Colts Saturday Could Be Calling it Quits
By Gayle Saunders
Follow Him on Twitter
With all the news about Peyton Manning’s future up in the air with the Colts,day by day, the team is heading in a different direction. From The Polians to head coach Jim Caldwell being fired, to Peyton’s trusty center talking retirement, things don’t look so bright in Indy.
Colts long time center Jeff Saturday, could be hanging up his cleats after 13 years with the Colt’s organization. He may be calling it quits, since he is among the veterans whose contracts expire after this year.
Saturday spoke on the Ross Tucker and Solomon Wilcots Sirius XM NFL Radio show Wednesday
“I have my own decision to make long before I worry (about) what the Colts are going to do,” Saturday said. “I’m considering not playing.”
“My decision is going to be based on my wife and my family,” he told Tucker and Wilcots. “I have to go through that process myself first and decide what I want to do for us and make the right decision. What’s going on with the organization really doesn’t have any effect at this point.”
Saturday has been the starting center since 2000 and he’s been the center for almost all of Peyton’s career. The undrafted center out of North Carolina has come a long way with the Colts. Saturday has seen his Colts go from pretenders to yearly Super Bowl contenders in his long career, which could be hard to walk away from.
The sad fact is the Colts went 2-14 without Manning under center and the organization has began their rebuild, which most likely won’t involve those who helped their franchise a winner the last decade.
“I can’t say I’m shocked,” Saturday told the newspaper regarding the decision to fire Caldwell, “but I am sad because for the past (10) or so years, he’s not only been my coach but my friend. ”
This game can be hard when times go bad, and that’s the situation we’re in.”
Key Jets Players Question Sanchez’s Work Ethic
By Gayle Saunders
Follow Him on Twitter
When you play for a team where the Head Coach speaks his mind as often as he does, its only a matter of time that the team follows suit.
At the moment the Jets are going through some growing pains with the news of them gutting their offensive coaching staff and with players taking personal shots at Mark Sanchez.
The Daily News broke a story that key Jets players have questioned Sanchez’s work ethic and have embraced the thought of Peyton Manning playing for the Jets in 2012, if he was to come available. Read more
Newton Breaks Manning’s Debut Passing Yardage Record
All Cam Newton did was break Mannings record and complete 24 of 37 passes for 422 yards and two touchdowns and run in for another score. That would be a career game for most starting NFL quarterbacks. For Newton, it’s just the beginning and all happened in his first game.
Peyton Manning: A Charitable Case
By Blake Fields
of PomPomandCigars.com
Peyton Manning? Yeah, that guy’s pretty good.
“If you like six-five, 230 pound quarterbacks with a laser rocket arm,” says the Indianapolis Colts quarterback himself in an ad for Sprint.
Those of us who follow the game know that the guy is more than “pretty good,” he’s one of the best. With four NFL MVP awards and a Super Bowl ring (and MVP) included in his resume, it’s no doubt that this guy is great at what he does. But we are all aware of all the great things that he does on the field; it’s all of the great things that he does off the field that usually goes unnoticed.
Manning founded the Peyback Foundation in 1999, just after the start of his NFL career, to promote the future success of disadvantaged youth. The Foundation has donated more than $4.3 million to youth organizations in a three state region: Indiana, Tennessee, and Louisiana.
As President of the Foundation, Manning not only supports the organization financially, but he is active in all the major decisions concerning its initiatives and constantly seeks new ways to further the Foundation’s success.
Since its inception, the Foundation has bought and delivered toys and groceries, assisted in disaster relief, and much more. The Foundation hosts a number of special celebrations at children’s hospitals and helps needy children in the winter by providing items such as a winter coats.
Manning’s charitable works aren’t just limited to the Foundation. For over a decade the quarterback has had a strong relationship with Indianapolis’ St. Vincent Children’s Hospital. The relationship has been so great that the hospital underwent a recent name change: Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital at St. Vincent.
While parents deal with aspects such as health insurance, the children are offered top notch care in this facility designed specifically to cater to the medical needs of children. Manning has spent a great deal of time at this facility as he has sponsored a number of events, made countless private patient visits, served as a spokesperson for several child health and safety initiatives, and has even dedicated patient rooms with personal and professional memorabilia.
One of Manning’s recent health initiatives in association with the hospital is Project 18, an 18-week health and wellness curriculum designed to address childhood obesity. Manning’s project is designed to combat obesity by helping kids and their parents set goals, eat smarter, and get active.
While Manning’s on the field accomplishments are in plain view of thousands of fans in a football stadium, his off the field accomplishments have a much smaller audience. While he may not receive any MVP awards or championships rings for these particular accomplishments, Manning’s charitable works have nonetheless given back to communities in ways that football never could.
Manning talks about what the Peyback Foundation means to him:
Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees say Get R Done!
By Gayle Saunders
Follow Him on Twitter
When 3 of the NFL’s brightest stars in Peyton Manning, Drew Brees and Tom Brady are saying its time to wrap up the negotiations to end the lockout it has to be a good sign right?
Well, NFL.com is reporting that the League is pushing for July 21 to be the day that the deal gets completed. The owners meeting in Atlanta will be an important day for both the players and owners.
NFL Players Association released a statement on Wednesday, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Drew Brees said:
“The overall proposal made by the players is fair for both sides and it is time to get this deal done. This is the time of year we as players turn our attention to the game on the field. We hope the owners feel the same way.”
Brady, Manning and Brees made their statement clear when they spoke to the owners for the first time as a group Wednesday morning in a Manhattan office.
Right now time is money with important deadlines looming, its imperative that the NFL get back on track in order for training camps and the preseason to start on time. With both sides agreeing on the core elements of the deal it’s a plus, the only major are how to structure a new rookie salary system and what will free agency actually be like for players.
With the heat rising Goodell and NFLPA DeMaurice Smith will have to keep the pace going for a smooth outcome. If there is any other holdups with the agreement both sides would lose money from the overall pot.
Tom Moore’s departure could hurt Colts
By Gayle Saunders
Follow Him on Twitter
No word from the Colts camp yet but, Paul Kuharksy of ESPN’s AFC South blog has reported that long time offensive coordinator Tom Moore has left the building…meaning for good. For Colts fan this can be good news, as Moore is Peyton Mannings right hand man. He is responsible for keeping the well oiled offensive machine moving along. Moore has been the Colts Offensive Coordinator or special assistant) since Manning entered the league in 1998. Moore’s departure could change the dynamic of the colts offense.
Under Moore’s guidance Manning won four league MVPs. The Colts offense went from averaging 19 points per game on offense the year before his arrival to averaging 26 points per game throughout his fourteen years as the team’s offensive coordinator.
Currently Tom Moore’s name has been removed from the team’s official website, and it looks like the vultures have already landed. Its been reported that the New York Jets and Tennessee Titans have spoke to Moore about joining both their staffs.
This is certainly not good news for Colts fans, as Tom Moore is the one man, that knows Peyton Mannings tendencies better than anyone else. Having Moore on your staff, especially if you happen to play the Colts twice a year, could benefit you greatly.
No Drama In Manning Negotiations
Bill Polian said negotiations between the Colts and Peyton Manning are progressing. Just don’t expect the two sides to cut a deal this weekend.
“I would say we are simply moving ahead at a steady pace, but nothing is imminent,” Polian told The Associated Press after meeting with the NFL’s competition committee Wednesday.
The competition committee is meeting in Indianapolis as part of the NFL scouting combine, which opens today.
The Colts’ list of potential free agents includes Adam Vinatieri, running back Joseph Addai, offensive lineman Charlie Johnson and safety Melvin Bullitt.
Polian also said the Colts would be willing to bring back safety Bob Sanders, who was released last week, if he does not sign with another team.
BREAKDOWN – AFC South
By Steve O’Reilly
For many years now the South has been under the rule of King Peyton Manning, he and his men have taken control of the Division in 2003 – 2007, the Titans took it in 2008, than the Colts again in 2009. That’s quite a while, but when you have great Wide Receivers, a great O-Line and a future Hall of Fame QB then you would expect nothing else. For the other teams, it’s really been a matter of how to knock them off their perch. The Texans have tried to build a team that can compete with them on an offensive level while the Titans are almost the exact opposite. Tennessee likes to control the game on the ground and play smart, ball control style offense that hopefully will keep Peyton on the sidelines. Jacksonville has tried to do with Defense and a solid running game as well. The problem is, no one has been able to do it yet, save the 08 Titans that went 13-3 and one game better than the Colts. So what does 2010 have in store for this Division? Standard operation perhaps but maybe not….let’s Breakdown the South!! Read more
Colts choose to rest – was it the right call?
One thing that we hope to bring to a discussion is the Indianapolis Colts decision to rest their players in Week 16. The Colts were the remaining unbeaten team and were only two games away from being the 3rd team to have an undefeated regular season. The 2007 New England Patriots did it but lost in the SuperBowl nullifying any chance for a true undefeated year. The Colts had this chance for perfection so I ask you, did they make the right decision by resting Peyton Manning and others as the Jets took away any chance for football immortality? Read more
Family Matters: The Mannings
By Gayle Saunders
When you think of a strong family and some of its characteristics, a couple of qualities come to mind. Being respectful, a strong support system, a family thats involved, and most of all providing positive role models for your children. Looking at the Manning dynasty and the legend that continues to grow each week in the NFL, you have to look further than on the field to see where the Manning brothers draw their love of the game from. Read more
