Colts Release Peyton Manning

The end has officially arrived. It was a pretty sad scene really. I feel for Jim Irsay, and I especially feel for Peyton Manning. On a larger scale, it's an awakening for me as a sports fan. If this can happen to Peyton Manning it can happen to any player in sports.

In terms of being an NFL fan and following that shield my entire life, this is one of the paramount moments you just don't forget. I'll always remember the day the Colts and Peyton Manning broke up. Like in all the classic Mafia movies, Manning was the last to get whacked in this one as all the old boys who had gone before him.

In terms of how huge this was, even CNN televised the press conference. I got a text from my wife during lunch hour saying that she was watching it from the student center of her university. Everyone knows about this. When I leave the parking lot at work tonight, I'll have to pick between ESPN and local Indianapolis 1260 WNDE because the coverage will be everywhere until we go to sleep tonight.

There will be plenty of time to talk about the Colts, and Andrew Luck (the most important part of the rebuild), who the Colts will draft, Chuck Pagano, Ryan Grigson and the new band that is getting ready to set up shop on stage. But today is about Peyton Manning. It's about an icon, and a door closing today.

As a football fan, just remember you will always be able to stay within the warmth of all the memories.