I am disgusted and disturbed by the Colts loss tonight! I can't even describe the empty, sad, disturbing, unfulfilling, nauseating feeling when Coach Caldwell pulled the starters. I was extremely upset and can't comprehend the foolishness of this decision. Disgusting!
Seeing Peyton Manning sit on the sideline as his team slowly withered away and lost was excruciatingly painful. I know the anger, and rage pent up inside Manning as he sat around and watched. He was a gentleman and professional and towed the company line about not wanting to risk injury and letting some of the younger guys play.
I hate the decision to not play and let the other team win. This is football. This is sportsmanship. This is competition. This is America!
You can't bend over and let them beat you! It's against everything we stand for! You have to play to win the game! You can't play to lose! Where is Herman Edwards when you need him? Coach Edwards made famous the phrase, "You play to win the game!" Give me Edwards!
What made this worse, was that Manning played the entire first half and most of the third quarter and they barely had a 15-10 lead. Why not play one more series and go up 22-10 then let the others play?
Does the offensive line get to rest? No. Does the defensive line get to rest? No. Do the safeties and corners get to rest? No. Who did they rest? Their star offensive players. The guys who least need rest. Why should Manning and the WRs and RBs rest? When was the last time Manning ever got injured or needed a break? The guy has never missed a game. Why does he need to rest?
Do you know a really good way to rest the defensive starters? Keep Manning on the field and let the offense retain possession longer. That's how you rest.
I don't buy the "rest" or "risk injury" explanation. That is bogus. Injuries are not predictable. You can get injured at any time. You could get injured on the first play of the Super Bowl. Then what? A guy like Manning and Favre has never missed a game. Why rest? Why should they rest him to try and avoid injury?
On the brink of history, on the brink of having an undefeated regular season..... now, you suddenly don't want to play any more? Unbelievable!
How many teams have gone undefeated in the regular season? Only twice. Twice EVER! It's so rare. Why should you ever lose?
Michael Irvin a few weeks ago said he would trade in all his super bowl rings (3 of them) and his hall of fame bust to have one undefeated season. It's so rare and it's THAT good!
What about the big picture? What about winning it all? What's more important the Super Bowl or regular season games?
The Super Bowl is the ultimate goal. No argument there. I would rather win that than any regular season game. But, why not win all the games and the Super Bowl? If you can you should. Only the 1972 Miami Dolphins won every single game AND the Super Bowl. The 2007 Patriots lost to the Giants in the Super Bowl.
But remember week 17 in 2007? The AFC leading Patriots played the NFC leading Giants in a shootout that ended with the Patriots winning. That game propelled the Giants on 3 road victories in the playoffs, to the super bowl, and to the win in the Super Bowl! Had those two teams "rested" players, the outcome of the playoffs would have been different and the Giants would not have won the Super Bowl.
How many times have we seen the Colts rest players only to lose to the Chargers or Patriots? The only time the Colts actually did not get eliminated in the playoffs and went on two win the Super Bowl was 2006, when they didn't rest their players and did not clinch early! Want to win the Super Bowl.... play till the end! The Coltsare 0-3 in the playoffs when they have a first round bye. So, if you want to win the Super Bowl (or get there), you should play all your players. Or else you will be one and done again! The big picture is the Super Bowl, in order to get there, you have to keep playing. Especially, with all teh young guys on the team. Otherwise, you will not even make it.
I'm sorry but Bill Caldwell is a weak leader and has very poor vision and intelligence. Does Bilicheck rest players? Did Coughlin rest players? Did Walsh rest players? Did Cowher rest players? Did Gruden rest players? Did Reid rest players? Childress? Holmgren? Anyone?
Caldwell is an idiot, I'm sorry. His post game press conference was even worse. His interview on NFL radio was nonsensical. What a total disgrace and disaster. I don't understand how you can ever justify giving a game away and losing on purpose. Caldwell is the worst example of leadership I have seen in a long time. Wow! He inherited a darn good team, he better hope the don't fall on tough times, he can't lead them out of it! Sad, sad, sad case!
What about being the first rookie coach to ever go undefeated? Or the players to go 16-0? If you played all your players, and Manning got injured in the last game against Buffalo and Buffalo won, no one would say anything. I'd much rather get injured and not get to 16-0 than, be benched and not get to 16-0. How demoralizing and deflating!
I'd much rather explain to my kids that we lost, because I got injured than.... we lost because coach didn't want to win. Awful!
What about the integrity of the game? By resting you allowed the Jets to win, and allowed them into the playoffs. Is that normal?
Thirty years ago, the Raiders were playing the Bengals in the final week of the season. The Raiders already clinched homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. If they let Cincy win, the Steelers would be eliminated. No one wanted to play the Steelers. They destroyed Cincy in the final week of the regular season. Then demolished the Steelers the next week in the playoffs. Resting never, ever crossed anyone's mind. It just doesn't happen. Ask John Madden about that story. The thought of resting was never a thought!
Rest? I still can't wrap my head around this. As a competitor, I can not understand not putting forth your best effort. Whether that be on a football field or in the hospital with your patients. It's sickening! And maddening!
Do not rest players! For God's sake no one is worth resting! Players are players. Each and every single one matters. No one is more important than anyone else. If you get injured, Ho, Hum... it happens!
As someone who plays a ton of sports, I can't ever see myself telling my team mates or coaching my players that we need to take a game off to rest. How can you justify that or explain it? Is there a valid justification? How can I honestly tell my team mates that I am not going to play, so I can rest? What the hell are you resting for? How can I coach my players correctly while resting the star running back? What do you even say?
What about playoff implications? Other teams playoff hopes and dreams can be screwed up and or revived by outcomes of these "blow off" games. Is it fair that the Colts let the Jets win and keep them in the play off hunt? Screws up the competitive balance. The Jets have no business in the playoffs. Unless, the Colts wanted a weaker team to make it. so they can play them later. But that is unlikely.
Football is about competition and playing to the last second, the last breath. No one should ever give a game away! Even if you think you will win some ultimate prize later! It's just a game. Play it with heart and play it to it's penultimate finish. Millions of people wish they could play in the NFL. You have that opportunity. Do't waste it!
Carpe Diem! Seize the day!
Disgusted beyond belief! This goes against everything we are ever taught! This rocks your soul!
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