The Indianapolis Colts won the first 14 games of the 2009 season.  In the process of doing so they clinched homefield advantage throughout the playoffs and a first round bye. They were only 5 games away from football immortality. They also had a 23 game regular season winning streak (the longest ever in the history of the NFL). So, what did they do? Their gutless coach, Jim Caldwell rested the starting players in the second half of a 29-15 loss to the New York Jets. When Peyton Manning and the rest of the regular players left the game, it was a 15-10 game (Another mistake that Caldwell made was going for 2 with almost an entire half of football remaining – a 6 point lead is much better than a 5 point lead).

Perhaps I’m being a little harsh on Caldwell, but it doesn’t take much of a memory to remember at least 3 other Colts teams who were in a similar position just this decade. At least 3 other times they had clinched early, and their previous coach, Tony Dungy rested the starters for the final game or two. Each time they lost their momentum, and lost early in the Playoffs. The Colts never seem to learn that the football gods do not favor gutless, losing strategies. This time their plan was much, much worse – an undefeated season was on the line! We could have finally heard our last story of the pathetic 1972 Dolphins, who celebrate other teams’ misfortune year after year. I saw an interview with the quarterback of that team, Bob Greise, a couple weeks ago (when the Saints and Colts were still undefeated), and he was asked to give advice to those teams. His advice was that they should each lose a game before the playoffs so as “not to have that monkey on their backs”. Really, Bob? Is that what would have been best for those teams, or would that just be best for you, so your precious undefeated season could still be the only one. That’s pathetic if you ask me.

One needs to look no further than the 2007 Giants to see exactly what strategy works for a team entering the playoffs. The final game of the 2007 pitted the New York football Giants against the 15-0 New England Patriots. The Giants were 10-5, and had clinched the playoffs, but were locked into their seed (I believe they were the 6 seed, but they might have been the 5th – regardless, they were a wild card team, and there was nothing for them to gain by playing the game). However, the Giants played their hearts out, they played their starters the entire game, and nearly ruined the Patriots perfect season, eventually falling by a score of 38-35 on a last minute TD drive by Tom Brady and the Patriots. Yes, they lost, but the point is that they played like men, then from there they did not lose again for the rest of the year, winning 3 road games, and finally doing the unthinkable, and beating the 18-0 Patriots in the Super Bowl. They also beat a 13-3 Cowboys team and a 14-3 Packers teams in their own stadiums. That is about as impressive of a 3 game performance as you will ever see.

But the Colts, as they do so often, got scared of injuries, and let their fear decide their plan of action. A fearful head coach does not a champion make. The Colts should have learned from their own history, and that of the New York Giants. Peyton Manning has never been injured in his entire career, and I doubt that the final two quarters of yesterday’s game would have been time for the first. Football is a game for the manliest of men, and the Colts’ coach, Jim Caldwell, can certainly not be counted among that fraternity. Time will tell if their strategy works or not, but I would be shocked if the Colts win the Super Bowl come February. They had a chance to do something that no team ever had, and to finally shut up the ‘72 Dolphins (worth it just for that), but instead they will most likely just go down as yet another team that got scared, then lost momentum, then just lost.

What are your thoughts? Do you agree or disagree with the Colts strategy?

- Murdock

After a huge amount of speculation both before the 2009 trading deadline, and ever since the 2009 season ended, Roy Halladay is officially a member of the Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies traded 3 prospects for him: minor league righthander Kyle Drabek, outfielder Michael Taylor and catcher Travis D’Arnaud. They subsequently signed him to a 3 year, $60 million extension (he has one year at 15.75 million due to him on his old deal also). At the press conference that introduced him to Philadelphia, I couldn’t help but be blown away. As a reporter asked Roy why he would take a below market deal to be in Philadelphia for the next 4 years (at $75.75 million), Roy answered that Philadelphia is where he wanted to be. Stop and think about how amazing that is for a second, the best pitcher in baseball took less money to be in Philly, because WE were his first choice. Not the Yankees, not the Red Sox, but your Philadelphia Phillies are the first choice of anyone, much less the best pitcher in the game. The tables sure have turned since Curt Schilling couldn’t wait to force his way out of town.

Not all the news is good however, in a separate trade, Cliff Lee has been traded to the Seattle Mariners for 3 of their top prospects (minor league outfielder Tyson Gillies and right-handers Phillipe Aumont and Juan Ramirez). General Manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said he had to get some prospects back to avoid the proverbial cupboard being bare. Reading in between the lines on this, I think clearly there were some monetary constraints that he was working under. As much as it would have been so beautiful to keep both Lee and Halladay for this year, I do not believe that Lee would have resigned with us after this year, so I think Roy Halladay for 4 years is clearly much better than Cliff Lee for 1 year.

All in all, I love this trade. Last July I would have given up all the prospects we traded away for Lee, plus the ones we just traded for Halladay without even getting 3 players back from the Mariners. Considering what we got back, I think it’s a no-brainer. In July, Toronto wanted J.A. Happ and our top outfield prospect, Domonic Brown (who is a higher rated player than Michael Taylor).

Enjoy this time while it lasts, Phillies’ fans, this is the golden era of the Philadelphia Phillies. The best players in the game are naming Philadelphia as their most choice of destinations, and we are trading for a different Cy Young Award winner every 4 months or so. Instead of constantly watching the big fish going to New York and Boston every single time, they are coming to us. This trade should ensure that the Phillies are standing atop the NL East for the next few years, and with a heck of a chance to win a second or even third championship, and to me, that’s all we can ask for. We’ll miss you Cliff Lee, but 3 cheers for Ruben Amaro Jr. and the thought of Roy Halladay pitching every 5th day for the next 4 years.

Do you like the trade? Do you hate it? What are your thoughts?

- Murdock