Archive for Indianapolis Colts
Peyton Manning: NFL and Hobby MVP
Posted by: | CommentsPeyton Manning never needs an introduction, especially now that he holds the NFL record for MVPs won. After recently winning his fourth regular season MVP, he tops a list that includes Walter Payton, Joe Montana, Tom Brady, and more. He captured 39 percent of the vote in a season that included a record number of 4,000 yard passers with 30 TDs or more, a 2,000 yard rusher, and a player who covered year long for his NFL return after retirement. Despite all of those great seasons, Peyton reigns supreme again.
Funny enough, coming into the 2009 season, Manning wasn’t necessarily the odds-on favorite to have a good year. He had a brand new coach after legendary Tony Dungy retired, he was without Marvin Harrison for the first time in a decade, and the rest of the team was young and inexperienced. Two constants remained in Joseph Addai and Reggie Wayne, and both were poised to take over the NFL with Manning behind them. However, three pieces does not a football team make, which came into play when players like Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon stepped up to fill the roles needed for a winning team.
Like many of the great quarterbacks who have come and gone, Manning makes people around him that much better. He made stars out of his new role players and made his past role players into new league leaders and Pro Bowlers. That wasn’t all, however, as the Colts started the year 14-0 thanks to Manning’s amazing play, a feat that earned him initial consideration for league MVP. What put him over the top were his 4,500 passing yards, 33 touchdowns and leadership that emanated from his pores. Numbers like Manning’s make the Colts’ finish pretty easy to fathom when reviewing the final stat sheet.
Yet, not all is said and done quite yet: the Colts still have an opponent in Baltimore this week that could spell defeat in Manningville, USA. Coming off a huge victory in New England, the Ravens have started to show how fearsome their team can be, even against a juggernaut that spent the last two weeks of the season resting up. Veteran Ray Lewis and sophomore Ray Rice lead the menacing defense and high-powered offense into Indianapolis, and it may be a test of what the MVP can do to overcome a team like Baltimore. Last year, many of the bye teams were not able to stave off the surging Wild Card winners, and with those two weeks of rest under his belt, Manning may have issues finding a true rhythm. However, if the regular season is any indication of what will happen, Manning will have no trouble at all.
Rather than going through the must-have cards of Manning’s long career, I want to discuss a few newer cards that caught my eye. His cards are usually so iconic that to list off his SP Authentic rookie, his first Exquisite autograph, and any of his extremely valuable 1/1s would be too easy. Here are a few you may have missed that I find incredibly interesting.
First, out of 2007 Goudey Baseball, Manning was featured as part of the highly collected and highly valuable Sports Royalty set. The card has an on-card autograph and is wonderfully reminiscent of the baseball cards they were modeled after. It’s rare that you see a football player in a baseball set, but this works well. Manning is definitely sports royalty, and this card is a great addition to your Manning collection that has everything.
Manning was also a part of the ‘09-‘10 Exquisite Basketball Retro Rookie Patch Autograph set, and seeing him with that type of card is awesome. The ‘03-‘04 Exquisite Basketball set is iconic on its own thanks to the likes of LeBron James and Dwayne Wade, but to see some football players and baseball players make their rookie patch debut is something to behold. Because of the iconic nature and rarity of the set, these cards go for a ton, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t worth a look. Exquisite Basketball may not be back for the foreseeable future, so this is a great sendoff to a fan favorite product.
Lastly, I love the Peyton Manning / Eli Manning dual on-card autograph out of 2009 Upper Deck Football Heroes. Its one of the only cards that features a hard signed signature of both Manning brothers on the same card, and the painted art makes it one of the better looking Manning cards produced in a long time. If you are a fan of both of the Mannings, this card is a great one to chase.
Although this year was nothing out of the ordinary for a player who seems to scoff at mediocre play, it goes without saying that Peyton is quickly cementing himself as one of the best NFL players of all time. Considering that he is still relatively young and injury free, he may still have years worth of records left in him. Favre may have recently broken Dan Marino’s touchdown record, but the Manning name is the one that I expect to be on that record in the coming years. When you also factor in that he is one of football’s nice guys, with a great ability to laugh at himself, it’s easy to see why collectors and fans love him as much as they do. Then again, how can you hate a guy whose catch-phrase was “CUT THAT MEAT!” for a good two seasons?
Adam Gellman runs the collecting blog Sports Cards Uncensored, and has been a collector of all things sports for over 15 years. To see more of his work, visit www.sportscardsuncensored.com (warning: strong language!)
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The Ultimate Fan Gets an Upper Deck Tattoo!
Posted by: | CommentsIf you saw our post last week, you know that we picked Matt Ellis of Auburn, Indiana as Upper Deck’s Ultimate Fan. He took home the big prize package (not to mention the pride that goes with the title).
We mentioned that he was getting the Upper Deck Ultimate Fan logo tattooed on his chest; he made a slight change and went with the foot instead, but none the less we’re very impressed with his dedication:
Expect more posts on Matt in the coming weeks: the media is picking up on his story like crazy, plus he’s got Super Bowl tickets to claim (we hope his Colts get there) and his own Upper Deck card to be produced!
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Tattoo You?
Posted by: | CommentsWhat would you do to secure a prize package from Upper Deck that included 20 tickets to an NFL game, a $1,500 shopping spree on NFLShop.com and your very own Upper Deck football card? Well, for Matt Ellis of Auburn, Indiana, the answer was simple: Show off his hard-earned tattoos. You see, Ellis – a rabid Colts fan – has been collecting signatures of his favorite players since 2007. Only the surface he uses for them to write on is his own body. He then gets their Sharpie scrawls permanently tattooed into his skin to show everyone his allegiance to the Super Bowl XLI (41) champs.
His die-hard devotion to the Colts earned him top honors in Upper Deck’s recent “Ultimate NFL Fan” contest. From October 13 through November 25, UD asked football fans everywhere to submit video, photo or written entries on why they should be considered the “ultimate NFL fan” and received dozens of submissions. But it was Ellis’s multiple photographic handoffs that sufficiently wowed the judges at Upper Deck.
“Matt is obviously a big football fan,” said Carrie Peterson, Upper Deck’s online marketing manager. “But to have more than 30 tattoos inked across his body from his favorite NFL team showed us just how fanatical he is. Congratulations to Matt.”
The first “auto-tatt” (autographed tattoo) Ellis nabbed was from then-team-punter Hunter Smith. Following a local concert at which Smith’s acoustic rock band “Connersvine” performed, Ellis sought to get Smith’s signature on a football. Accompanied by his wife, Ann, Ellis decided while waiting in line to give her the football to get signed and was ready to simply have his ticket stub autographed. Ann jokingly said: “Have him sign your leg.” Suddenly a new pursuit was born.
Today, Ellis has signatures of 31 different Colts players and two coaches from the 2006 NFL championship team tattooed on his body. “My legs are both covered from the knees down,” he said. He’s scored the majority of the autographs during Colts training camp in Terre Haute over the past three years and still has 21 more signatures to get from the Super Bowl-winning team. Both Marvin Harrison and Bob Sanders remain high on his must-have list.
“I can’t think of any other way to show these championship football stars my appreciation for what I believe is the most spirited and out-of-this-world team.”
In addition to appearing on his very own Upper Deck football card inside a yet-to-be-determined 2010 set, Ellis has agreed to get Upper Deck’s “Ultimate Fan” logo tattooed on his chest.
“Are you kidding me? Absolutely I will wear the Upper Deck Ultimate Fan logo with honor. If you are willing to put me on a trading card, the best I can do would be to ink and represent Upper Deck,” he said. “How awesome will it be to say that I’ve got my own Upper Deck trading card?”
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Dear Coach Belichick
Posted by: | CommentsDear Coach Belichick,
Having been a Colts fan all my life, I can admittedly say you have caused me a lot of grief over the years. On Sunday night I left my house positive you had handed my team their first loss of the season. My wife can confirm my disappointment as I headed out the door mumbling about the sure outcome of the game.
To travel from the front door of my place to my parents house takes no more than five minutes. In that short amount of time the infamous call came over your headset, and you went for it on fourth and two. I was absolutely floored when I walked through the door and saw my little brother in his Joseph Addai jersey jumping up and down yelling at the television. He was completely elated. I was shocked. Colts win.
Isn’t it funny how many critics have come out of the woodwork to tell you how wrong you were? My work is full of armchair coaches who have done nothing but talk about your failed call from the moment they walked in on Monday morning. It seems as though every sports talking head has had something negative to say. I am truly amazed the negative attention you have received. It’s crazy how simply converting makes you look like a genius, but since you didn’t, you are a villain. This week must be a tough one.
Who knows how much this is going to help coming from a Colts fan, but after watching the highlight for what seems the millionth time, I have to say I don’t blame you for the call. Take this with a grain of salt, but you actually have one armchair coach on your side.
Have you ever watched nature videos of a lioness hunting her prey? When she comes across a herd of gazelle she takes her time to pick out the young and the weak of the group. She knows if she tries to chase one of the healthy strong animals she will tire quickly and may not get to eat. By finding the weakest parts of the herd, her chances for bringing down a gazelle increase greatly. You may not have been thinking about lions and gazelles in the game, but I think it illustrates the point clearly.
With the Indianapolis defense struggling to stay ahead of injuries you had an opportunity to attack the weak part of the herd. All game long you had rookie corners going up against Randy Moss, one of the greatest receivers of our time. The defensive line was trying to plug holes with whomever they had available to stop your attack. Tom Brady kept finding the sick, weak, and young part of the herd. He continued to chase them all game long without showing any kind of fatigue. He was hungry and you were helping him go in for the kill. The only real problem you had was when Peyton Manning got the ball, and he kept coming, never ceasing.
How many times have we seen Peyton Manning march down the field with even less time than what you would have given him by punting? Along with your very own Tom Brady, Peyton is one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. Why would you give the ball to another lion when you are two yards away from taking down the weak gazelle? I think it is unfair to judge your instinct when taken into perspective. Unfortunately the rest of the herd circled the weak and stopped you short of your prize.
During all the years I have watched Patriots games on television I don’t think I have ever seen you look so angry. I am sure there were tons of emotions running through your body on the walk to the locker room. I wouldn’t have wanted to be a blade of turf under your feet as you stormed off the field let alone someone in your path. Saying you were disappointed is probably the understatement of the year. What a way to go out. For a moment I actually felt bad for you.
I guess the whole point of this letter is to tell you personally I don’t think you deserve the beating you are taking. How can we be the ones to sit here and tell you how to do your job when most of us have never touched the sideline as a coach? It’s unfair and unfounded, especially given the fact you would have been hailed as a coaching genius if you had converted those two yards. Most coaches would have punted, but you took a chance with the situation you were in. I commend you for that.
Keep your head up coach. I hope the rest of your season and your career aren’t defined by this moment. I want you to do well enough to get past this point, but not so well where we have to face you again.
Thanks for a great game.
Logan
Logan Millard works and lives in Salt Lake City, Utah. Aside from his full time job he works for the Utah Jazz as a media relations coordinator on game nights, and also helps Fox Soccer Channel when they are in town.
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4th and 2: What Should You Do?
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Last night, the Indianapolis Colts defeated the New England Patriots 35-34 in a game that was certainly one for the ages. Quarterback Tom Brady finished with 375 yards, 3 touchdowns, and a 110.7 rating. Peyton Manning finished with 327 yards, 4 touchdowns, a 97.4 quarterback rating (and most importantly, the victory). These two perennial stars proved why they are mentioned as the best in the game and already headed for the Hall of Fame.
A game that was seemingly dominated by the Patriots through three quarters took a 180 degree turn 42 seconds into the fourth. Brady threw a jump ball to Randy Moss to put the Pats up 31-14. In any other case and against any other quarterback, this would have probably been the dagger to end it. However, Manning had no intentions of leaving his home stadium with a loss. It took him 2:04 to execute a five play, 79 yard drive that ended with a 29-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Pierre Garcon.
The Colts’ defense got the ball back, and Manning threw an interception on the first play from scrimmage. He was trying to force the ball downfield, and later admitted that this was a bad throw, and a poor decision. His interception led to a Pats field goal which put them up 34-21.
Once again, Manning worked his magic. He drove right down the field on six plays for 79 yards, ending the drive with a touchdown by running back Joseph Addai. This score put the Colts within six points. The amazing aspect of these two fourth quarter drives is that he executed them under four minutes total!
The proceeding chain of events can be seen from both sides of the fence. The Patriots couldn’t get anything going on offense and found themselves in a fourth and two situation, with 2:08 left. Once again, if this were any other coach on any other team, this would have been a no-brainer call; punt the ball!
But, the fact that there is even a decision to make here is what makes this game so special every year. The chess match involved between these teams is unparalleled. Coach Bill Belichick felt that if Manning got the ball back on offense, he was going to score a touchdown regardless of field position. The way the game was going, the Patriots failed to stop the Colts on two key fourth quarter drives.
I believe that this is what propelled Belichick into his decision on fourth down to go for it. Many people saw this as undermining his defense, but Belichick knows his team better than anybody. And if he felt that his team could not stop Manning at that point and time, then his decision was warranted.
On the other hand, people are asking why Belichick would make it so easy for one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. It took Manning only four plays to score a touchdown, and he ensured that it was the final drive of the game by using most of the clock. Had Belichick decided to punt, he would have given Manning a longer field to work with.
In any event, I believe that the results would have been the same. The Pats’ shortcomings came from their inability to gain a first down on that final drive, as opposed to the decision to go for fourth down. Manning is the best quarterback in the NFL right now. Punting the ball would have given Manning over two minutes, with two opportunities to stop the clock (one timeout and the two minute warning). Can you remember the last time Manning was in that situation and failed? I can’t.
Belichick will probably take heat all week for making this decision. In his defense, he is the head coach and it is his decision to make. Everyone knows how capable he is as a coach, so he should be given some benefit of the doubt. There may have been more favorable results but nevertheless, the decision was still made: only this time it backfired.
It is his job to put his team in the best position to win the game, and he felt as though he was doing that. Unfortunately, one team had to lose and that’s just the nature of the business. You win some, you lose some.
With this major victory over their recent rivals, the Colts have put themselves in a prime position to do what their counterparts did two seasons ago; finish the regular season undefeated. They have favorable matchups the rest of the way, with their remaining seven opponents having a combined record of 32-34. And by the way, three of those games will be at home.
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