Allo, Allo.  Allo.

This is the OFFICIALThread for the Stampede Blue Open Thread Keeper League.  We will discuss rules, settings, transactions, orgies, etc... in this thread.  If you have questions, concerns, comments, etc... You post them... IN THIS THREAD. 

Quick recap, these are the people in the league:

1.   Spaz
2.   NYK
3.   LB
4.   TAC
5.   Jamkel
6.   Dia
7.   Shake
8.   Mgrex
9.   GF
10. Colts Homer
11. Leb
12. Bacalao

Alternate:  Bullard

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So the headline this evening reads, 'Tony Dungy picks Colts to win, says it won't be close."

I don't know if Around the Horn covered it, but PTi lead with it.  Look, I'm not naive and I'm not a professional athlete.  In my mind, if you need motivation to win a game, you probably don't deserve to be playing in the first place.  That said, the Patriots used bulletin board material (BBM) as fuel for almost ten years.  The Cowboys this year said they used something (surprise) Tony Dungy said before the Saints game to help them get ready.

More importantly, this is something that has been going on all year.  Dungy acts like a spurned lover, when he's the one that supposedly walked away.  What do I mean by that?  I'm not trying to insult him, but anyone that watched Football Night in America knows that Dungy did the following multiple times this year:

1)  Went in depth about the Colts offense, their code word system, how Peyton Manning uses code words and calls plays, and how he would stop them.  Now, I'm sure that most of it was stuff that wasn't helpful or that other teams already knew, but it bothered Peyton Manning so much that he eventually texted Tony and asked him to stop.  Further, why help the enemy at all?  He would have never said that stuff if he were the head coach of the team.  I know.  I listened to his press conferences.

2)  He siad multiple times that Peyton Manning wasn't the MVP of the league.  This was the QB that helped Dungy get a ring and one of the best winning percentages ever for a head coach.  Its undermining something that is probably atleast a LITTLE important to Manning, especially considering how much PM appreciates history.  Now, this isn't something new to Dungy, as he said the same thing about Manning WHILE his coach.  So atleast he's consistent when throwing Peyton under the bus. (Before people say, 'hey, he's allowed to be honest', if you've ever been in a relationship, you know there's honest and then theres HONEST.  There are ways to tell the truth without undermining someone else)

3)  He basically backed the Colts into a corner with the Rest v Play debate in week 15.  He said he was 100% certain that the Colts would do it, because thats how they did it when he was there.  I'm NOT reopening the debate.  What I am saying is is his comments basically put the Colts in this situation:  Don't do what Dungy says and make him look like a liar, or do what Dungy says and make it look like you're unwilling to go against him.  Again, he could have stated opinion, I didn't like how he said, '*WE* will rest our starters".

And now this.  There's just no need to provide BBM to the opponent of your still "warm" former team 3 days before the Super Bowl.  There are 1,000 ways he could have said it that didn't make it seem like a bitch slap of the Saints.  Tony chose the one that will obviously be repeated ad nauseum should the Saints shock Dungy and win the game.

I'm sure ya'll will tell me I'm overreacting (false) and I'm a douche bag (true) and you're entitled to your opinions (you're wrong), but with BBS in Miami, this blog has been too peace love dope anyhow, time to mix it up.

One of the hallmarks in Indianpolis over the past 12 years has been a simple, yet complex offensive, allowing defenses to 'dictate' what they want to do, and then ripping their hearts out, throwing it on the floor, and stomping on it till they die (if you can name what song thats from, I will marry you).  Another Hallmark of the Bill Polian era has been injuries, especially on the defensive side of the ball.    Football Outsiders, one of the advanced statistic sites that is favoured by dem dere stat geeks, has just released their 2009 Adjusted Games Lost. 

Here is there link: http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stat-analysis/2010/2009-adjusted-games-lost-totals

Just the relevant information, because I don't want to steal their thunder:  The Colts had the second most AGL in the league, at 90.4.  (The Bills were #1 with 97.7)   As a sidebar, the Saints were #4 with 80.4, although, if I'm not mistaken, one of the key differences is, that, other than Jamaal Brown (I believe thats his name), their starting LT, they haven't had many season ending injuries.  Their defense was quite banged up during the year, but most have been able to heal for the playoffs. 

Again, this is a testiment not only to Bill Polian's ability to draft well (and give the Colts better depth than any of the 'experts' realize), but also to Peyton Manning's ability to eat babies for breakfast and still have room for opposing teams for dinner.  Manning, and the offense in general, have shown for the past decade+ the ability to overcome weaknesses elsewhere.  In 2006, during the regular season, when the Colts were unable to stop the run to save their lives, Manning and the offense put up obscene drive:TD ratios.  They changed their philosophy from the 2004 shootout Colts to the 2006 ball-control-you-can't-stop-us Colts. 

Yet another reason to celebrate the 2009 Colts.  They have adapted to a new head coach, a new defensive coordinator, a new special teams coach.  They have fought through the 2nd most injuries in the league.  They were even able to overcome The Cushion playing significant time  most of the games this year.   

If the Colts can ever stay healthy for a full 19 games, look out, league.

It's a day that ends in Y, so you know what that means, open thread!  But this isn't your mom and dad's open thread, this is a semi-open thread!  An open thread, with rules!  The rules will be simple and easy to follow, but should you not follow them you will be banished to threads started by the PoserthatShallNotBeNamed...  but if he had a name, it would be dreamy... like Tim Tebow...  Anyhow, on to the rules:

1)  You may only post in this thread if you are Drunk, High, or Mentally Unstable (wanted to make sure Cass could participate)

2)  You must be naked while posting in the semi-open thread.

3)  Because I am the benevolent thread starter/dictator and you all love me, there will be NO LOLCATS, animated .gifs, icanhazcheezerburgers, etc.. because they kill my computer (Im back on the laptop again) and you all want me around for more than 300 posts (exception:  pics of Dia in a bikini)

Just to reiterate, those that fail to abide by the rules will be forced to Narfle the Karim  Garthok.

Enjoy

per Paul Kuharsky's twitter.  Havent heard anything regarding Powers' injury (Foot), so no idea if its serious or not.  I was going to make this into a fanshot, but they don't have an option for just 15 words and I don't have a link to provide so I guess I'm stuck doing a fanshot, I hope no one flames me for it and I hope no one ... uhm... how do I say this... gives me the 'tim tebow' treatment.  Anyhow, regardless of their WR weapons, the way we play our scheme, we really need Powers out there to prevent the Cushion experience.

I've got a bad feeling about this.

Just read on the twitter thingy (was either PK or John Oesher) that Jerraud Powers, Pierre Garcon, Kenyunta Dawson are all out.  Chuck Johnson is listed as doubtful. 

Going to be a tougher road against the Jets with Revis on Wayne and no Garcon to stretch the other side of the field.  Maybe Baskett can do better than 6 targets 10 drops on Sunday.  Or maybe they'll use Clark split out wide a lot. 

Interesting tidbit.  If the Broncos lose to the Eagles (likely) and the Ravens lose to the Steelers (possible), I believe I read that the Jets (if they beat the Colts) will control their own playoff fate.  I would expect Jacksonville to lose to New England and Pittsburgh OR Miami is forced to lose one of their final 2 (they play each other in the last week of the year).  I believe the Jets own the tie breaker over the Titans because the Jets have decided to lose half of their out of conference games while the Titans decided to just lose to the AFC.  

All of that out of the way, it would behoove the Jets to beat the Colts.  The Colts have nothing but some romantic sort of history to MAYBE play for, because 14-0, 15-0 and 16-0 don't promise a ring.  So how can the less talented Jets beat the really good Colts?  What if Rex Ryan wakes up and realizes, 'hey, they don't want Peyton and Addai and all these guys hurt.  Lets blitz 11 on every play, hit him late, maybe a couple of dirty hits, make the coaches poop their pants'.  Won't Caldwell be forced to pull the starters?  Isn't it worth it to the Jets to take a few 15 yarders in the first quarter to face the immortal Curtis Painter/Mike Hart combination?

What do you think, will the J E T S JETS JETS JETS play it straight, or will they try to make the coach sit the franchise so the Sanchize can get a W?

Also, unrelated, but I fully expect the Patriots to beat the Jaguars and then tank in their week 17 game (forget who they play).  Winning this week clinches the division for them, and losing in week 17 all but assures that they will play the Colts in round 2 (assuming they win their first play off game), which Im guessing they think is a better matchup than the Chargers.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2009/12/21/childress-tried-to-take-favre-out-in-third-quarter/

For those of you that didn't watch the game on Sunday night (and you're probably lucky, as only 3 things happened:  1) A boring game was played 2) Steve Smith and Garbage time Adrian Peterson conspired to fuck my fantasy teams  3) Steve Smith did a line of coke off a cheerleaders bossom and then did a post-game interview with Andre Kramer) then you missed a seemingly innocent 'heated' discussion between Lord Favrington of Favreville and Duke Childress, Non-Master of his own domain.  

Al and Chris, their usual useful selves didn't mention it.  After the game, however, a reporter (don't know name, read link) broke the story thats now being picked up by Profootballtalk.com:  Duke Chilly tried to pull his Favre and the Favre didn't comply. 

So a head coach gives an order to someone and that person refuses.  The game was 7-6 (minny was leading) at the time, so this looks really odd.  Why pull your starting QB?  Its not like Brett Favre was having an average night (it was well below average by Tavaris Jackson's high standards), but up till that point, Lord Favrington hadn't yet favred the favres in the favre with his favring favre.  The bigger story, though, of course, wasn't him being pulled, but him refusing.  Would Brady not come out?  Obviously, he would, we saw him benched by Belichick in the Saints game.  Would Manning not come out?  Well, ... let's not worry about that.

The easy conclusion to draw is that Favre feels he's bigger than the coach, than the team, than the game.  Not to get off on a tangent, but part of this might have to do with the bloated, useless, piece of shit media that feeds into the egos of fuck heads like favre just so they can be sure to get an 'exclusive' interview with him next off season when he decides to fuck with the collective psyche of the Minnesota Vikings organization and its' fans.  If the coach doesn't have the respect of his quarterback, how can he have the respect of his team?  And more importantly, how can someone with any SELF-respect walk around with that beard and that hair?

The Vikings just gave Chilly an extension.  Now I think he's wishing he could extend an appendage to Lord Favre (not the same appendage Lord Favre just extended an appendage up his ass).

Discuss.

So after the early games on Sunday, Jason Whitlock, renowned scholar and football historian, tweeted the following: (paraphrased) "How many interceptions does manning have to throw before people realize he's not the MVP.  And whats with people saying he's stuck with inferior talent?"

So, obviously, aside from being moronic and lazy (Peyton Manning has 14 INTs and 0 Fumbles lost, while Drew Brees has 10 INTs and 4 fumbles lost, I wonder who has more turnovers, moron), I thought, lets use some critical thinking and decide, does Peyton, in fact, have inferior talent to Drew Brees (we won't go into anyone else, since I think its just Brees v Manning, and Brett Favre probably has better talent on both sides of the ball than either Peyton or Brees anyhow).

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Injury report.

http://www.colts.com/sub.cfm?page=injuryreport

23 colts listed?  No Free practicing again.  CJ out again.  Brown out again.  Dawson still out.  Fransico still out.  Bethea and BRackett out.

Obviously we'll know more by Friday, but, gosh, Im hating these injury reports.  I think the key is getting through the Jacksonville game, when they'll have the extra ten days of rest.  I think injuries, more than skill or anything else, is what will prevent them from winning all of their games.  Just hope these injuries aren't nagging for the rest of the year.

http://www.examiner.com/x-4450-Indianapolis-Colts-Examiner~y2009m11d11-Indianapolis-Colts-RB-Donald-Brown-WR-Austin-Collie-expected-to-return-to-practice-Wednesday?cid=exrss-Indianapolis-Colts-Examiner

Sort of confusing, but maybe i didnt read in depth.  Started out saying both are expected to practice today, then in the middle said both DID practice today.  Either way, encouraging stuff for two very important pieces to this offense.  Hopefully everyone that can be will be 100% this Sunday.

So Addai has been getting a lot of  "See, he's really good!" love here and on 18to88 the past couple of weeks.  So I'm sort of surprised to see no one mention, even in passing, that apparently Bill Polian is unhappy with Addai.  According to Phil B. and Bob Kravitz (i'm sure that the mere mention of Bob's name will ruin the credibility of this) you could hear Bill Polian's displeasure with Addai during the game from the level above them, thats how loud he was. 

http://www.indystar.com/article/99999999/news/91023014  If that doesn't take you to the right chat, just go to completed events on the right tool bar and click on Phil Bs Monday chat.

So, Addai, possibly in the dog house, but his "backup" is injured... discuss.

So with all this Ed Johnson and Tony Ugoh and Matt Stover and Peyton Manning non-sense going on, (and part in light because of the MJD thread and part because we just did this exercise on a Penguins board), here's a hypothetical for you:  If you could add one player from any team (current player, not like 'Tarik Glenn from 2003!), and his currect health (so if you want, say, Anthony Gonzalez, well,  you can have him, but he's still out another month, or Jamaal Williams, out for the year, etc...).  The only thing you DONT have to consider is salary cap.  Just assume that the Colts would find some way to fit this person under the cap. 

For me, its a tough one:  Either Ryan Clady or Joe Thomas, I think.  I was considering a DT, but the best ones in the league all seem to have issues (tommy harris and haynesworth come to mind as two of the better 4-3 DTs, and both are injury concerns).   So I guess I go with ...   Joe Thomas.

Any position, any price.  Who ya got?

Reading John Oesher's transcript of Bill Polian's radio show (Link: http://www.examiner.com/x-4450-Indianapolis-Colts-Examiner~y2009m10d13-Indianapolis-Colts-President-Bill-Polian-on-CB-Marlin-Jackson-and-the-Colts-running-back-rotation) and I noticed this tidbit (emphasis mine):

* Polian on where the unbeaten Colts can improve: "There are lots of things we can improve. (Defensive line coach) John Teerlinck is fond of saying, 'Don't miss the layup.' When you get a layup interception, you have to take advantage of it. In two of those cases, the defensive rush created the interception and we should have had it. That clearly can be improved. In terms of blocking efficiency and run efficiency, we can improve that pretty dramatically. That has not been what it should be or can be or will be. Some areas of pass protection can be improved, particularly on on one. . . . We can improve that certainly. There are areas on defense we can improve, particularly in terms of all-out hustle all the time. We had some people like (defensive end) Keyunta Dawson that really stepped up and did a great job of that, but there are other people who can improve upon what they're doing. It's good enough, but it can improve. The message for our team this week is nobody stands still in the National Football League. You either get better or you get worse."

So the question is, who does Bill think is doggin it out there?  This seems like a pretty not-so-subte shot across someones bow, but I can't figure out who.  For all the faults of Jennings, I don't think Hustle is one of them.  I don't think you could say the two corners aren't hustling, and I don't think you'd say anything about Free and Mathis' hustle.  The safeties seem safe, so that leaves the LBs and the DTs, imo.  At this point, I guess most likely target is Hagler?    Thoughts/opinions?  Anything else from the BP Radio show that stood out to you?

I was the first to bring you the news of Tim Jennings missing his flight to arizona, and i'm back again, this time I'm the fifth or sixth person to report (i use the term report loosely, think "Mike Florio" reporting) that Marlin Jackson and Kelvin Hayden didnt take the flight (Speaking of which, why are they flying, its a short ride, snobs!) to nashville.  Bob Sanders and Charlie Johnson did, however, make the trip.  Read into that what you will.

With Kelvin Hayden out, Tim Jennings was supposed to be the starting cornerback for the indianapolis
colts on sunday night when they take on the Arizona Cardinals at university of phoenix stadium.  One hitch in the plans, however.  When the Colts flight took off saturday morning, Jennings was no where to be found.

The Colts, worried about their player, notified the indianapolis PD.  Confused and unable to find Jennings at his downtown apartment, police searched Colts facilities.  They were on their way out the door when a final scan of the
field at lucas oil stadium produced the glimpse of a shadowy figure.

Said Police Chief Bob McBoberSon, "At first, we didnt think anything of it.  The figure we saw was so short and skinny, we thought he was a yard gnome, definitely not an NFL player.  But after realizing that the yard gnome was moving, we decided to interrogate it.  After getting closer, we realized the yard gnome was Tim Jennings!  We were shocked, obviously.  We said to him,

"Tim, why are you here, you play the Cardinals tomorrow!" 

'Bob, I have to cover Larry Fitzgerald tomorrow, I'm just getting ready.' 

"But Tim..." 

"So, I'm just gettin ready, gettin my cushion set..."

"But Tim, the game is in Arizona!"

"I know, have you seen Larry, he's FAST."

http://www.colts.com/sub.cfm?page=injuryreport

Highlights:

Freeney returned to practice and is questionable (knowing Colts tendancies, he plays)

Sessions practiced again, fully, and is questionable (he plays, imo)

Brackett and Hayden both missed all 3 days, I'd say both are out, though both are officially 'questionable'.

Gonzo and Bob are listed as 'out'

Also, Pierre Garcon is listed as 'probable', with a strained face, too much smiling, according to team sources.

Joseph Addai worked so hard monday that he got friday off to rest.  Marlin Jackson didn't practice Friday, either, and again, for rest.  Neither Addai or Jackson show up on the injury report with a listing (prob, quest, doubt, out), so both will play.  Perhaps Jackson will play full game this week if Kelvin can't go.  Or maybe Kelvin could be the 'nickel' back this week (still playing the outside, but only coming in on downs that Marlin would slide into the slot). 

A real shame that this awesome (no sarcasm) secondary is never getting a chance to play all at the same time.