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Eagles competitive with powerful Lords STORY, PAGE 37 SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 255) Fax 905-337-5567 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · FRIDAY, JANUARY 13,2005 35 ewsewBmmmmsgssgmmmmmmsmmsmmMmBsssmmsmmsmmffimmRmm Vanderjagt, Colts happy at home By Jon Kuiperij BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR Mike Vanderjagt and the Indianapolis Colts are more than happy not to be taking their show on the .road this NFL postseason. By virtue of their 14-2 record in regular-season play, the Colts earned home-field advantage throughout the American Football Conference playoffs, including Sunday's divisional championship matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers. With Indianapolis's last four playoff runs ending with road defeats, the past two coming in Foxboro against the New England Patriots, Vanderjagt understands the golden opportunity his club has to advance to Super Bowl XL in Detroit. atmosphere here in Indy the next two weeks will be " said the 35-year-old placekicker. "It's going to be as exciting as it gets. People will have to come in here and bring their absolute best to beat not only, in my opinion, the best team in the league but (also) the best atmosphere. That's going to be a tough task for someone to come in here off." Beating Indianapolis anywhere proved a tough task for NFL teams this season. The Colts opened the year with 13 consecutive victories, sparking plenty of discussion about their chances of becoming the NFL's first unbeaten team since the 1972 Miami Dolphins. Indianapolis struggling lately Indianapolis's perfect season, however, came to an end Dec. 18 with a 26-17 home loss to the San Diego Chargers. Since then, the Colts have been far from impressive, falling 28-13 to the Seattle Seahawks and then needing a lastminute goalline stand to edge the Arizona Cardinals 17-13 in the regular season finale. Of course, Indianapolis rested many of its starters during the final two contests to avoid injuries. And Vanderjagt con cedes it was hard for the Colts to get up for those games anyway. "it.w as the calm after the storm. We treated (those games) like preseason games," said the White Oaks grad, who now resides near Campbellville. "After all the excite ment of the first 13 games, the last two were disappointing because we'd eliminated the perfect season. It was almost See Layoff page 36 DON LARSON / SPECIAL TO THE OAKVILLE BEAVER HERE'S THE KICKER: Mike Vanderjagt (13), shown in action against the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier this year, hopes to help his Indianapolis Colts beat the Steelers this weekend in the AFC playoffs. COME IN-FOR YOUR A TRIP TO CAPE COD! GO TO www.frozenropescanada.ca FLAYER EVALUATION A T T IT U D E IS A FROZEN ROPIS FILLS THE VOID Fine tune playing skills: FR O ZEN ROPES H AS B EEN F E A TU R E D IN: Sports illustrated TEAM A ND INDIVIDUAL hitting, pitching and catching! mmm 2009 Wy e c r o f t Road | Oakvi l l e ON | L6L 6J4 | i n f o @f r o z e n r o p e s c a n a d a . c a | Call 9 0 5 . 8 4 7 . 7 6 9 7 f or i n f o r m a t i o n and t o enr ol l