Post by icy on Jan 20, 2006 19:06:27 GMT -5
Originally published January 19, 2006
THE BAXTER BULLETIN
Colts' Manning, Dungy would take the gum
By GENE McCOY
Bulletin Sports Writer
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm enamored with FX's hit cop drama, The Shield.
A good buddy of mine clued me in to the well-written show's existence back in its first season, and by my first episode's end, I was hooked.
Forest Whitaker's addition to the cast in the show's fifth season — as Internal Affairs Division officer Lt. Jon Kavanaugh — has ratcheted the show up several notches.
Anyway, to my point. And trust me, The Shield reference does have a sports-related point.
In the season premiere of The Shield, Kavanaugh has a psychology trick where he continually offers a piece of Juicy Fruit gum to a subject.
When they refuse to take it, he keeps holding it out and insists that the subject of his yellow-packaged presentation take the gum. He entices. He insists some more. And finally the subject either refuses or takes the gum.
If the subject takes the gum, Kavanaugh knows the subject cracks under pressure.
Immediately, my buddies and I christened a new phrase for anyone who crack under pressure: "Taking the stick of gum."
(Example: Joe is a weenie, you know he'd "take the stick of gum".)
Well, it seems Peyton Manning, Tony Dungy and the Indianapolis Colts took a whole handful of Juicy Fruit and choked on it last Sunday in their embarrassing, 21-18 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC semifinals last Sunday.
Unfortunately, I picked the Colts to win the Super Bowl in print before the season began. I wasn't alone by season's end; an overwhelming majority of true experts picked the Colts, too.
No one in his or her right mind would have thought before the Pittsburgh game that The Rolling Stones would get more playing time on the Super Bowl field than the Colts.
Yet here we are. Mick and Keith will set foot on Super Bowl turf. Peyton Manning and Tony Dungy won't.
Like Emperor Palpatine in his prime, I should have forseen it. We all should have.
Joey Porter's thoughts about conspiracy theories were correct. However, it wasn't NFL referees conspiring for Indy, but cosmic forces conspiring against the Colts.
Not a believer in the old "what goes around comes around"? Not a believer in irony? Not a believer in signs? Well, try these on for size:
Manning hasn't won a big-time game dating back to college. I hear he still shakes like a college freshman under the influence of a case of Red Bull whenever he sees a Florida Gators' jersey.
Did you see the Indy quarterback's face when kicker Mike Vanderjagt shanked the potential game-tying, 46-yard field goal at the end of the game?
That's right, Peyton smiled. He knew it in his heart. It was his fate to lose the big game again.
Dungy. It's terrible what happened to the nice-guy coach in the weeks leading up to the AFC playoff upset. But this was a horrible performance on the field for his Colts, and he's the skipper of the now-sunken ship.
Why only 13 carries for running back Edgerrin James when the Steelers were killing you every time you called a pass?
Why allow your starters to take a few weeks off and expect to turn it on in the playoffs rust-free? Guess the switch doesn't flip that way when it hasn't been used in awhile.
This should be a lesson to most NFL coaches facing a long layoff before their first playoff game.
The Dahli Leroy (The Monks of the Ozarks' spiritual figurehead) always says: The wise coach takes his chances with injury, and knows he will be as sharp as a Hatori Hanzo sword when playoff time comes.
Speaking of sharp objects, how about Colts' corner Nick Harper?
The week of the Pittsburgh game his crazy spouse cuts his knee with a knife. On Sunday, Harper recovers a fumble late in the game, yet on the return, he "cuts" back into a Ben Roethlisberger game-saving, shoestring tackle. Coincidence? I think not.
And finally, Vanderjagt. Everyone's favorite liquored-up, idiot kicker and the most accurate boot in the history of the NFL, misses a clutch field goal to end the contest.
How is this apropos?
Easy.
A few years ago Vanderjagt criticized Manning for not having the personality to handle the pressure and the demand of big games.
Whoops. Open mouth, insert accurate boot, Mike.
Pot, please allow me to introduce you to kettle. You both are black.
And now, each of you are at home chewing on gum instead of hoisting the Lombardi Trophy together as teammates.
It's a shame, but we should have known they'd "take the stick of gum."
THE BAXTER BULLETIN
Colts' Manning, Dungy would take the gum
By GENE McCOY
Bulletin Sports Writer
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm enamored with FX's hit cop drama, The Shield.
A good buddy of mine clued me in to the well-written show's existence back in its first season, and by my first episode's end, I was hooked.
Forest Whitaker's addition to the cast in the show's fifth season — as Internal Affairs Division officer Lt. Jon Kavanaugh — has ratcheted the show up several notches.
Anyway, to my point. And trust me, The Shield reference does have a sports-related point.
In the season premiere of The Shield, Kavanaugh has a psychology trick where he continually offers a piece of Juicy Fruit gum to a subject.
When they refuse to take it, he keeps holding it out and insists that the subject of his yellow-packaged presentation take the gum. He entices. He insists some more. And finally the subject either refuses or takes the gum.
If the subject takes the gum, Kavanaugh knows the subject cracks under pressure.
Immediately, my buddies and I christened a new phrase for anyone who crack under pressure: "Taking the stick of gum."
(Example: Joe is a weenie, you know he'd "take the stick of gum".)
Well, it seems Peyton Manning, Tony Dungy and the Indianapolis Colts took a whole handful of Juicy Fruit and choked on it last Sunday in their embarrassing, 21-18 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC semifinals last Sunday.
Unfortunately, I picked the Colts to win the Super Bowl in print before the season began. I wasn't alone by season's end; an overwhelming majority of true experts picked the Colts, too.
No one in his or her right mind would have thought before the Pittsburgh game that The Rolling Stones would get more playing time on the Super Bowl field than the Colts.
Yet here we are. Mick and Keith will set foot on Super Bowl turf. Peyton Manning and Tony Dungy won't.
Like Emperor Palpatine in his prime, I should have forseen it. We all should have.
Joey Porter's thoughts about conspiracy theories were correct. However, it wasn't NFL referees conspiring for Indy, but cosmic forces conspiring against the Colts.
Not a believer in the old "what goes around comes around"? Not a believer in irony? Not a believer in signs? Well, try these on for size:
Manning hasn't won a big-time game dating back to college. I hear he still shakes like a college freshman under the influence of a case of Red Bull whenever he sees a Florida Gators' jersey.
Did you see the Indy quarterback's face when kicker Mike Vanderjagt shanked the potential game-tying, 46-yard field goal at the end of the game?
That's right, Peyton smiled. He knew it in his heart. It was his fate to lose the big game again.
Dungy. It's terrible what happened to the nice-guy coach in the weeks leading up to the AFC playoff upset. But this was a horrible performance on the field for his Colts, and he's the skipper of the now-sunken ship.
Why only 13 carries for running back Edgerrin James when the Steelers were killing you every time you called a pass?
Why allow your starters to take a few weeks off and expect to turn it on in the playoffs rust-free? Guess the switch doesn't flip that way when it hasn't been used in awhile.
This should be a lesson to most NFL coaches facing a long layoff before their first playoff game.
The Dahli Leroy (The Monks of the Ozarks' spiritual figurehead) always says: The wise coach takes his chances with injury, and knows he will be as sharp as a Hatori Hanzo sword when playoff time comes.
Speaking of sharp objects, how about Colts' corner Nick Harper?
The week of the Pittsburgh game his crazy spouse cuts his knee with a knife. On Sunday, Harper recovers a fumble late in the game, yet on the return, he "cuts" back into a Ben Roethlisberger game-saving, shoestring tackle. Coincidence? I think not.
And finally, Vanderjagt. Everyone's favorite liquored-up, idiot kicker and the most accurate boot in the history of the NFL, misses a clutch field goal to end the contest.
How is this apropos?
Easy.
A few years ago Vanderjagt criticized Manning for not having the personality to handle the pressure and the demand of big games.
Whoops. Open mouth, insert accurate boot, Mike.
Pot, please allow me to introduce you to kettle. You both are black.
And now, each of you are at home chewing on gum instead of hoisting the Lombardi Trophy together as teammates.
It's a shame, but we should have known they'd "take the stick of gum."