I have three homes: Toronto (Mississauga, actually), Oswego, N.Y., and Indianapolis, Ind.
I enjoy reality in the one where I live. The other two are my spiritual homes because I feel a cosmic connection with the motor racing speedways in each of them.
I debate with myself periodically whether, in the unlikely event of my passing, I would want my ashes scattered over Oswego or Indy.
Ergo, because I am protective of both cities, I feel fully qualified to comment today on the scandalous manner in which Peyton Manning has been treated by the Indianapolis Colts.
Colts owner Jim Irsay should have given him that $28 million bonus and kept him around to either continue playing football or just go around smiling and shaking hands because everything that has happened to his football team and that city in the last 10 years is because of one guy and one guy only: Peyton Manning.
Without Manning, Indianapolis would not have become such a Colts crazy town (to the detriment of auto racing and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, by the way).
Without Manning, there would not have been a Super Bowl victory for the Indianapolis Colts.
Without Manning, the citizens of Indianapolis wouldn’t have given the almost-instant go-ahead they did for the funding and construction of the Lucas Oil Stadium.
Without Manning, there would not have been a Super Bowl game in Indianapolis.
And without Manning, Jim Irsay would not be the successful sports businessman that he is today.
Peyton Manning did not get hurt while fooling around at home with his kids. He got hurt playing football for Jim Irsay.
Everybody else who gets hurt on the job expects to be taken care of and Peyton Manning should not have been treated any differently.
A proud and loyal warrior like Peyton Manning should have been allowed to make any graceful exit he wanted.
That he was denied this - and given the boot, actually - is unbelievable.
In fact, it’s inexcusable.
For shame, Jim Irsay. For shame.
(Now that I've gotten that of my chest, we will return to our regularly scheduled motor racing rants/discussions/insights tomorrow.)
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