Opinion Corner: No tears from me Indy

I almost cried for you Indianapolis, almost. But then again no one cried for us in Green Bay, except our quarterback.

We have some similarities, Indianapolis and Green Bay.

Both teams used to be led by Future Hall of Famers in Peyton Manning and Brett Favre. Both cities won a Super Bowl, and both look to be led again by top tier quarterbacks in Aaron Rodgers and Andrew Luck.

But here’s where it differs, Indy cut ties with Peyton.

Brett clung on for dear life taking Packers fans for a tumultuous ride since 2006 involving tears and retirement talk year in and year out.

Now here’s some food for thought, Favre’s retirement rumors started circulating around the age of 35, the same age as the n ew ly u n e m - p l oye d fo r m e r C o l t s quar terback.

I n G re e n Bay, we t r u ly believed the Guns l i n g e r had more gas in the tank, he nearly got the Packers to the Super Bowl in 2007 and the same goes for the Vikings in 2009.

With Manning, the key question is health, more specifically his neck, which has been operated on four times in the last 13 months.

Favre tore up defenses (albeit while throwing interceptions) in his final years with the Packers and for one season with the Vikings. Manning roamed the sidelines or the coordinator’s booth with a clipboard.

Reports have indicated that Manning has a wet noodle for an arm and can’t throw how he used to. Nobody knows the real story, but it will soon emerge.

But Manning is a former world champion, 11-time Pro Bowler and the fastest quarterback to pass for 50,000 yards. He would love nothing more than to prove his doubters wrong, and teams will be in line to give that opportunity. Recent reports have as many as 12 teams interested in his services.

My advice for Colts fans is to hang in there and not to take anything too personally.

It will take some time for Luck to develop — assuming the Colts select him with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft next month — which I believe they should do.

Favre left the Packers when they had a stacked team and a groomed quarterback in the wings, waiting for the ball.

The Colts could be in worse shape for 2012, but not by much.

Indianapolis should just hope their former quarterback has a heart and doesn’t sign with an AFC South Division rival.

I’m thinking the Houston Texans would be tough to beat with a healthy Peyton throwing to Andre Johnson, or handing off to the newly resigned Arian Foster.

However it appears Peyton has more class and far fewer personal problems needed to shaft the city that embraced him for 13 years.

In the grand scheme of things, money talks and Indy made a wise move by not paying Peyton and the $28 million roster bonus when those dollars could be better used elsewhere on a team clearly in rebuilding mode with many holes.

But somebody is going to end up giving Peyton one more payday, for Indianapolis I hope it doesn’t come back to bite them.

Rodgers is a news writer

at the Jamestown Sun

Tags: sports, football, nfl