I don't understand all the doom and gloom

[Mel Kiper's Hair]

Granted, I have only been a member of the forum since December so I only have 3 months to go on, but I am having trouble with understanding why there is so much negativity about the franchise. Since 2000 the Colts have only had 3 losing seasons! The way things sound here, the Colts haven't been competitive since the Truman administration. Sure I want the Colts to 16-0 every year,  then win the Super Bowl, and then sign every awesome free agent available. I also want to ride to work on a unicorn, only eat candy, and swim in a pool of gold coins like Scrooge McDuck. I think we need to be a little more realistic and a little more grateful for what we have. I'm sure I'm setting myself up to be blasted but I just felt like I needed to speak up for a franchise that has been VERY VERY good to us for the last couple of DECADES! Just remember it could be worse we could be Bengals, Browns, Bills, Lions or any number of teams fans who would gladly trade our current problems for our history.

[Aluckiswolverine]

Welcome to the Colts fan forum. If your looking for sound logical post I suggest waiting until after free agency and the draft. 

[Jaric]

Google "Dunning-Kruger effect" and it will become much more clear why sports fans (of any affiliation) start acting irrational about team management.

[Mr.Debonair]

So because we aren’t as trash as the Browns and other crappy teams, we should just shut up and enjoy the possible rebuild?

 

Everyone enjoyed the Peyton years, even though it only produced one SB. People were excited about the early Luck year’s. All that is good and well but that is the past. The focus is on getting better. Past two seasons have produced doom and gloom for good reason. This offseason has produced skepticism for some, for good reason. 

 

So yes, we appreciate the past and the all that, however people should continue to voice their concerns reasonably, regardless.

[Nadine]

I want a car that runs on dreams and starlight

[Jaric]

1 minute ago, Mr.Debonair said:

So because we aren’t as trash as the Browns and other crappy teams, we should just shut up and enjoy the possible rebuild?

 

Well first off, there no "possible rebuild".  That ish is happening.  We are in fact in the middle of a rebuild.  Largely because the people running the team previously threw away a lot of money on garbage free agents and drafted terribly.

 

Now, as to if fans should just shut up and take it, I don't think anyone is saying it's never appropriate to be critical.

 

However, if you're pulling your hair our before free agency even STARTS it might be time to take a couple deep breaths and settle down.  You might just be acting hysterical. 

 

[Mr.Debonair]

1 minute ago, Jaric said:

Well first off, there no "possible rebuild".  That ish is happening.  We are in fact in the middle of a rebuild.  Largely because the people running the team previously threw away a lot of money on garbage free agents and drafted terribly.

 

Now, as to if fans should just shut up and take it, I don't think anyone is saying it's never appropriate to be critical.

 

However, if you're pulling your hair our before free agency even STARTS it might be time to take a couple deep breaths and settle down.  You might just be acting hysterical. 

 

Lol oh so you’re still hanging to “free agency hasn’t started”

 

Anybody who has taken a stance opposite of “wait and see” is being called crazy, doom and gloomer, blah blah blah

[Jaric]

Just now, Mr.Debonair said:

Lol oh so you’re still hanging to “free agency hasn’t started”

 

Anybody who has taken a stance opposite of “wait and see” is being called crazy, doom and gloomer, blah blah blah

 

Well I mean, it hasn't started yet.  ¯\_(ツ)_/ ¯

[Mr.Debonair]

2 minutes ago, Jaric said:

 

Well I mean, it hasn't started yet.  ¯\_(ツ)_/ ¯

Got it!

[Mel Kiper's Hair]

3 minutes ago, Mr.Debonair said:

So because we aren’t as trash as the Browns and other crappy teams, we should just shut up and enjoy the possible rebuild?

 

Everyone enjoyed the Peyton years, even though it only produced one SB. People were excited about the early Luck year’s. All that is good and well but that is the past. The focus is on getting better. Past two seasons have produced doom and gloom for good reason. This offseason has produced skepticism for some, for good reason. 

 

So yes, we appreciate the past and the all that, however people should continue to voice their concerns reasonably, regardless.

 

I'm not saying to enjoy losing. Believe me, I've yelled at my TV during Colts games and groaned with disappointment with some of these free agent signings but when you look at the big picture things are not nearly as bad as some of the posters here want to make it out to be.

 

The past 2 seasons have been rough, but only one of those was actually a losing season. It isn't the standard of excellence that we have grown accustomed to here in Indianapolis. But the thing is, that's how it goes for 97% of NFL teams. The early 2000 Colts and the current New England Patriots are aberrations to the norm. Just look at the turnover of playoff teams every year. Free agency and the salary cap make it almost impossible to continuously make the playoffs without the occasional stinker of a season. We were spoiled as Colts fan by Manning/Dungy/Polian and even the 1st 3 Luck/Pagano seasons. That is not the norm in the NFL. We have returned to center but we WILL turn it around.

 

I'm not against voicing concerns at all. I'm just growing a little tired of the Ballard isn't trying or we are a dreg franchise now because of 1 losing season. Most experts I have heard say that the Colts roster was in pretty bad shape when Ballard took over and it was going to be a 3 or 4 year rebuild. We just finished year 1. All I am saying is let's be realistic.

[crazycolt1]

If you notice the "doom and gloom" crowd are the same crowd that whine and cry over just about anything and everything. IMO it's a personality flaw that carries over from their everyday life.

[DaveA1102]

1 hour ago, Mel Kiper's Hair said:

Granted, I have only been a member of the forum since December so I only have 3 months to go on, but I am having trouble with understanding why there is so much negativity about the franchise. Since 2000 the Colts have only had 3 losing seasons! The way things sound here, the Colts haven't been competitive since the Truman administration. Sure I want the Colts to 16-0 every year,  then win the Super Bowl, and then sign every awesome free agent available. I also want to ride to work on a unicorn, only eat candy, and swim in a pool of gold coins like Scrooge McDuck. I think we need to be a little more realistic and a little more grateful for what we have. I'm sure I'm setting myself up to be blasted but I just felt like I needed to speak up for a franchise that has been VERY VERY good to us for the last couple of DECADES! Just remember it could be worse we could be Bengals, Browns, Bills, Lions or any number of teams fans who would gladly trade our current problems for our history.

 

To be fair, I can understand the frustration. Watching these quality players get signed by other teams, even if they are overpaid, is hard to stomach when you know those players would solve problems on our roster immediately.  Its also a case of looking at the cap space and wondering what the plan for all that money is if not to splash a bit on a couple of quality additions. 

 

That being said, the rhetoric of Ballard "failing" and the level of anger is rather ridiculous considering the stage we are at in this process.  Also important to remember we are playing the long game, not just in terms of days into free agency, and months up to the draft, but the years to build a stacked roster......that is Ballard's aim.

 

If anything I should be the angry one, I have only been a fan for a few years (late to take up the sport due to location and soccer affiliation) and so I missed all the Manning years!

[teganslaw]

42 minutes ago, Nadine said:

I want a car that runs on dreams and starlight

 Elon Musk is probably working on one right now.

[BlueShoe]

37 minutes ago, Mr.Debonair said:

So because we aren’t as trash as the Browns and other crappy teams, we should just shut up and enjoy the possible rebuild?

 

Everyone enjoyed the Peyton years, even though it only produced one SB. People were excited about the early Luck year’s. All that is good and well but that is the past. The focus is on getting better. Past two seasons have produced doom and gloom for good reason. This offseason has produced skepticism for some, for good reason. 

 

So yes, we appreciate the past and the all that, however people should continue to voice their concerns reasonably, regardless.

 

100% correct!

 

Colts fans are going to like and dislike every move the Colts front office makes. This board is supposed to be a place for all fans to talk about the Colts product. Colts fans want to talk about the building of that product and the end results. 

 

It’s a business, right? A business that is fan-driven. It has to stay respectful, but we either have a board on Colts.com or we don’t. I know a lot of teams have gone away from team owned sites having a board. The Colts are definitely in the minority to have a message board for fans. 

 

We can’t really have honest discussions if the conversations are forced to be optimistic. Sometimes the result is just not good. History tells us that only one team ever won every game in a season. 

[Stephen]

Yea we cant fix all problems in the draft we gave to spend on someone and if we draft a wr in round 1  at number 3 the forum would riot

[needanoline63]

Carlos hyde signing with the browns. Guess that means they aren’t getting saquon barkley. 

[Fisticuffs111]

I think it's hard for some people to swallow the fact that we're rebuilding with a QB like Luck.

 

At least for me, I totally understand that we're rebuilding, but it still sucks to think about the fact that we probably won't be in contention until Luck's in his 30s. Missing out on all of the top FA's, it only drives home that reality, that we're probably not going to be very good next year.

[Mel Kiper's Hair]

2 minutes ago, BlueShoe said:

 

100% correct!

 

Colts fans are going to like and dislike every move the Colts front office makes. This board is supposed to be a place for all fans to talk about the Colts product. Colts fans want to talk about the building of that product and the end results. 

 

It’s a business, right? A business that is fan-driven. It has to stay respectful, but we either have a board on Colts.com or we don’t. I know a lot of teams have gone away from team owned sites having a board. The Colts are definitely in the minority to have a message board for fans. 

 

We can’t really have honest discussions if the conversations are forced to be optimistic. Sometimes the result is just not good. History tells us that only one team ever won every game in a season. 

 

In no way am I trying to suggest that every topic has to be optimistic. I believe that we should be realistic though. We have had 3 losing seasons since 2000. Odds are if Andrew Luck was healthy last year wouldn't have been a losing season. Perhaps I am more of an optimist than most people. As frustrating as it is to have 1 losing season it isn't the pattern for this franchise. I believe that the Colts have an owner committed to winning and a GM with a plan to return the Colts to dominance.

[Yoshinator]

37 minutes ago, crazycolt1 said:

If you notice the "doom and gloom" crowd are the same crowd that whine and cry over just about anything and everything. IMO it's a personality flaw that carries over from their everyday life.

This isn't one of those situations where if your life is going poorly you can work your way out of it with hard work and sacrifice. In a nutshell, we are fans of a team where we are 100% relying on other people to make the decisions. We have no say, and it's hard to get excited when we see them do methods we don't agree with and can't change it and the results bear out that we were correct.

[BlueShoe]

35 minutes ago, crazycolt1 said:

If you notice the "doom and gloom" crowd are the same crowd that whine and cry over just about anything and everything. IMO it's a personality flaw that carries over from their everyday life.

 

This is the wrong message to send. There is nothing helpful about it. The message that you just sent only provokes people. And I have been around Colts boards since the 90s so I know when people are purposely provoking others. 

 

I am mostly optimistic about the Colts. Always have been. However, when the product is bad - I admit it.

 

Everyone is not all “doom and gloom” because they point out real flaws and bad end results.

 

I don’t think we are witnessing flaws in people personalities. I think we are witnessing true human emotions. 

[throwing BBZ]

44 minutes ago, Jaric said:

 

Well I mean, it hasn't started yet.  ¯\_(ツ)_/ ¯

 

 Actually there are NO 25-26 year old Quality FA left as of 9:45 a.m.
 We CAN add some older, short term patch players to improve a few positions compared to last season. Yippee!
 Free Agency IS OVER... Already  for adding Quality young players to build our next contender.

 It really is THAT SIMPLE.   Enjoy your pipeweed.

[colts8718]

GO COLTS in time we will be fine

[BlueShoe]

6 minutes ago, Mel Kiper's Hair said:

 

In no way am I trying to suggest that every topic has to be optimistic. I believe that we should be realistic though. We have had 3 losing seasons since 2000. Odds are if Andrew Luck was healthy last year wouldn't have been a losing season. Perhaps I am more of an optimist than most people. As frustrating as it is to have 1 losing season it isn't the pattern for this franchise. I believe that the Colts have an owner committed to winning and a GM with a plan to return the Colts to dominance.

 

Do you see how words can be twisted?

 

You said that we have only had 3 losing seasons since 2000. That is a correct statement. 

 

It is also true that we have gone 3 straight years without a winning season. That is also a correct statement. 

 

It’s all about how people look at things. Neither way is wrong. It just proves that people look at things differently. We are not all wired the same way and trying to force everyone to be wired the same way will not work. 

[Cynjin]

15 minutes ago, BlueShoe said:

 

100% correct!

 

Colts fans are going to like and dislike every move the Colts front office makes. This board is supposed to be a place for all fans to talk about the Colts product. Colts fans want to talk about the building of that product and the end results. 

 

It’s a business, right? A business that is fan-driven. It has to stay respectful, but we either have a board on Colts.com or we don’t. I know a lot of teams have gone away from team owned sites having a board. The Colts are definitely in the minority to have a message board for fans. 

 

We can’t really have honest discussions if the conversations are forced to be optimistic. Sometimes the result is just not good. History tells us that only one team ever won every game in a season. 

 

100% correct?  Eh, not so much.  Yes, this is a place for fans to talk about the Colts and if they would do so in a reasonable way, it would not be a problem.  However, the vast vast majority of fans have no idea of what they are talking about and yet many state their opinions as if they did.  You do not have to be optimistic, but you don't have to be pessimistic either, because, in general, fans do not have the knowledge base to make an informed decision either way.

 

[corgi]

Just block people. Makes forum life better.

[Myles]

11 minutes ago, Mel Kiper's Hair said:

 

In no way am I trying to suggest that every topic has to be optimistic. I believe that we should be realistic though. We have had 3 losing seasons since 2000. Odds are if Andrew Luck was healthy last year wouldn't have been a losing season. Perhaps I am more of an optimist than most people. As frustrating as it is to have 1 losing season it isn't the pattern for this franchise. I believe that the Colts have an owner committed to winning and a GM with a plan to return the Colts to dominance.

Why do you keep going back to 2000?    It's about the here and now.   The team has holes in almost every position.  There is no depth on the team.   I feel a great draft will get the Colts to 8-8 at best if Luck stays healthy.   Is that "doom and gloom" or being realistic?    I thought Ballard did a great job with his free agent signings last year.   I liked that he signed young, strong guys with potential for a low amount of $$.   I thought he set us up well with cap space for this year.   However, we have yet to spend any of it.   I think some of us are afraid that the Colts will stay well under the cap again and sacrifice this next season.  

 

But let's see what this week brings.    

[BlueShoe]

8 minutes ago, Cynjin said:

 

100% correct?  Eh, not so much.  Yes, this is a place for fans to talk about the Colts and if they would do so in a reasonable way, it would not be a problem.  However, the vast vast majority of fans have no idea of what they are talking about and yet many state their opinions as if they did.  You do not have to be optimistic, but you don't have to be pessimistic either, because, in general, fans do not have the knowledge base to make an informed decision either way.

 

 

So you are saying that most Colts fans on this board don’t have a clue. I disagree. I am assuming you are not going to put yourself in the clueless category but rather the clique of the clued in, correct?

 

Thats where we run into problems. Not everyone thinks the same way. And just because some people might disagree, it doesn’t make them clueless. 

[Myles]

6 minutes ago, Cynjin said:

 

100% correct?  Eh, not so much.  Yes, this is a place for fans to talk about the Colts and if they would do so in a reasonable way, it would not be a problem.  However, the vast vast majority of fans have no idea of what they are talking about and yet many state their opinions as if they did.  You do not have to be optimistic, but you don't have to be pessimistic either, because, in general, fans do not have the knowledge base to make an informed decision either way.

 

As it turns out, the pessimistic folks have been correct in recent years.   Or are you still optimistic in the Grigson drafts and FA signings?  

[BlueShoe]

8 minutes ago, corgi said:

Just block people. Makes forum life better.

 

[Cynjin]

3 minutes ago, BlueShoe said:

 

So you are saying that most Colts fans on this board don’t have a clue. I disagree. I am assuming you are not going to put yourself in the clueless category but rather the clique of the clued in, correct?

 

Thats where we run into problems. Not everyone thinks the same way. And just because some people might disagree, it does make them clueless. 

1

 

Yes, I am saying most fans have very little idea of what is actually going on in an NFL team's inner workings.  Therefore, they do not have the necessary knowledge to make some of the statements that are made with such certainty.

 

As to the bolded, it brings to mind a saying from Jim Mora, "you think you know, but you don't know".

[aaron11]

optimism comes from thinking we might actually be good
 

so far we have not made any move that make me think we will be this year

 

people called it doom and gloom last year, but then the team sucked.   turned out that was right 

[Cynjin]

6 minutes ago, Myles said:

As it turns out, the pessimistic folks have been correct in recent years.   Or are you still optimistic in the Grigson drafts and FA signings?  

 

Why would I be optimistic about people who for the most part are no longer with the team? 

 

The pessimistic fans may have been correct more often than not lately, but that is due to pure chance rather than any real knowledge of what is going on with the Colts.

[BlueShoe]

9 minutes ago, Cynjin said:

 

Yes, I am saying most fans have very little idea of what is actually going on in an NFL team's inner workings.  Therefore, they do not have the necessary knowledge to make some of the statements that are made with such certainty.

 

As to the bolded, it brings to mind a saying from Jim Mora, "you think you know, but you don't know".

 

I avoid that type of thinking when talking to others on message boards. It’s too easy to fall into the trap of labeling people. 

 

I don’t really care how much knowledge each Colts fan on this board has. Ive been around Colts boards for well over 20 years so I am comfortable with the knowledge I have. Why should I belittle others who might not have the same knowledge? It makes no sense.

 

Just because I am an experienced veteran doesn’t make me always right.

 

Treating people with respect should not only apply to the veterans here. Especially when “the veterans” can be very poor in leading a good example. I have certainly fallen into the category of a veteran leading by poor example before. I owned it and learned from it. Some don’t though. 

[csmopar]

1 hour ago, Mr.Debonair said:

Lol oh so you’re still hanging to “free agency hasn’t started”

 

It hasn't...  Per the NFL's own release...

 

 

Top 51 begins. All clubs must be under the 2018 salary cap prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time. Unrestricted Free Agency Period Begins at 4:00 pm, New York time. Clubs are permitted to contact, and enter into contract negotiations with, the certified agents of players who will become Unrestricted Free Agents upon the expiration of their 2017 player contracts at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on March 14. However, a contract cannot be executed with a new club until 4:00 p.m., New York time, on March 14.

 

 

[King Colt]

Q:Why on the evening news do they all dedicate the very last segment to a "good" news minute?

A: Because no one wants to watch good news.

[Mel Kiper's Hair]

6 minutes ago, Myles said:

Why do you keep going back to 2000?    It's about the here and now.   The team has holes in almost every position.  There is no depth on the team.   I feel a great draft will get the Colts to 8-8 at best if Luck stays healthy.   Is that "doom and gloom" or being realistic?    I thought Ballard did a great job with his free agent signings last year.   I liked that he signed young, strong guys with potential for a low amount of $$.   I thought he set us up well with cap space for this year.   However, we have yet to spend any of it.   I think some of us are afraid that the Colts will stay well under the cap again and sacrifice this next season.  

 

But let's see what this week brings.    

 

My reasoning for going back to 2000 is to prove my point that this is not a losing franchise and one that is committed to winning. I have no problem with people saying we have holes in the roster. It may be about the "here and now" but if you look at our past you see that Jim Irsay puts winning at the highest priority. I feel the same as you that a great draft and Andrew Luck and we could easily be at 8-8 maybe even better than that. My biggest problem is when people act like Ballard isn't trying or the team is a franchise like the Bengals or Browns. We have one of the better franchises in the league and I think some people here are forgetting that.

[Cynjin]

4 minutes ago, BlueShoe said:

 

I avoid that type of thinking when talking to others on message boards. It’s too easy to fall into the trap of labeling people. 

 

I don’t really care how much knowledge each Colts fan on this board has. Ive been around Colts boards for well over 20 years so I am comfortable with the knowledge I have. Why should I belittle others who might not have the same knowledge? It makes no sense.

 

Just because I am an experienced veteran doesn’t make me always right.

 

Treating people with respect should not only apply to the veterans here. Especially when “the veterans” can be very poor in leading a good example. I have certainly fallen into the category of a veteran leading by poor example before. I owned it and learned from it. Some don’t though. 

 

I am not belittling anyone, the fact is that the vast majority of fans do not have the knowledge base to make definitive statements on player personnel moves.

[crazycolt1]

27 minutes ago, BlueShoe said:

 

This is the wrong message to send. There is nothing helpful about it. The message that you just sent only provokes people. And I have been around Colts boards since the 90s so I know when people are purposely provoking others. 

 

I am mostly optimistic about the Colts. Always have been. However, when the product is bad - I admit it.

 

Everyone is not all “doom and gloom” because they point out real flaws and bad end results.

 

I don’t think we are witnessing flaws in people personalities. I think we are witnessing true human emotions. 

The only way my comment could be taken as provocative is by those who wear those shoes.

I also have been around a while and I am fully aware of patterns in peoples attitudes.

People personalities do show themselves when they do let their emotions take control.

This is the NFL. It is a business that is suppose to entertain, not be possessed.

Way too statements are made that get too personal with the owner all the way down to the water boys. The NFL by design is suppose to have teams rise and fall. The sooner fans realize that the better off they are. Making outrageous comments is a sign of no self control.

Everyone has a different opinion and or a point of view. but too think a person has to be so absorbed to call people stupid or even worse takes the term "fan" to the point of "fanatic".

[BlueShoe]

10 minutes ago, Cynjin said:

 

I am not belittling anyone, the fact is that the vast majority of fans do not have the knowledge base to make definitive statements on player personnel moves.

 

I disagree. The vast majority on this board do not lack knowledge. I think it’s wrong for us to get into this knowledge labeling game.  

 

I don’t play RPGs much, but what you’re proposing would be like us telling everyone they have to be a level 300 before they can post on this board without being belittled. And their prize is to be included in the group that constantly fights about the 5% we disagree on.

 

Why would we want to make a club that only few have the right to enter, and once they do then it’s a miserable experience?

 

How about we just include everyone (who can stay respectful) and just ignore or politely disagree with posts that we do not agree with. 

 

Keep in mind, just because people don’t agree with you, does not mean they lack knowledge.

[Mel Kiper's Hair]

40 minutes ago, BlueShoe said:

 

Do you see how words can be twisted?

 

You said that we have only had 3 losing seasons since 2000. That is a correct statement. 

 

It is also true that we have gone 3 straight years without a winning season. That is also a correct statement. 

 

It’s all about how people look at things. Neither way is wrong. It just proves that people look at things differently. We are not all wired the same way and trying to force everyone to be wired the same way will not work. 

 

I can agree with you on your post that it is all about how people look at things. My goal was not to try and make people think like me. My goal was to simply show from my point of view that things are not as bad some people think. I'm sure that there are people here who contend that the franchise isn't as good as I think it is. Nothing wrong with either side as long as we remain respectful. I really enjoy coming here and reading other's views on the franchise I have loved since the Mayflower trucks rolled into town.