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ESPN.COM and the Indianapolis Starreported today that Pro Bowl left tackle Tarik Glenn has announced his retirement from the Indianapolis Colts. In a surprise move, Glenn announced his decision today,
just nine days prior to the beginning of training camp on July 30. According to a nameless source from the team on ESPN.COM, Glenn is "burnt out" and doesn't intend to return or play again and has been mulling over the decision for some time. He even discussed it with Coach Dungy.
It could be that Glenn is blowing smoke up the hiny of management in an effort to garner support for an extension. His contract is up at the end of this coming season. He has claimed before that he is dedicated to the city and the Colts organization and I had guessed earlier in the preseason that he may be upset because of the drafting of Tony Ugoh in a seemingly overt attempt to replace the aging veteran. I had also guessed that the signing of Dwight Freeney was an indication that the Colts were beginning a shift in policy that might discount Glenn from receiving a new contract when the Colts were dedicating money to other areas.
At the beginning of June the Colts released an article on their website about how Glenn had embraced the drafting of Ugoh and spent a great deal of time with him at the early workouts trying to get him up to speed at the position and trying to get him ready for the game at the pro level. I bought it hook, line, and sinker. Glenn is perhaps the best player no one ever hears about. His blocking statistics are better than any other premier player at his position and his ability to stay healthy at a key position is unmatched. He is a punishing run blocker even while hampered
somewhat by the required athleticism in the Colt's stretch run scheme, but he excels nonetheless. He is also a great combination of finesse and power in the pass blocking game. Perhaps he is burnt out, perhaps he doesn't want to drag his 350 pounds through another season and go out on top, and perhaps his ego finally took hold. It is hard to say at this point. I feel a little ambushed, and don't want to foster rough thoughts about a player who has been nothing short of high-class in his 10 years with the Colts, but this is a horrible time for this kind of thing. The only options for the Colts at left tackle now are Ugoh, who is not ready to go, and Charlie Johnson, a Super Bowl hero who came in for the injured Ryan Diem at right tackle but exists as a backup and has little experience at left tackle because of Glenn's durability.
This week may be huge for Colts fans as we watch to see if Glenn or President Bill Polian is willing to discuss an extension or more amiable resolution to loss. I certainly hope Glenn reconsiders, but if not, I just pray we can find a way to stopgap the loss and maybe get a supplemental pick in next years draft equal to his importance on the team. For now I am just going to crap my pants and think about all the teams that spend big money on right defensive ends in the AFC South specifically for the purpose of harassing Jesus and how all of their efforts were once dashed by the massive mountain of man that stood in their way, and how now they have just all come to fruition.
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It seems like the situation is in a truly fluid state. Glenn was contacted by local television media and said that he plans to be at camp. A really odd situation to say the least.
http://www.theindychannel.com/sports/13728992/detail.html
Stay tuned to Cobra Brigade for info as it is released but rest assured that your champion, BRUCE PAINE, will do all in his power to keep you at the forefront.
Every season the Colts lose a few players that seemed to be important to the team, and every season Bruce Paine tells me it will be all right and explains why. When I read about Glenn's supposed retirement, I got a little worried, but Bruce, the fact that you're worried makes me VERY worried. Perhaps we can get Glenn to play for the South Central Cutters.
My real concerns rest with team chemistry. I believe that Manning can overcome this sort of departure because he is difficult to sack just in himself. Decision making, dropback, release, all of these things are hallmarks of Peyton Manning. My concern is how it effects the thinking of other players. The offensive line may regret the loss. Saturday is the clear leader of the line but they have a habit of rebuilding themselves from time to time and the drop of players has always seemed marginal but sooner or later you are going to lose a guy that makes just too much impact to overcome. it is weird because it appears the Colts have a policy shift going on.
This is reminiscent of the loss of Adam Meadows. For those of you that don't remember, Adam Meadows was the starting right tackle for the Colts when Peyton was drafted. Meadows was a Pro Bowler at the position but was eventually replaced by the drafting of Ryan Diem, and after sitting the bench for a season, was released and went to the Panthers. While at the Panthers Meadows was pushed into retirement because of lingering shoulder issue (he played through a lot of injuries and was undersized at tackle at 290 pounds). He stayed retired for two years while undergoing further surgery on his shoulder and eventually came out of retirement last year to play three games for the Broncos. It is similar because you have a veteran guy who has found success and esteem with the Colts franchise and dislike the idea of leaving to finish out a career in the pastures of journeymanship (yeah I made that word up). Being a journeyman isn't always attractive to veterans who have put down roots. Tight end, another revolving door position in Indy, has seen the loss of such staples as Ken Dilger and Marcus Pollard. Dilger played a few more seasons (and won a Super Bowl) in Tampa but never moved his kids or his wife out of Indy. Meadows was always attracted to the city and hated leaving.
The difference in the situation that concerns me is this: every team in the league has positions in which they consider it to be drop and plug spots that they can move guys out of and into because they feel it is a place where they can save costs, coach lesser talent to higher achievement, or because it fits their scheme. The Colts are no different. Safety, corner, linebacker, tailback, and guard are a few places where they have never committed long-term money to players in favor of moving younger, cheaper guys in. With the Colts placing money in the hands of a guy like Freeney and Mathis, and the supposed situating of money to be given to Bob Sanders it concerns me that the Colts are going to sacrifice too much to keep their longterm plans intact that they will be unable to win in the current. I think the Colts are in a position where they could retain the title in the next year if they can keep the players heads in the game, but the loss of Glenn marks the loss of a huge piece and I think they could have retained that piece if they had handled their offseason a little differently. Don't forget, when the Colts drafted Ugoh their were other players rated much higher still on the board, and another tackle wasn't taken until a dozen picks or so deep into the third. So trading next year's first rounder was a clear sign that they were putting their eggs into Ugoh's basket. It still surprises me that they played it that way, and Mexico's face when they did it was classic.
That was a painful draft day Brucey P. Not only because I was suffering from a hernia, but because of the moves that Polian and Co. were making. Cornhole anyone?