Wednesday, February 27, 2008

What I Tell You???

Didn't someone say Rob Morris and Booger McFarland would be cut? I remember some great, intelligent blogger saying that Morris and McFarland wouldn't be back. Yep. I called it. Hopefully this luck carries over for March Madness. I would love to win some cash for my psychic ability. Too bad I will go with some homer pick like Notre Dame-Butler in the championship. It's just nature.

Well, if you made it through my ramblings, here is the link to the article. Just ignore the meaningless cuts below. I guess this didn't deserve a full article.

I love this move. According to Colts Cap, the Colts had about $2.58 million in cap, so this move should put them at about 10 million. What does that mean? Polian has some more leniency in the draft, free agency, and resigning. With $10 million, the Colts can resign Matt Giordano, Rocky Boiman, Derrell Reid, and Ben Utecht with enough cap space to sign all of our draft picks. This was a great move, Irsay and Polian. Cutting useless players, so we can improve our team with young players. Way to go. Now make my prediction of a Super Bowl XLIII win come true as well. I'm counting on you guys!

Friday, February 22, 2008

Catching Up On A Busy Week

I haven't blogged about the Colts for a while, so I have to catch up on two big stories.

Dallas Clark Gets the Franchise Tag and Signs Long-Term Almost Immediately: I wasn't surprised when Clark got the franchise tag. He is the best free agent the Colts had, and normally those players get the franchise tag even if they are expected to sign long term. What I didn't expect was him to sign so soon. It was less than a day after. Someone at Elias needs to see if that is a record. I thought it was a misprint on the ESPN Bottomline. He signed a 6 year contract. That's pretty long. He will be a Colt for the rest of Peyton's career and probably the rest of his.

Ryan Lilja Also Signs: Lilja or Scott? Lilja or Scott? I didn't care who they signed. They are pretty much the same player. I can't say which one is better, and I couldn't tell them apart if they were in a police lineup. However, I can't complain with the money Lilja got. I thought he would get 5 million dollars, but he only got 4. That's a pretty good sign. Hopefully that will leave some cap.

Current Cap Situation: According to coltscap.net, we have 2.5 million and change left. That's enough to resign Utecht or Giordano and Fletcher. With the imminent cuts, the Colts could get that number to between 10 and 14 million. That would be enough to resign all of the good free agents besides Scott, who everyone knows will leave with the Lilja signing. The Colts are in a good place with the cap. This offseason will be better than last year when the Colts lost everyone. Maybe we can put our sights on DeShaun Foster or Julius Jones. They should be pretty cheap. Hey, you never know...

Friday, February 15, 2008

In and Out

The Colts are getting to the time of inevitable cuts. All teams want to free up cap space for free agency. The Colts have always been a team with a little less cap than the rest of the league. Mike Peterson, Cato June, Marcus Washington, Larry Triplett, David Thorton, Nick Harper, Jason David, and Edgerrin James are just a few of the names of Colts that were not resigned because of money issues. Well, now the Colts are going to have to cut some people. These 3 will be the most probable cuts.

Booger McFarland-First of all, no one call him "Anthony". A nickname like Booger is far too awesome to be replaced with a dumb name like Anthony. Now, the reason he will get cut is because he is set to earn a boatload of cash this upcoming season. $6.85 million is just way too much for a defensive tackle coming off of a major knee injury. He's getting more money than Gary Brackett, Joseph Addai, and Marlin Jackson combined. He's gone. Ed Johnson is a better version of him for less money.

Rob Morris-With the emergence of Tyjuan Hagler and the stacked draft class of linebackers this year, he is really just taking up a roster spot. He can't defend the pass, which is basically what Tampa 2 linebackers have to be able to do to keep their job. He would earn $1.4 million in 2008.

Charlie Johnson-What can I say? Johnson is awful. He's one of the worst offensive linemen I've ever seen play for a Howard Mudd-coached Colts team. He cannot pick up the blitz, and he isn't strong enough to create lanes for running backs. He would earn $465,000 in 2008.

These three are just extra weight for the Colts. With their contracts gone, they would gain about $8.3 million by not having to pay their base salaries. Add that onto the already open cap, and the Colts will have $18 million open. However, most of that would not go to free agency. They still have to resign free agents.

If they resign Dallas Clark, Ryan Lilja, Jake Scott, Rocky Boiman, Ben Utecht, and Ed Johnson, they would have to pay around 17.6 for all of those guys using my contract guesstimations. Add that onto the draft money they would have to pay, and it would be over the salary cap. Last year, they paid around $3.18 million dollars on their draft picks besides Anthony Gonzalez. Since the Colts traded their first round pick this season for Tony Ugoh, I didn't add in the first rounder (props to shakennbaken.blogspot.com for first posting this info).

What does this mean for the Colts? Either Ryan Lilja or Jake Scott will not return at least for the money they could earn. I believe they could get around $5 million on the market each. If you let one of the go, the Colts would have enough money to pick up some free agents off the market. Here are the top 5 players the Colts should look at in free agency.

Derrick Ward/RB/New York Giants-It seems like the Giants have found their backs in Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw, making Derrick Ward a probable free agent even with his restriction. Derrick Ward broke his leg halfway through the year, but he was one of the best receiving running backs in the league prior to the injury. If the Colts can afford him, he would be a great addition to the team as a third down/change of pace back.

Chris Clemons/DE/Oakland Raiders-The Colts had trouble getting pressure on Billy Volek and Phillip Rivers in the playoff loss, so a pass rusher wouldn't be a bad addition, especially for a cheap price. Josh Thomas should be gone, and the Colts need another defensive back to replace him as well.

Ernest Wilford/WR/Jacksonville Jaguars-The Colts need a very tall wide receiver. They need a Randy Moss but for the price of a second day pick. Ernest Wilford could give the Colts a deep threat who doesn't have to be extremely talented. He averaged 11.5 yards per catch last year, and that was the worst year of his career! He could be a valuable asset in the Colts offense.

Mike Doss/S/Minnesota Vikings-This idea has been brought up before, and I intend on keeping it alive. Doss was a very good player for the Colts, and if it weren't for his ACL tearing, the Colts secondary in 2006 would have been one of the deepest in recent NFL history. The Colts need another backup safety with experience. Doss fits that bill pretty well.

Isaac Sopoaga/DT/San Francisco 49ers-The Colts don't have a giant defensive tackle on the roster. Quinn Pitcock and Edward Johnson are both around 300 pounds, but they don't have the powerful defensive tackle that Corey Simon gave the Colts. Sopoaga could be that tackle.

These 5 players will all be inexpensive and should be good impact backups. None of them deserve to be starters, but they all could make a huge difference off of the bench.

*Courtesy to Coltscap.net for all of the contract information.

Monday, February 4, 2008

The Holy Trinity of Embarrassment

Ecstasy is the only word to describe the feeling any football fan outside of the Northeast felt. The 18-0 Patriots LOST. It felt like it would never happen. The team that was caught cheating, has a smug head coach, has numerous cheap players, and a thug as a star wide receiver LOST! If the 1999 Yankees were the Evil Empire, what are the Patriots? I would say that they are the Sith, led by Emperor Belichick himself.









If you will not be turned, you will be destroyed!


So I mentioned the trilogy. Here it is. The Patriots never look ahead of everything. That's why they didn't make a book or patent anything. Oh wait.



Way to go Patriots. I see you took the one game at a time policy to heart. That's embarrassing. The father of all embarrassments.

Well, it can't get worse. I mean, their star QB didn't laugh at the thought of them scoring 17 points? Oh wait.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=kJ2yK5C9Ae4

"We're only going to score 17 points? Hahahaha!" Hey Brady, you only scored 14 points. Hahahaha! Son of all embarrassments.

Well, I mean, it's not like they were going to break a big record anyways. They were just a normal team. No shame in losing. Oh wait.



18-1. So they are the best team NOT to win the Super Bowl. The Sith were the worst team not to win the Rebel War (nerd!). 19-0 is just a dream. It will never be accomplished, and this just proved it. Perfection is impossible. The Patriots will be forgotten. They are just a ghost.

The trinity of embarrassment. In the name of the book, and of the laughing, and of the holy loss.

And I know I was rough on Belichick comparing him to Palpatine, so I already have your response in video form.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=UFfobQftP5k

18-1

Sunday, February 3, 2008

Colts in Canton?

Since the Hall of Fame committee decided who would get in (congrats to Art Monk, Darrell Green, Andre Tippett, Fred Dean, Emmitt Thomas, and Gary Zimmerman), it brought up discussion of who will get in later on in the future. The Colts are one of the most talented teams in the league, and it looks like they will have many future Hall of Famers. Eric Dickerson is the only Indianapolis Colt in the Hall of Fame, but he will be joined by many. Who will it be? Well, let's just see what my elaborate star system says.

Here's the system. Six stars are locks. If they retired today, they would be in for sure. Five stars are a few improvements in a statistical categories, but they will definitely get in barring injuries or trouble with the law. Four stars have had a great career, but need to have very solid years for the rest of his career. Three stars have to step it up and become Pro Bowlers for the majority of the rest of his career. After I rank the veterans, I will do the rankings for the young players. I will just use "In" and "On the Bubble" to measure their chances.

****** (6): Peyton Manning, Adam Vinatieri, Marvin Harrison, Tony Dungy- Peyton Manning has played 10 years. He is averaging more than 4000 yards and 30 touchdowns a season. If he plays eight more years as he intends, he will definitely break every notable passing record. He's a lock even if he retires today. Adam Vinatieri has won 2 Super Bowls on his feet. He is the most clutch kicker in NFL history, and he has been a starter on 5 Super Bowl teams, an amazing stat. He'll get in without a doubt.

Marvin Harrison may end his career coming close or breaking some of Jerry Rice's records. He's been very consistent over his long career, and he hasn't had many injuries until this past year. If his knee can recover, he will add onto his illustrious career. Dungy is the best regular season coach of the 21st century. He has led the Colts to 6 straight playoff births and 5 straight AFC South titles and 12 win seasons. Dungy added a Super Bowl ring to his resume, assuring him of being a Hall of Famer. Being the first black head coach to win a Super Bowl didn't hurt either.

***** (5): Dwight Freeney & Reggie Wayne: Freeney and Wayne are two draft picks that make Bill Polian a genius. Many of the Colts starters have been drafted on the second day or even signed as an undrafted rookie, but these two first-rounders have lived up to their pick. Freeney gets consistent pressure on the QB, and he normally hurries the QB into bad throws. Reggie Wayne came on strong when Marvin Harrison got hurt, and he only needs three or four more good years (1000 yards & 8 touchdowns) to become a lock.

**** (4): Bob Sanders, Jeff Saturday, Dallas Clark: Bob Sanders is the superstar, Clark is the X-factor on offense, and Jeff Saturday is the superstar offensive lineman. Sanders has had injury problems, but it is hard to deny that he does the most with less. He is under 6 feet, I tower over him, but he could kill me with one spear tackle. He won the Defensive Player of the Year last year, and if he can stay healthy, there's a good shot he can win it again. Jeff Saturday has made the All-Pro team 3 straight years, and he anchors the line. Dallas Clark had 11 touchdown catches this year, and when he doesn't drop balls, he is making big plays.

*** (3): Gary Brackett, Robert Mathis, Anthony McFarland: Gary Brackett is the leader of the defense, and he has had 3 good years, but he needs to be a Pro Bowler and have 110 tackles and 2 interceptions for the rest of his career. Mathis is very good, but he has been living in the shadow of Dwight Freeney and does not get much recognition. Booger McFarland's injury hurt his chances, but he has been a solid lineman and has been on 2 Super Bowl-winning teams.

Since the young players have not played enough to be considered, I will base it on the pace they have started at. These players have 2 or 3 years experience.

In: Joseph Addai & Antoine Bethea-Addai has 2842 yards from scrimmage and 23 total touchdowns. He is definitely on a good pace. Bethea will play in his first Pro Bowl this year, and he is a great ball-hawking safety. He's compiled 5 interceptions and 12 batted balls over his two years.

Bubble: Marlin Jackson & Kelvin Hayden-It's hard to separate the two. They both play the same style and have the same role in the defense. If one gets in, the other will. Right now, they will need to improve to become Pro Bowlers, but they have been very good, especially in big games.

I may have overshot some of these, but it is very easy to get into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Hopefully I can come back to this in 15 years and see that all of these guys are in the Hall of Fame. Probably not, but a man can dream can't he?

Saturday, February 2, 2008

C'mon-Everyone's Doing It!

The Super Bowl is coming up, tomorrow in fact, and everyone has to make a prediction. Even people who don't watch football pick this game. You can gamble on everything from the coin toss to the halftime show. I haven't had an NFL blog in a while--mostly due to post-losing depression--so I felt like I need a short, sweet, and to the point prediction.

Here is the score. You can take this to Vegas, because if I'm good at one thing, it's picking games. 24-23 Giants. Stephen Gostkowski will miss a game-winning field goal off of the crossbar, and Adam Vinatieri will then fly to Glendale, and kick a field goal from the same exact spot, making it easily. All non-Patriots fans will all cheer until they go hoarse, for the Evil Empire of the NFL will have fallen short.

Stats
Eli Manning throws 1 touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress on a 58 yard go route in the third quarter, and he throws one interception which is picked off by Adalius Thomas and returned to the Giants' 35. He throws for 234 yards while going 19 for 34.

Brandon Jacobs has a career day with a 124 yards on 18 carries and 2 touchdowns.

Ahmad Bradshaw comes in late in the game to burn some clock, getting 24 yards on 9 carries.

Plaxico Burress has the touchdown catch along with eight other catches for 108 yards. Most of them are compiled on slants and drags.

Amani Toomer, Ahmad Bradshaw, Brandon Jacobs, David Tyree, and Sinorice Moss catch the other 11.

Justin Tuck leads the Giants with 2 sacks. Antonio Pierce has 11 tackles with 2.5 for a loss. Gibril Wilson will have an interception. Osi Umenyiora will force and recover a Laurence Maroney fumble.

Tom Brady will throw an amazing 53 passes for 379 yards, completing 41 of them. He will throw for 2 touchdowns and 1 interception.

Laurence Maroney will run the ball 10 times for 47 yards. Heath Evans will run it twice for 5 yards, both within the 10 yard line.

Randy Moss will have 3 catches for 61 yards, but no touchdowns.

Wes Welker will have 9 catches for 99 yards and a touchdown.

Kevin Faulk will have 15 catches for 51 yards and a touchdown.

Donte Stallworth will have 2 catches for 79 yards, 59 coming on a big first quarter pass.

Laurence Maroney, Heath Evans, Jabar Gaffney, Troy Brown, Ben Watson, and Kyle Brady will catch the rest.

Richard Seymour will have 8 tackles, leading the Pats. Adalius Thomas will have a pick and 2 sacks.

MVP: Eli Manning. Like XLI, the backs may have had a better game, but Manning will have led them to victory, shaving 9 of the 15 fourth quarter minutes off of the clock.

GOAT: Stephen Gostkowski. You can't miss a game-winning field goal.

If any of these, especially the score, come true, I will change this blog's name to Manlove for Manning. You can bet on it. You better.