Author Archives: Kent Sterling

Indiana loses third straight – take a deep breath and wait to judge #iubb

Tom Crean isn’t smiling tonight, and Indiana fans aren’t either after a third straight loss.

Indiana was not good tonight in their 75-68 loss to Wisconsin at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.

The defense was lacking, and so Wisconsin made a bunch of shots, including 10 of 20 three-point attempts.

Offensive execution was lacking, so the Hoosiers turned the ball over 13 times while Wisconsin gave the ball to the Hoosiers only seven times.

This was Indiana’s third straight loss, and their 0-2 conference record puts the Hoosiers at the very bottom of the Big Ten too early in the season to care about such things.

There is no discernible leadership, and I’m not sure what consequences are being brought to bear by teammates or coaches for lack of execution on either end.

There is a lot not to like about Indiana right now, but that doesn’t mean things cannot change, and that the season cannot have an outcome that reaches or exceeds expectations. Continue reading →

Colts great Robert Mathis retires leaving behind legacy of sacks, fumbles, and charity

Robert Mathis will retire Sunday as a Colts player, but not as a guy always willing to show up and do the right thing.

Robert Mathis is a borderline hall of famer as a football player, and he will play his final game as an Indianapolis Colt this Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Robert Mathis is a definitive hall of famer as a force for good in Indianapolis – a man who has used his position as a professional football player to raise a ton of money and awareness for many charities in central Indiana.

One-hundred-twenty-two sacks and 52 forced fumbles don’t define Mathis’ legacy as a Colt or person, but they have meant a hell of a lot to the only team for whom he has ever played.

When Mathis retires, he will become the longest tenured Colt to play only for the team. Reggie Wayne also played 14 seasons, and never played a down for anyone else, but he did sign with the Patriots the season after he and the Colts parted ways (if it wasn’t the Patriots, I might be willing to overlook his temporary team blindness).

The first time I met Mathis, he was one of many Colts supporting teammate Gary Brackett’s Impact Foundation at an event at the Omni Hotel downtown. This was before Mathis made a name for himself as an all-time great – or even an all-time good. Continue reading →

Being fired might be a very good thing for Colts coach Chuck Pagano

Chuck Pagano might walk off the field at Lucas Oil Stadium for the last time this Sunday. If it is, it will be his first steps toward something new and challenging.

That damnable moment comes for almost everyone. A meeting is called, a door is closed, and the news is imparted short and sweet, “Today is your last day.”

It’s a very public event when an NFL head coach is told his services are no longer required, and it can also be quite lucrative. The cash doesn’t help cushion the soul for the initial shock, but it makes the transition to what’s next a little easier. It also makes the call to the family less stressful.

“Hey honey, I’ve got good news and bad news – the bad news is they let me go. The good news is that I’m holding a check that is going to pay off our home, pay off our kids’ student loans, pay for a comfortable retirement, and fly us to wherever you want to go – first class – today – right now. So pack our bags!” the coach says to his wife.

His wife would like to cry for her husband, but the reality is that she is thrilled he’s coming home for more than a four-hour nap. Continue reading →

Judging Duke’s Grayson Allen’s habitual tripping might be fun, but wrong

No question Grayson Allen’s trip of an Elon player was asinine and childish, but the media’s immediate judgment might be just as wrong.

Today, I was happy my radio show didn’t start until 3p.

Prior to that, I joined the chorus of those who chewed out Grayson Allen for his petulant boorishness in tripping an opponent as Duke beat Elon last night.

I was as eager to judge the Duke Basketball program for coddling/enabling him for the last year.

This wasn’t Allen’s first offense. He’s tripped opponents two other times since last February.

Because of a series of texts with someone close to the Duke program, I began to recognize some of Allen’s behavior as being similar to my own when I played soccer in high school.

Anger fueled some of my decision making as an athlete, and it occasionally manifested itself in flashes of Allen-esque physical play. It was never done with the intent to injure, but it was childish, self-indulgent, and embarrassing.

There were aspects of my life that spiraled out of my control during high school, and that chaos manifested itself in the same level of strange antics that have turned Allen into one of the most derided and reviled figures in the history of college basketball.

Last night, when ESPN shared a replay of Allen’s trip of an Elon University opponent, I tweeted “Grayson Allen is to basketball as @RealSkipBayless is to sports media – a relentless disappointment incapable of defying low expectations.”

Clever. Continue reading →

Crossroads Classic lives up to its name; Butler and Purdue get Ws, but all fans win

One day each basketball season I set aside all emotional investment in who wins. That day is today.

The Crossroads Classic is a wonderful event that celebrates the love for basketball that’s absolutely unique to the State of Indiana. Butler University, Indiana University, Notre Dame University, and Purdue University basketball programs and their fans came together today for a hoops party, and the action didn’t disappoint.

(I make no apologies to those from the other 49 states I may have offended who enjoy basketball in their own way. I’ve lived in a few states, and only in Indiana does passion for basketball run this deep. It isn’t close.)

Purdue fought back from a 17-point deficit to grind out an 86-82 win in the opener. Caleb Swanigan was outstanding with 26 points and 10 boards. Hard to believe the same Purdue defense that allowed the Irish to knock in 52 points in the first half held them to 29 in the second.

Great game. Continue reading →

Why do I love Seattle Seahawks CB Richard Sherman? His entertaining honesty

Richard Sherman makes people smile with his comments – especially himself.

Nothing beats honesty in a forum where you normally get relentless cliches.

Ask Seattle Seahawks defensive back Richard Sherman a question, and let the good times roll. Sherman is not only honest; he’s fearless – and wildly entertaining.

You might not always agree with what he says, but virtually everything he says elicits a response. When Sherman’s football career ends, there will be a seat awaiting him at whatever network is willing to provide him with the most intriguing combination of cash and opportunity.

Today, Sherman was asked about his Seahawks playing on Thursday night. He did not disappoint with his response.

“Poopfest. It’s terrible,” Sherman said. “We got home like 1 o’clock in the morning, something like that on Monday and then you’ve got to play again. Congratulations, NFL, you did it again. But they’ve been doing it all season, so I guess we’re the last ones to get the middle finger.”

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Yes, Thursday Night Football is a poopfest. I might have said “waste of time”, “exercise in futility”, “unwatchable”, or “brand killer”, but Sherman’s colorful description was exactly right.

The NFL might wince every time Sherman opens his mouth because they aren’t fans of unvarnished truth, but I love it – and him.

Asking the bodies of aging adults to engage in physical combat with only three days to recover and prepare leads to a product unworthy of the NFL Shield, regardless of the tariff paid by the networks that carry the games.

As a result, all those associated with the game suffer – except for those in the media lucky enough to ask Sherman about it.

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They grin as they get the quote of the week.

Kent Sterling hosts the fastest growing sportstalk show in Indianapolis on CBS Sports 1430 every weekday from 3p-7p, and writes about Indiana sports at kentsterling.com.

Colts out of the playoff picture – time to rebuild front office without Grigson

Ryan Grigson has had five years to show himself a genius or tool as the GM of the Indianapolis Colts. The only opinion that matters belongs to the owner of the team.

The predicted bounce back season of the 2016 Indianapolis Colts ended yesterday with a thud, and now we are left to figure out what the future holds for the franchise that less than two years ago was seen as a Super Bowl favorite.

Failing to meet expectations is a great way for a coach and general manager to get fired, and that prospect grew bright Sunday as the Colts lost to the Houston Texans in a must win game.

There were strategic lapses yesterday, but the unmistakable takeaway from the last 15 months of mediocre football is that minus a few players, the Colts boast a very average and non-dynamic roster – a roster compiled by the equally mediocre general manager of the Colts – Ryan Grigson.

That’s not a personal attack on Grigson, but a statement of fact – a professional assessment that springs from the best axiom in the history of team sports – Qr=Qgm. That’s the quality of the roster equals exactly the quality of the general manager’s work.

Through the draft and free agency, Grigson has built and rebuilt a roster that cannot run the football, cannot protect its young quarterback, cannot attack the opposing quarterback, and cannot adequately stop the run.

Ask yourself what at what disciplines these Colts excel. After kicking and punting, the list ends.

Rather than take my word that Grigson has designed a flawed team over the past five years, let’s look at the draft classes and free agents:

2012 Draft – B given the easy choice of Luck at #1

1 – Andrew Luck
2 – Coby Fleener
3 – Dwayne Allen
3 – T.Y. Hilton
5 – Josh Chapman
5 – Vick Ballard
6 – LaVon Brazill
7 – Tim Fugger
7 – Chandler Harnish

It’s unfair for us to judge Grigson either positively or dismissively for drafting Luck, who was the obvious/only option at #1. Hilton was a home run – an elite wide receiver that Grigson shrewdly traded for. Fleener and Allen were solid. Luck, Allen, and Hilton remain with the team. Fleener signed a free agent deal to play with the New Orleans Saints prior to the 2016 season. The rest of the draft washed out, although Ballard was very good prior to injuries derailing his career.

2013 Draft – F because there is no G or H in grades

1 – Bjoern Werner
3- Hugh Thornton
4 – Khaled Holmes
5 – Montori Hughes
6 – John Boyett
7 – Kerwynn Williams
7 – Justice Cunningham

None of these picks are still with the team. By any measure, this draft was a train wreck – an unmitigated disaster from which the Colts have never recovered. No point in belaboring this dark episode in the history of the Colts other than to remember the second round pick that is missing was dealt to the Miami Dolphins for cornerback Vontae Davis. That trade is the only evidence of Grigson’s sanity in this draft.

2014 Draft – D+ because of the Richardson deal – Mewhort and Moncrief were good picks

2 – Jack Mewhort
3 – Donte Moncrief
5 – Jonathan Newsome
6 – Andrew Jackson
7 – Ulrick John

The missing #1 pick in this draft was sent to the Cleveland Browns for running (kind of) back Trent Richardson. Any equity built through the trade for Davis was rendered moot by this awful deal that in fairness nobody whined about at the time. Mewhort has been a bright spot on the offensive line – a dark area – since this draft. Moncrief had been projected to enjoy a breakout season after developing nicely as a rangy second option for Luck behind Hilton. He’s been a little dinged up, and that has thwarted his progress. The other three picks are no longer with the team. No doubt the Richardson trade will be remembered as a debacle, but it also bears mention that this draft was very weak from the late first round on – minus a couple of quarterbacks the Colts had no need for.

2015 Draft – D+ at worst; C at best

1 – Phillip Dorsett
3 – D’Joun Smith
3 – Henry Anderson
4 – Clayton Geathers
5 – David Parry
6 – Josh Robinson
6 – Amarlo Herrera
7 – Denzell Goode

Through two seasons, Dorsett appears to have been a massive stretch as a first rounder, and Smith is no longer with the team. Anderson, Geathers, and Parry are solid contributors to a mediocre defense. Goode is a journeyman guard, but represents the only sixth or seventh rounder of the Grigson era to show any promise at all. Wouldn’t safety Landon Collins (chosen 33rd by the New York Giants) look good in a Colts uniform instead of Dorsett? Minus the obvious pick of Luck in 2012, this class is Grigson’s masterwork.

2016 Draft – C- at worst; B+ at best

1 – Ryan Kelly
2 – T.J. Green
3 – Le’Raven Clark
4 – Hassan Ridgeway
4 – Antonio Morrison
5 – Joe Haeg
7 – Trevor Bates
7 – Austin Blythe

Still too early to tell about the lasting impact of this group. Kelly is expected to anchor the Colts offensive line for a decade, and Haeg looks like a longterm starter. Green, Clark, Ridgeway, and Morrison all have positive attributes, but none projects as a starter for a championship team. We’ll see.

Free Agents

The good

Mike Adams
Edwin Jackson
Jerrell Freeman (although allowing him to leave for the Bears was an equal counter measure)
Frank Gore
Matt Hasselbeck
Darius Butler
Erik Walden
Cory Redding (kind of)
Patrick Robinson (kind of too)

The bad

Gosder Cherilus
Donald Thomas
Andre Johnson
Todd Herremans
Ricky Jean Francois
Josh Gordy (this was the result of a trade, but that only makes it worse)
Hakeem Nicks
Ahmad Bradshaw (this might be a little unfair as the risk was minimal, and the injury risk huge)
Art Jones
Darius Heyward-Bey
Greg Toler
Samson Satele
D’Qwell Jackson (maybe unfair, but the suspension and inability to cover certainly hurt the Colts just as Hayward-Bey’s inability to catch the ball hurt him)
Trent Cole

The ugly

LaRon Landry

Given this laundry list of five drafts and free agent classes, can any reasonable person evaluate Grigson as someone who should be retained to continue building this wobbly and thoroughly average roster?

Consider that the free agents who are on the good list include two (Hasselbeck and Redding) who has retired, two nearly at the end of the line (Gore and Adams), one who signed elsewhere (Freeman), and two who are productive but over 30 (Butler and Walden). Only Jackson and Robinson can be projected as a building block for the future, and he has his flaws.

The important negative is that if Grigson is retained, it will almost certainly be seen as a last chance saloon opportunity that will cause him to revert back into win-now mode. That means more high risk free agent signings and the dealing of draft picks for veterans.

The only option for owner Jim irsay is to cut the cord with Grigson and hire a 2016 version of Bill Polian.

Who’s that? I have no idea.

Colts lose to Texans 22-17 – and lose season in the process

Well, that’s that.

A long season filled with ups and downs, and it all came down to a screen pass dropped.

Maybe it’s a good thing in the end. Better to end all hope than perpetuate an unrealistic dream – at least for the fans.

There was some idiocy from the officials, even after a replay after a fumble where the ball carrier was ruled down by contact, but the facts remain this is a team with a mediocre roster, minus a few spots, and they just are not good enough to make a case for postseason play.

Even in the abjectly average AFC South.

Alibiing because of referees misses the larger point.

The coaches will make noise about fighting until the end, and how there is still a glimmer of hope, but after today’s loss to the Texans, it would take a two game swing with three to play for the Colts to win the division, and that isn’t going to happen.

In four-and-a-half months, the Colts will execute another draft, and maybe within that collection of talent the Colts might improve enough to make a run at one of the multiple championships owner Jim Irsay has demanded during the Andrew Luck Era.

Whether that draft will be executed by the current front office or not is a question to which only Irsay has the answer.

Selling a vision of hope to fans given the current Colts hierarchy is going to be very difficult.

Change is in the wind. We can feel it even with the roof of Lucas Oil Stadium closed.

Memo to ADs Collier, Glass, Bobinski, & Swarbrick – continue to schedule in-state opponents

Brenton Scott proved to himself last night that he can play with the Butler’s of the college hoops world.

No offense to Indiana or Butler (both programs I love), but how much fun was it to watch Fort Wayne and Indiana State beat their more talented and better-known in-state rivals?

It was great theater in front of fans in Fort Wayne and Terre Haute who lie awake at night dreaming of beating the media darlings from central Indiana.

For the favorites, those two games were miserable experiences that might negatively impact NCAA Tournament seeding as both the Hoosiers and Bulldogs look ahead to a successful run in March.

You can bet that as the clock hit zero, both Indiana’s Tom Crean and Butler’s Chris Holtmann silently cussed their respective athletic directors for scheduling a road game against an in-state opponent that would see the visit as a massive chance for validation and redemption.

Every player for Fort Wayne and Indiana State would have jumped at the chance to play for either Indiana or Butler, but for some reason – athletic liabilities, lack of length, behavioral inconsistencies, academic lapses, or some other slight disadvantage – those schools never offered the chance.

Motivation to prove someone wrong can coax a special performance out of a young man for 40 minutes, and there were plenty of those in both in-state upsets. Continue reading →

Colts ILB D’Qwell Jackson suspended – might have been purely selfless act by aging warrior

Colts ILB D’Qwell Jackson won’t be available for the rest of the season, but if not for the PEDs, he might not have been good enough to play this year at all.

The reflex is to see Indianapolis Colts inside linebacker D’Qwell Jackson as a selfish oaf for using the performance enhancing substances that caused his four-game suspension.

Jackson will be hammered locally for improving his body through chemistry because now he’s unavailable to the team for the rest of the regular season as they fight for the AFC South crown.

Through 12 games, the 33-year-old Jackson is leading the Colts in tackles with 78. The next closest Colt is safety Clayton Geathers with 59. The tackle stats for the Colts are a little misleading because Sio was cut by the team after four games, but is still tied for 7th with 30.

Jackson has never been incredibly fleet of foot or dependable in coverage, but this season his cover skills seemed to take a weird step forward.

As a key contributor to a young and mediocre defense, Jackson was counted on to cover for smooth over some of the raw work of young position mates Edwin Jackson, Josh McNary, and Antonio Morrison. Continue reading →