I used to LOVE the TV show "The Wonder Years."

I mean, every guy could relate to being the kid who was forever chasing that one girl that he just couldn't get.  We've all been Kevin Arnold at some point, just hoping to get Winnie Cooper to go out with us.

To me, the problem with the show became when Winnie finally said "yes" and went out with Kevin.  From that point on, "now what?" seemed to be the question. Where could the show go now that Kevin had finally achieved what the entire series was built on.

"Now what?"

That seems to be the position that the Indianapolis Colts are in now that they've finally won their "Winnie," better known as the Vince Lombardi Trophy. What do the Colts have left to do? What do Peyton Manning and Tony Dungy have left to prove?

"I don't look at it as I have anything to prove," Manning told me. "I just want to do the best I can for this team. In some ways we almost feel like we want to reach back and make up for some of the ones that got away back in '03 and '04."

In case you don't remember, '03 was the year that Manning was NFL co-MVP with Steve McNair. The Colts finished 12-4 before losing the AFC Championship game in New England. '04 was Manning's 49-touchdown season, another 12-4 mark and another playoff loss at the Patriots in the divisional round..

Ironically, it's those two disappointing seasons, or more specifically the year after each of those disappointing seasons, that the Colts believe will help them handle being this year's defending champs.

"We've done a real good job of coming back from past playoff losses and had quick starts the next season," Dungy said. "We've been able to put the past in the past as soon as the following year begins."

"We've done a good job of coming back from tough finishes to seasons and been able to put it behind us the following year," Manning echoed before adding, "plus, it's not fair to the young guys in here for us to keep talking about last year and living in the past. I know that when I was a rookie I wanted the veterans to be as excited as I was about this NFL thing and (be in) the here-and-now."

With (1) rookie Tony Ugoh replacing retired all-pro left tackle Tarik Glenn, (2) rookie Anthony Gonzalez taking Brandon Stokley's spot as the slot receiver, (3)  second-year man Freddy Keiaho filling in for the departed Cato June at outside linebacker, and (4 & 5) Marlin Jackson and Kelvin Hayden the new starting corners in place of both Nick Harper and Jason David, the young guys will be a big part of the 2007 version of the Colts. It remains to be seen if they can live up to the 2006 model.

All those changes and we haven't even mentioned the loss of Booger McFarland at defensive tackle for the season with a knee injury.

A lot of change for a team wanting to get to the Super Bowl, not to mention one wanting to get back there. But Dungy and Manning truly believe that in this case, change is good.

"I think it is," Dungy stated, "because guys don't come in thinking, 'we've got the same bunch of guys, so we just pick up from February 4th and go from there."

Manning added, "Yeah we've lost a lot of players, a lot of good players. But we've lost guys before and been able to keep going. We've got young guys in Ugoh and Gonzalez, but we've still got Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, and Dwight Freeney in here, too."

And that's why when you're around Indy you don't sense any worry. They feel that they are still talented, and more importantly, that they have done the work that it takes to still be a championship-caliber team. In fact, Dungy told me that in preparation for going through a year in which they are officially "the team to beat," he went back over notes from his old Super Bowl-winning coach Chuck Noll. He also spoke with Lions head coach Rod Marinelli, who was on his staff in Tampa and stayed on to win Super Bowl 37 as a member of Jon Gruden's, about the challenges ahead. He even chatted up San Antonio Spurs forward Bruce Bowen, a 3-time NBA champ, so that he could be as ready as possible.

What he learned was that "you try to do the same things you did before. Don't take it any easier, don't work them any harder".

I have no doubt that Dungy, Manning and most of the Colts will be as prepared as any team in the league. What I'm not sure about is the talent level on this team. While all of the changes may keep the team from becoming complacent, I don't think that the team is as competent on the field.

The players they lost were good players, but I think the fact that they are at key positions hurts them even more when it comes to having young guys take over. They've got one new starter on the defensive line, one at linebacker, two in the secondary. Tough for a defense to come together with new faces at each level.

Manning told me that the young guys on offense have worked hard, and they ask the right questions, so he knows that they understand their respective roles. He also believes that Joseph Addai is going to have, quote, "a phenomenal year" as both a runner and pass catcher.

All of this sounds great, but once this team hits the field there's no debating that they aren't as talented overall as the team that won it all last season. I also believe that the other teams in the AFC South are catching up, as well.

It would be foolish to sit here in August and say that the Indianapolis Colts are done because they are talented, and they have come back time and time again when counted out. But it's also foolish not to understand that with the level of success they've now achieved, anything short of another Super Bowl championship will be a disappointment.

THAT is a high watermark.