Random Indy News

            Here’s a bunch of stories that I didn’t want to devote a whole article to.

            First up, the 0-5 Indianapolis Colts. The Colts lost their fifth game against the just as awful Kansas City Chiefs last Sunday 28-24. Indy was up 24-14 at halftime, but was unable to score any more points in the second half. A lot of people are screaming that the defense should perform better, but the offense also needs to keep scoring. It seemed like the offense was playing a lot more conservatively in the third and fourth quarter instead of attacking like they did in the first two quarters.

            As for the defense, I think the hate needs to be directed towards the coaching staff. Whoever is calling plays for the defense needs to be fired because the Tampa 2 (or Cover 2) is not working. Teams know how to beat the defensive system and are obviously doing it. Nobody facing the Colts is wondering what we’re gonna do next on defense, because they already know! Our defensive backs never blitz, and our linebackers rarely blitz. Opposing offenses know all they have to do is run the ball and throw short passes and they will score a touchdown in no time.

-I’ll have a more detailed story on the Colts season next week.

            
            Second up is the NBA Lockout and how it affects the Indiana Pacers. The first two weeks of the regular season have already been cancelled and it’s looking rather bleak that the two sides will be able to come to an agreement in time for the rest of the season to be played. The Lockout not only hurts the Pacers on the court, but off the court. The Colts are absolutely abysmal right now, and the city of Indianapolis has nobody to root for. How great would it be for this city to fall back in love with a successful basketball team? Ever since Reggie Miller retired the Pacers have struggled to become a relevant team in the NBA and even in Indiana. The Brawl in Detroit in 2004 and all the off-the-court incidents pushed away just about every Hoosier that was a Pacers fan.

            After last year’s push to make the playoffs the Pacers earned a lot of respect and appreciation from folks in Indiana. Although not many people turned out for the three playoff games at Conseco Fieldhouse, there was way more blue and gold in Indianapolis than I’ve seen in a decade.

            There can’t be too many other teams that this lockout hurts more than the Indiana Pacers. Indiana had high expectations coming into the 2011 season, and for good reason. When Frank Vogel stepped in as interim head coach midway through the season, he took over a beleaguered team full of young players that had never experienced anything but losing. Yet he pushed them to play their hardest in every game and the Pacers soon became one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.  This really seemed like the year that the Indiana Pacers would return to relevance.

           

            Thirdly, the state of Indiana Hoosiers Football is embarrassing. I don’t know what’s going on in Bloomington but there’s no better word for it than embarrassing. The Hoosiers have a new coach this year, so that’s the main reason for their record of 1-5, but that doesn’t explain everything that’s awful about the team. How exactly does IU lost to the North Texas Mean Green? My god, you should never lose to a team with a cardinal direction in their name, but to lose to a team with a nickname like that? Come on. A school the size of IU’s should never be this horrendous.  
 UPDATE 10/14/2011 at 1:00 p.m. Indiana plays at Wisconsin on Saturday. Last year Wisconsin won the game 83-20. Some analysts are thinking the Badgers could get to 90 this year. I bet the Badgers win 75-14.

        

            Fourth, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is getting ready for its winter slumber. All the official track events are over until next year’s Indianapolis 500. It has been a tremendous year for IMS and its fans. The Indianapolis 500 and Brickyard 400 had two of the best finishes IMS history, and the 500 finish was one of the best ever in auto racing.

            Next year, there will be three engine manufactures competing in the Indianapolis 500. Honda, Chevrolet, and Lotus are all supplying engines for IndyCar Series teams. I can’t find an exact number, but there hasn’t been more than one engine manufacture, Honda, in the Indy 500 in years. Changes are also coming to Brickyard 400 weekend. The Sprint Cup Series will be joined by the Nationwide and GRAND-AM Series in what is being dubbed the “Super Weekend”.

            Last up, there are rumors that Madonna has been chosen to perform at the Super Bowl XLVI Halftime show. I hope this is not true. Madonna is a great artist, but she is well past her prime. I don’t have a clue as to who ultimately makes the decision on who performs, but somebody needs to get their head straight. If the NFL or Jim Irsay (owner of the Colts) wants a Madonna-type singer, why not get Lady Gaga? Or going in a different, and better, direction, how about John Mellencamp? Mellencamp was born and raised in Indiana. He bleeds Hoosierism. It would be so awesome to see John in front of the whole world singing songs about Indiana and America.

If you’d like to see Mellencamp perform at the Super Bowl in Indy then go “like” my Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Get-John-Mellencamp-to-perform-at-Super-Bowl-XLVI/175519059159941