Trap of the Day: Colts Reshuffling
As little kids, we are often asked the innocent, yet daunting question, “if you could be one thing when you grow up, what would you be?” Typical answers included astronaut, firefighter, or an undercover detective. For me, it was always a simple answer. I wanted to own a professional sports franchise. That dream never changed…perhaps until now. After witnessing what Jim Irsay–the owner of the Indianapolis Colts–has gone through this past year, it’s become clear that being an owner, with an entire city on your shoulders can be far from a dream job. Allow me to explain with the Colts Reshuffling Trap
Irsay was once on top of the world with his Colts team perennially in the upper echelon of the standings, a lock to be showcased in NFL playoffs. Everything came crashing down when news broke that quarterback legend Peyton Manning would be forced to sit out the entire 2011 season following neck surgery. Without their star, the Colts only won two games all year, the worst in all of football.
Fortunately, stinking it up all season is often a beautiful burden on a franchise, because although they have to endure 16 hopeless games, they were rewarded with drafting the top college player. Enter Stanford standout Andrew Luck into the picture.
This is where I would not have the guts to be an owner! You have an aging Peyton Manning expecting to return as one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever take a snap, and you have the youthful stud Andrew Luck, one of the most hyped college prospects to ever be selected via the draft. In the long-term financial future, you can’t have both. Oh, the decisions!
Irsay made his first giant step forward by axing his close friends, the Polians, both Chris and Bill who had served as the Colts’ long-time general manager and chief personnel executive. Manning was speechless, absolutely “stunned.” Allegedly, the Polians didn’t have a clear plan on what to do with the dire QB situation.
Irsay is now a one-man-army with the fate of the Colts’ long-term future resting in the palm of his hands. Should he draft Luck and waive/trade Manning? Should he try and peddle his number-one pick for an astronomical price? Should the Colts keep Manning and risk losing the next generational QB star, or is Luck not even the best QB available (yes people are suggesting this)?
Just pondering the magnitude of these upcoming decisions gives me a headache! Follow along with the shakeup in Indy with the Colts Reshuffling Trap!
-Geoff