Ug. Glad I'm not a Colts fan. This sounds like a situation that can only be ugly.

It's just a hunch, but I have a feeling that Dungy will be around for at least the next 2-3 years, or however long Manning is in his prime. Tony's a smart man, and he has to realize how good he's got it. Converting the heathens will just have to wait.

Quick! Someone start the "Nothing Has Happened Alarm!" I'll light the Status Quo Signal!
Now that Coach Dungy's family has moved away, do you think he'll have more time to lecture everyone on how to be a modern day hero by putting family over job?

Colts fans, by and large, are happy, and with good reason. There's very little reason to think we won't be a top-5 team again next season. We remember names like Ron Meyer, Rod Dowhower, Rick Venturi, and Vic Fangio. Of course, in the Manning era there's Jim Mora (Fangio's former boss), who is making some extra money with those Coors "Playoffs?" spots, but in 20 years, that's all he'll be remembered for (if at all).

i can't help but feel that dungy's an underachiever, and a coaching change might allow the colts more opportunity for greatness. this continuity/succession plan they have in place is troublesome too, since it means even if dungy leaves they won't have a coaching search. polian hopes dungy is still around after he's gone? i'm not sure that's such a good idea.

It seems like the Colts' offense pretty much runs without Dungy anyway, so there shouldn't be any major changes there. Since the hand-picked successor is already an assistant coach, it seems reasonable to expect him to take on more responsibility when Dungy is in Florida on Friday nights, so there shouldn't be a big change on defense either.

Oh, and special teams should continue to be the red headed stepchild they have always been for the Colts.

Great news! Now the Colts will win 12-13 games next season and choke in the playoffs. Can't wait!

Dungy is a great coach, but I'm more impressed that the organization had his exit and recovery plan already in place. They maintained the team's confidence through the possibility of a major change.
Without the plan, lack of stability can tear an organization apart (Falcons/Dolphins, anyone?).

Damn you Colts! >10 wins again next year.

Nice article by ESPN saying how " Dungy was more popular in Tampa after he left". I am sure that is true, up until the point that they finally won the big game without him.

I don't need to go on about how Manning is why they win and not Dungy because I have certainly done enough of that, but I am intrigued by the succession plan.

Do you think that Dungy more or less forced Polian into accepting his assistant as the future head coach? At the very least he had to push for Caldwell, but I wonder if he issued some sort of an ultimadium.

Also, I don't know where else to post this, but the " unnamed head coaching candidate" the Redskins have been interviewing is former Giants head coach Jim Fassel. It is reported that Fassel, Greg Williams and Jim Schwartz are the leading candidates.

@8

I've always wondered what makes a team more money? Winning lots of regular season game and then losing a home playoff game...or struggling through the season and winning road playoff games?

I would bet it's the first one (The 'Colts' model) and not the second (The 'Giants' model).

Does anyone remember that the Colts actually won the Super Bowl last year? Or is it more convenient to just ignore that so you can call them "chokers"?

I don't think anyone on FO ever uses the word choke seriously.