Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay is a Maverick, you guys. He's pretty much Brett Favre meets John McCain. I'm talking Maverick.
That's why he's not afraid to Tweet like he's a 15-year-old girl. Or hire a coach, Chuck Pagano, because he built the best defense in the league, even though he had nothing to do with building it. Or burn bridges with his franchise player while he introduces said new coach.
Is Jim Irsay crazy? Crazy like a fox.
The coolest thing to do in football is to hire the Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator. It's a pretty easy sell because, obviously, if you're involved with the Ravens defense, you're doing something right (like patting Ray Lewis and Ed Reed on the back).
Mike Nolan used the Ravens DC job as a springboard to a head coaching job in San Francisco, amassing a 18-37 record before getting canned in the middle of his fourth season. Before that, Marvin Lewis parlayed the Ravens DC job into a head coaching job in Cincinnati (by way of Washington and, sort of Tampa Bay). In nine season with the Bengals, Lewis was 69-74-1, which is actually incredibly impressive, considering that it's the Bengals. Rex Ryan, despite the disapponting year in 2011, has been the most successful of the former Ravens DC's, going 28-20 in three seasons with the Jets.
But just in case Colts fans were worried that Pagano will be more Mike Nolan than Rex Ryan (or, if they're worried that he'll be Rex Ryan), Irsay took to Twitter to reassure them.
"Indy, we got on hell of a football coach with fire in his eyes," Irsay tweeted, adding "!". Irsay went on: "When I said, coach,r u ready 2b The Colts head coach,he said.. "Let's hunt"
Hey, you guys, it takes a Maverick to know a Maverick.
And you know what Mavericks hate? Politicians (Unless you're a Maverick politician, like John McCain). And that's exactly what Peyton Manning became when he started saying this and that, talking about the Colts have a bad environment and people be walking around on eggshells up in here.
"I have so much affection and appreciation for Peyton," Irsay said at Pagano's introduction. "I mean, we're family (aside: Hey! Kind of like Rob Lowe!). We always will be and we are.
"He's a politician. I mean look at, when it comes to being competitive, let's just say that on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the highest, we're both 11s, OK? So there's been plenty of eggshells scattered around this building by him with his competitive desire to win."
A base-10 numerical system is no match for a Maverick, you guys. Not to mention multiple Mavericks.
But don't worry folks, Irsay and Manning still love each other, as Irsay reminded us on Twitter:
"Peyton and I love each other, that goes with out saying..I humbly serve n protect the Horseshoe..it is bigger than any individual, including me"
Now let's hunt.
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