It’s Super Bowl week for the NFL and things in New Orleans are hopping. It’s the first Super Bowl in the Big Easy since Katrina and the city is really putting its best foot forward. It seems hard to believe that it was a year ago that Indianapolis was the center of the sporting world’s attention and we were having the time of our lives, but time marches on. The Harbaugh brothers are the center of media attention — so much so that the players are almost an afterthought. Of course, it’s usually the quarterbacks everyone talks about, but in this case both the Ravens and the 49ers are driven by the personalities of their respective head coaches….who just happen to be brothers. That says a lot for their father Jack Harbaugh, who was a college football coach for 42 years. The Indiana “connection” has been explored with Jim’s successful time as a Colts quarterback from 1994 to 1997 and the fact that Indiana University Head Basketball Coach Tom Crean is married to Joani, the sister of the Harbaugh brothers. Anyway, the Big Dance is this Sunday.
Colts News
Colts first year General Manager Ryan Grigson has been named NFL Executive of the Year, presented by Sporting News Magazine and voted on by NFL coaches and executives. It’s hard to argue with the choice. Grigson pretty much had to rebuild the whole team, including the front office, coaching staff, and player roster. Then during the season he had to face the challenge of keeping the team focused and competitive while Coach Chuck Pagano had to take a leave of absence while being treated for leukemia. His naming of Offensive Coordinator Bruce Arians the Interim Head Coach paid off with a run for the playoffs. He took a team that had a 2-12 record, which was good for a last place finish, and turned it into an 11-5 contender. His drafting of Andrew Luck has given us our franchise quarterback for the next decade at the very least. He also uncovered several other rookie gems including tight ends Dwayne Allen and Colby Fleenor, running back Vic Ballard, and wideout/kick returner T.Y. Hylton. He was willing to use free agency and trades to improve the roster by bringing in linebacker Josh Freeman and corner backs Vontae Davis and Cassius Vaughn, defense end Cory Redding, and wideout Donnie Avery. Outstanding work by Ryan Grigson.
Bruce Arians has left the Colts to become Head Coach of the Arizona Cardinals, one of the most difficult jobs in the NFL. He took former Colts offensive line Coach Harold Goodwin with him, and also added former Colt Offensive Coordinator Tom Moore to the staff. Moore is 74 years old but was instrumental in developing Peyton Manning. The Cards have a crying need for a quarterback and will most likely take one with their first round pick. Best of luck to all of them.
The NFL Pro Bowl . . .Ho Hum
The NFL Pro Bowl was “played’ last Sunday in Honolulu, Hawaii. The NFC All Stars beat the AFC All Stars 62-35. Sounds like an area football league score, doesn’t it? The Colts Andrew Luck threw two touchdown passes for the losing side. The players and coaches from both teams defended the play and the relevance of the game, but then they are getting what amounts to a free paid vacation in Hawaii for themselves and their families. The Pro Bowl game will go.
Pro Football will Become Extinct
Baltimore Raven defensive back Bernard Pollard claims that professional football will disappear in 30 years because players are becoming much too big, strong, and fast and that it’s only a matter of time before a player is killed during a game. The fact that many former players are coming forward with major physical disabilities related to their playing pro football gives his claim some credibility. The President has expressed concern about the level of violence and the harm that it does to the body. We will probably hear a lot more about this issue as time goes on. Bernard Pollard may just be correct in his prediction.