Anyone else going to watch this tragedy tonight?

[Guest BlueShoe]

Yep. This is one of the most ridiculous things that has ever happened to a Colts fan.

Edit:

Added because some actually thought I was saying he didn't deserve the hall. I assumed more people would understand what I was talking about by him going into the hall and finishing his career as a Ram. But evidently I gave a few people here too much credit.

Let me make it real clear – I believe that Marshall Faulk was the greatest all around back to ever play this game. He could run inside and out, he could catch the ball better than most receivers who has ever played this game, he could run routes better than some in the hall of fame today, he could pick up a blitz better than any RB in the history of the NFL, and he was the smartest RB we have ever seen play this game. Now that’s my opinion and you have yours. He should have stayed a Colt for his career, because in his time that’s what RB’s did. Maybe he was in the middle, but we deserved that. Colts fans who were there from day one deserved that. Polian took that away because he didn’t understand it. He wasn’t here either. In fact, back then his Bills would beat the crap out us year in and year out.

Polian talks about first generation Indianapolis Colts fans, but he doesn’t understand us. All he did was win everywhere he went before he got here. He is a great GM! But he didn’t understand what he was doing when he traded Faulk. To him, it was getting rid of someone else’s pick. To some of us it was like he just took over the Broncos and traded away John Elway.

I think something happens to people on message boards. They get beaten into submission and only follow the reasoning of what they think the majority will believe, because they are afraid to have their own real opinion about something. It’s kind of like a intuition placebo effect. That's something I have seen the internet era do. If I were talking to some of these same people in a room they would have a different opinion. Seen it many times before.

Me, I just tell it how I really see things and don’t care what people think about it. I have ticked the “Placebo’s” off a lot over the years.

This is one my responses to another person here and I think it clears some things up:

Maybe you just had to be a fan all the way back to 1984 to understand. I thought there were more fans here that have been fans for the entire journey. I am starting to realize that many of you are Peyton era only fans. If that is the case then many of the responses I am getting makes sense.

Image if we traded away Dwight Freeney after his first contract for a second and a fifth round pick and then multiply that by 20. That's how someone who has been watching this team (every game) for close to 30 years now felt when we traded Faulk. But if you just hopped along on the Peyton wagon then none of this would make much sense because you’re not emotionally attached to it.

[Coffeedrinker]

Why? He was an elite back with the Colts but he became a superstar with the Rams. Plus the Colts traded him. Why shouldn't he go in as a Ram?

[Horse Shoe Heaven]

Why? He was an elite back with the Colts but he became a superstar with the Rams. Plus the Colts traded him. Why shouldn't he go in as a Ram?

Agree 100# Coffee. He was at his best as a Ram, had more success there he should go in as a Ram. Our time is coming when Edergen James goes in on first ballot as does Harrison.

[BlueCrew]

Seven Seasons with the Rams, Two Super Bowl Appearances, One Ring. > Five seasons with the Colts, Zero Super Bowl Appearances, Zero Rings

[Coltssouth]

Yeah. I'm planning on watching it but I forget what time it's on. Probably around eightish or so. I will have to check.

[Colts20593]

Usually not a Shannon Sharpe fan but looking forward to hearing his speech.

[21isSuperman]

I don't see why it's a tragedy. Sure, it would have been nice to keep him and for some reason, he always says we will go 10-6 on NFL Network and miss the playoffs, but he had a very successful career in St. Louis and deserves to be in the HOF as a Ram

[Guest BlueShoe]

Why? He was an elite back with the Colts but he became a superstar with the Rams. Plus the Colts traded him. Why shouldn't he go in as a Ram?

Because he never should have been traded. That is the tragedy. He was always a first ballot hall of famer. Anyone who watched him play for the Colts or the Rams could clearly see that. He was the best all around back to ever play this game.

[John Dee]

Yep. This is one of the most ridiculous things that has ever happened to a Colts fan.

Polian did not want to give Marshall the big bucks he was demanding and thus he was traded. The Rams made him happy and a SB winner.

Ironically in 95 when the Colts made the only significant playoff run of Faulk's time in Indy he was hurt during the entire playoff run. So in all reality all Faulk did in Indy was put up numbers for a bad team.

In St Louis he put up numbers for a very good team.

[BlueCrew]

Polian did not want to give Marshall the big bucks he was demanding and thus he was traded. The Rams made him happy and a SB winner.

Ironically in 95 when the Colts made the only significant playoff run of Faulk's time in Indy he was hurt during the entire playoff run. So in all reality all Faulk did in Indy was put up numbers for a bad team.

In St Louis he put up numbers for a very good team.

Well 1k yards on a 9-7 team isn't the worst record in the world.

[Guest BlueShoe]

Because Polian deserves to be criticized for trading him. People who are blinded by Polian’s great accomplishments will give him a pass on this one, but I never will. It was a terrible decision to trade Faulk.

Polian stole this day from Colts fans whether you want to believe that or not. It's just a fact.

[Guest BlueShoe]

Polian did not want to give Marshall the big bucks he was demanding and thus he was traded. The Rams made him happy and a SB winner.

Ironically in 95 when the Colts made the only significant playoff run of Faulk's time in Indy he was hurt during the entire playoff run. So in all reality all Faulk did in Indy was put up numbers for a bad team.

In St Louis he put up numbers for a very good team.

Polian didn't mind shelling out the big bucks for Chad Cota, Shawn King, Tyrone Poole, and Jeff Burris. He did hit on Bratzke, so he was 1 for 5 with that spending disaster that sent Faulk to the Rams.

[ruksak]

Because Polian deserves to be criticized for trading him. People who are blinded by Polian’s great accomplishments will give him a pass on this one, but I never will. It was a terrible decision to trade Faulk.

Polian stole this day from Colts fans whether you want to believe that or not. It's just a fact.

I too was not happy about the trade. However, in hindsight we made off pretty well with his replacement. Congrats to Faulk on his big day.

[Guest BlueShoe]

I don't see why it's a tragedy. Sure, it would have been nice to keep him and for some reason, he always says we will go 10-6 on NFL Network and miss the playoffs, but he had a very successful career in St. Louis and deserves to be in the HOF as a Ram

No one is questioning whether he deserves to be in the hall. He was going to the hall no matter what team he played for. But he was a Colt and we traded him because Polian thought it was a better idea to give big paydays to Chad Cota, Shawn King, Tyrone Poole, and Jeff Burris.

I didn’t know any Colts fans (or fan of any other team) who would have made that decision or thought it was a good thing to do at the time. It was Bill being a very stubborn man and making a very bad mistake. Yet people give him a pass for it to this day. Makes no sense. We give Polian credit where it is earned and he has earned a ton of credit. But this was a terrible mistake. It is what it is.

[Guest BlueShoe]

Usually not a Shannon Sharpe fan but looking forward to hearing his speech.

I want someone to give him a toothpick and see if he can hit a homerun with it. ;)

I think he will give a great speech and he is very deserving of this day.

[John Dee]

Because Polian deserves to be criticized for trading him. People who are blinded by Polian’s great accomplishments will give him a pass on this one, but I never will. It was a terrible decision to trade Faulk.

Polian stole this day from Colts fans whether you want to believe that or not. It's just a fact.

I totally disagree with this. Polian did what just about any other GM would have done. Faulk wanted payed a lot more than the Colts felt he was worth "at the time" And at the time, MF had nearly 1400 carries and 297 receptions in 5 years for 5' 10" RB. He had a lot miles on his body.

Hindsight is 20/20 nobody seen Faulk blowing up like he did for St Louls over the next 4 years. Faulks best YPC in Indy was 4.1, he averaged 5.4 his first 3 years in St Louls.

And maybe Polian just figured that by the time Indy got good Faulk would be on the decline and may have figured it would not be worth the signing.

Who knows? Just because Faulk blew up in St Louls with "the greatest show on turf" does not mean he would have had the same success in Indy.

[Guest BlueShoe]

Hindsight is 20/20 nobody seen "Everyone could see" Faulk blowing up like he did for St Louls over the next 4 years. Faulks best YPC in Indy was 4.1, he averaged 5.4 his first 3 years in St Louls.

I fixed your post.

[Coffeedrinker]

Polian didn't mind shelling out the big bucks for Chad Cota, Shawn King, Tyrone Poole, and Jeff Burris. He did hit on Bratzke, so he was 1 for 5 with that spending disaster that sent Faulk to the Rams.

You also forgot Wooten and Royal(I think Royal was signed the year before). And you forgot that the Colts had a top 5 D for the first 6 or 8 games of the season that year until King decided to go back to drugs and Royal and Wooten got suspended for something they did on at a road game. And actually none of those players got big contracts.

But it's funny the selective memory most people have. Many Colts fans wanted Marshall gone and did want the Colts to redo his contract. He was injured during the 95 playoff run and in '98 most people felt he wasn't running hard enough especially when trying to convert a 1st down or near the goal line.

Then most people forgot all about Faulk when James burst onto the scene.

[John Dee]

You also forgot Wooten and Royal(I think Royal was signed the year before). And you forgot that the Colts had a top 5 D for the first 6 or 8 games of the season that year until King decided to go back to drugs and Royal and Wooten got suspended for something they did on at a road game. And actually none of those players got big contracts.

But it's funny the selective memory most people have. Many Colts fans wanted Marshall gone and did want the Colts to redo his contract. He was injured during the 95 playoff run and in '98 most people felt he wasn't running hard enough especially when trying to convert a 1st down or near the goal line.

Then most people forgot all about Faulk when James burst onto the scene.

Finally an informed Colt fan...

[Guest BlueShoe]

You also forgot Wooten and Royal(I think Royal was signed the year before). And you forgot that the Colts had a top 5 D for the first 6 or 8 games of the season that year until King decided to go back to drugs and Royal and Wooten got suspended for something they did on at a road game. And actually none of those players got big contracts.

But it's funny the selective memory most people have. Many Colts fans wanted Marshall gone and did want the Colts to redo his contract. He was injured during the 95 playoff run and in '98 most people felt he wasn't running hard enough especially when trying to convert a 1st down or near the goal line.

Then most people forgot all about Faulk when James burst onto the scene.

And just how many of those guys are going to the hall of fame?

He brought all the players in from his old teams and got rid of many of the good players he didn't draft.

I don't remember these "many fans" you are referring to either and I have been on Colts boards since about 1995 when the indy star opened their doors for fans.

[Jocelyn]

Let him go into the hall as a RAM. There are plenty of superstars going into the hall as I'm sure I don't need to name them.

[Guest BlueShoe]

Let him go into the hall as a RAM. There are plenty of superstars going into the hall as I'm sure I don't need to name them.

Outside of Peyton, Faulk was my favorite player ever for the Colts (The second best player we have ever had) and he should have been the first "Indianapolis Colt" in the hall.

Who knows what he and Peyton would have accomplished together. We will never know, but we can say it would have been spectacular!

[Guest BlueShoe]

Oh and as far as Edgerrin, well he wasn't even thought of as a top 10 pick. We could have traded our #4 to the Saints for all of their picks and still landed Edgerrin. How would that have been having Edgerrin and Faulk? It's not like we only had to settle for one.

[Guest BlueShoe]

Finally an informed Colt fan...

Really? How did that work out for our defense the years following those moves? I am sure Mora and Fangio would have something different to say about it. But I guess they are not informed enough for you anyway. ;)

[shakedownstreet]

i think it was edgerrin james first play from scrimmage that made me forget all about marshall

[ruksak]

Oh and as far as Edgerrin, well he wasn't even thought of as a top 10 pick. We could have traded our #4 to the Saints for all of their picks and still landed Edgerrin. How would that have been having Edgerrin and Faulk? It's not like we only had to settle for one.

You have a better imagination than Sponge Bob Squarepants. You are just being silly at this point.

[Guest BlueShoe]

You have a better imagination than Sponge Bob Squarepants. You are just being silly at this point.

Tell me exactly how I am wrong about anything I said?

[jskinnz]

Because Polian deserves to be criticized for trading him. People who are blinded by Polian’s great accomplishments will give him a pass on this one, but I never will. It was a terrible decision to trade Faulk.

Polian stole this day from Colts fans whether you want to believe that or not. It's just a fact.

I went to the Colts scrimmage today and saw Polian. He was lamenting about how you won't give him a pass on that decision. Truly a broken man was before me. This is the one thing that keeps him up at night.

[ruksak]

Tell me exactly how I am wrong about anything I said?

You're asuming that no other team was interested in Edgerin.

James signed a seven-year, $49 million rookie contract.

Explain how that was going to work? We were having enough trouble getting Marshall to fit under the cap, hence why he was traded out. Imagine paying both these guys, as well as expecting Faulk to share carries with a stud RB?

[shakedownstreet]

I went to the Colts scrimmage today and saw Polian. He was lamenting about how you won't give him a pass on that decision. Truly a broken man was before me. This is the one thing that keeps him up at night.

my sarcasm detector is beeping

[jskinnz]

Tell me exactly how I am wrong about anything I said?

Look, Polian made a decision at the time that he thought was best for the team. He got picks and also was in position to draft Edge that season. It is with the benefit of hindsight that you are bashing him for the trade. Was it adequate compensation for Faulk? Maybe not but at the time I am sure he took the best offer out there for him. And if you recall the Colts were not too bad after the it happened.

I think you should proabably move on. You sound like my bitter 90 year old grandpa.

[IndyTrav]

Fault was traded for a 2nd and 5th ( mike Peterson brad sceoli)

Edge was drafted, 7yr $49mill age 21

Faulk signed, 7yr $42mill age 26

[Guest BlueShoe]

Look, Polian made a decision at the time that he thought was best for the team. He got picks and also was in position to draft Edge that season. It is with the benefit of hindsight that you are bashing him for the trade. Was it adequate compensation for Faulk? Maybe not but at the time I am sure he took the best offer out there for him. And if you recall the Colts were not too bad after the it happened.

I think you should proabably move on. You sound like my bitter 90 year old grandpa.

He traded Faulk to the NFC for less just so Faulk wouldn't throw it in his face every year. He took much less than the going rate for a hall of fame RB. Yes even then Marshall was thought of as one of the best backs in the game. Ever since Faulks first NFL game he was thought of as one of the best backs in the game.

Edgerrin was not thought of as a top 10 pick by anyone. Ricky Williams was the headliner coming out of college and Mike Ditka informed everyone in the league that he would give up his entire draft for the pick that got him Ricky. We could have made that deal and still drafted Edgerrin if we wanted to.

Bitter? Yeah. Faulk was my favorite player and obviously a hall of famer. He was Peyton to the Colts before Peyton.

[jskinnz]

Tell me exactly how I am wrong about anything I said?

You should probably stay away from saying things like "Edge was not thought of as a top ten pick." You have no idea where teams had him valued.

Secondly, teaming Edge and Faulk in the backfield was NEVER going to happen. First, the Colts are not a two back team and those NFL teams that do go with 2 backs have a FB as the 2nd back so tell me, who would have been the lead blocker? Having Faulk and Edge together would have been pointless.

I didn't even really try and came up with areas where you were wrong.

[chris]

i started watching football when I was 10 I dont remember Marshall ever on the colts but i remember him on the rams. What he did for the Rams was amazing its really no surprise hes going in as a Ram thats what really made his career(not that his Colts career wasnt impressive)

[jskinnz]

He traded Faulk to the NFC for less just so Faulk wouldn't throw it in his face every year. He took much less than the going rate for a hall of fame RB. Yes even then Marshall was thought of as one of the best backs in the game. Ever since Faulks first NFL game he was thought of as one of the best backs in the game.

Edgerrin was not thought of as a top 10 pick by anyone. Ricky Williams was the headliner coming out of college and Mike Ditka informed everyone in the league that he would give up his entire draft for the pick that got him Ricky. We could have made that deal and still drafted Edgerrin if we wanted to.

Bitter? Yeah. Faulk was my favorite player and obviously a hall of famer. He was Peyton to the Colts before Peyton.

First, you sound really clueless when you claim to know the draft boards of NFL teams.

Secondly, no need to tell me who was Edge's draft class and the whole Ditka thing. I am well-aware of that.

Lastly, do you really think that Polian took a trade from the Rams with better offers out there? Please provide evidence of that.

[John Dee]

The Colts took the best deal they could get for Faulk, the result should tell you how the rest of the league viewed him "at the time." Turns out the Rams got a great deal, at the right time, with the right coach, and oh yes.... Marshall missing the right block to let Trent Green get sacked and tear his knee up... paving the way for Kurt Warner.

The stars aligned perfectly for the Rams during that time.

If the rest of the league felt Faulk was the second coming of Walter Payton Indy would have either signed him or got a lot more for him.

I am happy how it turned out, James pre injury was a better back. Marshal got a ring and Indy eventually got one too so... It's all good.

[jskinnz]

He traded Faulk to the NFC for less just so Faulk wouldn't throw it in his face every year. He took much less than the going rate for a hall of fame RB. Yes even then Marshall was thought of as one of the best backs in the game. Ever since Faulks first NFL game he was thought of as one of the best backs in the game.

Edgerrin was not thought of as a top 10 pick by anyone. Ricky Williams was the headliner coming out of college and Mike Ditka informed everyone in the league that he would give up his entire draft for the pick that got him Ricky. We could have made that deal and still drafted Edgerrin if we wanted to.

Bitter? Yeah. Faulk was my favorite player and obviously a hall of famer. He was Peyton to the Colts before Peyton.

One more thing - the entire premise of this thread is flawed. NFL players do not go into the Hall of Fame wearing a team's helmet - it is not like baseball. He will not be inducted as a Ram. He is going in on the merits of his entire NFL career, including what he did in Indy.

I know you are bitter but being bitter has clouded your judgement.

[John Dee]

He traded Faulk to the NFC for less just so Faulk wouldn't throw it in his face every year. He took much less than the going rate for a hall of fame RB. Yes even then Marshall was thought of as one of the best backs in the game. Ever since Faulks first NFL game he was thought of as one of the best backs in the game.

Edgerrin was not thought of as a top 10 pick by anyone. Ricky Williams was the headliner coming out of college and Mike Ditka informed everyone in the league that he would give up his entire draft for the pick that got him Ricky. We could have made that deal and still drafted Edgerrin if we wanted to.

Bitter? Yeah. Faulk was my favorite player and obviously a hall of famer. He was Peyton to the Colts before Peyton.

That is not true at all. Faulk had plenty of critics in Indy. And many were not sad at all to see him go. Harbaugh was "Mr. Colt" during that time.

[jskinnz]

The Colts took the best deal they could get for Faulk, the result should tell you how the rest of the league viewed him "at the time." Turns out the Rams got a great deal, at the right time, with the right coach, and oh yes.... Marshall missing the right block to let Trent Green get sacked and tear his knee up... paving the way for Kurt Warner.

The stars aligned perfectly for the Rams during that time.

If the rest of the league felt Faulk was the second coming of Walter Payton Indy would have either signed him or got a lot more for him.

I am happy how it turned out, James pre injury was a better back. Marshal got a ring and Indy eventually got one too so... It's all good.

Could not agree more.