Manning Always Will Be Indianapolis’ Favorite Son -- Washington Times

[bayone]

FROM PAGE 1 is entire 2nd page

“He has become one of the icons of our city,” said Scott Miller, president of the Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce. “He’s one of the major things that, not just nationally but internationally, our city is known for. He has been a huge benefit to us.”

Lucas Oil Stadium.

How fitting that a 50-foot-tall banner of Manning hangs on the outside of the stadium’s North wall above the American, state and Indianapolitan flags. Manning is pictured signaling to his teammates, but because of the banner’s placement, he’s also overlooking a skyline that city officials will tell you he helped build.

“His arrival was so well-timed in ways that no one could have foreseen,” said Tom Harton, editor of the Indianapolis Business Journal.

In 1999, the Colts went 13-3, starting a 12-year span during which they won at least 10 games in each of 11 seasons.

That challenged the Hoosier State’s longstanding affinity for basketball. Legendary hoops coach Bob Knight was dismissed from Indiana University in 2000, the same year the Indiana Pacers peaked by reaching the NBA Finals. It enabled Manning and a talented supporting cast to push the Colts to the front of Indianapolis’ consciousness during the 2000s.

At the time, the city was pushing forward with developmental and marketing strategies centered on amateur sports and its burgeoning convention business. Manning and the Colts garnered national attention, and the city took advantage.

“When you’re marketing a city and you have that spotlight repeatedly shown on your city through a winning football team and someone like Peyton Manning, it helps grow an overall brand perception of Indianapolis as a winning city,” said Chris Gahl, spokesman for the Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association. “We’ve enjoyed more than a decade-long run very deliberately marrying the Indianapolis brand to a winning football team, and certainly Peyton Manning, whose clean, crisp image is exemplary of the type of city Indianapolis is.”

The Colts’ headliner status helped garner in the mid-2000s sufficient public support for a $1 billion proposal to build Lucas Oil Stadium ($725 million) and expand the Indiana Convention Center ($275 million). The stadium opened in 2008, and the convention center expansion was completed last year.

Those facilities, which are linked to 12 hotels via a climate-controlled skywalk, are now the centerpieces for Indianapolis’ marketing strategies. Since Manning arrived in 1998, the number of hotel rooms in the city has increased by more than 14,000. The ICVA claims Indianapolis benefits from a $3.4 billion annual economic impact from tourism.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/feb/22/manning-always-will-be-indianapolis-favorite-son/?utm_source=RSS_Feed&utm_medium=RSS

[oldunclemark]

FROM PAGE 1 is entire 2nd page

“He has become one of the icons of our city,” said Scott Miller, president of the Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce. “He’s one of the major things that, not just nationally but internationally, our city is known for. He has been a huge benefit to us.”

Lucas Oil Stadium.

How fitting that a 50-foot-tall banner of Manning hangs on the outside of the stadium’s North wall above the American, state and Indianapolitan flags. Manning is pictured signaling to his teammates, but because of the banner’s placement, he’s also overlooking a skyline that city officials will tell you he helped build.

“His arrival was so well-timed in ways that no one could have foreseen,” said Tom Harton, editor of the Indianapolis Business Journal.

In 1999, the Colts went 13-3, starting a 12-year span during which they won at least 10 games in each of 11 seasons.

That challenged the Hoosier State’s longstanding affinity for basketball. Legendary hoops coach Bob Knight was dismissed from Indiana University in 2000, the same year the Indiana Pacers peaked by reaching the NBA Finals. It enabled Manning and a talented supporting cast to push the Colts to the front of Indianapolis’ consciousness during the 2000s.

At the time, the city was pushing forward with developmental and marketing strategies centered on amateur sports and its burgeoning convention business. Manning and the Colts garnered national attention, and the city took advantage.

“When you’re marketing a city and you have that spotlight repeatedly shown on your city through a winning football team and someone like Peyton Manning, it helps grow an overall brand perception of Indianapolis as a winning city,” said Chris Gahl, spokesman for the Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association. “We’ve enjoyed more than a decade-long run very deliberately marrying the Indianapolis brand to a winning football team, and certainly Peyton Manning, whose clean, crisp image is exemplary of the type of city Indianapolis is.”

The Colts’ headliner status helped garner in the mid-2000s sufficient public support for a $1 billion proposal to build Lucas Oil Stadium ($725 million) and expand the Indiana Convention Center ($275 million). The stadium opened in 2008, and the convention center expansion was completed last year.

Those facilities, which are linked to 12 hotels via a climate-controlled skywalk, are now the centerpieces for Indianapolis’ marketing strategies. Since Manning arrived in 1998, the number of hotel rooms in the city has increased by more than 14,000. The ICVA claims Indianapolis benefits from a $3.4 billion annual economic impact from tourism.

http://www.washingto...&utm_medium=RSS

This is why when many say that the Manning negotiations are a 'business decision' they are correct

..and the overriding factors are stated here..

This is part of why you keep Manning and draft Luck...(who has the same clean image as Manning) to be the next Manning....

seamless transition..

[eli4625]

You can't afford to keep both, this is not MLB with no salary cap. You can not have the amount of cap space it would take to keep both and rebuild your franchise. Also why would Peyton want to play on a team not playoff quality.

[21isSuperman]

You can't afford to keep both, this is not MLB with no salary cap. You can not have the amount of cap space it would take to keep both and rebuild your franchise. Also why would Peyton want to play on a team not playoff quality.

Actually, Polian and Irsay both said there would be a way to keep both on the roster. Now though, Irsay says Peyton is only welcome back on a restructured deal, so the ball is in Peyton's court

[oldunclemark]

You can't afford to keep both, this is not MLB with no salary cap. You can not have the amount of cap space it would take to keep both and rebuild your franchise. Also why would Peyton want to play on a team not playoff quality.

If you can afford Manning, you can afford them both.../

The is a strict limit to what Andrew Luck can be paid...his first 3 years...

Luck's money isnt the issue...

....and the deal is being worked on. If Irsay wanted Manning gone..he could have cut him the day after the Super Bowl..

[wercolts]

You can't possibly know what the Colts can afford prior to knowing what they will be paying a long list of still to be negotiated contacts. Classifying the Colts as a rebuilding team is a bit of an overstatement considering 2010 was a playoff year and 2009 was a Super Bowl participant year for the Colts.

[oldunclemark]

You can't possibly know what the Colts can afford prior to knowing what they will be paying a long list of still to be negotiated contacts. Classifying the Colts as a rebuilding team is a bit of an overstatement considering 2010 was a playoff year and 2009 was a Super Bowl participant year for the Colts.

By NFL rules..you are not allowed to pay rookies much...

Luck's contract isnt an issue...

The larger point is that drafting Luck and keeping Manning brings quality and honor to 'the horseshoe', Irsay's big motivation

You want them both and it will be done.

[eli4625]

Sorry but winning franchises know it is better to let a player go to soon over to late...keeping Manning is not a move this franchise can afford and build a future...the numbers just don't equal winning formula..Also why would Manning want to stay this franchise is 3-4 years from SB contention at best..

[UndecidedFrog]

If you can afford Manning, you can afford them both.../

The is a strict limit to what Andrew Luck can be paid...his first 3 years...

Luck's money isnt the issue...

....and the deal is being worked on. If Irsay wanted Manning gone..he could have cut him the day after the Super Bowl..

You're quite right that Luck's money is not the issue. His first 4 years will total about $3MM less than what PM received last year alone.

It is PM's contract that is the big slice of the pie here.

[oldunclemark]

Sorry but winning franchises know it is better to let a player go to soon over to late...keeping Manning is not a move this franchise can afford and build a future...the numbers just don't equal winning formula..Also why would Manning want to stay this franchise is 3-4 years from SB contention at best..

why does every body guess at what Manning wants when he's said he wants to stay in Indianapolis.??

'

He's said it dozens of times...

This is a rare situation a once-in-a- lifetime chance to have it all..

You push the bonus deadline back past March 13...and redo Manning's contract

Then you sign Andrew Luck....and he is the backup until Manning retires..

'

and the NFL world comes to Indianapolis......to see 'the ressurection' and 'the new messiah' on the same team..

You dont think Jim Irsay wants this?.....and that he knows what he can afford?

[eli4625]

At this point Peyton wants rings..brother now has more and he isn't going to win any here over the next 2-3 years..so why be here?

[shakedownstreet]

every thread on this board ends up in the same arguments from the same cast of characters

good article though. every bit of it is true

[subvet]

At this point Peyton wants rings..brother now has more and he isn't going to win any here over the next 2-3 years..so why be here?

Because Archie Manning said Peyton wants to stay and there were no denials or retractions.

[MIColtsFan]

I've said it once, I'll say it again.. I'll eat my hat if Peyton won't re-do his deal. I find it impossible to believe it's about money for him at this point in his career. He has money and has expressed his desire to stay in Indy, which he will because he will redo his deal with Irsay. It was never Peyton's idea to be the "highest paid QB in the NFL" that was all Irsay.

[oldunclemark]

At this point Peyton wants rings..brother now has more and he isn't going to win any here over the next 2-3 years..so why be here?

That's not what he says..

[Peyton and Eli fan]

I've said it once, I'll say it again.. I'll eat my hat if Peyton won't re-do his deal. I find it impossible to believe it's about money for him at this point in his career. He has money and has expressed his desire to stay in Indy, which he will because he will redo his deal with Irsay. It was never Peyton's idea to be the "highest paid QB in the NFL" that was all Irsay.

I don't think it's about money, but I think it's about winning superbowls. I'm not convinced that he thinks it's worth staying in Indy from a football standpoint, especially if a lot of these free agents are out the door.

[oldunclemark]

I've said it once, I'll say it again.. I'll eat my hat if Peyton won't re-do his deal. I find it impossible to believe it's about money for him at this point in his career. He has money and has expressed his desire to stay in Indy, which he will because he will redo his deal with Irsay. It was never Peyton's idea to be the "highest paid QB in the NFL" that was all Irsay.

Listen to MICF here.....

[oldunclemark]

every thread on this board ends up in the same arguments from the same cast of characters

good article though. every bit of it is true

Its our way .......shake....Its how we rattle and roll...

[MIColtsFan]

isn' that the point?

[Peyton and Eli fan]

isn' that the point?

Isn't what the point?

[MIColtsFan]

was trying to respond to Shakedown.. failed quote... not the most tech savy... the point of blogs "for the same cast of characters to "argue" I say communicate" ...

[oldunclemark]

Its our thing....

[shakedownstreet]

was trying to respond to Shakedown.. failed quote... not the most tech savy... the point of blogs "for the same cast of characters to "argue" I say communicate" ...

true enough. it's just there are "certain users" who pretend to know exactly what's going to happen that tend to ruffle feathers

[oldunclemark]

as Sarah Palin would say.

...'you betcha'

.....and the Truth is out there somewhere..

[BOONE]

I wish Manning the best and I say that as a fan that knows no matter how much he has made $$$$ its not even close to what he is/was worth. I like many others want to see Manning back in BLUE but only if thats what he wants and if a SB comes first to him now then I say more power to him but if he wants to stay here MAKE IT HAPPEN. The truth is most NFL fans are fickle and only see the now..............I will always pull for the Colts but JIM is wrong about one thing that other owners could say and be 100% right on the money and thats is ..."the Horseshoe..it is bigger than any individual.....ect ect " Well Jim, its not bigger than than the man that nailed the shoe to INDY, the man that made you look like a HOF owner and put a ring on your hand, without Manning Indy has no team and you are what you are.............Maybe Im what most would call a fool for my stance on Manning but fickle Im not.

[JoKeR]

why does every body guess at what Manning wants when he's said he wants to stay in Indianapolis.??

'

He's said it dozens of times...

This is a rare situation a once-in-a- lifetime chance to have it all..

You push the bonus deadline back past March 13...and redo Manning's contract

Then you sign Andrew Luck....and he is the backup until Manning retires..

'

and the NFL world comes to Indianapolis......to see 'the ressurection' and 'the new messiah' on the same team..

You dont think Jim Irsay wants this?.....and that he knows what he can afford?

Well put, too many just dismiss the possibility while having no idea what Manning will make. Plus Freeney will probably be asked to restructure as well, since he's making QB money, is getting older, and his production has fallen.

[JoKeR]

At this point Peyton wants rings..brother now has more and he isn't going to win any here over the next 2-3 years..so why be here?

You don't know that, so why assume that. Is Miami a contender? Is Arizona? Again you don't know. Perhaps Manning was being honest that he wants to retire here and thinks the Colts have a shot.

[eli4625]

If money is not an issue with Peyton which I don't believe it is then it has to be winning SB titles. Which isn't going to happen in Indy for at least 2-3 years, so would it not be in his best interest to go somewhere else where his chances are better?

[oldunclemark]

If money is not an issue with Peyton which I don't believe it is then it has to be winning SB titles. Which isn't going to happen in Indy for at least 2-3 years, so would it not be in his best interest to go somewhere else where his chances are better?

I think if Manning is near 100%....we can return to the playoffs in 2012....

The NYGs were 9-7...

[Peyton and Eli fan]

I think if Manning is near 100%....we can return to the playoffs in 2012....

The NYGs were 9-7...

Do you think Indy's defense can rebound as is or close to as is?

[eli4625]

I think if Manning is near 100%....we can return to the playoffs in 2012....

The NYGs were 9-7...

I would be shocked if Peyton is anywhere near 100% come opening day and then you have the entire new staff, turnover in talent and two teams in our own division better then us. We need to be realistic people...

[braveheartcolt]

If money is not an issue with Peyton which I don't believe it is then it has to be winning SB titles. Which isn't going to happen in Indy for at least 2-3 years, so would it not be in his best interest to go somewhere else where his chances are better?

There are far too many folk on here who think they know everything........or this forum is a magnet for 'A Grade' soothsayers....

[LightninMax]

FROM PAGE 1 is entire 2nd page

“He has become one of the icons of our city,” said Scott Miller, president of the Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce. “He’s one of the major things that, not just nationally but internationally, our city is known for. He has been a huge benefit to us.”

Lucas Oil Stadium.

How fitting that a 50-foot-tall banner of Manning hangs on the outside of the stadium’s North wall above the American, state and Indianapolitan flags. Manning is pictured signaling to his teammates, but because of the banner’s placement, he’s also overlooking a skyline that city officials will tell you he helped build.

“His arrival was so well-timed in ways that no one could have foreseen,” said Tom Harton, editor of the Indianapolis Business Journal.

In 1999, the Colts went 13-3, starting a 12-year span during which they won at least 10 games in each of 11 seasons.

That challenged the Hoosier State’s longstanding affinity for basketball. Legendary hoops coach Bob Knight was dismissed from Indiana University in 2000, the same year the Indiana Pacers peaked by reaching the NBA Finals. It enabled Manning and a talented supporting cast to push the Colts to the front of Indianapolis’ consciousness during the 2000s.

At the time, the city was pushing forward with developmental and marketing strategies centered on amateur sports and its burgeoning convention business. Manning and the Colts garnered national attention, and the city took advantage.

“When you’re marketing a city and you have that spotlight repeatedly shown on your city through a winning football team and someone like Peyton Manning, it helps grow an overall brand perception of Indianapolis as a winning city,” said Chris Gahl, spokesman for the Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association. “We’ve enjoyed more than a decade-long run very deliberately marrying the Indianapolis brand to a winning football team, and certainly Peyton Manning, whose clean, crisp image is exemplary of the type of city Indianapolis is.”

The Colts’ headliner status helped garner in the mid-2000s sufficient public support for a $1 billion proposal to build Lucas Oil Stadium ($725 million) and expand the Indiana Convention Center ($275 million). The stadium opened in 2008, and the convention center expansion was completed last year.

Those facilities, which are linked to 12 hotels via a climate-controlled skywalk, are now the centerpieces for Indianapolis’ marketing strategies. Since Manning arrived in 1998, the number of hotel rooms in the city has increased by more than 14,000. The ICVA claims Indianapolis benefits from a $3.4 billion annual economic impact from tourism.

http://www.washingto...&utm_medium=RSS

...and with all that they still haven't figured out how to revamp the antiquated sewer system!

[bayone]

...and with all that they still haven't figured out how to revamp the antiquated sewer system!

Hey I live just north of Detroit, I will trade u city for city OK ( LOL )

[JoKeR]

Do you think Indy's defense can rebound as is or close to as is?

No one knows who's most likely to make the SB, that's why they play the game. Look at the Pats D last year. I'd hope with new defensive minded coaches the Colts would be better than them.

[schwamm]

I've said it once, I'll say it again.. I'll eat my hat if Peyton won't re-do his deal. I find it impossible to believe it's about money for him at this point in his career. He has money and has expressed his desire to stay in Indy, which he will because he will redo his deal with Irsay. It was never Peyton's idea to be the "highest paid QB in the NFL" that was all Irsay.

My concern with this idea is that it doesn't account for what the league or the NFLPA will accept. Let's for a moment argue that Manning is the most generous and selfless player to ever play in the league (don't know, but am on board with the desire to believe), and that he'd prolly renegotiate to play for a $1.00 salary next year...

...the reality is that there is no way such a salary would be accepted by the NFLPA, even if JI and PM agree to it.

I've seen the comments that PM wants to stay. I've seen the comments that Irsay wants him to stay. Making it happen, though, in such a way that it doesn't set the franchise back and is acceptable to all parties who have to sign off on it, just doesn't look very likely. Couple that with the ENORMOUS unknown that is PM's health, and I may have to eat your hat if such a deal can be redone.

I'm allergic to hat, though, so I'll prolly pass.

[MR. Blueblood]

My concern with this idea is that it doesn't account for what the league or the NFLPA will accept. Let's for a moment argue that Manning is the most generous and selfless player to ever play in the league (don't know, but am on board with the desire to believe), and that he'd prolly renegotiate to play for a $1.00 salary next year...

...the reality is that there is no way such a salary would be accepted by the NFLPA, even if JI and PM agree to it.

I've seen the comments that PM wants to stay. I've seen the comments that Irsay wants him to stay. Making it happen, though, in such a way that it doesn't set the franchise back and is acceptable to all parties who have to sign off on it, just doesn't look very likely. Couple that with the ENORMOUS unknown that is PM's health, and I may have to eat your hat if such a deal can be redone.

I'm allergic to hat, though, so I'll prolly pass.

Why does the contract have to be re done? By not paying the option bonus on March 8th that would make Manning a Free Agent and any team (including the Colts) would be able to sign Manning for whatever contract. If the NFLPA won't accept a renegotiation then they can just out right terminate it on March 8th and sign a completely new deal

[schwamm]

Why does the contract have to be re done? By not paying the option bonus on March 8th that would make Manning a Free Agent and any team (including the Colts) would be able to sign Manning for whatever contract. If the NFLPA won't accept a renegotiation then they can just out right terminate it on March 8th and sign a completely new deal

True, but that new contract needs to be acceptable to all parties. For the Colts, it would need to be in the neighborhood of $5M or less, to make it any better than where they are now. Is Manning willing to accept that when he could command a ton more elsewhere? Possibly, and I hope so, but I'd guess not likely. Even if he is willing, is the NFLPA going to be excited about one of its premier players taking a huge paycut? I would think that is very doubtful, and they have to approve the contract.

[MR. Blueblood]

True, but that new contract needs to be acceptable to all parties. For the Colts, it would need to be in the neighborhood of $5M or less, to make it any better than where they are now. Is Manning willing to accept that when he could command a ton more elsewhere? Possibly, and I hope so, but I'd guess not likely. Even if he is willing, is the NFLPA going to be excited about one of its premier players taking a huge paycut? I would think that is very doubtful, and they have to approve the contract.

IMO the NFLPA would reject a restructured contract that would give Manning less money because they don't want to set that precedent (restructures are always for extended years plus more money). However, I doubt they could reject a brand new contract. They might not like it but I don't think they could outright deny it, idk I might be wrong. Even if Manning signs with another team he's going to get less money than what his current contract would have paid him so I don't know how they could OK less money for another team and not allow the Colts the same.

[schwamm]

Less money than current contract for another team is, what, something like $12M, where the Colts need it to be around $5M (+$10M against the cap when we cut him) to benefit the team against the cap