Blogs

Listen to the Indianapolis Colts’ conference calls

Indianapolis Colts interim Head Coach Bruce Arians and QB Andrew Luck were made available to the media via conference call Wednesday afternoon. To listen to Arians and Luck talk about Sunday’s game in Indianapolis, click on the links below.

- Colts interim Head Coach Bruce Arians

- Colts QB Andrew Luck

Draft officially underway

Well, the Colts are finally on the clock and the draft is underway.  If the first three picks go as expected — QB Andrew Luck to the Colts, QB Robert Griffin III to the Redskins, and RB Trent Richardson to the Browns, the first moment of intrigue will come when the Vikings are up at No. 4.

Update: The Colts have officially taken Luck.

Another update: The Redskins have taken Griffin, again as expected.

Heeeeere’s Brian

INDIANAPOLIS–Former Ravens coach Brian Billick entertained the media at the scouting combine on Saturday with a high-energy “sermon” that focused on NFL quarterbacks, Peyton Manning being the most prominent of those discussed.

Billick is a TV commentator and game-day broadcaster these days, and he was offered to the media to help promote NFL Network’s coverage of the weekend’s events. Long considered to be an offensive guru, Billick was asked to give his thoughts on Manning’s future in his comeback from neck-fusion surgery.

“When you bring him in, if it doesn’t work, it’s not Peyton’s fault,” said Billick, who offered Miami as a possible destination for Manning. Billick then discussed the inherit problems associated with bringing Manning into a program.

“Who makes more? At the end of the day, that’s who’s in charge,” Billick said, drawing a laugh. “Joe Montana took his coordinator. He ran what he ran in San Francisco in Kansas City. What happened when Joe Montana left? It set back the progress. I can’t help but believe that wasn’t a detour.”

Billick said teams interested in signing Manning, whose contract with the Colts is expected to be allowed to expire in March, will have to know before the draft whether Manning is physically recovered from his surgery. The quarterback crop in this year’s draft class is headed by Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III, and Billick gushed at the mention of both.

“This is the best throwing athlete I’ve seen in quite a while,” Billick said of Griffin. Billick’s comment includes Michael Vick and Cam Newton. “I’m not going to say the T word,” he joked in a reference to Tim Tebow.

Luck?

“I think Anderew Luck is the most dynamic quarterback talent to come out since John Elway,” Billick said. The Colts are expected to make Luck the first overall pick of the draft.

“There were questions about Peyton Manning. Has he topped out? What about the arm strength? I think there are fewer questions about Andrew Luck,” Billick said.

Packers quarterback Matt Flynn was also deserving of mention by Billick, who put Flynn in the category of “players with a limited data base. It’s a roll of the dice because you have limited data. Compared to an Andrew Luck or RG III? They have a lot of growth. It’s a risk. Pay your money and take your chances,” Billick said.

Billick answered a wide range of questions. On the Bears: “The best thing that ever happened to the Chicago Bears is Jay Cutler getting hurt. Now the fans know what it’s like without him.”

On one of his memories of the scouting combine from when he was a coach: “It’s late and we’re both tired, so let’s cut to the chase,” he told of what he said during an interview session to a prospect who had a history of brushes with the law. “Are you a thug or are you stupid? He said, ‘Are those my only options?’ He played 10 years in the league and never had a problem.”

On a player producing a positive drug test at the combine: “You’re too stupid to play for me if you test positive at the combine.”

Billick is mentioned prominently for nearly every coaching job that comes open, but he would seem to have moved fully into the entertainment industry.

Luck performs for media in Manning’s house

INDIANAPOLIS–Andrew Luck was in the house Peyton Manning built, which is likely to become Luck’s house soon.

The Stanford quarterback is expected to become the first overall pick of the 2012 NFL draft. The Colts hold the pick and might even sign Luck to a contract before draft day. So it was an event of sorts when Luck met with the media at the scouting combine on Friday.

“Peyton was my hero growing up. You never truly replace a guy like that. I’m not thinking about that right now,” Luck said.

Luck might’ve been the only person in Indianapolis who wasn’t thinking about the prospect of him replacing Manning as the Colts’ quarterback.

Out with the old, in with the new, right? That’s life in the NFL, even for Manning, the star of stars. It is, after all, truly a young man’s game.

It was with Manning-type poise that Luck answered questions on Friday. The similarity was eerie.

“The question has to be asked. I understand it. That’s not uncomfortable. I understand that questions have to be asked,” Luck said.