When it comes to being late on the uptake, I would say that this blog entry would most likely take the cake.  But as a Colts fan, I've finally sobered up from the dramatic AFC Championship game between the Colts and arch-rival New England Patriots.  This is pretty much a documentation, in chronological order, the emotions that went through me from pre-game kickoff to postgame party!

I'm a Colts fan.  Those four words strung together to form a sentence have plagued me for quite some time.  I have lived in NJ my whole life, that is correct, but in my eyes; I'm a proud, blue Colts fan.  My great-Uncle (mother's side) lived in Richmond, Indiana and was pretty much on his deathbed due to complications from leukemia.  This was my mother's last opportunity to see him alive and she was 8.75 months pregnant.  She had to see him one last time and took the long trek from South Jersey to Richmond and did in fact see my great-Uncle right before his tragic death.  But right before he died (about two days before), I decided to stretch my legs and sparing you from the details that we all learned in 7th grade, I was born in Indiana. 

That's a good story and all, but while I consider the Colts my team, I still have lived in Eagles country my whole life.  In fact, my top claim to fame is being from the same high school as Franco Harris, Irving Fryar and Alonzo Spellman.  But that's not why I'm typing this probably insanely boring piece. 

The pregame show on CBS pretty much felt like my own last meal.  I ate my ritual KFC Chicken Bowl and watched Boomer "Bill" Esiason, with the hoodie, discuss why the Patriots will win easily.  That knot in my stomach was as tight as humanly possible and I couldn't finish my bowl, something I would regret at around 11:30 ET, and I prepared for the game. 

As Phil Simms and Jim Nantz previewed the game, many thoughts raced through my head. 

"I bet the Colts get out early with a Manning-to-Harrison strike"

"The Patriots will probably run down the Colts throats and go ahead easily and stay there"

"I wonder whatever happened to Darko Milicic?"

Anyway, as Phil Simms went through one of his many "Simms Spotlights", I felt like I was about to play in the game.  I did a few stretches, downed a glass of water and even did a little impromptu jog-in-place exercise.  I considered running down the length of my house acting like I was on the Special Teams unit before the game even began!  As Manning nearly missed Joseph Addai in what could have lead up to be a quick score from the Colts, I shouted my first grunt of disapproval.  Now, I turned into a GEICO caveman and sat through the predictable Manning MasterCard commercials. 

Next thing I realize, Asante Samuel has just returned a Pick Six off of Manning.  The score?  21-3.  I literally just screamed in frustration, keep in mind that my 6th-month old nephew was there, raced up the stairs and just leaned against my bed.  I'm 15 years old, that's correct but instead of crying like I did when I was a lot younger, I felt just emotionless.  Perhaps the worst feeling in the world.  I punched the pillow a couple times and vented off using my favorite insults:

"I guess Dungy and Peyton are both cursed"

"Why can Peyton Manning read Ellis Hobbs and Samuel earlier in the season, at Foxboro nonetheless, but not at home"

"Playoffs?  Your talking about playoffs?!?!?"

Then I started thinking of drastic things that could happen in a football game.  Soon, I was still pretty damn frustrated but there was a small, minute ball of hope in my stomach, if the Colts could score a TD by the end of the half, we have a 21-10 game and Colts get ball first.  I felt that ball of hope slightly expand as Manning, with all of the pressure off and everyone counting him out, started finding guys like Aaron Moorehead, Ben Utecht and Dallas Clark for first downs.  Then, almost anti-climatically, the Colts drive stalled and they had to settle for a field goal.  I was still mad beyond belief as I slowly trekked down the stairs and sat in front of the TV; but as I heard Nantz saying "There's a still a possibility, right?"; I felt that I should at least have some minor hope.  They are in the AFC Championship game for a reason and were undefeated for a good portion of the year.  But as much as I hate Brady's nearly-pompous dropback and Belichick's self-gratifying hoodie pull, how the hell could they possibly screw up?  Brady is perfect in the playoffs, he can throw a football from a grassy knoll and through two human beings, without a scratch, while signing an autograph for Abraham Zapruder.

The second half started and I slowly started chanting "Fly Eagles Fly" for reasons that I even I can't explain to you.  I told myself repeatedly that I can never give up on this team.  I went through so many playoff disappointments though, that it just hurt to watch.  There was the 13-0 start last season, the 49-TD season two years back, the AFC Championship game where the Patriots were "ripe for the pickin'" and all of the losses predecessing that.  How can a team who's been so dominant in the regular season, not even MAKE a SB run in their decade or so of legacy.  It's mind-boggling but it goes to show you how different the playoffs are then the regular season. 

Then something miraculous happened.  Manning was calm, cool and collected in the pocket, WRs were getting open!  Addai and Rhodes, who for some reason has been a beast in the playoffs, were finding lanes to run in!  Nantz brought up the flu bug, which is a horrible thing to have and you have to give credit to Bruschi and the others for playing, and how fatigued one gets.  Almost methodically, Peyton just kept finding weaknesses in the Pats secondary (coughs: James Sanders :coughs) and as he barreled through for a QB sneak TD, I jumped for joy.  But here was the daunting task.  The Colts D had to contain the Patriots offense.  The most antagonizing thing is to see Brady check down all of his receivers and find Reche' Caldwell, of all people, wide open for a 25-yard gain.  But somehow, they did it.  My frustration was slowly turning into hope.  Then next thing I notice, Dan Klecko of all people, catches a 1-yard TD and Harrison gets the 2-point converstion to tie the game at 21!  That's when I thought, we are in for one of those, ESPN Classic games.  The ones that always dominate the more-important game (see Boise State vs. Oklahoma) and you remember more. 

Now, I'm going to bypass the rest of the quarter and go back to the "drive".  I will now mend an article I wrote specifically for the Colts drive (by the way, check out the site I write for http://coltsnews.com ) . 

They say that you can define yourself with just one big play, block, pass, run or drive. Peyton Manning may have just done that. Let's give you the Hollywood backdrop storyline that will be used when describing the 2007 AFC Championship game between the Colts and New England Patriots.

2:17

That time will go down in Colts history as their own version of "The Drive". Peyton Manning, coming off a thumb injury sustained about 5 minutes ago, slowly marches down the field. He takes a look at the formation the fatigued Patriots threw at him and calmly asks for the snap from Jeff Saturday. He looks across the middle, nothing is seen. Then he sees Reggie Wayne about 11 yards away and throws a pinpoint pass to him as Wayne drags his feet in-bounds. There is time left, but still a monument to pass through. Peyton Manning goes through a minor amount of gyrations and gets the snap, after a couple of seconds of anticipation he throws the ball out of bounds.

WAIT! He didn't throw the ball out of bounds, he threw it to 3rd-string TE Bryan Fletcher who is wide open on the sideline. Fletcher runs out-of-bounds and the Colts are in Patriots territory. Then, Manning gets the Colts back on the line of scrimmage, receives the snaps and hits Wayne on a short slant route that all-of-a-sudden breaks into a huge run! Wayne then gets hit by James Sanders and OH NO, THE BALL IS IN THE AIR! The ball gracefully falls into Wayne's hands and Colts fans heave a side of relief. Tony Romo, probably thinking that he may not go down as the biggest GOAT in the playoffs, cries as he bobbles the tissue used to blow his nose.

But as the Colts fans heartbeat considers returning to normal, a flag is on the play. I don't know about you, but I was thinking that Glenn decided to hold someone at an inopportune time. But I see Manning with a look of triumph on his face and the call is a Roughing the Passer call for an additional 15 yards! The Colts are now suddenly at the Patriots 12 yard line and past the two-minute warning! Then, methodically, the Colts eat away time, with a small run by Addai that gets them within the 10.

Now, the Colts fans, alumni and players (especially Addai) will remember this moment forever. In fact, I don't even want to repeat it, rather savor the memory. All you need to know is Addai runs up the middle for a TD and makes the score 38-34 with 1:00 left.

But apprehension is setting in. There is only a minute left but the Patriots have two timeouts left and oh by the way, Tom Brady at the helm. As Ellis Hobbs gets a marginal return, I'm receiving fleeting images of Ben Watson. I don't know why it was him, but I thought it was one of those weird thoughts you get before something unfortunate happens. As Jim Nantz and Phil Simms brag about the "clutch" drives of Brady and Belichick, I'm near heart-attack mode at age 15.

Brady calmly walks up to the shotgun and receives the snap, he drops back and sees Caldwell open and NO, he actually misses! Nantz remarks that Watson was supposed to pick up the route as Simms babbles on about one of his Spotlights. Anyway, Brady drops back and completes a pass to Daniel Graham to around the Colts 40. Still, as Brady lets time slowly tick away down to around :30 that they still have 60 yards to go. Then in Brady form, he finds the most random of all, Heath Evans, for a 12-yard gain and procedes to burn a timeout.

There is :25 seconds remaining. There is an awkward silence in the booth, as Brady drops back to pass and in a heartbeat, I see Marlin Jackson sliding with the BALL IN HIS HANDS!

I don't need to tell you about the kneel down but you are probably either reliving the game or celebrating and thinking only 9 more long days!

As Jim Irsay said, there's still ONE MORE GAME LEFT! No matter what the outcome is, how great was this? Think of the circumstances. Think of the 21-6 thumping in the first half. Is this storybook or do you believe in miracles? Cliche' yes, but I am proud to be a Colts fan!

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