Boy, where do I start? I feel this morning like I want to throw up. I had posted on Twitter last night that it was the first time in my life that I was actually embarrassed to be a Colts fan. Judging by the forums and commentary on the Indy websites, I was not the only one.

I wrote a piece a couple of weeks ago expressing my thoughts on the whole matter of the Colts chasing an undefeated season. That being unbeaten actually gave the GM and coaching staff cover from the fans in case a star player got hurt in the process. That all would be forgiven because they were chasing history. Clearly, Bill Polian did not read my article.

The Colts have, at least in recent years, been looked upon as a class organization. Always doing things the right way, not running the score up on opponents (unlike some team we won’t mention), and handling themselves in a professional and classy manner. Last night’s debacle has certainly tarnished that some.

When Caldwell decided to sit Peyton Manning during the third quarter with the lead, I assumed based on how things were handled last week, that the Colts would reinsert him and several other starters if the Jets went ahead. It actually made sense to rest Manning as many series as you could get away with while the Colts had the lead and only bring him back if they fell behind. Alas, that did not happen and Polian and Caldwell turned Lucas Oil Stadium into an NFL style of mutiny.

Here is what the Colts management clearly does not get. There has been an intense rivalry between the Patriots and Colts for over a decade. Based on records alone, they have been the two best teams during that period. With only the Jets and Buffalo left on the schedule, the Colts had an opportunity to do what the Pats could not just a couple of years ago…go unbeaten for an entire season. Going unbeaten would have been great. Doing it when the Pats could not would just be icing on the cake.

This move by the Colts reminds me so much of the health care debacle that is going on in congress. The vast majority of Americans want nothing to do with this ridiculous bill, yet the politicians are just ignoring the will of the people and doing it anyway.

Same thing here. I have never seen Colt’s fans so mad as they were last night and still are this morning by the gutless move that was made during this game. And now here is the scenario that Polian has presented to the Colts. If they lose before the big game, resting the players was all for naught. If they do win the Super Bowl, it may as well have an asterisk next to it as it will mean no more than any other title ever did.

Can you name the Super Bowl winners from the 1980’s? Not unless you were a fan of those teams, right? But go unbeaten and win the Super Bowl and your team goes down in history. Remember all the talk during the 2006 season stating that the Pats would be declared the best team in history if they won the title. That is what was at stake.

To just lay down and give that all away sticks a thumb in the eye of all Colt’s fans and says “We don’t care what you want!”. Sometimes that is justified, like when fans want you to go for it on 4th and 1 from your own 30 yard line. But this is not one of those times. Polian and the rest could have the keys to the city and been practically worshiped by the team’s fans if only he and the others with influence had the guts to go for it.

Now, in my opinion, there is actually more pressure on the Colts to win in the playoffs than if they were unbeaten. Because if you lose now, you just tanked a game for no reason whatsoever and tarnished your team with no return.

So thanks alot Bill! You just made sure that the 2009 season will have a sour aftertaste for Colt’s fans no matter what happens from here on out.