,” the source said.

Lost in the hubbub over the D.A.’s press conference last week, and her announcement that no criminal charges were being filed, are a few important points:

1. Somehow, Marvin Harrison has avoided liability for the fact that police have proven that a gun registered to him was used in a shooting. Whether he is proven to be the shooter or not, one would think that Harrison would face some kind of liability for the fact that shots were fired from his gun.
2. Marvin Harrison still faces a civil suit filed by Dwight Dixon. As part of the civil trial process, Harrison will be forced to sit for depositions. These could occur in the next six weeks.
3. While Abraham said no charges were being filed right now, she left the door open to charges being filed in the future. She said that she will review the depositions and claimed the criminal investigation is still an “open issue.”

So, there is the latest update in the Marvin Harrison shooting investigation. I admit, not a whole lot of fresh news to report. However, with so many people and fans essentially considering the Harrison investigation “closed” after the press conference from last week, this new report should give pause. Harrison is by no means out of the woods — he just faces no formal criminal charges.

Yet.

I know that Colts fans will start yelping that the whole story is bunk because the witnesses’ stories have oscillated, and false information has been filed with police; but guess what? Marvin Harrison’s own story has proven to be untrue, or at the very least, malleable. He said that his gun had not been fired, yet the ballistics evidence proved that it had. Plus, Abraham even said that statements made by Harrison had been deemed to be “untrustworthy and sometimes false.” So Marvin Harrison is no more credible than the other witnesses over whom the Philadelphia’s D.A. office is waffling.

Many casual followers of this case, and fans of Marvin Harrison, will consider his claims to be more credible; but ask yourself this: who has more to lose in this case?

Marvin Harrison is a multi-millionaire, an NFL star, and a future Hall of Fame wide receiver. He has every reason to cover up his alleged role in the shooting, if he was indeed involved. Dwight Dixon and Robert Nixon are, according to one source, just your average Philadelphia-area thugs. I think it is reasonable to consider that they might have been afraid to come forward initially against Harrison, who because of his success, money, and stature exerts a great deal of influence and control over his area in Philadelphia.

To me, it makes perfect, logical sense why Dixon and Nixon would initially be hesitant about ratting out Harrison. If Harrison really was the shooter, what would prevent him from coming after them later, or having someone else do it, as retribution for their testimony? With time to reflect, however, both Dixon and Nixon have, reportedly, provided independent accounts that corroborate the primary issue at hand in this case: that Marvin Harrison pulled the trigger.

I am absolutely speculating right now, but doing so based on information from sources I’ve contacted and from the media reports floating out there. Too much smoke is wafting through the air for there not to be a fire.

So before you go accusing me of beating a dead horse or making a big deal over nothing, understand that from my perspective an NFL player tried to shoot someone and has not been held liable in any way. If I thought Harrison was innocent, I would have dropped it already. I am just so sick and tired of NFL players acting like fools, getting into trouble, and seeming to believe that the laws and rules don’t apply to them; and for the most part, this story has been swept under the rug.

“But he has not faced any charges” the arguments go. And they are correct. Marvin Harrison has not faced charges yet. But if all of the evidence seems to point to the fact that he should face charges, and I personally believe that he should face charges, should I just forget about the case and move on?

You may think so. I don’t.

Stories of athletes and gun permeate sports and overshadow many of the positive, uplifting stories that we should be focusing on. I will grant you that I am one of the few still advancing this story of an athlete and a gun; but I am doing so only because I think that until athletes have their feet held to the fire, and understand that they face real consequences just like everyone else, this problem will not disipate. When Pacman Jones can continue to be employed by the NFL up until just last week, there is a serious problem. And until fans who feel strongly voice their displeasure, and do so consistently, the Pacman Joneses of the world will continue to get fourth and fifth and sixth chances, and so on.

Plus, what is just about the vilification of Plaxico Burress for shooting himself, when Marvin Harrison has essentially gotten a free pass despite allegations that he shot somone else? No charges for Harrison — I know. Well guess what: accept my two cents for as much as you think it’s worth, but I think, based on a reasonable review of the available evidence, that Harrison was the shooter, and I think charges will eventually be filed. Until the Philadelphia D.A. comes out and says that the case is closed, and there is some type of reconciliation for Harrison’s own contradictions and the mounting evidence against him, I’ll keep talking about this story.

Now look — you may not believe me, but I would honestly like to be proven wrong. I’ve always liked Marvin Harrison, and my ultimate goal is for as much positive light to shine on the NFL as possible. Harrison’s vindication in this matter would remove one more black cloud from the league. However, if he truly is guilty, then I want to see justice served. Then, maybe the next time a superstar NFL player is faced with a basic choice of right or wrong — like shoot or not shoot — he will think twice and make the right choice.

The NFL is a living, breathing double standard. Violence is encouraged on the field, and is in fact a basic element of the game itself. However, players are expected to be able to flip that switch off when they walk outside of the white lines, and are compelled to do so by the laws of the land. If and when they violate the rules on the field, there are penalties that must be faced or fines that must be paid. The same is true off the field, and my only desire is to see a fair and just resolution if there is criminal liability on the part of Marvin Harrison in this case.

We most likely won’t know any more until the depositions have been given, but it certainly seems like there is much more of this story still to unfold. Flame me if you will for continuing to discuss the Marvin Harrson case, or for being outspoken with an opinion that is not currently backed up by the presence of any criminal charges. But I urge you to look a little deeper and make a logical assessment of this case. The court of public opinion is not governed by the same burden of proof as a courtroom.

If you simply dismiss this story and the allegations against Marvin Harrison offhand because you’d rather it be a non-story, or because you’d rather it just go away, I think you would only be making the same mistake that many people feel the D.A.’s office in Philadelphia is making. If you genuinely believe that Marvin Harrison is innocent, I have no problem with that whatsoever; nor can I prove you wrong with so many open questions still left to be answered.

Fortunately, most signs point to all of the unanswered questions being more clearly answered in the future, and to this “open issue” coming to a head. While Marvin Harrison was granted a temporary reprieve last week, there is still trouble brewing in the background for him. In the meantime, all opinions on this case have to be left in a holding pattern until something more definitive comes out than, “I’m pretty comfortable I know who fired the gun,” Abraham said. “But I’m not going to say because I don’t have the evidence.”

I’m pretty comfortable I know too, even from afar; and now we just have to wait for the evidence to play out. But nothing about this case is closed or decided, and I caution you to reassess your opinion if you think last week’s press conference provided any sort of vindication for Marvin Harrison.

I do hope that he is vindicated in the future. I just have very little reason to believe that will be the case.

According to MyFoxPhilly.com, Marvin Harrison will not face charges in connection to the Philadelphia-area shooting that occurred in April of 2008. District Attorney Lynne Abraham announced the decision at a press conference earlier today.

I did not get a chance to see the press conference (couldn’t find it on the MyFoxPhilly site, though they said it would be streaming) but the official write-up does not mention any specific reason for the dismissal charges. Either way, this is obviously great news for Marvin Harrison, who can breathe a little easier today.

I have to admit that I am somewhat surprised.

I half expected to see an outcome like we say today, in which Harrison would not face charges, because the prosecutors have had such a hard time a) getting a straight story from the victim and b) finding any other witnesses whose credibility would stand up court. But from my own personal opinion, and from what I’ve gathered through some digging, I think the likelihood that Marvin Harrison was not the shooter seems rather remote. Obviously my opinion doesn’t mean squat, and Colts fans will likely flame me for stating it and for asking what the difference is between Plaxico Burress and Marvin Harrison, but as I once heard Rasheed Wallace say during a post game interview: it is what it is, and it do what it do.

I would go into some of my own thoughts and feelings on this further, but in the interest of knowing that there is someone out there more credible and more adept at explaining them, I will refer you to ProFootballTalk.com, where Mike Florio has a great breakdown of today’s announcement by the Philly DA that no charges will be filed against Marvin Harrison — not even for the widely accepted fact that it was Harrison’s gun that was used in the shooting. That is perhaps the most surprising part of the announcement. I figured he might avoid the shooting charge, but did not think he would escape at least some liability for his gun being used in a shooting.

Keep in mind, the end of the criminal investigation does not influence the civil charges Harrison faces in connection with the shooting. And while his future certainly does not look like it will end up behind bars or with any hefty penalties or fines, the future of Marvin Harrison as an Indianapolis Colt is certainly a huge question mark as we move forward in 2009.

But that are all questions for the future. For today, at least, Marvin Harrison can relax with the knowledge that he will not face charges for the shooting back in April.

<<Marvin Harrison will not face charges in connection with the April, 2008 shooting in Philly.>>>

Breaking news out of Philadelphia tonight: Philly District Attorney Lynne Abraham has scheduled a press conference for Tuesday, January 6 to update the Marvin Harrison shooting investigation.

If you need your memory jogged quickly, this post from back in October provides most of the details, including the civil suit that was filed against Marvin Harrison.

Basically, a shooting took place in Philadelphia last April and the gun used in the shooting belonged to Marvin Harrison. The Colts WR is reported to have been involved in an altercation with the victim before the shooting; and while there are eyewitnesses, part of the reason for the long delay in the case is purported to be credibility of witnesses.

According to My Fox Philadelphia:

Fox 29 News has learned that Philadelphia District Attorney Lynne Abraham will reveal the results of the investigation during a news conference.

Police have said the gun used in the shooting near Harrison’s car wash in the Brewerytown section of the city belonged to him.

The press conference is scheduled to start at 11:00 am and can viewed live at MyFoxPhilly.com.

As we mentioned yesterday in our post regarding the questions facing the Indianapolis Colts heading into 2009, both the legal and contractual status of Marvin Harrison are a couple of the most pertinent questions. We also said what most Colts fans and even many media members had been unwilling or reluctant to say:

Do not forget that there are still pending charges against Marvin Harrison for a shooting that took place in his hometown of Philadelphia in March of 2008. Colts fans always get mad when I bring this up, and many think this is a closed case simply because the DA’s office in Philly has not yet pushed forward, but make no mistake: this case is not over.

I am keeping an eye on this case, because sources close to the investigation say it could come to a head sometime during the first few months of 2009. Just as the New York Giants face uncertainty with the legal status of Plaxico Burress, the Colts face similar questions with Marvin Harrison; and in the end, these issues could actually make the Colts’ decision regarding Harrison’s cap number quite simple.

We will see what the outcome of tomorrow’s press conference is before making any claims that we predicted anything here before it happened. As far as I can tell, if the DA thinks their witnesses will hold up in a trial, they will move forward. If they don’t — and it’s a big if — then Harrison could avoid a criminal trial.

Driving home from work tonight I was listening to the Dan Patrick show and he was discussing a story broken by ESPN. He proceeded to say something to the effect of, “we don’t break the news, we spray the news.” I laughed, thinking of how apt a description that is of most sports blogs, including this one. Almost exclusively on this site, we simply take the stories reported by other sources and add whatever two cents we may have.

The Marvin Harrison story, however, is one that caught my eye because of the glaring lack of activity since the initial flurry of information when the shooting occurred. I did a little digging, and wasn’t just blowing smoke when I continued to post about the Marvin Harrison shooting investigation when many others treated it like a dead issue (or, to be fair, like an issue that just hadn’t had much more information released publicly — which it was.)

I guess if Marvin Harrison faces charges tomorrow, we can gives ourselves a meaningless pat on the back for following up. Otherwise, the extra time spent will have simply been a waste of time for all intents and purposes.

One question I do have is this: doesn’t the timing seem somewhat suspect? A shooting occurs in Philly a few months before NFL training camp is set to kick off, and one of the primary suspects, Marvin Harrison, is one of the most successful athletes to come out of Philadelphia. News completely dies down (other than the civil case, which is completely unrelated to the criminal investigation) and then less than 48 hours after Marvin Harrison and the Colts’ season ends, a press conference is announced.

I suppose is perfectly logical that it could just be a coincidence, but the timing certainly worked out pretty well for Marvin Harrison, the Colts, and the NFL.

I’m just saying…

…and withholding any further judgment until tomorrow.

(Update: ESPN.com has a more detailed story about the Marvin Harrison case, written by Sal Paolantonio. According to Paolantonio, the police have been pressing the DA to bring the case to a close; however, the DA wanted reportedly wanted to wait until Harrison’s NFL season was over. Paolantonio also reports that witnesses have been “less than cooperative”, leading to uncertainty.)

The Colts have been amazingly consistent this decade, with this past season standing out because of its roller-coaster nature. Peyton Manning had to have knee surgery during the preseason, the team stumbled to a 3-4 start, they never found a consistent ground game, dealt with injuries all season long, and somehow racked up nine straight wins, another MVP for Manning, and cruised into the playoffs once again.

After going 3-13 in 1998, the Colts have had only one losing season in the last ten (2001, 6-10). And 2008 marked the team’s sixth straight season of tallying 12 or more wins. Tony Dungy, who took over the Colts from former head coach Jim Mora in 2002, has compiled an 85-28 record in Indianapolis; that’s a winning percentage of greater than 75%.

Wow.

As the 2008 season of the Indianapolis Colts ends, however, there are many questions heading into 2009. The answers to these questions will ultimately provide the answer to overriding question facing the Colts franchise: Can the Colts possibly continue their incredibly consistent year-in, year-out performance?

Let’s run down a few of the most pressing questions:

1 — Will Tony Dungy return as coach?

Tony Dungy has made no secret of the fact that he has considered retirement every year since the Colts won the Super Bowl. As the Colts playoff game against the Chargers approached this past week, speculation about a potential Tony Dungy retirement began swirling again. Dungy has said that we will take at least a week to unwind from the season and see how he feels. If he does decide to retire, the Colts have already named Jim Caldwell the head-coach-in-waiting.

There is no doubt that if Dungy decides to retire, his imprint will still define the Indianapolis Colts in 2009. I have read a few different places that the Colts may just be ready for Tony Dungy to retire, in hopes of avoiding a Favresque Will-He-or-Won’t-He scenario. I don’t really buy that. The Colts have a succession plan already in place, and will move in that direction should Dungy decide it is his time to go. But they will welcome him back with open arms as long as he wants to continue coaching. I hope that he does, and I know that Colts fans everywhere agree.

2 — What will happen with Marvin Harrison?

Mike Florio at Pro Football Talk posted an interesting item earlier today regarding Marvin Harrison’s exorbitant cap number for next season. Currently, that cap number is $13.4 million. If he was the Marvin Harrison of old, one of the best receivers in the NFL, that amount might be palatable. But for the declining version we saw this season, a shell of the dominant receiver Colts fans remember, there is no way the Colts can afford that much for Harrison. By cutting Marvin Harrison, as Florio points out, the Colts could free up $7 million in 2009.

More importantly, at least I think, is will Marvin Harrison even be a free man when the 2009 season comes around? Do not forget that there are still pending charges against Marvin Harrison for a shooting that took place in his hometown of Philadelphia in March of 2008. Colts fans always get mad when I bring this up, and many think this is a closed case simply because the DA’s office in Philly has not yet pushed forward, but make no mistake: this case is not over.

I am keeping an eye on this case, because sources close to the investigation say it could come to a head sometime during the first few months of 2009. Just as the New York GIants face uncertainty with the legal status of Plaxico Burress, the Colts face similar questions with Marvin Harrison; and in the end, these issues could actually make the Colts’ decision regarding Harrison’s cap number quite simple.

3 — What will the Colts do to get under the 2009 salary cap?

Another post by Mike Florio at PFT today goes into a little more detail regarding the effect of Peyton Manning’s monster contract on the Colts’ no-so-good salary cap status heading into 2009. Peyton Manning’s $21.2 million salary cap number for 2009 accounts for 17% of the team’s expected spending of $123 million; and makes Harrison’s cap number seem miniscule in comparison. (Of course, Peyton Manning is still highly productive and playing at an MVP level, while Harrison is nowhere close to being that valuable to the team.)

As Florio points out in the Marvin Harrison post, the Colts are projected to be $2.5 million over the expected $123 million cap for 2009. This is not unexpected, of course, as the Colts’ philosophy is to build their team around highly-paid superstars (Manning, Harrison, Wayne, Freeney, Sanders) and then fill in the gaps with younger players playing closer to the minimum. The drawback to this strategy is the expected reduction of depth, but the Colts proved this season that they were able to develop solid depth even with younger, lesser-paid backups.

Luckily for the Colts, most of their key players are signed through next season. Their free agents after the 2008 season, all unrestricted, are Matt Giordana, Keiwan Ratliff, Dominic Rhodes, Jeff Saturday, and Josh Thomas. You have to think that the Colts will want to resign Saturday, but for how much? He is getting up there in years and has been more prone to injury lately. Dominic Rhodes proved to be a very valuable backup to the oft-injured Joseph Addai. And Keiwan Ratliff and Matt Giordano provide good depth in the secondary.

Oh yeah, and the Colts have to sign their rookies too.

Thus, the Colts will be in dire need of the $7 million they can save by cutting Marvin Harrison, and may have to ask stars like Peyton Manning to take less money in 2009 for the best interest of the team. These monetary concerns, and how the Colts decide to deal with them, will define what the Colts look like in 2009.

4 – The running game

The Colts struggled all season to run the ball effectively. Part of this was due to injuries along the offensive line, as well as nagging injuries that seemed to hinder Joseph Addai all season long. The lack of a consistent running game made life that much more difficult for the Colts offense and Peyton Manning. Manning’s ability to overcome the inconsistent running attack was one reason why he won the MVP; but something tells me he would much rather have the luxury of a dependable running game in 2009.

Obviously, these are only a few of the many questions that the Colts must answer heading in 2009. But they are probably the most important. The first domino will be Tony Dungy, and then we’ll have to see how the rest of them fall from there.

Time to go watch the Dolphins. Have a great Sunday everyone.

At the beginning of the season, this appeared to be a great late season game for the NFL Network, but that was before the Jacksonville Jaguars pissed all over themselves and completely fell apart. It all started with Matt Jones getting busted with his nose in a pile of cocaine, then continued with a rash of injuries to the offensive line, and ultimately has culminated in Jack del Rio laughing and pointing elsewhere to divert attention when someone accuses him of dropping ass (picture, right). It’s okay coach, you’re on a football field. Drop ass all you want. Just don’t mess around with axes anymore.

Anyway, enough about the insignificant and pathetic Jaguars.

Tonight’s game does have huge ramifications for the Indianapolis Colts, and for fantasy football players across the country who are participating in their league’s championship round this week. With fantasy studs like Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne, Maurice Jones-Drew, Reggie Williams…wait, never mind on that one, Dallas Clark, and Joseph Addai on the field, this game will either get people off to great starts in Week 16 or leave them in a huge hole. And as you look to set your rosters (or if you are just an interested Colts fan), you need to know the latest injury updates regarding Harrison, Addai, Clark, and Sanders.

That’s why we’re here.

Injury Update – WR Marvin Harrison

This one is the easiest to definitively reports. Marvin Harrison will not play for the Indianapolis Colts tonight, as he did not even make the trip to Jacksonville, as reported by ESPN. No one knows exactly what the injury is to Harrison; Tony Dungy says it’s a hamstring, while others claim Harrison hurt his knee against Detroit, while some bozos are still trying to make a story out of comparing Marvin Harrison’s shooting to Plaxico Burress’s shooting. So who knows exactly why Marvin Harrison is out. Everyone rips the Patriots for not being forthcoming about injuries, but most people give Tony Dungy a free pass (although PFT does not, and good for them). I say who the hell cares. I don’t like the Colts, I don’t have Marvin Harrison in fantasy, and I don’t gamble on the NFL. He’s out. Bench him. That’s it.

Injury Update – RB Joseph Addai

Joseph Addai has a shoulder injury as continues to be listed as questionable. According to IndyStar.com, Tony Dungy is optimistic that Addai will be able to suit up, but he will be a game-time decision. If you own Joseph Addai, you’ll just have to monitor this up to kick off. The guy I am playing in the championship round of one league has Addai, so I’m hoping he does not get to feast on Jacksonville’s struggling defense. But even if Addai does play, he has not carried more than 16 times or gone over 70 yards since week 11. That was also the last time he scored a touchdown.

Injury Update – SS Bob Sanders

The perpetually questionable game-time decision Bob Sanders is…listed as questionable and a game-time decision, according to Tony Dungy. As with Joseph Addai, Tony Dungy is optimistic that Sanders will play. Jack Del Rio, Maurice Jones-Drew, Maurice Jones-Drew fantasy owners, and the rest of the Jaguars are hopeful that Bob Sanders will sit this one out. We’ll have to wait and see, as usual.

Injury Update – Indianapolis Colts Roster

Based on the official injury report, listed on NFL.com, it appears as if the Colts team is questionable and a game-time decision to even be on the field tonight against Jacksonville. 12 players are listed as questionable, many of whom are starters and for whom there is no indication that they will not play. Additionally, three other players are listed on the injury report with “Not Injury Related” next to their name.

So…let’s get this straight. They are on the injury report, but it’s not injury related. Yep, makes perfect sense.

This is one reason, other than their silly fans, that I stay away from owning Indianapolis Colts players in fantasy football. Trying to assess their injury situation is like trying to see your reflection in the Wabash River. Impossible.

As far as a prediction for tonight’s game goes, I just don’t see Jacksonville winning it. They will most likely cover whatever the spread is and play the Colts tough, but Peyton Manning is not losing to David Garrard this late in the season with so much on the line. Obviously, having Addai and Sanders would be a boon to the Colts chances, but either way I see them winning a tight game thanks to Peyton’s excellence.

Colts 27 | Jaguars 24

Chad Johnson, Brandon Marshall, and Chris Henry, to name a few, have all been lightning rods for controversy this season for various locker room and off-field misdeeds.

But none of the afore mentioned wide receivers’ problems compare to those faced by two of the most prolific receivers of this decade: Plaxico Burress and Marvin Harrison.

By now, everyone knows about Plaxico Burress and his unfortunate shooting incident. The quick Cliff’s Notes version if you need a refresher:

Yesterday, Burress turned himself in to authorities after shooting himself in the leg while illegally carrying a loaded handgun. Two teammates (Antonio Pierce and Ahmad Bradshaw) were with him and allegedly helped Plaxico make it to a hospital, where a worker has been suspended for no reporting the gunshot wound. Today, the New York Giants announced that Plaxico Burress was being placed on the non-football injury list and would not be a part of the team for the remainder of the season.

There is more to the story than that, but you probably know it all already. (And if not, hop over to ProFootballTalk.com to learn all the details.)

The Giants decision to suspend Burress does not seem unreasonable at all to me. Plaxico was already suspended once this year for insubordination, and seems to become more of a headache with each passing year and with each contract extension he signs. This latest incident is just another in a long litany of incidents in which Plaxico’s conduct off the field has overshadowed his prodigious production on it.

What really hurt Plaxico Burress in this case is that the Giants have proven that they can overcome the loss of Tiki Barber…and Michael Strahan…and Osi Umenyiora…and Jeremy Shockey…and now Plaxico Burress. They have built a great team concept and probably did not even have to think twice about giving Plaxico the Keyshawn treatment and just telling him to go away.

But what I can’t stop wondering, and what I haven’t seen covered anywhere else, is why the Plaxico Burress story is such a huge deal while the Marvin Harrison shooting investigation in Philadelphia is barely a blip on the radar screen anymore.

I posted about the Marvin Harrison shooting investigation back in October, right after word came out that Marvin would be facing a civil trial for his alleged involvement in a shooting that took place in his hometown of Philadelphia. Criminal charges were never filed against Harrison, although the case was still considered “an open investigation” by the Assistant District Attorney as of October 8th. The Philly.com article linked in the last sentence is the most recent article I can find online about the Marvin Harrison shooting. The victim Dwight Dixon, who is also the plaintiff in the civil suit, was apparently scheduled to appear in court on November 17th to answer charges that he filed an erroneous police report. I could not find any word on what happened with with respect to that hearing, or if it even occurred. (If there have been any recent developments in this case, please post links in the comments. Google certainly was not bringing any up, and I haven’t heard anything about this case since October.)

Basically, there was a big hubbub early in 2008 when the story first broke on Harrison, and it gained traction again in October with word of the civil suit, but now all is quiet; and Marvin Harrison continues to suit up for the Indianapolis Colts. Luckily for Harrison, he only seems to cause trouble when he is back home in Philly. The shooting investigation story was a shock because everyone assumed Harrison was a great guy just because he is quiet and reserved. His disposition, it seems, and history of not causing locker room trouble, gives the Colts no reason to suspend him without proof or a conviction in the shooting case.

Is that right? Perhaps. A very good argument could be made that the Giants will in fact be better off without Plaxico and the circus of distractions that has followed him this season. The Colts have no such trouble with Harrison — only the problems of his declining skills contributing to their offense becoming something far less potent than the well-oiled machined we have become accustomed to. (When you can’t score a touchdown against the Browns, you have problems.)

But while we are busy throwing stones at Plaxico Burress for being an idiot, a scofflaw, and a miscreant for his decision to illegally carry a loaded handgun, let’s take a moment to remember that the accusations against Marvin Harrison are actually far more severe.

Plaxico Burress illegally possessed a loaded handgun, and shot himself in the leg. Certainly, he put others at risk by carrying the gun an allowing it to go off; but in reality, no physical harm was done to anyone else because of his misdeed.

In the Harrison case, these are facts alleged in the civil suit filed by Dwight Dixon (as reported by Philly.com):

* A shooting took place on April 29th after a fist fight broke out between Marvin Harrison and Dwight Dixon at a North Philadelphia auto repair shop owned by Harrison.

* Harrison and Dixon squabbled for two weeks before the shooting after they exchanged words in Playmakers, a bar on 28th Street near Cambridge that Harrison owns.

* Ballistics tests proved shell casings found at the shooting scene had been fired from Harrison’s gun, a Belgian-made FN5.7, law-enforcement sources said.

* Detectives found the firearm in Harrison’s garage on Thompson Street.

* Witnesses and Dixon separately identified Harrison as the shooter, the sources said.

The two biggest differences between the Harrison and Burress situations are, of course:

1. The act allegedly carried out by Harrison injured another person, not himself, as in the Burress case.
2. Harrison was never formally charged criminally. To date, as far as I know, he has only been charged in the civil suit by Dixon.

With the information available online, I find it very hard to believe that Marvin Harrison was not the one who pulled the trigger. At a minimum, someone else pulled the trigger on a gun owned (legally, I am assuming) by Harrison and injured another party. I remind you again that while illegally carrying a handgun is an egregious offense and should be punished, no one else was hurt because of Plaxico Burress. Burress has seriously hurt himself, and his team — but has caused no physical injury to another party. Marvin Harrison has not, ostensibly, hurt his team — but he was either explicitly or implicitly involved in injuring another person, and committing or being party to an act that could have potentially killed that person.

I’m not saying the Colts should suspend Marvin Harrison. I believe in the tenet of American jurisprudence that you are innocent until proven guilty. But as Mike Florio over at ProFootballTalk likes to say, that only works in the courtroom. In the court of public opinion, the assumption is that reasonable inferences and judgments will be made from available facts. Without more evidence to the contrary, it is quite hard for me to argue Harrison’s case. Marvin Harrison is not a locker room distraction, nor has been charged criminally, so the Colts have not punished him in any way.

The worst part of this whole case for Plaxico Burress is that the trouble he faces with the law is, at the end of the day, probably not going to be the most costly misdeed he committed. If Plaxico Burress had been a model teammate and was someone who had the support of his coach and his teammates, there is no way he would have been placed on the non-injury football list and banished from the Giants. It had become pretty apparent that the Giants were fed up with Plaxico, and the shooting incident gave them an easy excuse to just make him go away.

So as the story of Plaxico Burress continues to evolve, and bloggers and talk radio hosts across the country admonish him for breaking the law and being a bad citizen, remember: there is a wide receiver in Indianapolis who may have actually done something far worse; something that actually caused physical harm to someone other than himself.

Marvin Harrison is still playing, while Plaxico Burress is not; and it has far more to do with their conduct in the locker room than any significant difference in the degree of trouble they have gotten themselves into outside of it.

The lesson for all you aspiring, troublemaking wide receivers? Stay quiet and don’t cause waves in the locker room. Ignore this advice, and you will be jettisoned in your most dire hour of need. Pay heed to this advice, and you can pretty much get away with (attempted) murder. Just ask Plaxico Burress and Marvin Harrison.

This post is from the regular season. Follow the link if you are looking for the Colts-Chargers Wild Card Playoff Game Preview, Prediction, and Injury Reports.

(Sunday morning update: Bob Sanders is out for Indianapolis, and did not make the trip to San Diego with the team.)

Over the last few years, few teams have given the Indianapolis Colts as many problems as the San Diego Chargers, who they face this weekend on Sunday Night Football. We all remember when the Chargers ended Indy’s win streak and quest for a perfect season two years ago, as well as two losses at their hands last year. Things should change this year.

The Colts have finally started putting it together of late. The running game has been efficient, and other than dropped passes, the Colts have moved the ball down the field through the air well. Peyton Manning has spread the ball around, and with Marvin Harrison finally showing signs of life, the Colts are running on all cylinders. Joseph Addai posted his first 100 yard rushing game since last year’s loss to the Patriots, and Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark continue to play well on the offensive side of the ball.

On defense, the Colts have only played marginally well, but have shown an ability to force turnovers when the game is on the line. They continue to give up nearly 140 rushing yards per game, but have held up fairly well in the red zone. This is all without their best defensive player.

Bob Sanders continues to miss games due to complications from off season knee surgery. In his place, Melvin Bullitt has started to make a name for himself; first with his special teams play, but lately as a great addition to the defense. The Colts defensive secondary has the most depth in the league, as they have been forced to play without their two starting cornerbacks and starting free safety for the last few games and are still in the top 10 in defending the pass. Dwight Freeney has helped this by returning to form with 7.0 sacks on the season, and Robert Mathis (5.0 sacks) will benefit from the fact that Freeney is playing better.

On the other side of the field for Sunday night’s game will be a very hungry Chargers team.

Led by Phillip Rivers, the Chargers have had to rely on their passing game more and more as LaDainian Tomlinson has struggled all season, rushing for only 686 yards and 5 touchdowns. Philip Rivers has thrown for 21 touchdowns (the same amount he had on the season last year), and has a 100.9 passer rating. Vincent Jackson has played well as their go-to receiver, while Chris Chambers has struggled to return to form after returning from injury.

Their defense has struggled after the early season loss of Shawne Merriman, who led their defense in sacks last year. Their lack of a pass rush without Merriman has allowed teams to throw for nearly 270 yards per game, worst in the league, and they have been only average against the run, allowing just more than 100 yards per game. This does not bode well for them going against a Colts team who is very good through the air and rushed the ball well with the return of Joseph Addai.

This is a must win game for the Chargers who are looking to turn their season around after a disappointing start to the year. They stand at 4-6 and second in their division. A win against the Colts would give them a lot of confidence going forward. The Colts need this game as well. The Titans are surprisingly running away with this division, and the Colts at 6-4 sit in the Wildcard spot right now. Expect both teams to play hard for this win, as both still have expectations for playing in January.

My Sunday Night Football prediction: Tomlinson’s struggles on the ground are not because of any defenses he has played and will continue Sunday night. The Colts ability to force turnovers will keep the Chargers from putting six on the board more than once. Peyton Manning will have all day to throw and will have one of the biggest games of the year against a team the Colts are hungry to exact revenge on, even if it means hitting them while they’re down.

Colts 31, Chargers 16

[tags]san diego chargers, indianapolis colts, sunday night football, nfl[/tags]

For those of you new to the weekly column, which began last week, I will post several players each week and rate them as being on fire or on ice. My fellow writers at Midwest Sports Fans, and our loyal readers as well, will then chime in with their own thoughts on the selected players. Keep in mind this is evaluated from a fantasy football perspective.

So, who is on fire or on ice for Week 8?

The Cleveland Browns Offense- On Ice. I argued this point last week when my fellow writers called me crazy for giving them the same title last week, and this past weekend against Washington was exactly why. One game does not mean squat. They should have produced the same numbers all year that they put up against the Giants, and did not. Until they prove to me that they can sustain the same high intensity offense for two to three weeks in a row, they are cold as ICE. What’s funny is the one factor different from the Giants game versus this weekend’s game was the addition of Kellen Winslow. The offense posted better runs with Steve Heiden blocking. Maybe Kellen Winslow should be moved to a slot position and let Heiden help with the run blocking. Just an observation.

The New Orleans Saints Offense- On Fire. Don’t let one bad game fool you, or the loss of Reggie Bush. This offense is still extremely talented as long as Drew Brees is under center. This offense will not look the same as it does when Reggie Bush is playing, but they were successful in his absence last year.

The Baltimore Ravens Defense- On Fire. After getting absolutely torched against the Indianapolis Colts, they put their top ranked “D” back onto the field in a dominating fashion against the Miami Dolphins. That should continue versus the Oakland Raiders and the Cleveland Browns, if the Browns still can’t find their identity by Week 9.

Steven Jackson and Marc Bulger- On Fire. This is a huge understatement; should be “inferno”. Steven Jackson was worth 39 fantasy football points last week and Bulger is looking like the old Bulger again. It’s amazing what firing your head coach can do for your ball club. Since Jim Haslet took over, the Rams are 2-0 with two very impressive wins against the Cowboys and Redskins!

In closing, the Indianapolis Colts are beginning to remind me of the Cleveland Browns offensively. They have more talent than 90% of the NFL on offense and were destroyed this past week. If you have Colts on your team like Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison, and Reggie Wayne, you can’t sit them unless you have super studs to cover their starting spot; but what gives? These teams are capable of dropping serious points on their opponents, which means fantasy football victories for their owners, but not last week.

Braylon Edwards catches insane balls thrown to him that he should never catch, but drops wide open perfectly thrown balls? I don’t understand that one. I am also lost as to why Romeo Crennel did not pull Derek Anderson after such a miserable first half for Brady Quinn. I find it very hard to believe that Brady Quinn would produce the same miserable numbers which D.A. posted in the first half of the Redskins game. That was as ignorant as Red Sox Manager Terry Francona leaving Jon Lester in the game while he was getting throttled in the fifth inning. Both ended with the same result: a loss.

Look for specific insight into the upcoming NFL week on Thursday in the Fantasy Football Sleeper Focus here at www.midwestsportsfans.com

Kurt Fraschetti

[tags]sports forum, fantasy football, reggie bush, cleveland browns, st. louis rams[/tags]

The Indianapolis Colts’ offensive line has been riddled with injuries, and they have been forced to start their backups at multiple positions in all four of their games this season. With Jeff Saturday going down for the first two games of the season, and Tony Ugoh missing games as well, the Colts have had to dig deep and try to get by with minimal experience up front. This has not been good to the passing or the running game. Joseph Addai has been held to just 213 yards and 4 touchdowns on the year, and Peyton Manning has been limited to 1,031 yards and 5 touchdowns. Manning has been sacked 7 times, and pressured or hit countless other times throughout the year.

This is all after an offseason where, after knee surgery only a few weeks before the year, Peyton Manning did not take any snaps until right before the season started. He has returned to form fairly quickly, and is starting to look like he has found his comfort zone again. But with a lack of protection, he is not the quarterback that he has been the past few seasons. After getting Marvin Harrison back, the Colts receiving corps is one of the league’s best. Joseph Addai adds to that potency as a great receiver out of the backfield, so Manning has no shortage of weapons at his disposal. But an injury to Dallas Clark and an inexperienced offensive line have not allowed Peyton Manning or the Indianapolis Colts the success they would like to have.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Colts’ offseason has not been good to them. Losing young backup Quinn Pitcock to early retirement, and being forced to release starter Ed Johnson due to behavioral issues off the field, the Colts are looking for answers up front. Despite the fact that Dwight Freeney has returned, and Robert Mathis is looking healthy, the Colts have lacked the push up the middle that is crucial to rushing the passer and stopping the run. With Bob Sanders out yet again, the Colts run defense is in shambles, as opponents have put up 754 yards on the ground in just four games, 29th in the NFL. Instead of outscoring opponents in the first half and forcing opponents to throw in the second half, the Colts have been forced to defend the run all game. This has kept the Colts’ offense off the field, with the Colts first four opponents having the ball for an average of ten minutes longer than them in the first four games. Not the recipe for success.

But despite all this, the Colts have managed to maintain a .500 record, and second place in what should turn out to be a highly contested AFC South. Jacksonville has struggled, and Houston is still a few years from contending, but what was supposed to be the toughest division in football before the season started has turned out to be the most unpredictable. Tennessee barely made the playoffs last year, and has posted a perfect 5-0 record despite losing their starting quarterback Vince Young to injury. Jacksonville was supposed to be competing for a Super Bowl this year, but has struggled to get by and sits at 2-3. Houston was supposed to be much improved, with a healthy Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson, but sits at 0-4, and cannot figure out how to translate talent into victories.

If the Indianapolis Colts plan on competing for another Super Bowl title, they will have to figure out a way to stay healthy, and may need to make some moves to fortify their offensive and defensive lines. Just ask John Madden: everything starts at the line of scrimmage, and if you don’t control that, you don’t control your destiny.

[tags]indianapolis colts, peyton manning, AFC South, NFL, football[/tags]

The story of Marvin Harrison and the Philadelphia shooting just got fresh legs.

According to to Philly.com, the victim of the shooting has filed a civil lawsuit against Marvin Harrison. Furthermore, just because criminal charges have not yet been filed does not necessarily mean that they will not be forthcoming at some point in the future. According to the Philadelphia Assistant District Attorney, the case is still considered open. (In related news, Peyton Manning claims that while the criminal investigation into Marvin Harrison the potential shooter is still open, Manning’s own field investigation into Marvin Harrison the wide receiver has concluded that he is not open; at least not as much as he used to be.)

The victim in question is a man named Dwight Dixon. He reportedly would not identify Marvin Harrison as the shooter initially, which contributed to the District Attorney’s hesitance to file criminal charges; however, has now come forward with the accusations that are the basis for the civil suit, which claim that Harrison was the shooter. Apparently Dwight Dixon is just as decisive as Peyton Manning at the line of scrimmage. (I will now force myself to stop making lame and cliched Peyton Manning jokes.)

According to the facts that have been gathered thus far by the Philly D.A., the following is known to have occurred regarding the involvement of Marvin Harrison in the events leading up to and surrounding the shooting of Dwight Dixon (quoting Philly.com explicitly):

* Harrison and Dixon squabbled for two weeks before the shooting after they exchanged words in Playmakers, a bar on 28th Street near Cambridge that Harrison owns.

* Ballistics tests proved shell casings found at the shooting scene had been fired from Harrison’s gun, a Belgian-made FN5.7, law-enforcement sources said.

* Detectives found the firearm in Harrison’s garage on Thompson Street.

* Witnesses and Dixon separately identified Harrison as the shooter, the sources said.

Despite these purported facts, Dixon’s oft-changing story may work against him. Certainly, he wishy-washiness will be highlighted heavily by the Marvin Harrison defense team during the upcoming proceedings, which will no doubt feature an under-oath deposition of Harrison. Marvin Harrison will have the option of invoking his 5th Amendment rights if he so chooses; but, this could be seen as an implicit admission of guilt and according to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com (a lawyer) this invocation of the 5th Amendment would be admissible in the civil trial. In the face of seemingly strong circumstantial evidence that, at the very least, seems to suggest negligence on Harrison’s part (since his gun was the one used in the shooting, regardless of if he pulled the trigger or not), one would think he would be compelled to explain his side of the story.

I had been wondering what had become of this case considering its evaporation from recent media coverage. The original story of the shooting, and the potential involvement of quiet, mild-mannered Marvin Harrison, was one of the most surprising stories I had ever read. Perhaps there is more to this story that we do not know and Marvin Harrison will be cleared of the most serious charges; or, perhaps we’ll learn that there was much more to Marvin Harrison that met the eye. Either way, it will be fascinating to watch this story play itself out and it has been a good lesson: just because someone is quiet and reluctant to talk does not necessarily mean they don’t have good stories to tell.

It remains to be seen if Marvin Harrison will tell his story, and exactly what kind of trouble it may (or may not) get him into.

[tags]marvin harrison, indianapolis colts, civil suit, shooting, philadelphia[/tags]

A few random thoughts about the NFL…

Aaron Rodgers (pictured below, dressed up as Scott Stapp for Halloween), the new undisputed starting QB for the Green Bay Packers, really just doesn’t seem to get it. If you haven’t seen his comments that came out today where we was basically whining that fans yell at him and he’s heard kids cussing at him, read them here. Why even go there? He is already facing an impossible task…replacing a living legend. Just ask Jay Fiedler how easy that is! Fiedler was actually a decent quarterback, who led the Dolphins to a few playoff appearances. But he was never even partially accepted by Dolphins fans. Why? Because he wasn’t Dan Marino. (And look at the Dolphins now…they haven’t had a QB as good as even Fiedler ever since!) The point is, if Rodgers displays this poor judgment with the media…and remember his comments from a few weeks back where he said the fans should “shut up or get on board”…it makes you wonder if his judgment on the field will be any better.

From all accounts it was a solid effort for the Browns yesterday. And Braylon Edwards made another amazing catch. He had a breakout season last year, but I think he joins the Moss-Owens tier of top flight NFL receivers this year. He’s that good. And Derek Anderson is the perfect match for him as a quarterback. D.A. may have questionable judgment sometimes, and is not as accurate on the intermediate passes as even Brady Quinn, but he throws one of the best deep balls in the NFL. Considering the fact that Kellen Winslow is there to draw the attention of the D, and the power running game of Jamal Lewis has to be respected, the D.A.-Braylon combo is pretty much unstoppable. I think if they are your first two picks in a fantasy draft, you’ll be very competitive in your league.

Tony Dungy announced that Marvin Harrison was cleared to play. This is good news for Colts fans. I think it is pretty much a widely accepted fact that Harrison is only going to be about 50-75% of the player he was before last year, but the respect that he will still garner will open things up for Anthony Gonzalez, Reggie Wayne, and Joseph Addai. There isn’t a whole lot of buzz around the Colts this offseason it seems like. I’m not a big Colts fan, but you have to respect their consistency. And as long as their aging and/or injury prone players can play at or near their full capability, you have to like their chances of making a deep playoff run. My only question…what the hell happened with the whole Marvin Harrison shooting thing? For a while there it seemed like all of the evidence was pointing at him being in some pretty serious trouble. The Colts are doing a good job of keeping that story pretty tightly wrapped. I haven’t heard anything in a while. Hopefully he wasn’t involved, and maybe that explains the complete dearth of updates…but the initial circumstantial evidence sure seemed damning for Harrison.

I’d write another blurb about the Bears overpaying Devin Hester…but I think they’ve been piled enough. Have they had anything at all good happen since they made the Super Bowl?