Blue Sunday

Another Colts season came to an abrupt end last night when the San Diego Charges beat the Colts 23-17 in overtime.

Uggg.

I've been pining over the lost all day and basically I still have no clear cut reason why we keep having these early exits from the playoffs. It's been said before and I think it's worth repeating as it's becoming more and more true that Indianapolis Colts are like the Atlanta Braves of the 1990's. The Braves consistently made the playoffs winning fourteen division titles in a row. But they only won one World Series--in 1995. I rooted for most of those teams (Maddux played for the Braves from 1993 to 2003) and I can tell you that not only did it suck from year to year but it became inexplicable why the just couldn't win another title.

I don't really see that labeling this version of the Colts as the Braves as an outright negative thing because that devalues the regular season success (and consistency) that the Braves (and Colts) have/are achieving. But it just defies logic why a team can have so much regular season success but (almost) fail year after year to close the deal.

Another thing that nauseates me the most is how every armchair quarterback is going to have their reason for the latest playoff debacle. Dungy's not fiery enough...the players don't play with emotion...Manning chokes...they can't run the ball (which I would argue is pretty much why they didn't win the game this year)...and so on.

It was hard to process all those Braves disasters but it almost numbed you after so long. It's not that they were cursed--where crazy shit was actually happening--it just seemed like the Braves had to play perfect to win and the other team didn't...and they would still win. For example...in the 2000 NLDS they couldn't even beat the Cardinal's Rick Ankiel and his five wild pitches.

For whatever reason it seems like the Colts have to play perfect football to win but they other team doesn't. Look at last night's game...LT doesn't hardly play...the Charges have two costly turnovers (we have none)...and we still lose. I hate to say...that maybe it just wasn't meant to be...and that seems like a pretty lousy excuse...but it does help me to process the loss a little easier.

I don't know...I'm just going to quit rambling because I don't really know if I'm making sense or not or if that I can accurately come up with some sort of reason why the Colts can't get it done.

Well...I'll just turn my attention to IU basketball...although I really don't see that helping.