A Strange Puppy Metaphor

Imagine that you got an amazing puppy. Everyone knew you had the cutest puppy and was jealous. You had a blast training it and watching it grow. Right is it became an adult, someone came and took it away for 2 years. You knew you were going to get it back at the end of those 2 years, but you weren’t sure if it would remember you and if the bond would be the same.

Now imagine that the puppy was 6’4, 235 lbs., and had a laser for an arm – and you’ll understand what life has been like as an Indianapolis Colts fan. Our 2 years are up, and it’s time to find out whether or not we have that same bond.

There’s no one like Andrew Luck. He’s a tough dude not to love. Following Peyton in Indy was a near-impossible task, but Luck quickly filled his shoes and excelled. Luck is goofy, brilliant, and his voice sounds like someone talking underwater after getting paella stuck in their windpipe – it’s an endearing combination. On top of that, the dude can just ball. At his best, he’s a more physically imposing Aaron Rodgers and can (and has) willed bad teams to playoff wins. But are we sure we’ll ever see that again?

Some combination of shoulder injuries and the yips have led to a lot of skepticism about Luck’s future, but I’m here to declare that the old Andy Luck is back. He looked good in the first couple preseason games. There were errant interceptions and signs of rust, but his competence was evident. Game 3, however, I saw something. Luck finished the game against the 49ers 8/10 for 90 yards and a TD and rushed for 27 yards on 4 carries. Finally playing with nearly his full receiving core, he was fitting balls into tight windows, making the right throws, and escaping the pocket when necessary. It was a textbook performance in the pocket and he showed some of the creativity and arm strength that makes him special. I haven’t seen San Franciscans that scared since (*insert favorite joke here*)

A)      Reports surfaced that office ping-pong tables decrease work productivity

B)      REI’s CEO accidentally took a bite of a non-vegan gyro

C)      Bitcoin fell below $700

D)      Oracle banned fleece vests from their company dress code

I know it’s just preseason, and I’m trying to temper my expectations, but it feels like our puppy has come back home better than ever. 5 wins, here we come.