It’s that time again…summer club season.

By this point in the year, most high school lacrosse players have sifted through the multiple club teams, showcases, prospect days, and tournaments to which they have been invited, and tough decisions are being made. Likewise, college coaches are finalizing their plans, allocating precious recruiting resources to various tournaments and events throughout the country.

In this installment of our College Game Plan Education series, we’ll provide a basic overview to get the most out of your summer investment.

So let’s stay at a high level and get started with a few questions:

Have you narrowed the list of schools that you’re interested in?

There are over 350 colleges with NCAA Men’s Lacrosse programs, but only a few schools that align with your academic, athletic, social, geographical, and financial goals. Taking the time up front to focus only on best-fit schools will save you and your family tremendous amounts of time, money, and frustration. We call this developing a “target list” of schools. Factors such as what academic programs are offered (and their rating), school size, location, social aspects, level and culture of the lacrosse program, and the coaching staff must be considered to make an informed final decision and should be part of developing your target list.

What coaches from your target list committed to attend your events?

The questions I most hear from families in late spring revolve around one topic: the BEST teams/camps/showcases to attend this summer to be seen by college coaches. The answer to “which is best?” comes down to how many of your targeted schools will be at an event and whether you can interest them enough to come see you play. For example, a showcase heavily attended by Ivy League schools would likely not be the best use of resources for a player with a 2.5 GPA. If you have the grades, the desire, and the talent to attend Harvard or Princeton, however, it would likely be a great event to attend.

Have you contacted any coaches to let them know where you’ll be playing?

Many players believe that if they’re on the right team or at the biggest showcase, they’ll simply get noticed. NCAA rules limit the amount and type of contact a coach can have with an underclassman (currently 2018 and below), so you can’t expect to have meaningful conversations with them when you see them or meet them in person at events. While accolades like all-star teams and all-tournament teams on your resume can certainly have an impact, a college coach usually arrives at an event with a list of names they’ll be evaluating and those players’ schedules, so it’s important to make personal contact and begin to establish relationships with coaches in the weeks leading up to your events.

Do you have an effective online presence?

Lacrosse is quickly growing into a nation-wide sport, with more and more new players picking up a stick each year. College coaches are flooded with emails and phone calls from high school players that desperately want to attend their school and be a contributor in their program. It’s wise to make it as easy as possible for a coach to evaluate your potential as a recruited player rather quickly. In today’s recruiting landscape, a highlight video, your academic information, and your measurable statistics (height, weight, speed, etc.) are a bare minimum. It is a good idea to also include references and their contact information, your upcoming schedule, a copy of your transcript, and even a personal statement or a list of college goals you’re looking to achieve. Your goal is to establish a relationship with these coaches, so the more you set yourself apart during the initial evaluation phase, the more likely you’ll be recruited by multiple coaches and programs.

Steps to Maximize Your Summer Game Plan

1. Develop a target list of potentially best-fit schools and lacrosse programs
2. Create/Update/Maintain online presence that markets YOU
3. Establish contact with college coaches, interest them in your information
4. Be yourself, ask questions, and learn all you can from the coaches you meet
5. Have fun playing lacrosse
6. Conduct follow-up with interested coaches after each event

Other tips for success:

1. Stay hydrated and have a nutritional plan at summer events
2. Play hard all the time, you never know who may be watching
3. Play smart- it’s still a team game in the summer
4. Always display sportsmanlike conduct
5. How you look & act between games matters

The common thread in everything we do in the recruiting space is that it’s all about relationships. Choosing a college is an extremely personal and emotional decision for every family, and the investment is likely the largest any parent makes in their child’s future. As such, every player and parent feel the need to be personally comfortable with the school, the campus, and the lacrosse program before committing to attend. Likewise, college coaches earn their living based on how their team performs on and off the field, and the stakes are high, so they have to truly get to know the young men they invite to play for their program. Developing relationships with college coaches should be one of the main goals of your summer, and will require you to formulate a plan to make the best use of your summer lacrosse schedule and the opportunities you will have to be seen and evaluated by your best-fit programs.

5 Important Exercises

Athletes are always trying to get the most out of each and every workout they complete. They perform intense workouts not only for personal gains, but to also have an advantage over the competition. In order to accomplish this they perform exercises which give them the most gain for their efforts. Listed below are five exercises focusing on increasing the efficiency of your workout routine. These exercises focus on major muscles such as the hamstrings, quads, and chest which are utilized in every sport.

Front Squat: The main function of the front squat is to strengthen your quad muscles helping establish a foundation for athletic motions such as running and jumping.

With the barbell sitting forward on the shoulders, and the hips sunk back far enough so that the knees are in line with the toe, pressure from the weight is nearly all focused on the glutes and hip flexors thus getting a stronger workout and those with knee problems a better lift.

The front squat demands an upright torso position throughout the full range of motion which places much less stress on the spine. Another feature of the front squat is that it takes pressure off of the knees.

Benefits: Front squats are a great transitional squat workout going into clean-and-jerks and other overhead workouts. Being able to have strength in the frontal plane and anterior portion (back) of the body is a necessity when doing more advanced overhead lifts. The front squat helps build power and endurance in these muscle groups to move onto these types of workouts.

Straight back, Stiff Legged Deadlift: It takes a certain level of flexibility and experience in order to master this exercise, but once the exercise is perfected it becomes one of the best hamstring and glute exercises known today.

Benefits: The hamstrings are not only lifting the weight off the ground, but also are being stretched in the movement therefore the muscle fibers in the hamstrings are increasing range of motion, strength and muscular endurance versus just power.

Commonly, weightlifters and athletes will use wrist straps with this exercise to help increase the load of weight and still be able to put the high stress on the lower extremity.

Crossfit Activities/Exercises: Crossfit is one of the most highly utilized workouts in the world of exercise.

Benefits: Crossfit is a fantastic full body workout that creates the “overall athlete”. It combines elements of cardio, weight lifting, gymnastics, core training and more to prepare the body for the unexpected.

Crossfit has taken some exercises (such as the Kipping Pull-up) and made rules that cross the orthodox way these exercises are performed thus decreasing the chance of injury.

Sprints and Hurdles: – When in high school athletics, it seems that sprinting and running around is part of everyday life. During practices, during physical education, or even on a weekend at the park with your friends playing in the grass.

Doing wind sprints is said to be one of the best exercises for fat burning, cardiovascular endurance, and core strength. A big benefit for athletes is that sprinting increases hormone levels and decreases cortisol which helps in muscle building workout regiments and increases protein synthesis.

Benefits: Studies show that sprint training is more effective than steady-state endurance training for improving endurance capacity, maximal oxygen uptake, and time to fatigue. This is because repeated intervals at a high intensity lead to the body using energy more efficiently by increasing the amount of glycogen that can be stored in the muscle by as much as 20 percent.

Since sprints build muscle and target the fast-twitch fibers, they increase your speed and power, leading to a faster running or cycling speed.

Barbell/Dumbbell Bench Press: The chest press is one of the most universal exercises known to upper body lifting.

It can be done with a barbell, dumbbell, or kettle bells and also can be performed on many different surfaces such as a bench, balance ball or bosu ball.

Benefits: Chest press lends thickness, muscle definition and strength to the chest area. As a compound exercise, bench presses also engage the deltoids and triceps as synergists, or muscles that help other muscles complete a movement.

Additionally, this exercise also works the biceps, which serve as dynamic stabilizers by countering the force of the press. Practicing proper form is a must in order to receive all of the correct benefits.

Have a question or are looking for some potential help?

It all starts with an honest NCAA evaluation by an expert who knows what college recruiters are looking for and where you stand, an evaluation of what level of college is right for you.

Click here to learn about scheduling your NCAA evaluation & consultation

Athletics: Strength, Speed, and Health

Staying in top physical shape is critical to always performing your best on the field and gaining attention from college scouts. Today’s top college athletes have a combination of speed, strength, and knowledge of the best methods to stay healthy, so developing these attributes early will result in higher levels of success.

Strength training is not just lifting weights for hours in the gym attempting to max out, but improving both explosiveness and muscular endurance. Muscular power or “explosiveness” is a product of both strength and speed of movement.

The most effective way to increase strength without hurting your speed or flexibility is to complete plyometric exercises, these would include:

• Lower Body: Squats, Jump Squats, Lunges
• Upper Body: Push Ups, Medicine Ball Chest Pass

Speed is a crucial component to almost every sport, and getting faster is possible with hard work and discipline. Flexibility training and regular sprint workouts will help make you quicker as well. Sprinting during training sessions creates muscle memory which will be activated in game time situations.

A few exercises to increase your speed on the field are:

• Uphill Sprints the steeper the better!
• Calf raises try using weights to increase difficulty
• Running Stairs

It may also be helpful to have a coach look at your form – sometimes even simple changes in your technique can help you get faster.

Health is important to maintain because it will allow for you to perform at your best on the field by taking care of yourself off of the field. Eating healthy will provide your body with the proper nutrients to perform at the highest level. Preventing injury is another major factor of health, because if you can’t train or play it is much harder to improve.

Putting the right “fuel” into your body is the foundation of performing on the field, some helpful tips to keep in mind:

• STAY HYDRATED especially while performing strenuous activity
• Vitamin consumption in the form of fruits and vegetables
• Protein and Carbohydrate intake to build and fuel muscles

Taking the correct steps to reduce the risk of injury would include:

• Always wear the appropriate protective equipment (helmet, pads, cleats)
• Stretching before and after physical activity, as well as on off days
• Knowing your body’s limits and how hard to push

Have a question or are looking for some potential help?

It all starts with an honest NCAA evaluation by an expert who knows what college recruiters are looking for and where you stand, an evaluation of what level of college is right for you.

Click here to learn about scheduling your NCAA evaluation & consultation

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The Dodgers, the “Lakeshow”, city of glitz and glamour, beautiful weather. Does Los Angeles sound like heaven on Earth, or what? Now imagine a brand new stadium and NFL team popping up in LA…madness! With the current situation in Minnesota, and uncertainty surrounding a few other NFL cities, it’s only a matter of time before one of these teams begin their search for a fresh start.

A Minnesota Senate committee narrowly approved a public subsidy on Friday to help the Vikings build a new football stadium, revving up the team’s struggling efforts, just hours after NFL commissioner Roger Goodell visited the state Capitol to ignite what had been a stagnant stadium debate. The Senate’s Local Government and Elections Committee passed the bill on an 8-6 vote after a hearing that went on for about four hours. While the stadium bill still faces a long haul, the committee’s vote gave the $975 million stadium proposal some new life.

So are the Vikings staying put, or heading west?

Let’s take at look at which teams are most likely to make the move to the City of Angels:

The Vikings will still play in the Metrodome next season, even though their lease has expired. This window of time allows LA to move in and snatch up the Vikings. While I don’t particularly like the idea of LA getting an NFL team, I think it’s one of the only options that could work out for the Vikings. LA is an open market, and the time to make a new move is now. The team can’t re-locate this year, but 2013 will be here before we know it. What’s crucial in this situation is trying to represent the wishes of Minnesotans and the Vikings fan base.
Likelihood of team moving to LA: 33%

I have a strong feeling the St. Louis Rams will stay put. Although AEG expressed interest in purchasing a majority stake in a franchise, St. Louis would have to be ruled out. The Rams were purchased by billionaire developer Stan Kroenke just a couple of years ago, so for him to sell a majority of the franchise he just purchased seems highly unlikely. Owning a venue is big money, and that should be next on Kroenke’s agenda.
Likelihood of team moving to LA: 24%

The Jacksonville Jaguars are a small-market team, but right off the bat, they seem like a better fit for LA than the Rams. The Jaguars are also at a disadvantage, competing with college football in a state that is truly devoted to the NCAA. The Jaguars don’t seem to have strong traditions or rivalries that a lot of other NFL teams have; sorry to say, but whose really gonna miss the Jaguars? The Los Angeles Jaguars would also allow a realignment in the NFL, maybe switching places with the Rams. This would create and instant L.A.-San Francisco rivalry in the NFC West, and a Tennessee-Indianapolis-St. Louis triangle in the AFC South.
Likelihood of team moving to LA: 40%

The San Diego Chargers are another team on the LA stadium radar; they are the team most commonly linked to the LA move. The Chargers are ultimately hoping to build a new stadium with a retractable roof in downtown San Diego, which would be an expanded part of the convention center. One major issue: the proposal doesn’t have the support of the San Diego Convention Center, which has written its own proposal. The Chargers really need a solid funding plan for a new stadium, or else it could be the end of an era for yet another San Diego franchise moving North up the I-5 freeway to join the LA market.
Likelihood of team moving to LA: 30%

No matter what happens, stay tuned…the LA-Stadium saga is just beginning!

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The San Diego Chargers found themselves with the 16^th best defense in 2011 but ranked dead last on 3^rd downs. A dimension the Chargers have lacked over the years has been a consistent pass rush and with Peyton Manning joining the division the emphasis of the 2012 draft is without a doubt defense. With glaring needs at Safety and Outside Linebacker look General Manager A.J. Smith to address these needs in the first half of the draft.

Round 1 – Pick 18

Whitney Mercilus DE/OLB, Illinois – Assuming the Chargers don’t trade up to grab Alabama safety Mark Barron or trade down for Notre Dame safety Harrison Smith, I can see A.J. Smith giving another go at an outside pass rusher. Mercilus was the nation’s sack leader with 16, but may scare some teams due to his lack of productivity before his Junior year. This could hinder his chances of not being drafted higher than pick 18. He shows natural pass rush abilities, comes quick off the edge and knows how to work his way towards the QB. He will have to learn a few more pass rush moves as he won’t be able to rely strictly on speed. With the newly acquired Jarret Johnson, any OLB drafted in this spot would split time with the vet, easing his way into the starting spot over the years.

Other possible selections: LB Dont’a Hightower, S Mark Barron, S Harrison Smith

Round 2 – Pick 49

Bruce Irvin LB/DE, West Virginia – With the top 2 safeties off the board, the Chargers could be in a position to draft another highly touted sack artist, LB/DE Bruce Irvin. Much like Mercilus, Irvin comes off the edge very quick and shows natural pass rush abilities. He has a tall lengthy build, and can be a great situational rusher. He is very similar to Aldon Smith of the 49ers in the way he uses his speed and change of direction skill to get past blockers. The safety from Boise State, George Iloka, could be targeted here too. But a great pass rush can make a secondary look elite. I can’t imagine A.J. Smith being all that thrilled about being ranked dead last on 3^rd down stops last season. In order to change that, he will have to improve this unit by any means necessary.

Other possible selections: OLB Ronnell Lewis, OLB Bobby Wagner, S George Iloka

Round 3 – Pick 78

Alameda Ta’amu DT, Washington – Antonio Garay has fit in well as the nose tackle in a rotational defensive line, but with this pick the Chargers could finally have the true NT they’ve been looking for since the release of Jamal Williams back in 2010. A mountain of a man at 6’3” and in the 320-350lbs. range, Ta’amu is the prototype nose tackle for a 3-4 defense. The majority of the time he takes up 2 blockers which frees up other rushers and it is rare to see him get pushed backwards. He has shown he can consistently take on double team blocks, and has the ability to break through them to make the tackle. He will never be a sack leader, but his strengths against the run and taking up space in the middle make him a great fit for the Chargers pass rush.

Other possible selections: S/CB Brandon Hardin, CB, Casey Hayward, RB Ronnie Hillman

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The world of the NFL offseason has gone crazy once again…Tim Tebow has been traded to the Jets. The Jets sent two picks — a fourth-rounder and sixth-rounder in 2012 — to the Denver Broncos in exchange for a seventh-round selection. It was expected that Tebow would be sent to the trading block when Peyton waltzed into the Mile High City, signing a five-year, $96 million contract. Some thought Tebow would return to Jacksonville as the hometown hero, surely helping the Jaguars with more ticket sales, but the Jets were really the sleeper team here. The first question that comes to mind is why? Some players didn’t even want Tebow to join the organization in the first place. Antonio Cromartie even posted on his Twitter account, “Y bring Tebow in when we need to bring in more Weapons for @Mark Sanchez let’s build the team around him. We already signed to 3 year ext.”

Tebow will be joining a cast of backups behind Mark Sanchez, and I’m betting we see some big QB controversy here. Tebow will either emerge as a change-of-pace QB who doesn’t threaten Sanchez, while excelling in a role that truly shows off his talents, or he could add another dimension of craziness to the Jets drive. I am more excited to see how Tebow fits in with the Jets and New York. We’ve got an outspoken Christian here, playing in a city known for it’s outrageous nightlife, the bachelor lifestyle of Joe Namath — who made the Jets franchise famous, and a coach known for his outspoken attitude and profane speeches. Tebow seems like a humble guy, so we’ll have to wait and see how he handles everything in New York. Another fascinating prospect of this could be the way Tebow is incorporated into the Jets run-oriented offense, which is now being spearheaded by Tony Sparano.

The bottom line here? Get ready to witness an unorthodox quarterback with a sparkling resume, who is about to join a team that loves it’s time in the media spotlight…oh yeah, and a GQ photo-shoot featuring both Sanchez and Tebow can’t be that far behind either.

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Well, now we know why it’s taken so long. Cross him and he will destroy you. Roger Goodell will do everything in his power to maintain the integrity and image of the NFL. He has done so with his iron fist ruling heard worldwide on the infamous Bounty Gate. Like a gangster in the night, Goodell puts a bullet to the heart of the Saints organization, handing suspensions and fines to coaches and front office staff. Let’s take a look at the damage:

– $500,000 Fine. In addition, Saints forfeit their second-round picks in the 2012 and 2013 NFL drafts.

– Head Coach Sean Payton is suspended without pay for the 2012 season, effective April 1.

– General manager Mickey Loomis is suspended without pay for the first eight regular-season games of the 2012 season. $500,000 fine.

– Former Saints (and current St. Louis Rams) defensive coordinator Gregg Williams is suspended indefinitely from the NFL. Commissioner Goodell will review Williams’ status at the conclusion of the 2012 season and consider whether to reinstate him.

– Assistant coach Joe Vitt suspended without pay for the first six regular-season games of the 2012 season. $100,000 fine.

The two worst being Head Coach Sean Payton’s year long suspension, and no eight million dollar salary for the year. The other being former Saints Defensive coordinator and bounty gate mastermind Gregg Williams being suspended indefinitely. I think it’s safe to say he will never be a coach in the NFL again.

Who knew Roger Goodell had it in him? Supposedly he had known about the Saints bounty program in the past and gave fair warning for them to stop. With Goodell being fairly new as NFL commish, the Saints didn’t take him seriously and continued to run “business as usual.” Don’t try to undermine the commissioner, in his statements about the ruling, Goodell said, “No one is above the game or the rules that govern it.” Were these suspensions harsh? Absolutely not. The time fits the crime.

The message has been sent to every team in the NFL and they better listen. Don’t cross the boss. If there were any plans for teams to continue their bounty programs, they better take a hard look at themselves, or they better start posting their resumes on monster.com. Because the punishments will be equal if not harsher. He’s trying to bring justice and integrity to a game that is taking over as America’s pastime. One message the other 31 teams should take away from this: Roger Goodell may not be the guy with the biggest arms, or the man with the greatest charm, but mess with him and he will cause you a lot of harm. Roger Goodell is Batman, and justice will be served.

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“Vincent Jackson, will you accept this rose?” No, it’s not some new reality television show, It’s NFL free agency time! But, if you think about it, doesn’t it really remind you of an episode of The Bachelor? Teams vying to impress and sweep free agents off their feet, while players are working out trying to find the right team for them. Is it the right connection? Will it be a match made in football heaven? What is really outrageous are the millions of dollars these players will be paid. Whether it’s an extension, long-term contract, or just a one-year deal, does all the money really reflect the performance of these players each Sunday? It really makes you wonder if every match made in football heaven will really go the distance. With each rose given, teams are wondering if their selection will bloom into a long lasting relationship, or wilt and die like a bad reality television finale. Let’s take a look at the potential brides-to-be:

Vincent Jackson

San Diego’s beloved VJ just signed a 5 year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for $55.55 million. We all knew he wouldn’t come cheap, but I won’t forget the inconsistencies he had last season with San Diego. With VJ on my fantasy team, he either gave me 30 points one week, or a measly 3 the next. Make no mistake about it though, Jackson is a beast, and he will absolutely provide a deep threat for Josh Freeman, whose hasn’t ever had one considering his other receivers Mike Williams and Arrelious Benn are more short-range targets.

Final Verdict: Good Move

Marques Colston

Marques Colston has re-signed a 5-year contract with the Saints for $40 million. He was one of the top three free agents that the Saints wanted to try and bring back for the 2012 season. This was an important move, and Colston expressed his feelings about really wanting to stay with the team, and not chase his free agency. Colston accepting the rose from the Saints definitely looks like a match made to last, IF of course, they can finally see the light and sign Drew Brees to a long-term deal. This move was especially essential for the Saints, with Robert Meachem’s recent departure to the Chargers.

Final Verdict: Good Move

Randy Moss

Welcome aboard Randy Moss? Moss fits the profile of the “crazy, mean girl” everyone loves to trash from The Bachelor. It seems laughable that Moss is trying to become Mr. Comeback, but he did something to impress the 49ers, and they signed him to a one-year deal. Will Moss be worth it? This is really something we’ll all need to stay tuned for. Moss is saying he can still bring it and he’s ready for a fresh start, but that’s yet to be seen. If anyone can keep him in line however, it will be Jim Harbaugh.

Final Verdict: To Be Determined

Calvin Johnson

Calvin Johnson a.k.a. Megatron just got a record-breaking deal with the Detroit Lions. The Lions signed Johnson to a seven-year contract extension that is the richest deal ever given a wide receiver. The $132 million contract, which will keep Johnson in Detroit through the 2019 season, includes $60 million guaranteed and tops the $120 million deal the Arizona Cardinals gave Larry Fitzgerald last year. Is this too outrageous? Or does Johnson deserve every cent? As long as he plays consistently and doesn’t get injured, Megatron is a nightmare match up for every corner in the league; no one can cover him 1-on-1. This looks like a great move from the Lions, and I think we will see many more career-best seasons from Megatron.

Final Verdict: Great Move

So who will really make it to the end, left standing for that final rose? Which teams and which players will last the test of time? With twists and turns along the way, it’s safe to say that the NFL offseason can be just as exciting as the regular season…or at least as exciting as a popular reality show.

The anointing of Breesus came after one of New Orleans darkest moments as his stellar play captivated a culture and brought glory to a city that had been down on their luck BB. (Before Breesus). Yet after all of his accomplishments and the winning tradition he has instilled into the new generations of Saints fans, apparently he’s not good enough for the New Orleans Saints. Well that’s the message they are sending him anyways. After days of negotiating, the Saints and Brees couldn’t agree to terms on a new contract and he was hit with the dreaded franchise tag.

Are you serious? This guy has been the crème de la crème when it comes to Quarterbacks. Defenders are aware of the dangers when they line up across from him; Warning: Playing defense against Drew Brees may be hazardous to your health. The single-season passing record holder, and Superbowl XLIV MVP, can’t seem to get his team to pay him. With all the accomplishments Brees has attained, and the community service hours he puts in, he is clearly a role model for the youth not to mention a top 5, TOP 5, fantasy draft pick every year, but this is not being acknowledged by the Saints organization. However far apart they are on money shouldn’t matter to a player like Drew Brees. With the franchise tag he is scheduled to make $14.4 million, if he signs it. Reports from many sports personalities say he won’t sign his tender. And why should he? The problem with the tag is that it doesn’t provide guaranteed years, money, or a signing bonus. He has done nothing, but lead the Saints from the bottom of the NFL barrel to one of the elite powerhouses.

Year in, year out he puts up gaudy statistics and has his team in playoff contention. His long ball is considered to be the best in the game, he is as accurate as it gets and shows no signs of slowing down at the age of 33. There have been many excuses made for why Drew Brees isn’t highly valued; coming out of college he was seen as too short. The San Diego Chargers refused to bring him back because he wasn’t supposed to recover from shoulder surgery. And now the New Orleans Saints have the honor of coming up with the latest excuse for why he is under valued…whatever that is. If anybody hasn’t figured out yet, Drew Brees thrives on adversity. To the general public he would just look like a regular guy, Oprah had mistaken his signature mole for lipstick, but to the NFL’s diehard fans, he’s the gold standard, the best in the world. For years FOX has been telling people they have the American Idol, and they do, except he’s been on every Sunday since 2006.

Yeah it’s crazy to think Peyton Manning will be wearing another NFL team’s jersey. To many experts, he’s arguable the greatest QB of all time. Last year he showed why he’s a 4-time MVP winner. Without Peyton on the field the Colts were an embarrassing 2 – 14 and they were painful to watch with their QB by committee approach. Bringing Collins off the couch and out of retirement to play for the team was a desperation hail mary that wobbled out the Colts hands and fell about 30 yards short of the nearest receiver…it never had a chance of being complete.

Even with all that said I still don’t blame Jim Irsay for not resigning him at all. Remember people, the NFL is a business first and foremost! It’s a business that happens to play a sport not a sport that happens to be a business. The NFL is more then a just an ordinary flourishing business it’s an exploding sports oligopoly, yeah look up oligopoly it’s like a legal cash cow monopoly. I pulled that one out of a spelling bee I watched on ESPN! Okay back to my point. Imagine you were the owner of the Colts and you had to commit $XX million dollars and likely a multi-year contract with XX millions guaranteed to a XX year old player that’s had 3 serious neck surgeries (to manage his degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine) in the last 16 months and your team is about to draft the first can’t miss quarterback prospect since John Elway.

From a pure numbers game, this is as smart a business decision as it gets. This is a QB league with superstar rookie QB’s making more of an impact then ever before (Cam Newton, Andy Dalton) and players like Andrew Luck only come around every 10 or 20 years. Heck, even the Colts fans have been quietly wishing for the next Peyton behind the scenes and that might just be how their Luck goes come April!

You get the point! C’mon what would you do?

I know you might be saying “If I was the owner” I would sign Peyton for two years and have him groom Luck like the Favre-Rogers scenario in Green Bay. Yeah in an ideal world where money didn’t matter and Peyton wasn’t dealing with a potentially career ending disease of the spine and Andrew Luck actually needed two years of learning and purple horseshoes and green leprechauns existed that would all make sense.

That’s not the case here. So I’m 100% in support of the Colts decision and I hope Peyton returns, is 100% healthy and has a hell of year for a new team. I’ll leave you with one final picture to think about. Can you see it now…Peyton playing for the Redskins with Shannahan; or with Rex running the D and Peyton running the O with Jets; or how bout with Regis Philbin…er, Joe Philbin with the Dolphins.

Wherever Peyton ends up, one thing is for sure. Stories and drama like this is why we love the NFL; the storylines never take an off-season!