Audio versionA despicable act was performed over the weekend that will most likely fly completely under the national sports radar.
The Indianapolis Colts stopped trying half-way through the third quarter in their game versus the New York Jets…just stopped trying.
At the time of engage for “operation don’t care anymore”, The Colts were leading the Jets 15-10. Then without any sort of notice through the course of the week or day, where they possibly could have advised fans of even the slightest possibility of the upcoming plug-pulling, Indianapolis yanked all of the stars that make them one of the most watched and most talked about teams in the NFL, replacing them with the guys who are good, sure. But there’s a reason back-ups carry clip boards and act as real live coat and hat racks on the sideline.
The Colts defense for this act is simple. They have already clinched a spot in the NFL playoffs, a first round bye, and home field advantage throughout those playoffs, up to the Super Bowl. They want the stars out so they won’t get hurt and possibly miss the most important games of the season. The playoffs.
That’s a decent enough reason, typically I suppose, but there were too many other variables riding on the outcome of this Jets-Colts game to allow them to all but lay down.
Did I mention that the Colts were fourteen and oh? Yeah. Oh by the way, Indy was chasing the third undefeated regular season in the Super Bowl era. That is since 1967.
That’s an important reason to keep trying. But nowhere close to the most important reason.
Okay. So if you’re keeping track, reasons for the Colts to keep trying: #1 it’s your job. #2 You’re Undefeated.
Here is the second best reason for the Colts to keep acting like a football team through the end of the game: The playoff race. No, not the Colts, the Jets…and seven other AFC teams. The postseason fate of the Jets, Dolphins, Steelers, Ravens, Texans, Jaguars, Titans, and Broncos all twist and turn in different directions depending on the outcome of this Colts game. When they stop trying they essentially spit on every drop of sweat, every hour of practice, and every sleepless night of film study that those other seven teams have accomplished this season. That is a scary precedent being set.
Finally and most importantly, there are the fans. These are the people that the NFL has long since forgotten in its billion-dollar, anti-trust exemption state. The National Football League should force the Indianapolis Colts Football Club to refund every single person who purchased a ticket to that game, in full!
How many fathers decided that this weekend was the perfect time to take his sons to see the Colts game? After buying tickets, paying to get onto the stadium property, paying to park, food, drinks, a program, and t-shirts, pop and his boy (wearing a blue #18 jersey) sit down to watch the game in the mezzanine deck, three area codes away, now out 500 or so dollars. However, for pop, it’s worth it to see his boy get to watch his favorite player, Peyton Manning, play live. A son’s happiness has no price!
When Peyton and his famous wide receivers come out of the game unexplained, son looks up to pop and asks, “Why isn’t he playing anymore? They’re winning!” All the dad can say is, “Son when you think you’re far enough ahead in life…I guess you can just stop trying.”
The son and the pop then proceed to watch Curtis Painter quarterback the Colts to a 29-15 loss.
Nice lesson NFL. Way to care about the people who made you what you are.
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