Week one of the National Football League’s regular season games brings tears of joy to my eyes. Every Sunday, like clockwork, I rise promptly from my slumber at 8:30 a.m. to observe with eager eyes one of the greatest televised inventions for the sports fanatic: Sunday NFL countdown. (It starts at 8 a.m. technically but I allow myself to sleep in for a half hour due to the excessive weight loss commercials. Except for I thoroughly enjoyed the Miller Lite one featuring the guy and the fish this weekend – definitely LOL worthy.)

Anyways, so I throw on my Manning jersey, a bowl of granola and join my brother (Connor Scheel (’14)) and the various other sophomore boys in the basement, where Michael Irvin, Warren Sapp, Kurt Warner and Marshall Faulk greet us to talk football. I quickly scoff at Connor’s Arian Foster jersey that he is sporting before directing my full attention to the best part of the show: the pregame predictions. In this segment, each anchor goes around the table predicting the winner of each week’s matchups, and I couldn’t wait to hear what they had to say about the Colts at the Texans.

Now some of you may wonder – the Indianapolis Colts? What state are they even from? But ever since I have watched professional football, I have fallen in love with the boys in blue. Well, one in particular: Peyton Manning. I tell you – the way he throws that pigskin is a thing of pure beauty. Granted, Garcon, Harrison, Wayne and Collie have helped him out but with a no huddle offense, Peyton is the glue that holds the team together. Running a no huddle offense is a BIG DEAL. You have to be poised, controlled, and rattle plays off to your whole offense, in code, on the fly. And my boy #18 is the MASTER. He is so confident every time he takes a snap, like it’s nothing in the world. Every game, his whole career. Talk about baller status. (Plus, he has that irresistible Southern charm and sense of humor. Real talk, ladies.)

So when the Sunday morning crew finally brought up the Colts v. Texans game, I was all ears. Peyton had suffered a neck injury back in May and missed training camp, but I was on the edge of my seat, clinging to a final ray of hope that they would announce him as the starting QB.  Then, there it was. In plain sight. The worst news a Colts fan could ever possibly fathom of hearing (although they’d never want to). Peyton was not starting. He wasn’t even PLAYING. Kerry Collins was and the ENTIRE Sunday crew voted AGAINST my Colts.

Um…EXCUSE ME!?? WHO ARE YOU!!?!!?!? Well it is safe to say that I was heated. So when the game promptly started at 10 a.m. and Matt Schaub throws an interception right into Indy’s man-to-man-coverage first play after the opening kickoff, I laughed heartily. Half hour later, however, I wasn’t laughing at all.

I kept thinking the game would get better. It did not. Collins threw incompletion after incompletion, Addai picked up first downs, not Touchdowns and at the last minute, the CLEARLY blind referee called back Austin Collie’s touchdown reception because his “heel” wasn’t in bounds. Worst of all my brother proceeded to prance all around the house sporting the Texan colors.  It was my living nightmare.  No Peyton, no offense. Final score (I can’t believe I’m saying this out loud – it feels like someone is restricting my breathing passageway): Texans 34, Colts 7.

As the final showing of my downtrodden blue-clad men disappeared from the screen, I let out an (unintentional) earthquake-like moan that rivaled Peanut Palmon (Yael Palmon’s (’12)) dog in decibel level: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

I couldn’t do my homework. I couldn’t focus. I could just sit there, making it rain into my couch pillow with a broken heart. I want Peyton back. I miss Peyton. WHERE ARE YOU PEYTON!!??!?!!

Then I stopped because my inner Manning snapped me out of it. I could practically feel Peyton’s wisdom:

“Shannon. Teams go through phases. So we didn’t win the season opener. They didn’t play my style of ball. But don’t hate on Kerry for that. This might be a building year for us. I’m gonna try to get back in there as soon as I can, you know that. But give us some patience.  One day I’ll be gone and our franchise will have to re-adjust the offense. My way isn’t the only way. Just keep that in mind.”

That was what I needed. I got out of my black sweatshirt (a sign of mourning) and put the loss into a new light: perhaps “Peyton” was right. Teams DO go through phases, and my beloved eldest Manning brother will not always be around (God forbid we aren’t there yet). I will not fall to the curse of the fair weather fan. Instead, I will keep the faith alive, even if it is a building year for my beloved Indy boys. Plus, these receivers have done work in their own right. Especially Mr. Austin Collie, who’s T.D. should have counted (p.s. you can call me ANYTIME Austin I am so available and you are totally hot). And Kerry just needs to settle down and get with the flow of the offense. Maybe he shouldn’t try to fit the mold of the Colts, but be a trailblazer and create something new.

So, my message to all of you: teams change. New rosters, injuries, whatever the case may be, teams are always adjusting to challenges. Just don’t be too hard on the squad you love. Colts, no worries. I know you all work hard and I will always be loyal to the white and blue. Don’t give up on your team, because chances are their worst of times are the times they need fan support most.

Until next time…Scheel is out.