I have to give a shout out to Troy Aikman on this one

I'm not gonna be the first to type it...

Here's my deal with Doug Gottleib: I like his takes. But I also know that he's a douchebag. He was caught in college stealing credit cards. And those in the know understand he's arrogant, its no act.

And he's wrong with his take on Luck. 

Fuck Doug Gottlieb 

not saying I like Doug G, but Luck really screwed the Colts. Signed a huge contract and decided in the middle of it that he no longer wants to play. At age 29. Everyone will retire, I get it. But the Colts invested alot in him, not just money.  He set the organization back many years.  Head injuries, spine injuries i could understand. Teddy’s injury also. Maybe there is something we are unaware of. if not, I dont get it. 

@"BrickVike" said: not saying I like Doug G, but Luck really screwed the Colts. Signed a huge contract and decided in the middle of it that he no longer wants to play. At age 29. Everyone will retire, I get it. But the Colts invested alot in him, not just money.  He set the organization back many years.  Head injuries, spine injuries i could understand. Teddy’s injury also. Maybe there is something we are unaware of. if not, I dont get it. 

And frankly, if all he was doing every year was trying to recover from another injury, yeah it would suck the fun out of it.  Rehab is tough.  Rehab after rehab after rehab is a good enough reason to quit in my book.

@"BrickVike" said: not saying I like Doug G, but Luck really screwed the Colts. Signed a huge contract and decided in the middle of it that he no longer wants to play. At age 29. Everyone will retire, I get it. But the Colts invested alot in him, not just money.  He set the organization back many years.  Head injuries, spine injuries i could understand. Teddy’s injury also. Maybe there is something we are unaware of. if not, I dont get it. 

I guess it's not the quitting it's more the timing----a  week out from regular season "thanks for the memories" is like a kick in the nads if your a colts fan.

@"BrickVike" said: not saying I like Doug G, but Luck really screwed the Colts. Signed a huge contract and decided in the middle of it that he no longer wants to play. At age 29. Everyone will retire, I get it. But the Colts invested alot in him, not just money.  He set the organization back many years.  Head injuries, spine injuries i could understand. Teddy’s injury also. Maybe there is something we are unaware of. if not, I dont get it. 

@"greediron" said:

@"BrickVike" said: not saying I like Doug G, but Luck really screwed the Colts. Signed a huge contract and decided in the middle of it that he no longer wants to play. At age 29. Everyone will retire, I get it. But the Colts invested alot in him, not just money.  He set the organization back many years.  Head injuries, spine injuries i could understand. Teddy’s injury also. Maybe there is something we are unaware of. if not, I dont get it. 

Indy is screwed because of it.  But he didn't screw them.  He has to live with his body for the rest of his life. 

And frankly, if all he was doing every year was trying to recover from another injury, yeah it would suck the fun out of it.  Rehab is tough.  Rehab after rehab after rehab is a good enough reason to quit in my book.

@"StickyBun" said:

@"BrickVike" said: not saying I like Doug G, but Luck really screwed the Colts. Signed a huge contract and decided in the middle of it that he no longer wants to play. At age 29. Everyone will retire, I get it. But the Colts invested alot in him, not just money.  He set the organization back many years.  Head injuries, spine injuries i could understand. Teddy’s injury also. Maybe there is something we are unaware of. if not, I dont get it. 

He graduated from Stanford. He knows there is more to life and wants to live it pain free.

So....This is the ending of "Suck for Luck" I guess

How'd that work out

@"BrickVike" said:

@"greediron" said:

@"BrickVike" said: not saying I like Doug G, but Luck really screwed the Colts. Signed a huge contract and decided in the middle of it that he no longer wants to play. At age 29. Everyone will retire, I get it. But the Colts invested alot in him, not just money.  He set the organization back many years.  Head injuries, spine injuries i could understand. Teddy’s injury also. Maybe there is something we are unaware of. if not, I dont get it. 

Indy is screwed because of it.  But he didn't screw them.  He has to live with his body for the rest of his life. 

And frankly, if all he was doing every year was trying to recover from another injury, yeah it would suck the fun out of it.  Rehab is tough.  Rehab after rehab after rehab is a good enough reason to quit in my book.

I guess I grew up in a different era. If you signed up for something, you do it unless unable to. I am not a NFL contract guy but i am sure he is getting well payed.  Football is full of injuries and rehab. He got a couple bad breaks, I get it. Seems like the injuries are not life changing injuries. I sincerely hope not.  The Colts were counting on him for many years going forward. I am not sure if they have been in any position to acquire a QB recently, but I am guessing they would have passed. That is how I see the Colts being screwed. 

@"greediron" said:

@"BrickVike" said:

@"greediron" said:

@"BrickVike" said: not saying I like Doug G, but Luck really screwed the Colts. Signed a huge contract and decided in the middle of it that he no longer wants to play. At age 29. Everyone will retire, I get it. But the Colts invested alot in him, not just money.  He set the organization back many years.  Head injuries, spine injuries i could understand. Teddy’s injury also. Maybe there is something we are unaware of. if not, I dont get it. 

Indy is screwed because of it.  But he didn't screw them.  He has to live with his body for the rest of his life. 

And frankly, if all he was doing every year was trying to recover from another injury, yeah it would suck the fun out of it.  Rehab is tough.  Rehab after rehab after rehab is a good enough reason to quit in my book.

I guess I grew up in a different era. If you signed up for something, you do it unless unable to. I am not a NFL contract guy but i am sure he is getting well payed.  Football is full of injuries and rehab. He got a couple bad breaks, I get it. Seems like the injuries are not life changing injuries. I sincerely hope not.  The Colts were counting on him for many years going forward. I am not sure if they have been in any position to acquire a QB recently, but I am guessing they would have passed. That is how I see the Colts being screwed. 

Are you saying I am a young whippersnapper?  Been a decade or so since I been called that.  :)
I get where you are coming from, you signed the deal, you play the deal.  But when it comes to health, dunno, I think he has the right to make that decision.  Much like Robert Smith did.  That sucked, but he made the choice and walked away. 

I would much rather the guy retire than try to hang on for another year while not caring like Bert did to us in 2010.

I could be wrong but I am guessing the Colts knew about this before we did.  Unless someone has walked in his shoes I think they should stop ridiculing his decision...obviously referring to talking heads like Gottlieb.

@"BrickVike" said:

@"greediron" said:

@"BrickVike" said:

@"greediron" said:

@"BrickVike" said: not saying I like Doug G, but Luck really screwed the Colts. Signed a huge contract and decided in the middle of it that he no longer wants to play. At age 29. Everyone will retire, I get it. But the Colts invested alot in him, not just money.  He set the organization back many years.  Head injuries, spine injuries i could understand. Teddy’s injury also. Maybe there is something we are unaware of. if not, I dont get it. 

Indy is screwed because of it.  But he didn't screw them.  He has to live with his body for the rest of his life. 

And frankly, if all he was doing every year was trying to recover from another injury, yeah it would suck the fun out of it.  Rehab is tough.  Rehab after rehab after rehab is a good enough reason to quit in my book.

I guess I grew up in a different era. If you signed up for something, you do it unless unable to. I am not a NFL contract guy but i am sure he is getting well payed.  Football is full of injuries and rehab. He got a couple bad breaks, I get it. Seems like the injuries are not life changing injuries. I sincerely hope not.  The Colts were counting on him for many years going forward. I am not sure if they have been in any position to acquire a QB recently, but I am guessing they would have passed. That is how I see the Colts being screwed. 

Are you saying I am a young whippersnapper?  Been a decade or so since I been called that.  :)
I get where you are coming from, you signed the deal, you play the deal.  But when it comes to health, dunno, I think he has the right to make that decision.  Much like Robert Smith did.  That sucked, but he made the choice and walked away. 

I would much rather the guy retire than try to hang on for another year while not caring like Bert did to us in 2010.

Contracts mean very little these days so I guess I am over reacting a bit. I live in Indiana and have some Colts fans as friends. Most of them feel similar to me and you can say they are being selfish. Maybe. I was upset when R. Smith quit.Selfish?  Yes. As I said earlier, if it was a head or back injury, i get it. oh well. Strange situations seem to often happen to us so at least we got that going for us.

One thing I haven’t heard mentioned much is that Luck recently got married. Any connection with retirement?  Just Kidding, sort of. Women can have that strange effect on a guy. 

@"Vikergirl" said:

@"BrickVike" said:

@"greediron" said:

@"BrickVike" said:

@"greediron" said:

@"BrickVike" said: not saying I like Doug G, but Luck really screwed the Colts. Signed a huge contract and decided in the middle of it that he no longer wants to play. At age 29. Everyone will retire, I get it. But the Colts invested alot in him, not just money.  He set the organization back many years.  Head injuries, spine injuries i could understand. Teddy’s injury also. Maybe there is something we are unaware of. if not, I dont get it. 

Indy is screwed because of it.  But he didn't screw them.  He has to live with his body for the rest of his life. 

And frankly, if all he was doing every year was trying to recover from another injury, yeah it would suck the fun out of it.  Rehab is tough.  Rehab after rehab after rehab is a good enough reason to quit in my book.

I guess I grew up in a different era. If you signed up for something, you do it unless unable to. I am not a NFL contract guy but i am sure he is getting well payed.  Football is full of injuries and rehab. He got a couple bad breaks, I get it. Seems like the injuries are not life changing injuries. I sincerely hope not.  The Colts were counting on him for many years going forward. I am not sure if they have been in any position to acquire a QB recently, but I am guessing they would have passed. That is how I see the Colts being screwed. 

Are you saying I am a young whippersnapper?  Been a decade or so since I been called that.  :)
I get where you are coming from, you signed the deal, you play the deal.  But when it comes to health, dunno, I think he has the right to make that decision.  Much like Robert Smith did.  That sucked, but he made the choice and walked away. 

I would much rather the guy retire than try to hang on for another year while not caring like Bert did to us in 2010.

Contracts mean very little these days so I guess I am over reacting a bit. I live in Indiana and have some Colts fans as friends. Most of them feel similar to me and you can say they are being selfish. Maybe. I was upset when R. Smith quit.Selfish?  Yes. As I said earlier, if it was a head or back injury, i get it. oh well. Strange situations seem to often happen to us so at least we got that going for us.

One thing I haven’t heard mentioned much is that Luck recently got married. Any connection with retirement?  Just Kidding, sort of. Women can have that strange effect on a guy. 

They are expecting their first child. There is life outside of football. 

@"1VikesFan" said: I could be wrong but I am guessing the Colts knew about this before we did.  Unless someone has walked in his shoes I think they should stop ridiculing his decision...obviously referring to talking heads like Gottlieb.

And it's not like he's the first...  Gronk retired at 29.  Calvin Johnson retired at 29.  And there have been a couple other premiere players that have walked away in their "prime".  He's just the first stud QB to do it.

I think we'll continue to see this...  look at the guys from the "old" days who can barely walk in their 40's and 50's after playing 10-15 yrs in the league.  It's not good for your long-term health, even though we love watching these guys play the game.

He's not the first football player who ever retired young.   He doesn't owe it to anyone to keep playing if he doesn't want to.

@"1VikesFan" said: I could be wrong but I am guessing the Colts knew about this before we did.  Unless someone has walked in his shoes I think they should stop ridiculing his decision...obviously referring to talking heads like Gottlieb.

I was feeling bad for Colts fans until I was reminded of this:
Will Brinson@WillBrinson
Colts fans have had two decades -- literally -- of nearly uninterrupted franchise quarterbacks fall in their lap and the second adversity strikes they want a refund. Grow up.

--

As Vikings fans, we know all too well, next man up!