Indianapolis Colts fans needed a glimmer of hope. Even with its asterisk-worthy circumstances, the team’s 38-3 romp over St. Louis on Sunday gave the Indy faithful a chance to smile.
The asterisk looms large. Sunday’s matchup was merely the first game of the 2012 preseason. Preseason. In their heyday, the Colts stars barely broke a sweat in such games, playing only a possession or two. Indianapolis used preseason games to decide which reserve players to keep or cut. A preseason loss was inconsequential.
That was so then, and this is so now.
Last season, Indy supporters got a stark reminder of how the NFL’s other half lives. Perennial Super Bowl expectations vanished instantly when living legend Peyton Manning’s season ended before it began, thanks to a recurrent neck injury and surgery. Of course, as all of Indiana witnessed, the Colts completely unraveled, finishing a league-worst 2-14. Owner Jim Irsay cut loose Manning and his hefty contract, then fired front-office commander Bill Polian and coach Jim Caldwell, and ultimately cleaned house. The rebuilding project began with the hiring of new coach Chuck Pagano and the drafting of Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck.
Colts fans and the rest of the football world wondered how Indianapolis would function after such a total overhaul, which included the departure of so many revered stars, especially Manning.
Based on Sunday’s results, the Colts look highly functional. On his first professional pass, Luck connected with running back Donald Brown for a 63-yard touchdown. In total, Luck completed 10 of 16 passes for 188 and two touchdowns. While on the field, he guided Indianapolis to three touchdowns. His “passer rating” — a formula measuring a quarterback’s efficiency and success — was 142.7. A perfect rating is considered to be 158.3.
Those are Manning-like numbers.
However — and this is a huge however — the Colts were playing the Rams in a preseason game. The only NFL club close to Indianapolis last season, in terms of futility, was St. Louis. The Rams were also 2-14, and only slightly less awful. The opposition was far from Tom Brady and the Patriots, or Eli Manning and the Giants. Still, the Colts defeated this opponent. And, in the process, they scored more points than any Indianapolis team in a preseason game since 1989. And, the Indy defense held an opponent to just a field goal.
A watershed moment in Colts history? Probably not. A flicker of optimism after spending 2011 averting our eyes? Yes. Heck, yes.
Congratulations, coach Pagano, Andrew Luck, Reggie Wayne, Dwight Freeney, all the other returnees and all the newcomers. That performance gives Hoosiers good reasons to watch again next week.
Opinion
EDITORIAL: Time again to hoist the horseshoe
It was only one preseason game, but hope reigns
- Opinion
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RONN MOTT: Frustration
For those who know me well, they can say without contradiction I am not a patient man. But in this hustle and bustle world I’ve been a part of all my adult life, I’ve had to learn a little patience. On occasion, however, I find some experiences extremely frustrating.
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EDITORIAL: Noteworthy in the news: MVC tourney an event worth having
It’s been a long time since the Missouri Valley Conference chose Indiana State University to host its post-season baseball tournament, but Terre Haute had never been more prepared for an event such as this.
- READERS' FORUM: May 23, 2013
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EDITORIAL: Cleaning up voter rolls
It’s not a lot of money in the big scheme of things, but the $2 million designated in the recent session of the General Assembly will begin the messy but necessary process of cleaning up Indiana’s voter registration rolls.
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READERS' FORUM: May 22, 2013
Rich history all along the river
Great work by Duke employees
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RONN MOTT: Rabid Republicans
The so-called news people at Fox News can hardly sit still long enough to report on the latest gossip or untruth about our sitting President. They can hardly contain themselves.
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READERS’ FORUM: May 21, 2013
• Great response to annual golf outing
• Doing your part on climate change
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LIZ CIANCONE: Smell of fresh air gave way to dryers
Remember when clean clothes smelled like fresh air and sunshine rather than fabric softener and dryer sheets?
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READERS' FORUM: May 20, 2013
The dangers of a little knowledge
Students enjoyed Rose study trip
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Mark Bennett: High-profile mural connects historical dots from city to river
At 96 feet wide and 2 stories tall, the power, impact and value of the Wabash will be evident.
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EDITORIAL: Waging the ‘readiness’ campaign
Almost every Hoosier who starts college intends to finish. Unfortunately, those who arrive on campus unprepared in key academic areas are far less likely to fulfill that aspiration.
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READERS' FORUM: May 19, 2013
• Flawed reasoning on gun checks
• A hint of things yet to come?
• Are the ‘makers’ doing the ‘taking’?
• The ‘Obamination’ is finally revealed
• Pondering effects of Obamacare
• Fantasizing on the ‘Apocalypse’
• Another view of Hinduism
• Great experience for HCMS students
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FLASHPOINT: A legislative session of missed opportunities
Given the nature of politicians, grand claims of accomplishments and overblown rhetoric about “historic” efforts are to be expected at the close of any legislative session.
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RONN MOTT: Mushrooms = Hoosier happiness
Someone wrote or said a few years ago a statement that would define the word “Hoosier.” According to this urban legend, a Hoosier is somebody dribbling a basketball around the Indy 500 while eating a fried, morel mushroom. It did not define me, at the time.
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EDITORIAL: Insult to an independent press
Distrust of government secrecy has been elevated to an exceptional level with the disclosure the Justice Department covertly examined two months of Associated Press phone records to determine who leaked details to the AP about a foiled terrorist plot.
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READERS' FORUM: May 17, 2013
Hinduism doesn’t deserve ridicule — Shefali Purohit, Terre Haute
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RONN MOTT: Israel’s Air Force
Recently the Israeli Air Force bombed and rocketed a convoy leaving Syria going to Lebanon with rockets that were going to be used to attack Israel. It did not get there. It was destroyed.
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EDITORIAL: Noteworthy in the news: Dashing finish for the Sycamores
It’s always thrilling to see Indiana State University’s athletic teams do well in high-level competition, and two specific teams rose to impressive heights last weekend in the Missouri Valley Conference outdoor track and field championships.
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Readers' Forum: May 16, 2013
Moving Deming folks sounds ‘nuts’
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Readers' Forum: May 15, 2013
Participants rise to the challenge: I would like to write a letter congratulating all the Wabash Valley Roadrunners that competed in the One America Indianapolis Mini Marathon.
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RONN MOTT: Media merry-go-round
Round and round it goes, where it stops nobody knows. That isn’t a unique phrase to this writer or to this era in time. But, when it comes to the musical chairs of broadcasting, it certainly applies.
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LIZ CIANCONE: Courts see a different appearance than cops
Have you ever noticed the transformation between the arrest of an accused lawbreaker and the first appearance in court?
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READERS' FORUM: May 14, 2013
ISTEP failure exposes flaws
Community hasn’t changed its spirit
Egregious threat to nation’s defense
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READERS' FORUM: May 13, 2013
• Women’s group criticizes Bucshon
• Let’s hope this doesn’t come true
• Many get thanks for fest success
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MARK BENNETT: Life at face value: Mom’s simple advice still presents a valuable daily challenge
Most moms don’t base their advice on scientific research.
(Unless, of course, your mother is a scientific researcher. If so, carry a No. 2 pencil and take good notes.) -
EDITORIAL: Better monitoring needed to prevent local environmental messes
The nasty, hazardous messes lurking in the community raise a bottom-line, red-flag question. Could these environmental problems have been monitored and, thus, prevented?
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GUEST COLUMN: Nursing more than medicine and bandages
Being a nurse … Like most nurses, I chose this profession because I had a strong desire to help others and no other career would allow me the opportunity to touch lives the way I have been able to through nursing.
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READERS' FORUM: May 12, 2013
Vigo Youth Football, entering 45th year, seeks new support
Media ignoring important case on abortions
Proud to be old-fashioned
Guns in school? What’s next?
Promoting hate not a ‘brave’ act
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FLASHPOINT: Again in 2013 General Assembly, middle class generally ignored
Last year, the people of Indiana entrusted the Republican Party with some of their most precious possessions.
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RONN MOTT: ‘Raccoons II’
In the Algonquin Indian language, raccoon means “working with hands.” They are really cute little fellows until they injure a child, or a pet, or leave feces around where you certainly do not want it.
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