With rookie minicamp in the books, Colts’ players get one last short vacation before officially returning to work and beginning OTAs – Organized Team Activities – on May 15th. With the 2012 regular season now less than 5 months away, the Colts are working hard to ready themselves for play after enduring some of the most radical offseason changes in recent memory. The team’s attitude is one of determination; these Colts are willing to do whatever it takes. But this week, #ColtsNation learned that sometimes “whatever it takes” can overstep some boundaries.

Rookie Camp Review

The Colts ended rookie minicamp last Sunday, and most walked away from the orientation impressed. According to ESPN’s AFC South blogger Paul Kuharsky, the rookies handled Coach Pagano’s “overload” of playbook information pretty well. Recently-drafted Colts TE Coby Fleener told the Indy Star’s Phil Wilson that Andrew Luck had already mastered several 30-word play calls. It’s all systems go in Naptown, but the team isn’t taking any chances on their new prized quarterback. Luck was required to wear a red jersey - an indication the player is not to be touched – during all workouts. This was a practice Peyton Manning refused to follow, saying he didn’t like to be separated from the other members of the team. However, Luck will have to reach more of a veteran status before he can be awarded this privilege.

Grounded…literally

With camp over, Luck will not be able to return to Indianapolis until mid-June, after he finishes his final undergraduate exams at Stanford. To help with the missed practice time, Jim Irsay offered his private jet to the soon-to-be-graduate to help him organize workout sessions with out-of-town players. However, the offer was made prematurely and without much thought. According to league rules, the move is prohibited. The offer of Irsay’s jet would be viewed as an impermissible bonus – a way of “skirting the salary cap.” That means Luck will have to fly commercial – meaning the seat next to him will be up for grabs. Let the bidding war begin.

Back to Anderson

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
For a while, there was speculation that the Colts would not return to Anderson University for their 2012 training camp. However, the team will in fact return to the facility for the third straight year, and the camp will be open to the public. Players will report on July 28th, and the first practice will take place on July 29th. Andrew Luck will be back by then.

You May Not Have Known…

Twitter is the place to go for little-known facts and obscure statistics, and these two tweets were the most eye-opening for me this week. I’m sure you’re all aware of the excessive amount of wheelin’ and dealin’ that took place during the first round of the NFL Draft. In a very bold move, the Cleveland Browns traded up to draft the dynamic running back from Alabama, Trent Richardson. However, did you know that the Browns inquired about Luck? Apparently the Browns contacted the Colts about possibly trading for the first pick so that they could acquire the Stanford prodigy. Thankfully, the Colts said no.

Another fun fact involves the Colts second-round draftee – Coby Fleener. Fleener majored in Communications at Stanford, and he wrote a feature on SI writer Peter King for a school assignment. The story was posted on Twitter, and it’s incredibly well written. I see a second career for Fleener – as a fellow Communications student, I can appreciate good writing, and I was impressed.

Goodbye to Addai

In the final news story of the week, Colts running back Joseph Addai signed with the New England Patriots this week – in other words, he went to the dark side. Addai was the Colts’ first round selection in 2006, and he played six years with the team. He became a fan favorite and was elected to the Pro Bowl in 2007. He didn’t go to the most desirable location – at least, in the eyes of many fans – but he is certainly going to a team with talent and should fit in well with the Pats’ offensive scheme. Remember, #ColtsNation, the NFL is a business, and these kinds of things happen all the time. Be happy for Addai and remember all the great moments he gave us. Listen to Robert Mathis!

That’s all #HorseBytes has for you this week. Check back in next Friday for updates on the first OTAs of the year!

Is football really over? With all the media coverage and scrutiny continually surrounding Jim Irsay and Peyton Manning, you’d think we were in the middle of an AFC playoff race. Which reports are true, and which are false? No.18 himself may not even know the answer, but #HorseBytes will help you separate truth from fiction by giving you the stories straight from some of the Horses’ mouths.

See the tweets after the jump…

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As if there weren’t enough skepticism surrounding Colts’ quarterback Peyton Manning, actor Rob Lowe tweeted late Wednesday evening that the great No. 18 had decided to hang up his jersey for good after missing all of the 2011 season with a neck injury. Of course, this sent Twitter and #ColtsNation into a frenzy that left millions of twits looking for answers. In this special edition of #HorseBytes, I’ll take you through the madness that was the “tweet heard `round the Horseshoe.”

So here’s the infamous tweet: straight to the point and straight through Colts’ fans hearts. Needless to say, chaos ensued. Apparently unaware of the mass feedback he would receive, Lowe sent out a second tweet meant to calm the concerned.

So, Lowe traced back a couple steps, putting a twist on his initial “report” and labeling it instead as a rumor. But Twitterverse still wanted answers, and ESPN Senior NFL Analyst Chris Mortensen was the first to cite evidence that Lowe was reporting false information. His source? Archie Manning, Peyton’s dad.


Jason La Canfora, another NFL reporter, also spoke to a credible Manning source who refuted the report: Peyton’s agent, Tom Condon.

Lastly, Colts owner Jim Irsay set the record straight.

Hallelujah! The day is saved. But why would Lowe tweet something that wasn’t true? Jacob Tamme had an idea.

Rob Lowe is part of the main cast of the NBC television show, “Parks and Recreation.” The show is rumored not to be doing well. Was Lowe’s tweet really just an underhanded way to draw attention to himself and his show?

Maybe. Lowe also could have tweeted to draw attention to his newly released book. Just a day after his Manning tweet, Lowe had this great news to share:

Oh, and did I happen to mention that Lowe had a scheduled appearance on the Ellen Degeneres show the very morning after his Manning tweet?!

As you can see, the odds definitely aren’t stacked in Lowe’s favor on this one. For now, Peyton Manning is safe and sound in Colts uniform. Looks like this report is a phony. Case closed.

Thanks, Mr. Irsay.

Until next week, #ColtsNation! Don’t forget, for more Colts commentary, retweets, and Naptown’s Finest postings, you can follow me on Twitter @catierae08.