Thank you Mr Jim Irsay

[WoolMagnet]

I had to do it.  I could no longer  sit by and not address this.

now i know i dont necessarily have a great history of thread creation, but here goes.

  I think our fearless leader has done it again i think.  I cant remember when i was this excited about the future of the Colts.  And i dont mean for the upcoming season.  LONG TERM BABY! This has the potential to be far bigger than the drafting of a Peyton Manning or Andrew Luck.

it appears that our front office is finally getting the attention it has need d so desperately.

  From the top down we should see a drastic shift in the level of accountability for om the top down.  Ballard has stated numerous tikes how he will own his mistakes.  This will breed accountability down to the hot dog vendors.  He is demanding, but approachable and understanding.  he is the perfect person to keep the big egos of the new big name hires. He's intelligent, engaging, very likable, and charming.  But steadfast in his dedication, attention to detail, and drive. What a change!

  Ive seen writers saying hes building a team of "rock stars".  One said the "avengers of scouting".  I like that one.  Another compared them to the "beatles of front offices".  Remarkable stuff.  For a team of hat typically is the brunt of snarky remarks especially toward Irsay, how the tide has changed.  I mean EVERYONE is raving, almost like they cant believe it, about th "team" being put together.

  But why arent they giving he "big guy" some love?  Its disgraceful and unprofessional, imo.

  It is also my opinion that there isnt an owner in the league that more sincerely loves his team than Jim. He wears his heart on his sleeve, its almost palpable. I love the guy.  The personal battles he's endured has makes him even more special in some ways. 

The guy is a winner in my book.

thanks again Jim.

i'm hoping "we" win another ring (or three or four) more tor you than even for my enjoyment.

you deserve it big guy.  i wouldnt want anyone else as my owner.  Somehow the team would lose something in my eyes:

 

[NewColtsFan]

 

Nobody is giving Irsay credit yet,  because nothing has happened yet.

 

The hiring's just happened within the past week.      These new guys haven't done anything yet.

 

The team hasn't even played a pre-season game yet.      All things come with time.

 

When the product on the field matches the hype of the hirings,  THEN the stories about what Irsay and Ballard have done will be written.......     there's nothing disgraceful or unprofessional going on here...

 

Patience my friend......     Patience...

 

[WoolMagnet]

If it was NE, they'd be closing schools.

just sayin.

i'll bet you are a hit at parties with that energetic , optimistic vibe.

i kid, i get what you are saying. Hard to argue that.

but it seems the media thinks its a pretty big deal and i'll choose to as well.  Feels like an alternate universe since a year ago. Especially on this forum.  Refreshing.

[ManningGM]

I think we're the next AFC powerhouse and NFL dynasty in the making, especially once Brady and Beli retire. 

[AZColt11]

Welp, I like the moves.  Beyond that I have no clue what will happen.  Time will tell.

[2006Coltsbestever]

We have been a Top 5 franchise really since the 1995 Season when Harbaugh almost got us to the SB, even before Peyton. I think we will get it together now that Ballard is in charge. Jim Irsay has been a great owner in reality. A couple of SB appearances and a SB win on his resume. + We were just in the AFC Championship Game 2 years ago with Luck leading the way, moving past the great Peyton era. We have had a couple of head scratching seasons in a row but Irsay crapcanning Grigson and hiring Ballard was just one of his many fantastic moves over the years as owner. I don't rank it with Drafting Peyton and then Luck but it may be 3rd. Drafting Peyton and Luck was Irsay's final call, make no mistake about that. No way in hell was he going to allow our GM's to Draft Leaf or RG3. Some people may say it was no brainers not taking Leaf or RG3 but almost everyone in the media had both those players rank just as great as Peyton and Luck.

[LockeDown]

Thanks, Mr. Irsay.  Now......Avengers assemble!!!  

[DarkHorse]

I'm excited about all the changes too.  But it really comes down to winning.  They're finally getting it right now on how to build a team, hopefully it translates to the field

[GoColtsWin]

Excited about the season myself. We're a Colts/Niners house hold, so we have much to look forward to this year. 

[Smonroe]

4 minutes ago, GoColtsWin said:

Excited about the season myself. We're a Colts/Niners house hold, so we have much to look forward to this year. 

 

Will you be in separate rooms on October 8?

[dodsworth]

11 hours ago, ManningGM said:

I think we're the next AFC powerhouse and NFL dynasty in the making, especially once Brady and Beli retire. 

Luck may be retired before Belicheck retires but I can see where

the Colts may be able to squeak out a title or maybe two with 

the direction Ballard is taking the program.

 

Back to Irsay, yes I'm a little biased but there isn't an owner in

the league I would have over him. He said he is all about Lombardi

titles and is backing his words with what has transformed

over the last few months. The arrow is definitely going up.

[dodsworth]

Irsay isn't the kind of owner that only cares about making

a buck and selling tickets, he genuinely wants to put 

a winning program on the field.

[Superman]

I'm more optimistic about Ballard's reworking of the front office than I am about anything else he's done so far. When Irsay hired Ballard, it was said that Ballard had the connections to put together an excellent front office staff, and he's taken steps to do that.

 

Obviously, we need to see how it plays out over time, but if these guys are half as good as the reputations that precede them, then our front office just got seriously upgraded.

[2006Coltsbestever]

6 minutes ago, Superman said:

I'm more optimistic about Ballard's reworking of the front office than I am about anything else he's done so far. When Irsay hired Ballard, it was said that Ballard had the connections to put together an excellent front office staff, and he's taken steps to do that.

 

Obviously, we need to see how it plays out over time, but if these guys are half as good as the reputations that precede them, then our front office just got seriously upgraded.

This has been one of the best off seasons we have had (on paper on anyway) in a long time. The Draft and Free Agency both were solid. Ballard looks like the man so far but it does have to play out as you said, if we don't win 10 or 11 games and the Division then criticism will come. I still think Ballard needs at least 2 more off seasons before we judge his work. Hard to erase Grigson's mistakes just in 1 season. Grigson had 1 great Draft and that was 2012 (Andrew Luck is why it was great and any team with half a brain would've took Luck). We also drafted Fleener and Allen in that Draft and they aren't even here anymore. TY was Grigs golden pick.

[Colt Cola]

11 hours ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

We have been a Top 5 franchise really since the 1995 Season when Harbaugh almost got us to the SB, even before Peyton. I think we will get it together now that Ballard is in charge. Jim Irsay has been a great owner in reality. A couple of SB appearances and a SB win on his resume. + We were just in the AFC Championship Game 2 years ago with Luck leading the way, moving past the great Peyton era. We have had a couple of head scratching seasons in a row but Irsay crapcanning Grigson and hiring Ballard was just one of his many fantastic moves over the years as owner. I don't rank it with Drafting Peyton and then Luck but it may be 3rd. Drafting Peyton and Luck was Irsay's final call, make no mistake about that. No way in hell was he going to allow our GM's to Draft Leaf or RG3. Some people may say it was no brainers not taking Leaf or RG3 but almost everyone in the media had both those players rank just as great as Peyton and Luck.

It's funny to see how the other side thought of this, because I was on the end that drafted Leaf. We were so hyped because like you said the media thought Leaf was gonna be huge as well, and he was amazing in the Preseason. Then the regular season started and we started seeing just what a hot head he was, almost fighting fans, chasing cheerleaders, and getting into altercations with our local media...even through all that, I think he could have been a decent QB if he didn't have Kevin Gilbride as a coach those first few seasons.

[2006Coltsbestever]

7 minutes ago, Colt Cola said:

It's funny to see how the other side thought of this, because I was on the end that drafted Leaf. We were so hyped because like you said the media thought Leaf was gonna be huge as well, and he was amazing in the Preseason. Then the regular season started and we started seeing just what a hot head he was, almost fighting fans, chasing cheerleaders, and getting into altercations with our local media...even through all that, I think he could have been a decent QB if he didn't have Kevin Gilbride as a coach those first few seasons.

Coming out of college, all of the Draft experts from Mel to many thought you couldn't go wrong with Leaf or Peyton. Most even said Leaf had the stronger arm and was a more vocal leader. When it came to RG3 and Luck, many ESPN analysts liked RG3 better believe it or not. Not just Skip Bayless either but Jamele Hill laughed and said RG3 would be a better a Pro than Luck as well. She has her show now, I laugh at that actually. When I Post from now on and say media - I will name names to please people so they don't think I am spewing garbage.

[Colt Cola]

4 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

Coming out of college, all of the Draft experts from Mel to many thought you couldn't go wrong with Leaf or Peyton. Most even said Leaf had the stronger arm and was a more vocal leader. When it came to RG3 and Luck, many ESPN analysts liked RG3 better believe it or not. Not just Skip Bayless either but Jamele Hill laughed and said RG3 would be a better a Pro than Luck as well. She has her show now, I laugh at that actually. When I Post from now on and say media - I will name names to please people so they don't think I am spewing garbage.

Jemele Hill has always been garbage IMO, I remember her from her time on Page 2 on the ESPN website. Her takes have always been terrible

[2006Coltsbestever]

1 minute ago, Colt Cola said:

Jemele Hill has always been garbage IMO, I remember her from her time on Page 2 on the ESPN website. Her takes have always been terrible

I have to admit I thought Leaf would be Good at worse and I was 50/50 on who the Colts should've took going back to 1998 almost up until Draft day because of how Peyton played against Florida every year and Nebraska too. Once things started to come out about Leaf's attitude just days before Draft day I was leaning more toward Peyton, glad Irsay was too. I also remember listening to Archie speak days before the Draft and I was like Peyton comes from a great family and background.

[Colt Cola]

6 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

I have to admit I thought Leaf would be Good at worse and I was 50/50 on who the Colts should've took going back to 1998 almost up until Draft day because of how Peyton played against Florida every year and Nebraska too. Once things started to come out about Leaf's attitude just days before Draft day I was leaning more toward Peyton, glad Irsay was too. I also remember listening to Archie speak days before the Draft and I was like Peyton comes from a great family and background.

I hated Archie Manning for the way he dealt with the Eli situation and refusing to play for SD..and now in hindsight...he was probably completely right about everything and didnt want to deal with the Spanos family

[2006Coltsbestever]

7 minutes ago, Colt Cola said:

I hated Archie Manning for the way he dealt with the Eli situation and refusing to play for SD..and now in hindsight...he was probably completely right about everything and didnt want to deal with the Spanos family

Yeah the Chargers have had a history of terrible FO management as you know. They had a borderline great team from 2006-2009 and had the Colts number for some reason. That was one team Peyton rarely beat. I was so glad we got the Patriots at home in 2006 instead of having to play at SD for the Title Game. That sounds funny but we were unbeatable at home and I felt like that was the one year we had more talent the Pats. The 2006 Chargers were a machine, they gave that game away vs the Pats.

[Colt Cola]

6 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

Yeah the Chargers have had a history of terrible FO management as you know. They had a borderline great team from 2006-2009 and had the Colts number for some reason. That was one team Peyton rarely beat. I was so glad we got the Patriots at home in 2006 instead of having to play at SD for the Title Game. That sounds funny but we were unbeatable at home and I felt like that was the one year we had more talent the Pats. The 2006 Chargers were a machine, they gave that game away vs the Pats.

Nightmares...i can still name so many things that went wrong in that game. the one time i almost was reduced to tears from the outcome of a game because I knew how good they were and had that game won.

 

Damn You Marlon McCree!!!!

[2006Coltsbestever]

1 minute ago, Colt Cola said:

Nightmares...i can still name so many things that went wrong in that game. the one time i almost was reduced to tears from the outcome of a game because I knew how good they were and had that game won.

 

Damn You Marlon McCree!!!!

I couldn't believe what I was seeing either. It was like Marty was a jinx for some reason. I look back at that 2006 Season a lot because that was the season we won it all and cant believe how loaded the AFC was. Chargers were 14-2 and LT won MVP, Ravens were 13-3 with Ray and Ed, Colts with Peyton and Pats with Tom both 12-4. You had 4 powerhouses in the same conference. All of those teams were awesome.

[WoolMagnet]

 

Well at least this thread didnt get locked like my Yuka one

oh, and how do i get rid of the browswer notice for ads at the bottom?

It appears the only way to get rid of it is to accept.  Im tired of the ad games these sites play:

 

[Dark Superman]

Irsay should have made a move 2-3 years ago IMO.

If Ballard was running the show in 2014 the Colts would probably be headlining the Superbowl next year.

But Ballard hasn't accomplished nothing yet.

We will just have to wait and see which way the wind blows.

[Steamboat_Shaun]

Things are quiet surrounding Irsay right now, and I think he probably likes it just fine that way. He had 5 or 6 very good GM candidates to choose from, and I'm pretty sure he's 100% certain that he made the right choice. After that draft and this recent wave of front office hires, how couldn't he? Nothing's finished yet, it's going to take another very good offseason before anyone, even Colts fans, sees us as a true Super Bowl contender, but he knows this team will be more competitive this year. So as far as the talking heads go, he doesn't need the national media to say what he already knows. Let everyone underestimate us, it's more fun that way.

[Mr. Irrelevant]

8 hours ago, Steamboat_Shaun said:

Things are quiet surrounding Irsay right now, and I think he probably likes it just fine that way. He had 5 or 6 very good GM candidates to choose from, and I'm pretty sure he's 100% certain that he made the right choice. After that draft and this recent wave of front office hires, how couldn't he? Nothing's finished yet, it's going to take another very good offseason before anyone, even Colts fans, sees us as a true Super Bowl contender, but he knows this team will be more competitive this year. So as far as the talking heads go, he doesn't need the national media to say what he already knows. Let everyone underestimate us, it's more fun that way.

 

I don't think Irsay cares much what they think, and isn't concerned unless they output harmful information.

 

He seems to have high football knowledge and apparently like to meet with other high profile guys to get their opinions. There was rumors about him talking to Gruden, and I came away with the feeling that any talks was more about some advice than a job. They could very well have been talking about Luck and how GRuden would go about getting the best out of him.

 

Point being that I think Irsay is mart enough to know he doesn't know everything and seeks advice when suitable. 

[Gramz]

I am optimistic.  I have had a good feeling about Ballard and think that hiring him was a great start to rebuilding our franchise.   

 

I kept my thoughts to myself, for the most part when Grigson was here, but I never could warm up to him.  

 

I am very hopeful that this could be the start of great things, and great seasons for us.  

[Steamboat_Shaun]

12 hours ago, Mr. Irrelevant said:

 

I don't think Irsay cares much what they think, and isn't concerned unless they output harmful information.

 

He seems to have high football knowledge and apparently like to meet with other high profile guys to get their opinions. There was rumors about him talking to Gruden, and I came away with the feeling that any talks was more about some advice than a job. They could very well have been talking about Luck and how GRuden would go about getting the best out of him.

 

Point being that I think Irsay is mart enough to know he doesn't know everything and seeks advice when suitable. 

 

The bolded is what I've taken away from this offseason so far, I get the sense that he doesn't feel compelled at all to meddle with Ballard or question his moves. He's got 100% faith in him, and that's a really good sign.

[superrep1967]

On 5/11/2017 at 1:17 AM, NewColtsFan said:

 

Nobody is giving Irsay credit yet,  because nothing has happened yet.

 

The hiring's just happened within the past week.      These new guys haven't done anything yet.

 

The team hasn't even played a pre-season game yet.      All things come with time.

 

When the product on the field matches the hype of the hirings,  THEN the stories about what Irsay and Ballard have done will be written.......     there's nothing disgraceful or unprofessional going on here...

 

Patience my friend......     Patience...

 

 

Exactly nothing happened yet. If I remember right there was a lot who liked Grigson at first. The verdict is still out on Ballard and will be for quite while yet. But I like him based on what I know which is very little the same as everyone else on here. But if I was a betting man which I am not I bet he'll do very well for us. 

[superrep1967]

On 5/11/2017 at 4:21 PM, 2006Coltsbestever said:

Coming out of college, all of the Draft experts from Mel to many thought you couldn't go wrong with Leaf or Peyton. Most even said Leaf had the stronger arm and was a more vocal leader. When it came to RG3 and Luck, many ESPN analysts liked RG3 better believe it or not. Not just Skip Bayless either but Jamele Hill laughed and said RG3 would be a better a Pro than Luck as well. She has her show now, I laugh at that actually. When I Post from now on and say media - I will name names to please people so they don't think I am spewing garbage.

 

There just people with a camera and a mic. But we just think there smart because there on TV. The truth of the matter is except for maybe Mel who probably studies the draft, They don't know any more than any fan on the street.

[superrep1967]

On 5/11/2017 at 1:57 PM, dodsworth said:

Irsay isn't the kind of owner that only cares about making

a buck and selling tickets, he genuinely wants to put 

a winning program on the field.

 

Yes, I believe that!