Author Archives: Kent Sterling

Indy’s Morning Sports List – Top 10 reasons Colts fans should thank Ryan Grigson

Ryan Grigson is taking a lot of criticism for the roster he built mostly through free agency, but there is some good to celebrate as well.

There will quite obviously be a companion list of reasons that Indianapolis Colts fans should demand general manager Ryan Grigson be replaced, but today’s list is a look at the positive side of the ledger – which features a considerable list of successes.

Grigson’s reign has been marked by high risk ventures – some have paid dividends, and others have not. To use coach Chuck Pagano’s favorite prop, Grigson has put many chips on the table. Several have added to the Colts stack and others have been lost to the house.

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The list is going to reflect moves that led to three straight 11-5 records, two AFC South championships, and one trip to an AFC Championship Game. Those records are results of Grigson’s work – caused by moves listed here.

Here are 10 reasons Colts fans should celebrate the return of Grigson as the architect of the Colts roster:

1 – The trade of a second round draft pick to the Miami Dolphins for cornerback Vontae Davis brought a lock down corner to the Colts – at least he was among the very best in the NFL in 2014 before regressing a bit in 2015. There are few positions more important to success in the NFL than a cover corner, and getting Davis for a second rounder was a very effective way to upgrade a position of urgent need. Continue reading →

Indy’s Morning Sports List – Top 10 irrational responses to massacre in Jacksonville

Despite the worst loss of the Chuck Pagano era, the Colts still control their playoff destiny. Because of that, none of the whimsical responses to a bad beat listed below are necessary.

The Indianapolis Colts allowed an improving but inferior Jacksonville Jaguars team to run away with the first AFC South matchup the Colts have lost in three years.

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Fortunately for the Colts, the game ended after 60 minutes because the 51 points the Jags tallied could easily have exploded to 60 or 70 with another five minutes on the clock.

What makes this loss all the more galling is the fact the Colts led this soon-to-be debacle 13-3 with under two-minutes to play in the first half.

You can bet owner Jim Irsay was steaming in his suite – hotter than hot, face red as Rudolf’s nose – as the Colts went from executing well enough to beat a team that has drafted in the top 10 in every draft since 2008 to twisted human wreckage incapable of competing in any phase.

The Jags suck, but today the Colts sucked much harder.

In quality NFL organizations, anger is allowed to subside before big calls are made about the direction of a team. Deep breaths are taken, and circumspection is embraced by quality leadership. If a coach were fired every time an owner got angry, none would survive a season.

The Colts have been a steady-eddy franchise since Jim Irsay took over as owner from his father in 1997 with two GMs anointed, four coaches hired, and two starting quarterbacks acquired.

If Irsay was a nut, Pagano was a kook, Grigson had bubbles in his think tank, or fans were manic loons, they might indulge lunacy with any and all the following moves to overreact to what was by all accounts a pathetic performance in Jacksonville:

1 – Irsay fires Chuck Pagano. A seemingly agreeable environment in the front office was revealed as anything but when Irsay and general manager Ryan Grigson made the call to not offer Pagano the level of extension Pagano believed he deserved. After three straight 11-5 seasons, Pagano felt he deserved better. It is assumed Pagano is a goner unless the Colts qualify for the Super Bowl, and those prospects look bleak after today. If Irsay was a mentally unstable owner, he would fire Pagano before the team plane lands in Indy.

2 – Irsay vows to open roof regardless of conditions last two home games. As a consequence for fans who took to Twitter in droves to express their dissatisfaction during today’s collapse, Irsay has decided to hit them where it hurts – in their need to be snugly indoors while watching football.

3 – Fans cancel season tickets. “Ahh, to hell with these clowns! After what the Jags did to Hasselbeck, if I had been out there, I would have put Bortles down! If they aren’t going to compete or even back up their senior citizen QB, I’m done writing checks!” Good thing for the hundreds of fans who screamed that today while watching on TV that the Colts ticket office is closed Sundays.

4 – Grigson signs Trent Richardson as free agent. If Grigson is going to go down, he’s going down in a blaze of glory. He thrives on fans’ confusion, and nothing could baffle them like the return of T-Rich – the 25 year-old washout for whom Grigson dealt a first rounder.

5 – Grigson fires Rob Chudzinski. Another delay penalty – and this one inside the Jags 10 – and a lack of sustained drives against a defense that has trouble getting to the QB causes Grigson to expel the second OC in six weeks. Four-of-16 in third down efficiency is not going to get the job done, and so empty boxes await Chud as he returns to the Colts Complex. An entirely reconstituted offensive line might be a better reason for the issues than Chud’s calls, but Grigson demands Chud’s head.

6 – Denzelle Good changes his name. After Pagano yells in a film session that Good isn’t good enough, Denzel changes his last name to “Better”. Pagano then asks why he stopped at “Better” and he shoots for the moon by becoming Denzelle Bestest.

7 – Irsay fires Grigson. Three straight blown 1st round picks (counting Phillip Dorsett, which is premature) and an offensive line with a seventh round pick at left tackle is causing mayhem has Irsay as his wit’s end. If he’s going to make the change anyway at the end of the season, he might as well pull the trigger now.

8 – Pagano channels Billy Martin – pulls starting lineup out of a hat. The result is David Parry at running back, Joe Reitz as a receiver, and Jack Mewhort as right tackle. Wait a second, this may have been going on all season.

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9 – Fans shoot their TVs. Somebody has to pay for this mess, and it’s the damn TV that brings the bad news into our homes, so why not grab one of the firearms used by millions of Hoosiers to protect their homes and end the transmission before they are bombarded by more bad news?

10 – Irsay fires Bob Lamey. Misidentifying players and outbursts of wild emotional highs and barely audible lows have earmarked Lamey’s 20+ annual performances for decades. They are quaint when the Colts win, but when they lose, it infuriates fans and front office staff alike. Irsay finally decides to cut the cord.

It bears mention that if the Colts win this Sunday at home against the Houston Texans, they will again be in the drivers seat to win the AFC South. This season isn’t anywhere near as close to over as many fans believe it might be after being routed by the Jaguars.

Take a deep breath, relax, and hope for the best with three weeks left in a season that still has the potential to be very rewarding.

Indy Morning Sports List – 10 reasons why Indiana fans are staying away from Assembly Hall

Just prior to the tip against IPFW, empty seats and filled seats appeared roughly equivalent. Those empty seats are there for a variety of reasons.

On my way home from hosting my radio show last night, I listened to Jake Query explain the decline of Indiana Basketball under Tom Crean on his radio show.

He compared IU hoops to a Tonka Truck. Back in the day, Tonka toys were virtually indestructible. Dads could pass them down to sons they lasted so long.

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Today. Tonkas look the same, but in six months they wobble. In a year they are in the trash.

Like Tonkas, Indiana Basketball looks the same as it did once upon a time with the Candy Stripes, under eight timeout celebration, no names of the jersey backs, and Chuck Crabb on the PA, but if you scratch a little paint off the surface, you see that the program is different.

I liken it to a circus I saw when I was a kid. After a couple of trips to Chicago Stadium to see the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, I was excited when a circus came to my hometown 35 miles north of Chicago. Continue reading →

Indy’s Morning Sports List – 10 things sports parents can do to maximize experience for kids

Pointing at a kid while you talk is a good sign you should take a deep breath and re-think your position.

There is a harrowing and tragic first-person recollection by former NHL player Patrick O’Sullivan about beatings, fear, and misery inflicted by a father at theplayerstribune.com that all sports parents should read.

O’Sullivan’s dad was a frustrated hockey player who tried to live his failed dreams through Patrick. His motivational techniques were barbaric, and while O’Sullivan played in the NHL for several years, the emotional and physical torture inflicted caused scarring that will never heal.

Sports parenting is an inexact art, as is all parenting. Kids have dreams, parents invest emotionally and financially in realizing those dreams, and suddenly things spiral out of control in a way that fill todays with fear and tomorrows with regret.

The problem isn’t necessarily the development of ambitious goals by and for kids, but that a child’s success in sports leads to a feeling of validation for a parent.

Here is a list of positive sports parenting tactics built through experiences among many who did it the right way, and several who were a total mess:

1 – Your kid isn’t the only one out there. If your son or daughter plays a team sport, there are teammates who should be considered as something other than impediments between your child and success. Support them, and your child will learn how to be a supportive teammate, which might be the most valuable longterm outcome of participating. Continue reading →

Indy’s Morning Sports List – 10 reasons why Pacers fans should revel in last night’s loss to Warriors

It appeared Red Panda – the unicycle riding bowl-balancing halftime act might be the highlight of the night for Pacers fans. Not so fast.

Nobody likes losing or cheering for a team that loses, but those who were at Bankers Life Fieldhouse last night as the undefeated Golden State Warriors visited had reason to leave without being depressed.

And, by the way, congratulations to the crowd who never abandoned ship on the Pacers despite the 28-point deficit at the end of the third quarter. That faith was rewarded with a measure of fight that will likely define them this season.

Now, I’m not psychotic enough to think that looking at last night’s game as a relentless torrent of positive moments for the Pacers is rational for a Pacers partisan, but despite soft early defense, there was some good to focus on.

Here are the reasons last night’s loss to the Warriors didn’t ruin a night’s sleep for Pacers fans:

1 – Not a single team in the last decade of the NBA could have beaten the Warriors last night. They played a virtually perfect first three quarters. The level of execution and generosity in moving the ball on offense was so much fun to watch that fans were entertained despite being rooting for the Pacers. Continue reading →

Indy’s Morning Sports List – 12 interpretations of Tom Crean’s hug of Yogi Ferrell and Troy Williams

Some like this kind of hugging between a coach and player. Some don’t. All have a voice here.

The hugs for Hoosiers Troy Williams and Yogi Ferrell by coach Tom Crean toward the end of the Indiana vs. Morehead State game Saturday night have generated some attention over the past couple of days – some positive, some not.

Like most things Crean does, the hugs can be assessed in a variety of ways – some complimentary, some critical.

Rarely has there been a figure in sports whose actions could be viewed in such a wide variety of ways.

Here is a list of 12 takes on Crean’s hugs Saturday night:

1 – As a leader and coach, it’s important for Crean to show his love for players. Hugging is a great way to do that.

2 – Crean wants to be perceived by players and fans as a close behavioral relative to Tom Izzo, who is a very emotional coach given to occasional outrage and overt displays of adulation. The difference between Izzo and Crean’s hugs is that Izzy’s players initiate the hugs, while Crean engages his players. Continue reading →

Indy’s Morning Sports List – Top 10 best & worst moments of weekend

Tom Crean hugs and pats Yogi Ferrell in a way I would not want my son hugged and patted.

Tom Crean hugs and pats Yogi Ferrell to celebrate IU’s win Saturday.

Indiana, Purdue, Butler, and IUPUI won. The Pacers and Colts lost. And I played on an untalented but gritty team in a three-on-three driveway event. Throw some high school hoops into the mix, and there was plenty of good, bad, and a little creepy over the weekend.

Here is a list of my best and worst moments of central Indiana sports from the just-concluded weekend.

1 – Immediately after recovering a Pittsburgh Steelers fumble of the opening kickoff, Matt Hasselbeck threw an interception that foretold the kind of night the Colts would not enjoy in Pittsburgh.

2 – Michigan State’s 22-play game-winning drive was how a team playing for a spot in college football’s final four should win a conference championship. There were five third down conversions and one on a fourth down from the Iowa five-yard line with the season on the line that brought Sparty a Big Ten championship. The drive began with 9:31 remaining in the game and ended with just 27-seconds left on the clock. It was thrilling for Michigan State fans and grueling for Iowans. Continue reading →

Indiana Basketball – Hoosiers better step up against Morehead State or tonight could be miserable

Today's game against Morehead State will provide Tom Crean an opportunity to turn this odd season around.

Today’s game against Morehead State will provide Tom Crean an opportunity to turn this wobbly 5-3 season around.

Morehead State is the kind of underfunded program that big schools love to schedule as a patsy to happily show up, accept their appearance fee, and move on to conference play to try to earn a #15 or #16 seed in March Madness.

Unfortunately for some of their opponents, Morehead State coach Sean Woods wasn’t paying attention when told it’s job is to lose. His Eagles didn’t show up Wednesday night to take its beating at Saint Louis – they won by 15, outrebounding the Billikens on the offensive glass 10-2. And they posted wins at home against Conference USA members Southern Miss and Marshall. Granted, those aren’t Duke, Kentucky, or even a lesser member of a Power Five conference, but they show a team not intimidated by buildings or the height and recruiting pedigree of opponents.

The Eagles will likely go down fighting at Indiana today to three McDonald’s All-Americans and $3-million coach in a basketball mecca the likes of which Morehead State rarely sees unless watching the Hoosiers on ESPN. Continue reading →

Indy’s Morning Sports List – Nine of my favorite sports media types in Indiana

Mark Boyle does his job with relentless professionalism and borderline perfection.

[Ed. Note – These are not rankings, and since their original publication early this morning I have removed the numbers to alleviate any confusion. Seems several of the people listed were quite sensitive as to where they fell on the list. I literally drew their names out of a hat to determine the order. There is no ranking the amount of esteem in which I hold these people.]

This is by no means an all-encompassing or complete list of either my favorite or the most important sports media members in Indiana – just a group that is really interesting to me for a variety of reasons.

I haven’t included a healthy number of journalists I thoroughly respect just because extolling their virtues would be a dull and repetitive exercise. For example, the Indianapolis Star’s Stephen Holder and Zak Keefer are both remarkably talented writers covering the Indianapolis Colts. Both are very nice guys. Both do their jobs at the highest level. There are a lot of people like that in town, and frankly reading a paragraph devoted to each would be drudgery for you. I will save the TV anchors for another list entirely for the same reason.

Here are nine (in no particular order) really interesting people who devote their time and attention to providing you with fascinating coverage of Indiana sports:

Malcolm Moran – Sports Capital Journalism Program at IUPUI Not only is Malcolm a great story teller and hall of fame basketball writer, he is training young journalists to answer the challenges of an ever evolving multi-platform sports content generation business. His students learn that it isn’t writing that makes a post/column great; it’s editing. While it’s wonderful that anyone with a laptop and a few bucks to buy a URL and website design on wordpress can become a well-read contributor to a sports perspective marketplace, men like Malcolm are working diligently to ensure they know what the hell they are doing and what their responsibility is in telling the stories of games/athletes/coaches. Continue reading →

Indy’s Morning Sports List – Top 10 reasons to feel good about IU Basketball

Seems like a long time since Tom Crean and IU fans celebrated together. Maybe there are a few reasons for optimism.

Okay, I admit it. This is just an intellectual exercise to see if I can come up with 10 reasons for optimism about IU Basketball without getting snarky. Last night’s loss at Duke was miserable. The defense was pathetic, and it was one of those 20-point losses that felt much worse.

But like Tom Crean said after the game, “It’s December 3rd!” If Indiana fans can’t find reasons to look forward to watching the Hoosiers, it’s going to be a long winter (unless they are willing to watch Butler or Purdue, who both appear capable of playing at a very high level).

1 – Indiana is still tied atop the Big Ten with a 0-0 record. There is a lot that can happen for and to a basketball team in the four weeks that will pass before IU plays its first non conference game at the end of the month.

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2 – The Big Ten might be down this year. Minus Michigan State, Maryland, and Purdue, nobody looks great. Illinois almost lost to Chicago State. Wisconsin did lose to Western Illinois. Rutgers lost to St. John’s. Penn State has lost to both Duquesne and Radford. There are Big Ten wins to be had, and if IU can get to nine, they are likely going to the NCAA Tourney.

3 – Collin Hartman is competing hard. He’s a solid component contributing in a way that would be useful to a really good team. That Indiana has not been really good to this point is not due to Hartman’s play.

4 – Next three opponents are against Morehead State, IPFW, and McNeese State at home. Those appearance fee opponents should provide Indiana with a chance to catch its breath, recalibrate, and prepare for Notre Dame in the Crossroads Classic. Don’t sleep on Morehead State though. Sean’s Woods is a really good coach, and they will defend hard.

5 – There is plenty of talent on the roster. You can’t teach what Indiana has in abundance, and while it remains to be seen if Crean can teach this group to defend with precision, grit, and intellect, the athleticism of the Hoosiers is beyond question.

6 – Maybe this tough stretch will breed humility. The Hoosiers of the past two-plus seasons appeared to believe they hit a triple when getting to play in Assembly is actually third base. They can be haughty and entitled, and that hubris needs to be corrected. Losing might just bring them (Crean too) to their knees to ask for help.

7 – The media was wrong when they ranked IU #13, maybe they are wrong now to write off the Hoosiers. Teams are rarely as good or bad as they are reported to be, and the media hates the Hoosiers this morning.

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8 – 51% and nine turnovers. Even when playing in a hostile environment like Cameron, Indiana executed offensively and scored very well. Shooting 51% and committing only nine turnovers on the road shows an offense that can play at a high level. That’s half the game, right?

9 – Off-court behavior has been out of the news. It’s been over three months since one of the Hoosiers screwed up by getting caught with booze in the parking lot of the old Kenny’s Food Mart. That’s not a huge accomplishment to be celebrated, but it beats the alternative.

10 – Tom Crean is going to keep working. Say what you will about Crean, but he wakes up every morning engaged in the process of getting the most out of his team. He works tirelessly, and hard work is the only chance the Hoosiers have to improve in a meaningful way.

That was much less hard than I thought it was going to be. My only regret is in expending this much energy writing about a team that is failing to meet self-imposed unreasonably high expectations when Butler and Purdue have been playing so hard and well. It would be a lot more fun to extoll the virtues of those two units than continue to focus on the Hoosiers.