MVN - Most Valuable Network

MYNC: Mike Hart

He’s small, but he’s got heart.

Ick.

Sorry about that. Just regurgitating the basic point of every stinking article out there on Michigan running back Mike Hart. Okay, okay. We get it: he’s small. And, yes, we understand: despite his stature, he plays BIG. Or, to be even more accurate and witty, he plays with…wait for it…wait for it…HEART.

Oddly enough, Hart is by far the most recognizable name drafted by the Colts. Maybe I say that because I live in Big Ten Country. Still, when it comes down to it, I’ve actually heard of Mike Hart. I’ve seen the guy play multiple times. I’m not the biggest Michigan fan in the world (and that’s probably an understatement), but Hart was always impressive for the Wolverines. Sure, some would call him cocky or arrogant, but to many fans of the Maize and Blue, Mike Hart was simply “The Guy.”
Read the rest of this entry »

The long Rhodes home

Nothing captured my imagination more than hearing that the Colts plan to bring back Dominic Rhodes.

He’s a player I’ve had a love-hate relationship with. I admired Dom for filling in admirably during his rookie season for Edgerrin James. Then, the guy got hurt, suffering a knee injury of his own.

He bounced back, providing occasional relief for Edge. After James left for Arizona, the Colts drafted Joseph Addai. Though Addai was the big-money guy, the playmaker…Rhodes was deemed “the starter.” It was a label that rankled me during that season.

While Rhodes was the “starter” by name, when the Colts needed a big play, Addai usually came through. Then, something amazing happened to the Indianapolis Colts. They decided to pound the ball in the playoffs. In the postseason, the roles seemed reversed; while Addai was “the guy,” Rhodes was actually the guy. His performances in some of those playoff games are truly hard to forget, including his gutsy ground performance in the Super Bowl.

I entertained the thought, briefly, that the Colts would bring Rhodes back into their fold after he was released by the Raiders. I didn’t really think it would happen; it was the thought of a fan still punch-drunk from a Super Bowl championship two seasons ago. Through his own stupidity, Rhodes missed the first four games of the year last season after a run-in with the law. That in turn allowed other players to shine and Justin Fargas eventually became the starter. Dom wasn’t much of a factor with the Raiders after that.

It was pretty embarrassing when Rhodes was picked up for drinking and driving not long after the Super Bowl celebration. I think that episode helped convince management to let him go via free agency. If anything, re-signing him for $650,000 is a bargain by the wacky standards of professional athletes. After all, he ended up signing a typically extravagant free agent contract with the Raiders worth about $7.5 million. Rhodes now comes into a system he knows intimately. He’s with an organization that “discovered” him and gave him chances to excel.

He’ll provide consistency behind Addai. I bet this spells the end of “KK” (that’s Keith Kenton…er Kenton Keith) in a Colts uniform. I’m a little curious as to what this will mean for Mike Hart, the Colts’ rookie running back. If Addai and Rhodes split carries, will Hart get the chance to show us what he’s got?

MYNC: Steve Justice

“A little undersized.”

“Should’ve entered the draft last year.”

“Would like to see a little more versatility.”

These are the kinds of things you read and hear about former Wake Forest Center Steve Justice, one of a bevy of sixth-round picks by the Indianapolis Colts. Justice, who redshirted during his first year at Wake, finished up a distinguished career with the Demon Deacons by earning a bunch of hardware. He was an All-ACC Selection and won the conference’s award for the best offensive lineman. In addition, Justice was an AP All-American. He was also in consideration for the Rimington Award, given annually to the top offensive lineman in the country.
Read the rest of this entry »

MYNC: Tom Santi

Some call it Tight End U.

No, it’s not a Hanes commercial.

It’s the University of Virginia, where head coach Al Groh has made it his mission to turn tight ends into more than guys who can block and catch the occasional ball over the middle.

One of Groh’s latest achievements: Tom Santi, the senior tight end chosen in the sixth round by the Indianapolis Colts. Part of a three-man rotation, Santi was a star in the Cavaliers’ tight end-based offense. He broke out last season, reeling in 36 passes for 418 yards and three touchdowns. The yardage and TD totals weren’t just the best among his fellow tight end teammates; they were team highs.

Read the rest of this entry »