Posted on 01/15/2006 1:29:41 PM PST by mcg2000
HONOLULU -- Peyton Manning called teammate Mike Vanderjagt an "idiot kicker" at the Pro Bowl on Sunday, three days after Vanderjagt apologized for making disparaging remarks about the Indianapolis Colts quarterback.
Some Colts officials are almost as surprised by Peyton Manning's comments about kicker Mike Vanderjagt as they were by Vanderjagt's original statements.
The Colts have not said publicly whether Vanderjagt will be welcomed back to the team after his criticisms of Manning and head coach Tony Dungy. One thing is certain: There are no cap implications that would prevent the Colts from releasing or trading Vanderjagt.
In fact, they would save money.
Vanderjagt is signed through 2005 on a $7.75 million, five-year extension he received in 2000. That deal made him the NFL's highest-paid kicker at the time.
If Vanderjagt were to be released before June 1, the Colts would actually save $900,000 against the cap for 2003. That would also be true if here were traded at any time. If he were to be released after June 1, the Colts would save $1.4 million against the cap. The team also would save significant money against the cap in 2004 and '05.
The Colts do have another kicker signed. Even before Vanderjagt opened his mouth, the Colts had signed Brett Conway for two years with a $50,000 signing bonus and base salaries of $530,000 in 2003 and $535,000 in 2004.
Manning made the comment during a live interview on ABC. He also claimed Vanderjagt was "liquored up" at the time of the Canadian cable TV interview earlier this week in which he said Manning should show more emotion.
"Here we are," Manning said. "I'm out at my third Pro Bowl, I'm about to go in and throw a touchdown to Jerry Rice, we're honoring the Hall of Fame, and we're talking about our idiot kicker who got liquored up and ran his mouth off.
"The sad thing is, he's a good kicker. He's a good kicker. But he's an idiot."
A message from The Associated Press was left at the office of Vanderjagt's agent, Gil Scott, on Monday.
Vanderjagt also criticized Colts coach Tony Dungy in the interview with The Score, a Toronto-based cable sports network.
"I'm not a real big Colts fan right now, unfortunately. I just don't see us getting better," Vanderjagt said during the interview.
"Coach Dungy, he's just a mild-mannered guy. He doesn't get too excited, he doesn't get too down and I don't think that works, either. ... I think you need a motivator, I think you need a guy that is going to get in somebody's face when they're not performing well enough."
Dungy said late last week that Vanderjagt's future with the Colts rested with the veteran kicker.
"It's not in doubt because of what he said," Dungy said.
Vanderjagt, the most accurate field-goal kicker in NFL history, apologized Thursday to Dungy, Manning and the rest of his teammates. He signed a $7.75 million, five-year contract extension with the Colts in November 2000 -- at the time making him the league's highest-paid kicker.
"When I get home, I'll deal with it," Manning said. "If he is still a teammate, we'll deal with it. That remains to be seen."
I thought this would be relevant with consideration to the end of today's game.
The phrase "idiot kicker" will be heard everywhere ... here's a reference for anyone who's unaware.
HA HA HA...... Even though the ref tried to screw the STeelers they still won! If anyone out here can believe the non interception call, the non offsides call, the non interference call, I have a bridge in arizona to sell you. Had to be the worst job of a ref ever. HE should be fined.
Well, I guess he is an idiot to elicit such a response from Manning. He's probably out of a job as well a since kickers are a dime a dozen.
After that horrible interception reversing call, I was glad to see the Steelers pull through. I hope Big Ben's not damaged, though.
At the end it looked like a contest between dueling playoff choke artists..Cowher vs Manning. It would have been fitting for the game to go to overtime.
That was one ugly kick today. But it wasn't his fault they didn't get him closer.
What a game! It almost gave me a heart attack. Reminds me of the WVU vs UGA game. My teams need to stop doing this to me.
That was one bizarre game. I didn't have a dog in the fight, but thought it would be nice if the underdogs won. After the refs overturned that CLEAR interception, I began to forcefully root for Pittsburgh. Way to go, Steelers! And knock that silly hippie beard off Plummer's face next week!
Yeh...he gets Vander-jacked right out of Indy.....whats with the diamond earing on his left ear?
left is right and right is wrong
Clever dude...signs of the times I suppose.
A 46 yard kick in a dome?!? That's gravy ... he is over-rated though due to his lack of kicking outdoors.
"I'm not a real big Colts fan right now, unfortunately," the Canadian kicker told The Score, a Toronto-based cable sports TV network. "I just don't see us getting better."
"All week before the Jets game I'm like, '(No.) 18, we're going to handle it, me and you we're going to win this game.' And he's like, 'Yeah, yeah, OK.'
"And I'm like, 'Peyton, show some enthusiasm, you're the quarterback and we need to win this game.' I just don't see it from him."
Vanderjagt said the Colts' offense desperately needed a fiery, smashmouth leader.
"We need somebody who is going to get in people's face and yell and scream," said Vanderjagt, who joined the Colts in 1998. "I've gone over there to the offense and said, 'Come on.'
"They're just like, 'Mike, go sit down. You're the kicker.' I have more emotion probably than anybody. I want to win, I want to win bad. When I miss a field goal I bang my helmet because I hate being imperfect and I can't tolerate watching 11 guys just walk off the field after you get stuffed and really show that you don't care. That is frustrating to me."
"Coach Dungy, he's just a mild-mannered guy. He doesn't get too excited, he doesn't get too down and I don't think that works either.
"I think you need a motivator, I think you need a guy that is going to get in somebody's face when they're not performing well enough. Peyton and Tony are basically the same guy. They work hard, they mark their Xs and Os and go out and execute. If it doesn't happen, there's nothing we can do about it."
btw - that's an old article/quotes from 2003!
He could afford it. Don't know if he can now, though.
I feel kinda bad for him. 46yds is no gimme.
This is a time when u are right but wish u were wrong
I said all year that INDY was not going either undefeated or to the bowl
but last few weeks I was hoping I would be proven wrong..sadly no
I'm so sad at today's result. I can't tell you all how sad I am. Not one team I've wanted to win in the playoffs has gotten the job done.
Feeling very dejected here. Very dejected indeed.
My kids and I agree, no matter how hard the ref tried the Steelers rose above it and won.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.