Don Banks: Team of Destiny (?) Colts win it all in '06

[T-ShirtDynasty]

(I looked to see if this was posted Friday, but didn't see it. Apologies if it's a repost)
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/don_banks/05/25/colts/index.html

Write it down and underline it twice: The Indianapolis Colts will win it all this season, precisely because of the way they lost it all at the close of last season. Call it destiny, a reversal of fortune or the reaping of triumph from the seeds of bitter disappointment and even tragedy. Whatever. All I know is that the Colts in 2006 will be the latest example of a recent pattern in professional sports.

Hmmm.... Seems to me, that if his criteria is a talented team that suffered a bitter, heartbreaking loss in the playoffs, there's another team that fits that description.

The difference is that one team is led by a QB (and Coach) that has become quite accustomed to heartbreaking playoff losses, and the other team is led by a QB (and Coach) that, well, is anything but accustomed to it. Quite the opposite as a matter of fact, there's tons of history for both our QB and Coach showing that heartbreaking performances only serve to teach and motivate.

Methinks Mr. Banks is drinking from the wrong kool-aid vat. Then again, I'm a blind, stinking homer.

 

[SVN]

i guess he is comparing the 03 sox and 04 steelers. it his view point so i personally have a problem with it. but iam sure he will recieve some no respect emails

 

[PATSNUTme]

Well I always have been curious as to what it would be like if hell froze over.

 

[sieglo]

i guess he is comparing the 03 sox and 04 steelers. it his view point so i personally have a problem with it. but iam sure he will recieve some no respect emails

Wonder how he applies his theory to the Eagles.

 

[richpats]

A few reasons why the Colts won't win the Super Bowl this year:

1) The loss of Edge will be HUGE and D's will be able to concentrate on defending the pass.
2) The NFC East will beat the hell out of them.
3) Peyton Manning - this guy's not a winner, plain and simple.

 

[denverpatsfan]

Had enough already

You can say the same for the Broncos too.

I'll tell you what. You just can't say enough about that Bill Polian and the Manning family...

What is the league going to do this year to help the Colts win?

 

[14thDragon]

So they needed 3-4 beatings??

So for the Colts, they need several resounding beatings to fall far enough to wake up?

Because have they not been resoundingly beaten in the play-offs 4 years in a row now?

Didn't the Jets stomp them flat in 02?

Then they come back and make it all the way to the title game to have the tar beaten out of them by the Pats. So I guess the beating the year before message was not clear enough.

Then in 04, they are back again, they must have mastered thier lessons by now right? They are the phoenix rising from the ashes against a depleted foe. Once again sent home in defeat. Maybe this beating taught them something?

We go into 05, clearly ready now, they got home field throughout, no more of this pesky having to play in other peoples stadiums, surely we can win in our own comfy dome. Smacked around again.

So is he suggesting that they are just to hard headed to get the picture from one beating? Or so slow they need 5 years to figure it out? Or perhaps Edgrin has been holding them back all along?

 

[patsox23]

He needed a topic for a slow news-time in the off-season. This is an arguable, albeit easily refutable, puff-piece. And it's another example of how people STILL don't get how good the Patriots are. We played like crap in that Bronco game, had a ton of injuries and have an incredible nucleus - getting younger, faster and more athletic - people don't get it, and that's fine with me. Stay under the radar. Meanwhile, this team is as close to those early Celtic teams as any NFL franchise has ever been. They just can't see it yet.

 

[Richter]

Just how I like my sports prognostication - stupid, superstitious and subjective.

Oh wait, that's not true. I like rational, objective analysis. That article sucked, Banks is usually better than descending into that tripe. If Indy wins this year, Joseph Addai has to be way better than anyone thinks, because that team lost its engine on offense in Edgerrin James.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Every year without fail for what the past 5 years or so they have been predicting that the Colts will win the superbowl. And each year Peyton and co. choke in the postseason. I mean... are they going by the broken watch theory, or is there actually some thought behind sports journalism these days??

 

[Jacky Roberts]

(I looked to see if this was posted Friday, but didn't see it. Apologies if it's a repost)
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/don_banks/05/25/colts/index.html


Hmmm.... Seems to me, that if his criteria is a talented team that suffered a bitter, heartbreaking loss in the playoffs, there's another team that fits that description.

The difference is that one team is led by a QB (and Coach) that has become quite accustomed to heartbreaking playoff losses, and the other team is led by a QB (and Coach) that, well, is anything but accustomed to it. Quite the opposite as a matter of fact, there's tons of history for both our QB and Coach showing that heartbreaking performances only serve to teach and motivate.

Methinks Mr. Banks is drinking from the wrong kool-aid vat. Then again, I'm a blind, stinking homer.

Indy's team of destiny thing was last year. Still had Edge, Dungy's son died, home field throughout the playoffs, etc. Their window is closed, last year was their year.

 

[DarthPatriot]

You laugh at his theory but remember the Bills?...oh yeah he he

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I'd rather be a team of dynasty than a team of destiny. The Colts are destined to be the media front runners every season that Peyton lines up behind center. That destiny up until now has included choking their way out of the playoffs after compiling an enviable regular season record. This year their destiny may just as well be to prove that if you fail to take advantage of golden opportunities as they are presented to you, eventually they stop being presented to you.

 

[mgcolby]

A little inside info. I hate when people post things like this but I can't hold it back.

I won't reveal the source, but someone very close to Addai says he is a rock and is having a very hard time learning the play book. And even worse, Manning's terminology and play calling at the LOS.

I hope Rhodes can pick up the blitzes!

For what it is worth!

 

[Brady-To-Branch]

This article is excrement. I hate hype. If you want to tell the world that the Colts will win it all this year, that's fine. But at least explain your position logically. The 2004 Red Sox and 2005 Steelers didn't win because they were Darlings of Destiny. They won titles because they changed their philosophies.

The Red Sox new management hired Bill James and Voros McCracken two of the most notable sabermetric minds in MLB and placed a premium on OBP. The 2004 Red Sox had one of the greatest lineups of all time. From 1-8 every batter was a tough out. Even Cabrerra had timely hits. No lead was safe against them.

Faced with an inconsistent running game, the 2005 Steelers were forced to abandon a run-first approach that had been a formula for failure. Despite having an awful SB (22.6 QBR), Ben Rothlisberger had QBRs of 148.7, 95.3, and 124.9 against Cincy, Indy, and Denver (all road games). In the past, Cowher's Steelers couldn't pass against good teams in the playoffs.

Whether Indy can win it all or not will be predicated on Addai and/or Rhodes being able to take the pressure off the passing game, the defense not missing a beat, and playing a tougher schedule than in 2005 (Indy will be playing the NFC South instead of the NFC West).

Predicting the Colts to win SBXLI because they're a "team of destiny", or because they endured "a heartbreaking loss", or based on a "recent tragedy", is something my nieces can do in their sleep.

 

[broadwayjoe]

A few reasons why the Colts won't win the Super Bowl this year:

1) The loss of Edge will be HUGE and D's will be able to concentrate on defending the pass.
2) The NFC East will beat the hell out of them.
3) Peyton Manning - this guy's not a winner, plain and simple.

I certainly agree with #1 and paying a receiver instead of a all around back like Edge thats one development I will pay close attention to this season.

 

[Pats726]

I don't get it at all...the Colts are worse off than last year..and now they will do it??? They had such a favorable schedule...had home field advantage and...they choked. So what is there excuse this year???

 

[mgcolby]

I don't get it at all...the Colts are worse off than last year..and now they will do it??? They had such a favorable schedule...had home field advantage and...they choked. So what is there excuse this year???

I think this is more of a reason than an excuse but the loss of Edge will hurt them. Now we will see how Manning can perform without a running game. I don't think he does that great. I don't think they would win it with Edge but they had a chance, if the teams alligned correctly in the Playoffs. But without him they will be an above average team especially without Thornton and Tripplett their defense lost 2 starters. I don't see how they win more than 10 games with their schedule.

 

[PlattsFan]

Wait, the Sox won in '04 because they added Schilling and, especially, Foulke and lost essentially no one. The Colts lost a great running back and added a kicker. How are those two alike? The Steelers ... they won because the Pats took a step back with injuries and retirements, plain and simple. I don't mean to be Pats-centric to a fault, but the Steelers were a very good team in '04-'05; they just got beat by a great team. They weren't any better in '05-'06; there just wasn't a great team to beat them.

The Colts are worse this year than last. Is the signing of Adam Vinatieri blinding people to the fact that they lost one of the best running backs in football? And that they did nothing to improve their defense?

 

[MrTibbs]

This article is excrement. I hate hype. If you want to tell the world that the Colts will win it all this year, that's fine. But at least explain your position logically. The 2004 Red Sox and 2005 Steelers didn't win because they were Darlings of Destiny. They won titles because they changed their philosophies.

The Red Sox new management hired Bill James and Voros McCracken two of the most notable sabermetric minds in MLB and placed a premium on OBP. The 2004 Red Sox had one of the greatest lineups of all time. From 1-8 every batter was a tough out. Even Cabrerra had timely hits. No lead was safe against them.

Faced with an inconsistent running game, the 2005 Steelers were forced to abandon a run-first approach that had been a formula for failure. Despite having an awful SB (22.6 QBR), Ben Rothlisberger had QBRs of 148.7, 95.3, and 124.9 against Cincy, Indy, and Denver (all road games). In the past, Cowher's Steelers couldn't pass against good teams in the playoffs.

Whether Indy can win it all or not will be predicated on Addai and/or Rhodes being able to take the pressure off the passing game, the defense not missing a beat, and playing a tougher schedule than in 2005 (Indy will be playing the NFC South instead of the NFC West).

Predicting the Colts to win SBXLI because they're a "team of destiny", or because they endured "a heartbreaking loss", or based on a "recent tragedy", is something my nieces can do in their sleep.

The Colts play the NFC East..............Skins, Giants, Eagles and Boys. Wow they are going to get sh*t kicked. Your talking some physical teams.