Former Colts backup QB Jim Sorgi will earn about $1.15 million as the backup to Eli Manning if he makes the New York Giants' roster next season, Mike Garafolo reported recently in the Newark Star-Ledger . . .
Also, profootball.scout.com writer Adam Kaplan reported late last week on Twitter tha Lilja failed a physical before being released by the Colts early last week. Lilja reportedly will visit Kansas City – the team that released him in 2004 after signing him as an undrafted rookie – so it will be interesting to see if he passes a physical and is signed there.
It's not uncommon for players to pass a physical with one team and not with another, but it still seems the most insightful comment of the offseason has come from Lilja's agent, Craig Domann, who said the move was because the Colts want to get bigger up front.
Until the Colts stop making moves that look like that's not true, it's probably safe to think that was the primary reason. . . .
Interesting news for those who follow the Colts in the blogosphere:
Nate Dunlevy, heretofore known as Deshawn Zombie, and Luke Dunlevy – heretofore known as Demond Sanders – are writing under their real names over at 18to88.com. Along with StampedeBlue.com one of the two best Colts blogs on the internet, 18to88.com has been written by the brothers Dunlevy under their Bob Sanders-based pseudonyms for as long as it has been in existence.
No more.
"In honor of having finished the first draft of my book on Colts' history, we are officially dropping the pen names we've been using for the past three years," Nate Dunlevy writes, adding, "Originally, we were just screwing around when we started this blog, and never figured anyone would read it. . . . Personally, I enjoyed having an identity that was separate from my normal life, but over time the names "Demond Sanders" and "Deshawn Zombie" have outlived their usefulness. For almost a year now, our names have been posted on the website although discretely."
Since beginning Indy Football Report, I've changed my stance on the pseudonym blogger thing a bit, and tend to agree more than I used to with those who say using a pseudonym has little to do with the quality of a post. BigBlueShoe, who runs StampedeBlue, did solid work covering the Super Bowl and posts entertaining traffic-drawing content year-round – and that's true no matter what name he uses.
Still, from a perception standpoint, using a real name adds some credibility to some, and if the Brothers Dunlevy are going to write as such, I wanted to pass along the change. . . .
We'll close the morning with a thought on the comments last week by former Colts WR Hank Baskett about what really happened on the onside kick that changed the momentum of the Super Bowl.
Baskett, who signed as a free agent with Philadelphia – the team that released him early this past season allowing the Colts to sign him – said he had possession of the ball only to let it go, allowing the Saints to get possession.
“I took the steps back and then I saw it coming,” Baskett said, speaking to reporters at a press conference after re-signing with Philadelphia. “I went and it took a bad bounce and I don’t know how I had a second chance. I crawled under everybody and got back on it. It was a long time underneath there.
“Guys on our team attested that they heard it was ‘blue ball’ so when I started getting up, another guy poked it out and that’s how the guy got it. It was a long battle. I’ll tell you, it seemed like we were down there for a good half hour.”
This understandably has led to some outrage in the Colts' blogosphere, and if I was a fan, it would get me pretty hot, too. Surprising, in a sense, that Baskett admitted to breaking what is pretty much a cardinal rule: In such a scrum/recovery situation, hold the ball until an official takes it from you and you see possession awarded.
Baskett also said he has been surprised he hasn't been criticized more for the play.
“I thought everybody was going to come down on me for it,” Baskett said. “As everybody knows, anybody who follows football, one play does not change the game. It sucks that the first onside kick in history before the fourth quarter had to happen to me. It was a battle underneath the pile, but I actually haven’t been just beaten down about it. I knew I was probably going to catch some grief.
“Of course, it’s the biggest game of the year, but not what I was expecting or anybody else was expecting.”
Colts fans hadn't been overly critical before. If he wasn't safely away in Philly, perhaps that would change a bit now, but at the same time, you get the idea people are moving on, just a bit.
Still, you do wonder if Baskett had failed to recover an Super Bowl-turning onside kick for Eagles, if Philly fans would be quite so understanding.
DAILY DIGEST: ON SORGI'S MOVE TO NEW YORK. HERE.
BRACKETT. "WE HAVE UNFINISHED BUSINESS. HERE.
COLTS ADDING TURNER AS ASSISTANT COACH. HERE.
COLTS FREE AGENCY: PLAYER BY PLAYER BREAKDOWN. HERE.
DEPARTURE OF BROCK, JACKSON SHOWS REALITY OF NFL. HERE.
NFL SCOUTING COMBINE
THE QUARTERBACKS. HERE.
THE RUNNING BACKS. HERE
THE WIDE RECEIVERS. HERE.
THE TIGHT ENDS. HERE.
THE OFFENSIVE LINE. HERE
DAILY DIGESTS:
COLTS C JEFF SATURDAY ON COLTS PRESIDENT BILL POLIAN'S POST-SUPER BOWL OL COMMENTS. HERE
BILL POLIAN WEIGHS IN ON NFL DRAFT. HERE
SUNDAY DIGEST: TOM MOORE. HERE.
A REFRESHINGLY ACCURATE READ ON PEYTON MANNING. HERE
CASSERLY: BEST DRAFT CLASS IN 30 YEARS. HERE
OFFSEASON PRIMERS:
THE QUARTERBACKS. HERE.
THE RUNNING BACKS. HERE.
THE WIDE RECEIVERS. HERE.
THE TIGHT ENDS. HERE.
THE OFFENSIVE TACKLES. HERE
THE OFFENSIVE GUARDS. HERE
THE CENTERS. HERE
THE DEFENSIVE ENDS. HERE. MORE COLTS NEWS POLIAN: THE PAST IS PROLOGUE. HERE.
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