For a team that stunk up every field they stepped on this year, the Indianapolis Colts sure have been in the spotlight quite a bit.
First there was the Peyton Manning injury. Then there was the story of how bad the Colts were without Peyton Manning. Then there was all the talk about whether or not Peyton Manning would return to play in 2011. Then there was talk about whether Peyton Manning would ever play again. And so it went that way throughout the 2011 regular season.
Enter the post season…
We all know that Indianapolis, a winter vacation destination for millions (ok maybe not) was the host city for Super Bowl XLVI. And they played in the house…that Peyton Manning built.
Quite impressive I must say, with a sore neck and all that.
During the Super Bowl we heard a ton about Peyton Manning’s brother Eli and how Eli has handled Peyton Manning’s nemesis (Tom Brady) better than Peyton Manning.
Fast forward to the offseason and the public verbal sparring between Colts’ owner Jim Irsay and Peyton Manning. One says Peyton Manning is still not health while Peyton Manning says that Peyton Manning will play in 2012.
And now Peyton Manning is on tour around the country and the destinations include Phoenix, Denver and Miami, one of which will be the chosen city.
Feels a little like The Bachelor doesn’t it?
Each of the aforementioned cities and their respective NFL teams are intriguing possibilities. The Arizona Cardinals is an interesting landing spot if for no other reason than they just traded for Kevin Kolb last year and served up millions to him, something that Mr. Bowtie Bidwell does rarely. I would be shocked if Bidwell dusts off his wallet to accommodate Peyton Manning’s contractual demands unless of course the dude has a senior moment.
Then there’s Denver and the smug Mr. Ed (aka John Elway). The guy has been dying to cut ties with Tim Tebow and has struggled to find a legit reason while not inciting a riot from the Broncos’ faithful who collectively are enamored with the overachieving southpaw. And isn’t it ironic that there’s a crazy collision of fate occurring here – Elway, former No. 1 overall pick from Stanford crapping all over the Baltimore Colts while manipulating a drunken Irsay to send him to Denver. Now the Colts and Jim Irsay have dumped Peyton Manning to make room for another No. 1 overall QB pick from Stanford in the form of Andrew Luck.
Kind of funny that Luck will be wearing a horseshoe. I bet he won’t be feeling so lucky in 2012 with a roster blown to smithereens.
Colts, horses, Denver Broncos, also horses. Get it?
And then there’s Miami where Peyton Manning (ManningToMiami.com) has played in two Super Bowls and where he owns a nice little condo. Doesn’t half the NFL own a condo in South Beach?
If Manning ends up with the Miami Dolphins, arguably the most intriguing locale on the Peyton Manning Tour, he’d go head-to-head with his personal kryptonite, Tom Brady, twice each year.
My money is on Manning in Denver. Arizona won’t pay the man and the man doesn’t want to take on the other man (Brady) and lose to a divisional foe twice each year and deal with all the predictable criticisms that he can’t beat Mr. Bundchen.
Oh and by the way, who in their right minds won’t make Peyton Manning work out and take a complete physical before forking over $30 million? Seriously?
