Luck not the only one exceeding expectations

First appeared on November 29th, 2012
in The Lebanon Reporter

Lightning doesn’t strike twice. Somebody should have told Roy Sullivan that. He became known as “Dooms” after surviving a Guinness Record seven lightning strikes. Texan Joan Ginther wouldn’t subscribe to the adage either considering she’s won the Texas State Lottery four times amassing a fortune in excess of 20 million dollars.

Apparently ‘lightning doesn’t strike twice’ is an old wives tale not unlike ‘money doesn’t grow on trees’ or ‘small government’. Given the early success of Quarterback Andrew Luck, perhaps Colts owner Jim Irsay isn’t far removed from both Sullivan and Ginther. With Luck having exceeded expectations in every statistical and non-statistical category known to man, he seems poised to become the second Franchise Quarterback Irsay has managed to draft (insert poorly crafted ‘luck’ analogy here).

Exceeding expectations isn’t confined to Andrew however; this latest installment of the Indianapolis Colts could be categorized in much the same way. Sitting at 7-4 the Colts are flirting with a playoff berth in a season everyone forecast as lost before it even began.

Indianapolis was going to be young which is a black spot in the world of the NFL. They’d be a Manning-less band of timecard punchers buried by the storm surge that so often accompanies rebuilding, floundering their way to four wins with Luck spending more time on his back than feet. But what this team has taught us is simple; things don’t always go according to plan (see Mourdock, Richard and Romney, Mitt).

And while Luck’s play has been ahead of the curve and, dare we say, Manning-esque in some respects, the success of this team does not rest squarely on his shoulders alone. Head Coach Chuck Pagano put all the pieces in place and laid a foundation of belief before departing early to take on the toughest opponent anyone can ever face. In his place Interim Coach Bruce Arians seems to have arrived in a moment he’s spent all these seasons preparing for. It’s completely undeniable Arians’ experience has provided a steady hand in guiding these young Colts.

As strange as it sounds, the youth of this group is a strength. Nary a rock can be thrown in the Colts locker room without hitting a newcomer and their infectious energy shouldn’t be dismissed. After returning a punt for a Touchdown and catching one in the same game, T.Y. Hilton appears to be the return threat Colt fans have been asking for lo these many years. Not to be outdone, the other side of the ball has impacted the Colts season as well considering former Saskatchewan Roughrider linebacker Jerrell Freeman has ridden his way out of the Canadian Football League and up to the fifth spot amongst leading NFL tacklers.

But perhaps one man more than any other has held this ship together through what should have been much rougher seas. Reggie Wayne is quietly having his best season and, while the 12 year vet would be the first to tell you he’s just one of 53, Wayne’s professionalism shouldn’t be underestimated when trying to dissect the success of this group.

So go horse ye Colt fans for this group has given you the ultimate October surprise. At 7-4 they’re positioned for a postseason run. And postseasons that begin with no expectations are the ones that provide the best surprises. The Colts Brass languished over what to do with Manning at the end of last season and, in Dooms Sullivan style, it’s not out of the realm of possibility they’ll soon be languishing over the prospect of facing him in the postseason. After all, who said lightning doesn’t strike twice?

© 2012 Eric Walker Williams