"Thank You"

Hey everyone I just want to say thanks for reading my blog. I have an interview Tuesday with FNN media for a writing job for the AFC South division. Who knows this could be the ticket to the big time. Lol! I had to submit an article inbetween 200-250 words on a current event in the AFC South division. This is the article I submitted. Enjoy. The time might be coming for the Indianapolis Colts to start thinking about a replacement for Peyton Manning. Manning is now 35 years old and has been slapped with the franchise tag for the 2011 season, although Jim Irsay plans on making him the highest paid player in NFL history. The Colts themselves have surely thought about this and asked themselves this question. Do they draft a quarterback in this years draft and take a similar approach that the Green Bay Packers took with Aaron Rodgers and sitting him a few years and learning from one of the best ever before replacing Brett Favre? Will the Colts wait another year or two and try to obtain some extra draft picks via trades to find the Manning replacement? Time will tell us soon enough. I know Colts fans don't ever want to see Manning retire but the day will come. Colts fans just be glad you have this problem right now. I mean just think, Ryan Leaf was almost the franchise quarterback.

"They're Back!"

Well would you look at that. Butler is back playing for a national title. Yes, Butler. Not Indiana, not Notre Dame, not Purdue. Well hell we all know Purdue doesn't play for national titles. What a run Butler and coach Stevens have had these past two seasons. I mean lets be honest who picked Butler to be in the national title game 2 years in a row? But here is Butler killing theory after theory. That's the beauty of the NCAA tournament and March Madness.You have to have about 3 pros to win a national title. Butler may have one. Guard Shelvin Mack had 24 points hitting five three pointers is Butler's best chance of being a pro off this team. He has been a major pain for every team in this tournament, and if Butler wins the title he will be the Final Four MVP. Matt Howard who scored 17 points along with 8 rebounds is a wonderful college player. He just looks like he is 45 and calling "next" for a pick up game at the local YMCA. I'm not a Butler fan, but it is hard to root against them come Monday night. Butler wins and does it the right way in an era of college sports where money and fame is everything. Butler plays UConn Monday evening who defeated Kentucky last night. Both Kentucky and UConn catch bad reputations from the general public to make a long story short for cheating. UConn coach Jim Calhoun is suspended for 3 conference games next season for NCAA violations. Kentucky coach John Calipari has been to 3 final fours, yet a reporter asked him the other day "How does it feel to be at your first final four?" because his 2 previous trips were vacated by the NCAA due to violations. Calipari didn't find it too amusing, but I did.

As my buddy Nick Kerr told me last night about Butlers defense, "Stick with your man. Think of him as chewing gum. By the end of the game, I want you to know what flavor he is." Can anyone name that movie? In the end Butler basketball is a group of guys that really care about basketball, care about each other, and care about the school. Now that's something to cheer about.

"First Of Many Changes"

Where were you when Pacers coach Jim O'Brien was relieved of his coaching duties on Sunday Jan. 30th, 2011? I just got home from LA Fitness and was on the couch. Today is a fresh start for the Pacers. I know it has been a rough season up to this point, but this is the first of many changes that will take place over the next several months. The Pacers are currently 17-27 this year and 10th in the playoff race. It would be nice to see the Pacers put something together and get the young guys some playoff experience, but that shouldn't be the main concern now. Finding a new coach for next season is the number one priority. Former Cleveland Cavs coach Mike Brown is a leading candidate and my choice to take over. Utah Jazz assistant Ty Corbin is another name I have heard today who might get a look. It has been a frustrating season thus far. The other night I went to the Orlando game and sat 7 rows from the floor with my buddy Shawn. I spent more time that game watching Dwight Howards son scarf down a hot dog, nachos, and a soft pretzel. When I heard the kid screaming daddy and waving at Dwight during the player introductions and Dwight smiling and waving back to him I pretty much figured it was one of his. It also helped that his baby mamma had diamond earings in the size of gobstoppers. (another thing I forgot to mention his kid ate)

The 2011-2012 Pacers will have a much different look to them than this years team does. Indiana has almost 30 million dollars coming off the books after this season. Mike Dunleavy, T.J. Ford, Jeff Foster, Solomon Jones, along with 5.4 million we are still paying Jamaal Tinsley in the final year of his contract Indiana bought out. I am hoping as a Pacer fan that owner Herb Simon steps up to the plate and decides to spend that money wisely and bring some free agents, or players through some trades. We have a good group of talented young guys to build around. Danny Granger has established himself as the face of the franchise. Roy Hibbert at times can be an unstoppable big man and other times flat out awful. If Roy can get it together I like the nucleus we have surrounding those 2 with Darren Collison, Paul George, and Tyler Hansbrough.

I'm as excited as I've been in a long time to see what happens in the near future for the Pacers. I just hope that some of these so called fans in Indy will come out and support them in the near future. I imagine if they start winning that they will. After all Indy is a fair weather town for the most part. Conseco use to sell out when we were one of the top teams in the east. Then the Pacers started struggling and the Colts became good. I remember in the mid to late 90's when the Colts games were blacked out on TV because they couldn't sell out. I'm looking forward to a new start for the Pacers. Boom Baby!