This is the year the Colts can use to draft a replacement for Peyton Manning, when Manning retires in 2019 or 2020. The record of our boys in blue should be dismal. If the Colts are as ineffective as they looked against the Browns, we should see the Number One pick---please don't tell me it's been traded away---firmly in Bill Polian's clutches. I do not know if there is a quarterback of Peyton Manning's odd combination of talents---physical ability, football genius, and a geekish love of the sport that drives him to the film room whenever possible---available in this year's draft. I'm not sure if there ever has been one. The people of Indianapolis only can hope.

   As I have made clear, I do not believe government should subsidize professional sports teams. After all, at the same time as we have subsidized the Colts and the Pacers (and thank you, Ron Artest or Whirled Peas, or whatever your new name is), Indianapolis Public Schools hve had to chop sports programs. We have to hand it---something---to the politicians. They have sought an end-run on the whole separation of church and state thing with vouchers. So kids in private schools can enjoy competitive sports. And so can the professionals on the Colts and the Pacers. The ones who have no such outlet are in the public primary and secondary schools in Indianapolis.

   Neither the United States Constitution nor the Indiana Constitution mentions professional sports. Maybe I am missing that provision in my copies of those documents and the versions I access on WestLaw(R).

   "et's just hope the Colts continue to lose. Maning will be back next year. If we take the Number One QB in the draft, he can start training his replacement. That's always a popular thing to do. It worked really well for the replacement of Mac Davis's character on "North Dallas Forty."

   I mean seriously---we lost to the Cleveland Browns? We couldn't even run a play while they were in the huddle? It worked against them the  week before. Cincinnati did it.