Food For Thought

[DILLIGAFER]

Indy has done a 180. No suprise, the teams holes were exposed last season much in part to a sidelined Manning. Special Teams, defense, back up QB.

Lack of coaching and a back up plan caused the unraveling. We all saw it and recognize it.

But here is where a large issue comes to mind. Alot of folks felt and knew without Manning at the hlem the colts are less than mediocore. Now, the colts are in an overhaul, but what i would find to be the biggest bash is a healthy Manning being released to go to another team just as it is being rebuilt to win and play better around a solid QB. He stuck around, played seriuos HOF football only to now be released?

I am on the keep Manning if healthy bandwagon, obviously. He long deserved a solid well rounded team to win with, now he may have it. Give him the chance to finally have what he always needed to win and take the weight off his shoulders. Like I said, if healthy. Im not naive, just logical.

[jvan1973]

Im all for having him back... Im not sure if he wants to be part of a rebuilding process.. He may be, i just have no idea. Wil the new coach give him the control that Dungy and Caldwell let him have? Will any other team give him that much control?

[WoolMagnet]

Manning didn't "stick" around.

Irsay paid him more than any other player EVER got and KEPT him around.

manning gladly took that money knowing full well (i think) he wouldn't play this year.(or maybe ever)

Irsay has said repeatedly that manning would be here.... IF healthy.

The problem is , he ISN'T healthy.

Where's the confusion?

[DILLIGAFER]

Im all for having him back... Im not sure if he wants to be part of a rebuilding process.. He may be, i just have no idea. Wil the new coach give him the control that Dungy and Caldwell let him have? Will any other team give him that much control?

Only thing i can think of is the fact he was so successful for so long doing what he does, they would be crazy and try to take it away. They have played against him and know just how deadly he is at picking a defense apart. I cant see them taking the reins away. A good oc could only help him i think.

[DILLIGAFER]

Manning didn't "stick" around.

Irsay paid him more than any other player EVER got and KEPT him around.

manning gladly took that money knowing full well (i think) he wouldn't play this year.(or maybe ever)

Irsay has said repeatedly that manning would be here.... IF healthy.

The problem is , he ISN'T healthy.

Where's the confusion?

Wheres all the negativity and ignorant remarks coming from. Im sick of the same lame argument, he isnt healthy.. so your his doc? Personal trainer, rehab trainer? You and i both dont have a clue on where he is at. Till then its pure SPECULATION.

Btw, he could have left signed somewhere else, demanded a trade. To think he couldnt leave is proposterous. We have seen other players on other teams do it, Manning is no different.

[WoolMagnet]

Wheres all the negativity and ignorant remarks coming from. Im sick of the same lame argument, he isnt healthy.. so your his doc? Personal trainer, rehab trainer? You and i both dont have a clue on where he is at. Till then its pure SPECULATION.

Btw, he could have left signed somewhere else, demanded a trade. To think he couldnt leave is proposterous. We have seen other players on other teams do it, Manning is no different.

Sorry, its not negativity, just common sense.

He couldn't leave because Irsay paid him and kept him under contract.

As far as demanding a trade...seriously? This isn't Cinncinati.

And yes, he isn't healthy. Everyone knows that.

If he WAS healthy, he wouldn't be going anywhere. Theres still hope, just not much left.

PS, i read it again. I don't think what I said was ignorant. if u took it that way, sorry. It wasn't meant that way. I just don't see it the way you do.

[DILLIGAFER]

Sorry to question the great nostradomus. Common sense would say, until the minute comes, its once again, SPECULATION.

Alot of fans remind me of the current media. Will jump on anything controdictory to everything Irsay has stated. Is he just dotting his 'i's and crossing his 't's? Doubt it, this is Irsay after all. Not Kraft. He tends to speak his mind and not lie.

[Tony Sullivan]

If we do retain Manning I guarentee we will do everything in our power to make other teams think we are going to draft Luck.

[Blue Horseshoe]

I'm almost getting to the point that I hope he goes to a division rival and torches the heck out of them over and over again. The man deserves better than what he is getting, pushed aside for some rookie.

[WoolMagnet]

Sorry to question the great nostradomus. Common sense would say, until the minute comes, its once again, SPECULATION.

Alot of fans remind me of the current media. Will jump on anything controdictory to everything Irsay has stated. Is he just dotting his 'i's and crossing his 't's? Doubt it, this is Irsay after all. Not Kraft. He tends to speak his mind and not lie.

No, common sense would "read the tea leaves" or "read the writing on the wall".

Contradictory would actually think Peyton will be back (under the circumstances).

Yes, we don't know what will happen (me included)

But if you think I "jump on popular current thoughts", just look back at my posts.

I said Peyton was done back in training camp. Unlike Rob Lowe, my "people" were real, and "at the top" of the decision-making tree. This whole issue just was too crazy, all along.

[DILLIGAFER]

No, common sense would "read the tea leaves" or "read the writing on the wall".

Contradictory would actually think Peyton will be back (under the circumstances).

Yes, we don't know what will happen (me included)

But if you think I "jump on popular current thoughts", just look back at my posts.

I said Peyton was done back in training camp. Unlike Rob Lowe, my "people" were real, and "at the top" of the decision-making tree. This whole issue just was too crazy, all along.

Is that you Bill?

[WoolMagnet]

Is that you Bill?

Now THAT was funny.

Is that you ChinaDoll?

[DILLIGAFER]

Now THAT was funny.

Is that you ChinaDoll?

Oh, dude, way below the belt!

At least Bill is a HOF GM.. chinadoll.. no comment.

[Peyton and Eli fan]

It's getting on my nerves that the people on ESPN are saying "when Peyton is released on March 8th...." Until it's confirmed, they should at least have the courtesy to say if.

[WoolMagnet]

Oh, dude, way below the belt!

At least Bill is a HOF GM.. chinadoll.. no comment.

you are correct.

And I'm not Bill, I'm CHRIS!

And I was treated unfairly! : (

(as is evident by all the interest I've received)

[Susie Q]

Manning didn't "stick" around.

Irsay paid him more than any other player EVER got and KEPT him around.

manning gladly took that money knowing full well (i think) he wouldn't play this year.(or maybe ever)

Irsay has said repeatedly that manning would be here.... IF healthy.

The problem is , he ISN'T healthy.

Where's the confusion?

Well I think that was irsay's decision and if I'm not mistaken Peyton had the contract changed because Irsay was wanting to give him a bigger contract. Irsay wanted to make him the highest paid player in the NFL. Irsay also knew when the contract was agreeded on of his injuries and surgerys. So the question now is IF healthy and I guess everyone will know soon.

I for one would hope that all the discussions on the media and everywhere could stop so we can have a SB. Not a good thing to take away from that for either team that is playing.

[WoolMagnet]

Well I think that was irsay's decision and if I'm not mistaken Peyton had the contract changed because Irsay was wanting to give him a bigger contract. Irsay wanted to make him the highest paid player in the NFL. Irsay also knew when the contract was agreeded on of his injuries and surgerys. So the question now is IF healthy and I guess everyone will know soon.

I for one would hope that all the discussions on the media and everywhere could stop so we can have a SB. Not a good thing to take away from that for either team that is playing.

How could Irsay know peyton's status when peyton didn't at the time , and besides, players weren't allowed to talk to team because of the CBA "issues".

It seems that the first surgery was either botched or didn't go well. it all rolled downhill from there.

Irsay made the contract ASSUMING Manning would be able to play.

Manning had surgery while CBA problems were going on so the team wasn't involved.

Looks to me like manning knew ALOT more about the issue than Irsay did.

Don't fault Irsay for this fiasco. he acted in good faith to take care of manning. Exactly what some are accusing him of not doing.

I think Peyton had contract changed because he knew (better than Irsay) just how negative the prognosis was and didn't want the team to be able to trade him if things didn't go well. The way the contract was written helps manning FAR MORE than the Colts.

IMO, peyton should give the Colts a "discount" going forward IF he can still play.

He owes the team that for the 20+ million he made for sitting on the bench this year.

I certainly would.

[Peyton and Eli fan]

Manning took to the field at the end of training camp. I don't think he predicted missing the whole season or needing the 3rd surgery. He seemed to do everything to prevent it. I don't either Irsay or Manning predicted that the Colts would suck as much as they did without him. The bonus was in place assuming everyone would be rooting for Peyton to be able to take it. But, with the 2-14 and the #1 pick, it turns out many are rooting against him instead. I don't think either saw it playing out this way.

[Susie Q]

How could Irsay know peyton's status when peyton didn't at the time , and besides, players weren't allowed to talk to team because of the CBA "issues".

It seems that the first surgery was either botched or didn't go well. it all rolled downhill from there.

Irsay made the contract ASSUMING Manning would be able to play.

Manning had surgery while CBA problems were going on so the team wasn't involved.

Looks to me like manning knew ALOT more about the issue than Irsay did.

Don't fault Irsay for this fiasco. he acted in good faith to take care of manning. Exactly what some are accusing him of not doing.

I think Peyton had contract changed because he knew (better than Irsay) just how negative the prognosis was and didn't want the team to be able to trade him if things didn't go well. The way the contract was written helps manning FAR MORE than the Colts.

IMO, peyton should give the Colts a "discount" going forward IF he can still play.

He owes the team that for the 20+ million he made for sitting on the bench this year.

I certainly would.

If owners couldn't talk to the players how could the contract be worked out and signed? I think Irsay knew before he agreeeded to such contract everything that was happening. Also Peyton had the opt out claus put into the contract that helped the Colts more than him.

Sorry I disagree with you but that is what forums are for not everyone thinks the same.

[gacker65]

How could Irsay know peyton's status when peyton didn't at the time , and besides, players weren't allowed to talk to team because of the CBA "issues".

It seems that the first surgery was either botched or didn't go well. it all rolled downhill from there.

Irsay made the contract ASSUMING Manning would be able to play.

Manning had surgery while CBA problems were going on so the team wasn't involved.

Looks to me like manning knew ALOT more about the issue than Irsay did.

Don't fault Irsay for this fiasco. he acted in good faith to take care of manning. Exactly what some are accusing him of not doing.

I think Peyton had contract changed because he knew (better than Irsay) just how negative the prognosis was and didn't want the team to be able to trade him if things didn't go well. The way the contract was written helps manning FAR MORE than the Colts.

IMO, peyton should give the Colts a "discount" going forward IF he can still play.

He owes the team that for the 20+ million he made for sitting on the bench this year.

I certainly would.

Colts did not have to pay it. They could have put Peyton on IR, but did not. Sorry, but Peyton had nothing to do with his pay for last year, that was a F.O. decision.

[WoolMagnet]

If owners couldn't talk to the players how could the contract be worked out and signed? I think Irsay knew before he agreeeded to such contract everything that was happening. Also Peyton had the opt out claus put into the contract that helped the Colts more than him.

Sorry I disagree with you but that is what forums are for not everyone thinks the same.

No prob, I prefer different opinions. None of us know the facts.

But the contract helps manning more than the team. At least in this case.

The no-trade thing because of the timing of events is BIG.

Condon really earned his money there. It gave the team NO choice really, all things considered.

Contracts in the NFL aren't guaranteed, so we wouldn't have been "stuck" for the big contract anyway.

[WoolMagnet]

Colts did not have to pay it. They could have put Peyton on IR, but did not. Sorry, but Peyton had nothing to do with his pay for last year, that was a F.O. decision.

If you go on IR , you still get paid, no?

Colts had no choice at that point.

Anyway, I guess it doesn't matter.

What matters now is to build for the future.

And from what I've seen so far, I'd say they are doing as good a job as could be hoped.......... so far.