Never Too Late To Apologize It’s All In How You Say It ………..
You can either choose to be part of the news or simply read about but in no way do you want to be seen to be creating worthless tidbits , simply to have to recant a statement . We tend to see it all the time when it comes to celebrities further looking to parlay their fifteen minutes of fame . Albeit , that now with Indianapolis Colts’ owner Jim Irsay I am not so sure that he knew by tweeting that Peyton Manning is out for the season be it inadvertently or not this seems to have created a furor that neither Irsay , Bill Polian or Jim Caldwell would really care to address publicly and with any degree of certainty.
===========================================================================================================
===========================================================================================================
Slide show for your perusal .
The Indianapolis Colts’ season has now taken on turn for the worse as this team seems to have lost all confidence when it comes to its play on the field . One patron had suggested to me that I was being completely overzealous in my statement when made the claim that the Colts’ season was over before it had began but I think that this patron was simply too naive to think that Peyton Manning would be back and playing under any circumstance for the Indianapolis Colts. The four time league MVP is the heart and soul of this team and has been so since he was drafted by the organization in 1998 as the number 2 overall pick behind Ryan Leaf .
The Indianapolis Colts for their part having brought in Kerry Collins have suffered three successive defeats to their start of the season which now has them firmly rooted at the bottom of the AFC South . Inasmuch as I would like to think that there is hope for the Colts for this season with the play that the team has offered simply isn’t enough to convince me that they are able of containing and steering their own destiny. Now it would remiss to suggest that Peyton Manning’s career with this organization is over but sooner or later the fans and the front office may well have to realize that this era could very well be coming to a close .
All of this talk about a resurgent Chicago Bears’ — team came to a quick and abrupt close when they were ceremoniously dragged across the turf by the Green Bay Packers in a decisive 27-17 victory for the defending Superbowl champions. It is pretty safe to say that this Bears’ team still has flashbacks nightmares from their NFC championship game loss (21-14) to the Packers . This time around the Bears’ defense simply couldn’t cope with the passing game of Aaron Rodgers and the play of tight end Jermichael Finley who accounted for the first three touchdown game of his career in the team’s — 27-17 win .
Jay Cutler as the quarterback of the Chicago Bears has a lot to be answerable for , especially when one bears in mind his performance during that NFC championship game . There are those who genuinely believe that the player was hurt and that was the reason for his leaving the game. But I would suggest to the contrary because when your team needs you the most that is when as a presumed leader you have to step up to the plate and lead by example.
And as good as we’re led to believe this Bears’ defense is said to be they were clearly exposed by a Packers’ offense simply chomping at the bit. Aaron Rodgers simply carried on from where he left from last season . And it is easy to understand the reason why the team made the player their first round draft choice in 2005 (24th pick first round) by the Packers’ front office and coach Mike McCarthy . With the way that the Green Bay Packers now seem to be performing amongst their divisional and conference rivals . All the talk may well be about the surprising start of the Detroit Lions but until this team led by Matthew Stafford has played full season unscathed and have a winning season then perhaps we may well get to learn something about this organization as a whole . In spite of the added history of the franchise and the apparent direction that they now seem to be taking with Jim Schwartz as the coach working in conjunction with the front office led by GM Martin Mayhew .
The turnaround in the fortunes of the Detroit Lions has coincided with the recent draft choices made by the organization . And clearly with the additions of Nick Fairley , Ndamukong Suh and Calvin Johnson this is a team capable of contending but as I have repeatedly stated until Matthew Stafford is able to play an entire season and at the same be protected by his offensive line then I will continue hold my reservations about the competitiveness of the team .
It is hard to believe that a month ago the Boston Red Sox led the AL East and held a seven and a half game lead over the Tampa Bay Rays within the division . Now as of the 27th September that divisional lead is no longer there with the New York Yankees having won the division and secured a berth in the postseason , we now have an almighty dog fight brewing as the Tampa Bay Rays look to chase down the Red Sox to gain the wildcard berth as the AL entrant into the playoffs. Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona and his coaching staff have to be perturbed by what they are now seeing from his team that has lost eighteen of their last 22 games .
What might be even more distressing for the Boston Red Sox front office has been the very fact they have an outlay of an extortionate amount in salaries to pay for free agent acquisitions that in part have been productive but the overall expectations just wasn’t there . Clearly Theo Epstein , Larry Lucchino and the entire front office cannot be entirely happy with the thought that the team could once again miss the postseason . If ever there was a certainty as to why things started to spiral out of control for the Boston Red Sox then one would have place the blame squarely on the shoulders of the players and their lack of consistency .
As rabid as the Red Sox fans are said to be , I am not so sure that they are willing to tolerate the meltdown of their team especially when one bears in mind that their perpetual nemesis the New York Yankees has won the AL East and now await postseason play. It would certainly burn the fans even more also to know that the Tampa Bay Rays would once again be part of the playoffs.
The fans of the Tampa Bay Rays are all giddy with the very thought that they could be making a quick return to the playoffs when one considers their swift exit from the postseason last year . This time around I am sure that Joe Maddon would like to see his team perform to the best of their abilities with the advent of making the playoffs. The players have hit a rich vein of form that has seen them win five of their last 10 games but also on a two game win streak .
For the younger players on this roster such as Desmond Jennings , Sam Fulds , Alex Cobb , Matt Joyce and David Price this offers these teammates a further chance to show that this simply is not another aberration for the Tampa Bay Rays and their fans. Most certainly this may well have been the season that GM Andrew Friedman had envisaged alongside senior partners Stuart Sternberg and Matt Silverman .
It has been well chronicled as to the financial constraints that the Tampa Bay Rays now finds itself under and this is solely being done at the discretion of the front office as it is the only way for this organization to simply remain viable as a baseball franchise . And when adjudged against the rest of baseball one can see why it is that the ball club chooses take this route . Perhaps in light of the movie ” Moneyball” and the fact that the movie while now receiving critical acclaim it has to be said the box office (grossed slightly under $20 million opening weekend ) expectation doesn’t seem to have met with the expectations of the studio and one bears in mind that it placed second behind a fifteen year old animated classic “The Lion King” .
I am not so sure what to make of the Atlanta Braves’ meltdown within the NL East and the mere fact that they have allowed the St Louis Cardinals to simply erase their lead in the NL wildcard standings . Both Tony La Russa and Fredi Gonzalez are now vying to have their respective teams playing hard down the stretch as the waning days of the schedule winds down . With the St Louis Cardinals losing to the lowly Houston Astros and the Atlanta Braves falling to the Philadelphia Phillies the margin between the two teams is now a mere half game as of Monday night. With two regular season games now left on the schedule it certainly will interesting and suspenseful to see how things play themselves out over the ensuing days .
=====================================================================================================
=====================================================================================================
Picture gallery for your perusal .
Given what we are now witnessing within the NFL and MLB are there further surprises that you feel could very well occur ? And what thoughts if any do you have concerning the statements made by Colts’ owner Jim Irsay concerning Peyton Manning ? Simply leave a comment on the points raised within this piece and any other points you believe to be pertinent .
Alan aka tophatal ……… https://tophatal.wordpress.com
Picture and slide show details below .
————————————————————————————————————————————————–
(1) Indianapolis Colts football head coach Jim Caldwell talks about the quarterback situation and the 0-3 start in Indianapolis, Monday, Sept. 26, 2011. AP Photo/Michael Conroy ….
(2) FILE – This Sept. 1, 2011 file photo shows Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning on the sidelines in the first half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, in Cincinnati. At rear right is quarterback Kerry Collins. Colts owner Jim Irsay says there is an “outside chance” Manning might return in December. Irsay used Twitter on Monday, Sept. 26, 2011, to update Colts fans on Manning’s status after remarks he made during a private breakfast with Super Bowl donors. AP Photo/Tony Tribble ….
(3) CHICAGO, IL – SEPTEMBER 25: Jermichael Finley (88) of the Green Bay Packers catches a touchdown pass in front of Craig Steltz (20) of the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on September 25, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois. The Packers defeated the Bears 27-17 . Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images ……
(4) Aaron Rodgers (12) of the Green Bay Packers talks with Jay Cutler (6) of the Chicago Bears after a game at Soldier Field on September 25, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois. The Packers defeated the Bears 27-17. Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images ……
(5) MINNEAPOLIS, MN – SEPTEMBER 25: Donovan McNabb (5) of the Minnesota Vikings and Keiland Williams (34) of the Detroit Lions talk after the overtime win by the Lions at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome on September 25, 2011 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Photo by Adam Bettcher /Getty Images ……..
(6) Matthew Stafford (9) of the Detroit Lions is chased by Chad Greenway (52) of the Minnesota Vikings in the third quarter at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome on September 25, 2011 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Photo by Adam Bettcher /Getty Images …….
(7) Carl Crawford (13) of the Boston Red Sox (L) and teammates Jacoby Ellsbury (2) (C) and Josh Reddick (16) [(R)] leave the dugout after losing to the Baltimore Orioles 6-3 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 26, 2011 in Baltimore, Maryland. Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images ……
(8) Infielder Ben Zobrist (18) of the Tampa Bay Rays congratulates Reid Brignac (15) after he scores against the New York Yankees during the game at Tropicana Field on September 26, 2011 in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Tampa Bay Rays would defeat the Yankees 5-2 . Photo by J. Meric/Getty Images ….
(9) Matt Diaz (23) of the Atlanta Braves slides into second base safely under the tag of Jimmy Rollins (11) of the Philadelphia Phillies after hitting a double in the second inning at Turner Field on September 26, 2011 in Atlanta, Georgia. The Phillies would defeat the Braves 4-2 . Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images …….
(10) Chris Carpenter , right, of the St. Louis Cardinals high fives Matt Holliday (7) and Albert Pujols (5) after they scored in the eighth inning against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park on September 26, 2011 in Houston, Texas. The Cardinals would go on to lose the game 5-4 to the Astros . Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images …….
—————————————————————————————————————————————————
MLB schedule 3 days at a glance
MLB probable starters 27th September 2011
MLB Standings 26th October 2010
MLB wildcard standings 26th October 2010
Share this:
Tophatal's Blog 
With the Colts bein as awful as they are right now, that just shows you how valuable he is to that team and how unprepared their coaching staff was if this situation were to occur. I don’t think any QB they have on the roster are the answer. I’m just curious to why David Garrard is on the market. I’d take him still over alot of QBs esp Collins and Painter.
LikeLike
jgomez
This Colts’ team is simply struggling to stay on the field competitively apart from their injury issues . They haven’t a running game and they can’t defend the pass and as we are now seeing Collins has the attention span of a gnat as a qb . His and the team’s struggles have magnified and it would indicate how deeply they miss Manning as the starter . They’re in a world of trouble within the AFC South now at 0-3
I don’t think that Garrard will be the answer to the Colts’ problems ! I mean he didn’t work out with the Jaguars did he ? There’s a reason why Del Rio chose to go with Blaine Gabbert in order to save his job and see what the kid can do .
What else can we ask for by way of the end to the regular season within baseball ? The wildcard races have turned out to be really entertaining and thrilling . In light of last night’s results I am not so sure what to now make of the chances of the Braves , St Louis Cardinals , Red Sox and Rays !
😉 — 🙂
tophatal …………
LikeLike
It appears that the blackout will be lifted for the Monday night game between the Bucs and Colts. Let’s just hope the Bucs don’t lay an egg against a wounded Colts squad.
The Rays have to finish the job tonight and sweep the Yankees in order to be assured of at least a shot at the Sox in a playoff game. I thought they were done in early September, but if they can get Boston in a playoff game at the Trop I think they can take them. GO RAYS!
LikeLike
aero
I think that’s a given with the Bucs playing so well and having a great start to the season . I don’t think that Rah’ will allow this team to be complacent against the Colts as they’ve (Bucs) the momentum on their side so it would be in their best interest to take advantage of that and the Indianapolis Colts .
You’re right to Rays need to beat the Yankees soundly tonight and then wait to see what the Red Sox do in their game against the Orioles who are looking to play spoiler . This is nail biting stuff ! I’m on tender-hooks concerning the Braves as they’ve squandered a lead over the Cardinals only for it all to come down to tonight’s games as to who’ll be NL wildcard entrant .
MLB divisional standings
MLB wildcard standings all as of 9/27/2011
tophatal …………………..
LikeLike
The Braves have their ace on the hill tonight so they have a real good chance of at least forcing a playoff game. I feel the Rays must win tonight to be able to play Thursday. Good luck to both of our teams!
LikeLike
aero
It’s not so much the pitching with the Braves I’m worried about but the slump with regard to the offense ! If they can’t hit then they can’t win this game against the Phillies at Turner Field tonight . .
tophatal ………….
LikeLike
I never believed that Peyton would be back this season and I thought that the Kerry Collins signing was (as you would say) proposterous at best.
What I also can’t figure out is why they didn’t just give the ball to Curtis Painter anyway.
Meehan
LikeLike
Ravenation LLC
The moment they sad Peyton Manning had to have neck surgery you knew the injury was serious . Trapped or pinched nerve for him to have a second procedure inside of 18 months should have been enough of a warning for the Colts’ front office . Now if they retain him for next season then come April they have to shell out a $28 million roster bonus . All this talk of Andrew Luck will become obsolete unless they choose to shed players off the roster and yes I’m talking about Manning as part of that argument !
Did you not witness Curtis Painter’s — play in the preseason ?
Kerry Collins like Donovan McNabb should be in a retirement home being aided by a gerontologist to meet their daily needs . I am so sure that AARP wouldn’t feel aggrieved by this at all !
tophatal ……….
tophatal ………..
LikeLike
Colts owner Jim Irsay is too busy partying and tweeting to get a real QB. This jerk should have seen this coming but he’s too busy partying. It serves him and his silly ass right. I hope the Bucks win and the Sox lose. The Eagles suck and the bums won’t win another game. Another stupid Hollywried I mean Hollywood film. Money Ball. Not on your life would I spend money to see that piece of crap.
LikeLike
Bobby Gee
Jim Irsay still hasn’t fully recovered from his drink issues . It’s back to Passages for him ! The Colts front office is now in a complete mess !
tophatal ………..
LikeLike
Beesball no interest to me…….football is beginning to scare me
LikeLike
al clements
The only thing in football that scares me is the thought that Rosie O’Donnell loves the Steelers ! LOL,LOL,LOL !!! Just kiddin’ as she probably supports one of the teams in the tri state area .
“I was turned on to females after a night of sex and debauchery with Ben Roethlisberger ” ! So says Rosie O’Donnell .
tophatal …………………
LikeLike
I told people in my fantasy drafts there’s noway Peyton would be back, but some still wasted a pick on him, I’m glad it wasn’t me hahaha!
LikeLike
The Painter Era has arrived…can’t you just feel the excitement?? It’s palpable…
LikeLike
Drew
One win doesn’t a season make . Oh but we’re talking about the Panthers aren’t we so I guess it does !
“I’m all for Cam Newton throwin’ his balls up underneath my chin ” ! So says Sheyla Hershey
tophatal ………………………..
LikeLike
Drew
I’d feel the excitement if it were a certain Harbaugh suiting up for the Colts but it’s Curtis Painter . So how should one actually feel ? I mean the kid’s stats speaks for itself so what else is there left to say ?
“Kid you can either do as I do but not as I say . So which is it ” ? Peyton Manning . ” But Peyton I was just want to be like you .” Curtis Painter
tophatal ……….
LikeLike
chappy
That roster bonus due Manning early next year do you think it prudent that the Colts’ front office signed the player to his now existing contract given his ongoing injury problems ?
He’s due a roster bonus in April 2012 that’s in the region of $28 million . I personally don’t believe that it was prudent by either GM Bill Polian or team owner Jim Irsay to be hamstrung by such a deal no matter what the player’s worth . Bear in mind at the time of the contract’s signing they were aware of his ongoing injury problems . I think that Manning’s agent Tom Condon duped both Colts executives !
tophatal …………..
LikeLike