Greatest free agent signing ever.

That's rich.

NO!! Say it ain't so, Adam Vinatieri!!!!!!
 

ESPN.com reporting that he has signed with the FREAKING COLTS!!!!!


WHY?! (sob) WHY ....

Didn't see that coming.

I'm confused about the Pats this offseason - they're about $20 million under the cap, and haven't done a damn thing, while watching Vinatieri, Givens, and McGinest all leave without a fight. Vinatieri even was on record as saying he'd welcome the Franchise tag being put on him again, and it didn't happen.

Beautiful.

Ye gods.

The Pats offered Vinatieri a 2.5 mil multiyear contract before free agency. This would have been his third consecutive tag(maybe fourth) and would have paid him 3 mil a year, which I happen to think is to much. They did not stand pat with him. If the Colts blew him away they screwed up, not the Pats.

As much as his legend and ability shield the fact, HE"S ONLY A KICKER.

As for the others, McGinest got a contract in Cleveland worth what it was because his leadership and veteran status is worth more to them. Givens was a trickier situation, but if they paid him what they wanted are they supposed to pull a stupid like the Colts and empty their bank account on two WRs?

They have not screwed up with who they have let go. What I don't understand is why they seemingly have not gone after anyone else.

Knowing a few Pats fans, and knowing how they're going to react to this, I think I can safely say this is one of the greatest things to happen in the history of sport.

The inevitable Sports Guy column to follow.

This is pretty much my thinking. Keyshawn is still an intriguing possibility.

I think this is partly Bill Polian's way of slapping Vanderjagt in the face

I think the reaction, after shock resides, will be "Don't let the door hit you on the way out". It's kind of a New England thing.

It's funny. I'm a Colts fan and was just telling my buddy the other day...I bet they try to get Vinatieri. Then I said, "I wouldnt mind that...I guess, but I'll still hate him if he misses even one playoff kick. That bastard never misses against us." So bow I guess we'll see.

Don't the Colts fans ever get concerned about their payroll two years from now? This will probably be another 1.5-2 million that could have been used with Freeney.

My F'n Word.

I'll bet anything Polian has plans to sign Freeney no matter who they sign this off-season

Wow, this is even better than Longwell coming to Minnesota.

Someone's going to have to change their FOFC screenname me thinks.

wow. WOW

Ouch....

I love it when stuff like this happens :D.

*growls*

Tell that to the Buffalo Bills. When some random guy they pick up for the league minimum shanks a game winner this season we should revisit this thread. 500K or a clutch kicker? I'll take the clutch kicker, thanks.

It'd be interesting to see how many games have been won or lost with a FG inside the 2 minute warning over the last few years.

dola,

Just quickly checked NFL.com and saw (and remembered) that Vander missed a FG with 21 seconds left in the Pittsburgh game that would have tied the game.

That still might be fresh on Indy's mind.

yeah my "In Bill We Trust" itis is starting to wane. WTF is going on over there in Foxboro? We havn't seen or heard ANYTHING. Are the Pats working on a monster trade of a 7th Round Draft pick for LT or something? This is really weird that we havn't seen anything AT ALL coming out of Foxboro this offseason...

Oh no! A kicker switched teams! Now the Colts for sure will win...

LOL!

What a great free agency signing.

:D

Mike Vanderjagt - K - Colts

The Patriots reportedly contacted Mike Vanderjagt Tuesday. He certainly doesn't fit the Patriots profile, but could come at a better value than Adam Vinatieri because of relative lack of interest. Dallas has also been mentioned as a possibility. Mar. 21 - 7:19 pm et

Damn.

Vanderjagt. Jesus. I guess Kraft's deal with the devil has finally come due.

damn, that sucks. Not so much that he signed somewhere else, he's still a kicker, clutch kicker but still a kicker, but damn, the frigging Colts!!! Now I'll have to really root against him, didn't want that to happen...

This offseason has sucked so far...

FM

fixed that for ya...

FM

edit: fucking timestamp bug

who cares? it's baseball season

So what does Vanderjagt save them per year against the cap, $1 million? (Especially now that they'll probably have to overpay for him) Doesn't seem worth it.

Baseball sucks. Football is without a doubt America's sport.

exactly.

I suppose this will set up the eventual irony that Vanderjagt boots the winner against the Colts (would you believe I actually typed Patriots at first?) while Vinatieri blows his chance, thus forever proving that any team Peyton Manning is a QB for will never, ever win a championship.

This timestamp bug is getting ridiculous.

BTW, SportsGuy already wrote this column. See his recent musings on Willie McGinest. He could just repost that with Vinatieri in his place.

So, Damon leave the BoSox to go to the hated Yankees.

Vinateri leaves the Pats to go to the hated Colts.

Too bad the Celtics and the Bruins suck so bad that they don't have any players that hated rivals would want to poach...

:D

The Bruins at least had the sense to send Joe Thornton to the Western Conference.

Thanks, Bruins! :D

You had Ray Bourque leaving the Bruins to win a Stanley Cup, although the Avs weren't exactly hated rivals.

Hell, all the Bruins fans I knew that year were rooting for Colorado.

Well, I was inferring this season's clubs.

Bourque was actually traded wasn't he, because Boston wanted to give him a shot at the Cup?

I don't get how the Colts have ANY cap room

""

:D

SI

:mad: :( I can't believe it. Speechless. I was prepared for him to leave and could have even handled him going to the frickin' Jets. But the goddamn Colts!!!!!!!!!

But, I then realized something very interesting. I believe this is the genius of Belichick. Knowing the Colts will still be the team to beat, he purposely leaves off the franchise tag and gets Vinatieri to sign for the Colts. First, it eats up precious cap room so no other FAs can sign (so games will be close), and then Vinatieri misses some crucial kicks in the playoffs, when needed. Pure genius. Has no one else figured this out yet? No one outthinks Bill.

As for FA so far, I have no problem with guys let go. They all got overpaid. However, I would actually like to see some signings -- preferably Keyshawn/Eric Moulds and Arrington (with an electrode that buzzes him when he runs out of position).

Therefore, I will keep the screen name for now while this beautiful plan plays itself out.

WTF!!! Just got home from work. Whoa, I can't believe it.