The demolition of the RCA Dome will begin this spring under a $3.5 million contract.

Jim Caldwell’s personality is a virtual carbon-copy of Tony Dungy, which is one reason the Colts designated Dungy’s top assistant as their new head coach-in-waiting Monday.

Colts head coach Tony Dungy said Monday he will remain with Indianapolis
through at least the 2008 season before turning the program over to
hand-picked successor Jim Caldwell.

Linebacker Rob Morris and defensive tackle
Anthony McFarland, both sidelined with injuries for most of last
season, were released by the Indianapolis Colts on Wednesday.

Our Colts may not have been there, but Peyton was. Eli did an amazing job. Next year - the Manning Bowl - brother vs brother?

Here is a great article about Tony Dungy and his new long-distance lifestyle.

From Robert King at the Indianapolis Star

Tony Dungy’s decision to stick with the Indianapolis Colts next season, even as his family remains in Florida, pleasantly surprised many fans who thought he was about to ride off into the sunset.

But it also has brought attention to the difficult issues facing a fast-growing number of people who work in one state while their family lives in another: Do the benefits of a job outweigh the costs of temporarily separating the family? Can a commuter parent still be effective? When can the strain of separation break a family?

The Dungy family calculus includes some unusual variables: a $5 million salary, access to a company jet — and the pressures of fame. But some universal elements play a role, too: young children who can’t grasp the big issues, a teen whose stage in life may be better suited to the arrangement, and a marriage that will need nurturing from afar.

Dungy’s use of his platform as an NFL coach to promote the importance of fathers in their children’s lives, and that family should always come before career, prompted some — including Indianapolis Star columnist Bob Kravitz — to question the choice. But many more folks seem to have faith in Dungy and see no disconnect between his message and his choice.

finish the story at The Indianapolis Star

After more than 20 years in the RCA Dome, the Indianapolis Colts will play in one of the NFL’s finest stadiums in 2008 when Lucas Oil Stadium opens.  In December 2004, the Colts and the City of Indianapolis came to an agreement on a new stadium for the team. At an estimated price tag of more than $625 million the stadium will be completed by the 2008 season. In March 2006, Lucas Oil Products won the naming rights to the stadium. The deal is valued at $122 million over 20 years.

From the outside, the stadium will have a facade of brick and glass  allowing it to fit in with the surrounding area. Lucas Oil Stadium will be a three-deck, seven-level multi-use building with a retractable roof that will seat 63,000 for football and 70,000 or more for NCAA basketball, concerts and other special events.  The Fieldturf playing field will be 25ft below street level, allowing fans easier access to their seats. Many modern amenities will be found in the stadium from the high definition replay/scoreboards to the 140 to 150 luxury suites. Other than being the home of the Colts, the stadium will host the NCAA Basketball March Madness Tournaments and will be the permanent back up host for the Final Four Tournament. Lucas Oil Stadium will have one of the largest videoboards in the NFL. Consisting of three screens each, the 97-foot-wide-by-nearly-53-foot-high scoreboards will hang in the northwest and southeast corners of the building. The stadium is being built on a downtown site bounded on the north by South Street, on the east by Capitol Avenue, on the south by McCarty Street and on the west by Missouri Street.

The ONLY thing standing between the Colts and Super Bowl XLII is the New England Patriots. Mark my words - the true Super Bowl XLII will be the playoff game between the Colts and Patriots.

We are seeing some really remarkable football this year. Perhaps, some of the best football ever.

Peyton has set records, Tom Brady has set records, Brett Favre has set records, these guys are amazing. We live in an outstanding era when we get to see these guys play each week.