Anyone who thought Colts owner Jim Irsay would take the high road following his team’s victory over Peyton Manning in his return to Lucas Oil Stadium hasn’t paid much attention to Colts owner Jim Irsay.
After inadvertently spicing up the game by explaining that the decision to move on from Manning arose at least in part from a desire to pursue championships over statistics, Irsay opted to attack those in the media who gave his words their plain meaning -- a plain meaning that left Broncos coach John Fox livid. It’s no surprise that Irsay, emboldened by Sunday night’s win and the game ball he received after it, would keep swinging.
“As OWNER,Buck stops with U,” Irsay declared after the 39-33 win. “In 1997 n January 2012,alone n the room, plotting the vision 4 Greatness! Strategically decades of success follows.”
Later, Irsay threw one final grenade at those who dared point out that the emperor may have been riding down the street, butt naked on a horse.
“Thanks 2 many ignorant n mean spirited media types,only some,certaInly not all;Man you helped FIRE UP our team..you were AWESOME! Thank YOU!” Irsay said.
So let’s get this straight. Irsay said something stupid, Broncos coach John Fox and “some” in the media reacted, and that “helped FIRE UP” the Colts?
The truth could be that the Colts managed to win despite the best (worst) efforts of their owner to screw everything up.
Meanwhile, Irsay and the Colts will have to sweat out the possibility of a rematch with Manning in January.
“I am kind of in some ways somewhat relieved that this game is over and I feel like hopefully we will have a chance to play these guys again because that would mean we made the playoffs,” Manning told reporters after the game. “We have a long way to go before then but you can certainly see them being in the postseason for sure and if there is a next time, it may be a little bit easier just because it was somewhat of an emotional week and it can be a little bit draining, I will say that.”
There’s indeed a long way to go, and the Broncos now have to focus on digging out of a one-game hole in their own division. But last night’s game clearly involved a pair of teams destined for the postseason. Maybe they’re destined to meet again when they get there.
And maybe the Colts once again will win despite the best (worst) efforts of their owner to screw everything up.