The cupboard is bare

After Peyton Manning was let go, the Colts have decided to make a few more changes. Dwight Freeney is on the block. Indy cut Melvin Bullitt, Joseph Addai, Gary Brackett and Dallas Clark. Oh, and Curtis Painter. Let me touch on each of thse players individually.

Dwight Freeney - My favorite Colts player, maybe ever. A monster at Syracuse, he wasn't highly regarded coming out of school because of his size. Nevertheless, the Colts drafted him, and he became a star. Now, he is perhaps the only viable trade chip on the team. Hey, they have to get something this offseason, right?

Melvin Bullitt - I find it difficult to get attached to anyone who ever played for the Colts secondary. Because they are very bad, you see.

Joseph Addai - There are a lot of things Addai might be good at. Needlepoint. Baking apple turnovers. One of them is not "professional NFL running back". The only reason he ever looked competent is because he was propped up by a hall of fame QB. With Manning out of the picture, so is Addai. Mercifully.

Gary Brackett - Have you ever noticed in highlight clips of Brackett, it's always in games against the Texans? Do you know why that is? It's because in all the other games he is garbage. Watch him against the Chargers. Just awful.

Dallas Clark - When you no longer have any wide receivers (Reggie Wayne and Pierre Garcon are free agents) it's really hard to run a spread offense. Dallas Clark isn't really a component that fits anymore. Sorry Dallas. Hell, no I'm not. You don't have to play for the Colts anymore.

Curtis Painter - It's Painter's fault. Everything is Curtis Painter's fault. If Dan Orlovsky can come in and make the team look competent, you have to wonder about the guy he replaced. I do wonder. Well, no I don't. Painter is the worst QB to ever play in the league. Ever. And he played for most of a season. Worst. Ever.He should never have been drafted. If he was remotely competent, the Colts are drafting top ten, but not first overall. Manning sticks around, and they just reload for another run. But no. Curtis Painter was so incredibly, aggressively terrible that he changed the course of Colts history by being so bad. In fact, the only thing he could have done is go to his coaches and say "Listen, guys, you know that I'm awful, right? Shouldn't be in the league? Why are you starting me?" Go away Curtis Painter. Go away and never come back. I never want to hear your name again.

(All in all, positive developments form the Colts, even if it hurts a little Good to see the team moving on)

Links of the Day 3/9/12

It's my mom's birthday! I wish she read this blog...

A reminder of what, exactly, happened with conference realignment.

Glen Perkins was extended. The Twins are going to the World Series!

The Cubs and White Sox are still rivals. Rivals that are bad at baseball.

SCOREBOARD
NCAAB
Kansas 83, Texas A&M 66 - "It's been fun, now get our of our conference:"
Minnesota 75, Northwestern 68 - As much as I love the Gophers, I feel so bad for Northwestern. Can't you ever be good?
Purdue 79, Nebraska 61 - New conference, same crappy Cornhuskers.
NHL
Minnesota 3, Phoenix 2 (SO) - Well now they're just losing their draft pick

Here is a crazy-ass Peyton Manning scenario

Like I said, this is crazy-ass, and there is 0% chance of it happening. That said, what do you think of this scenario?
Let's operate first under the premise that the Peyton Manning is driven mostly to play where he is most comfortable, because he already has a ring, and is fabulously wealthy. That said, what about this?
What if the Saints used a cheap Drew Brees (because he is franchised) as trade bait for someone like the Redskins with high picks and a penchant for big name players, and then signed Manning for a lower price tag, brought back Colston, while grabbing, say, Justin Blackmon with the ‘Skins pick?
The Saints would then have a defense and a well established offense, even better with Marques Colston and Justin Blackmon as the downfield threats. They get only slightly weaker at QB while getting stronger elsewhere, The Redskins would end up with the elite QB they so desperately crave. And Peyton Manning would be playing at his father's team, in a division with two domes (the other being in Atlanta) so he can show off his arm, like he did in Indianapolis. 
Win-win for everyone, right? Well, except for Drew Brees. But he is used to getting hosed on stuff like this.

Links of the Day 3/8/12

Hey, are you watching basketball today? Good.

Peyton Manning is popular.

Fascinating story about soccer in Juarez, one of the most dangerous cities in the world.

The best season for several major TV networks ever.

SCOREBOARD
Nothing!

Thank you, Peyton Manning

I think things have been handled poorly over the past month or so with the Colts and Peyton Manning, but I am glad Manning is leaving without ill will towards the Colts. Best of luck, Peyton.

Links of the Day 3/7/12

Remember yesterday, how it was all warm and stuff? That was great.

A look at the tournament projections to this point.

Butt dials are the new thing in recruiting violations.

Let's talk about hope for the Twins season

SCOREBOARD
NHL
Colorado 7, Minnesota 1 - This game was on national television, so that's pretty cool.

I had a twitch of excitement over this

I've certainly admitted that I am a soccer fan, and am a little disappointed that there isn't an MLS franchise here in the Twin Cities. Granted, the Major League Soccer experience is significantly less than that of their counterparts overseas. The talent level is lower in the States, the international competition is non-existent and the entire nation doesn't get involved because there is no relegation, and no opportunity for smaller markets to get involved (never mind that soccer just isn't that popular in America, though it is getting there).
Still, the announcement that the new Vikings stadium in Minneapolis may lead to an MLS franchise here in the Twin Cities is one of the better side effects of the deal. Consider the positives for the region. There is no cost to the state or city for the team, as they would play at the new Vikings stadium. It would add another crowd to Minneapolis, and perhaps an additional source of tourism.
Yes, when talking about the positive impact of tourism a new stadium provides, any football based argument is BS. There is no value added, because it would not attract any new tourists. There would be a one time bump after the city gets the Super Bowl one time, but after that? Nothing. Soccer, on the other hand, actually has a chance to provide a bump to tourism. Nothing significant enough to build a new stadium over, mind you, but again, there wouldn't be anything invested in a soccer team by the state, as this stadium is being built with or without them.
With an MLS team, there would be exhibition matches, typically with foreign opponents. While Americans likely have their own opinions of the Twin Cities and Minnesota that a new stadium wouldn't change, there are a lot of Europeans that have never heard of Minneapolis. This is where a positive first impression could be made. Consider the inverse. Residents of England know Manchester to be a dirty industrial town, not much worth visiting. Soccer fans know it as a destination, thanks to their strong soccer clubs of United and City. Getting random foreign eyes on the Twin Cities would help raise the international profile of the city. Finally, a catch-free benefit to the new stadium.