He still has Irsay too low. I don’t know what Jerry Richardson has done to deserve three spots higher than Irsay. He dings Irsay for stating the obvious.
6. Indianapolis Colts – Jimmy Irsay I always have positive things to say about Irsay, and not just because I’m hoping he’ll let me hang out with one of his rock-star friends (in case he’s reading: meeting Stephen Stills wouldn’t suck). He has a terrific stadium in a supportive city and presides over a team that, since 1999, has won more games (128) than any other franchise. While I’m fond of tweaking draconian team president Bill Polian for his, you know, Polian-ness, I can’t pretend that Irsay’s most important employee isn’t great at what he does, as was longtime coach Tony Dungy, an Irsay-motivated hire back in 2002 (successor Jim Caldwell hasn’t been so bad, either). If I have one, small criticism of Irsay’s performance over the past year, it’s that after Peyton Manning(notes) won his record fourth MVP award and led the Colts to a second Super Bowl in four seasons, the owner got a bit too caught up in the emotion of the moment. At media day, Irsay told reporters that Manning, whose contract expires after this season, would get a new deal and that “we know [he’s] going to be the highest-paid player in the league.” It was an innocuous comment, except that: a.) It handed Manning’s agent, Tom Condon, even more leverage than he already had; b.) It didn’t allow for the fact that Manning might not perform at his highest level on Super Sunday, thus slightly reducing said leverage; c.) the league’s uncertain labor landscape makes such a deal problematic, a reality which largely explains why Manning and the team still haven’t negotiated an extension; and d.) in the absence of a new deal, the NFLPA can now potentially cite the lack of Irsay’s words coming to fruition as supposed evidence that owners have conspired to keep costs down in the uncapped year. On the other hand, when all is said and done, I believe Irsay will find a way to pay Manning, and the quarterback will be the NFL’s highest-paid player, and Polian will keep finding really good players to put around him.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
