Whenever the Indianapolis Colts are in the news, it is more than a sports story.  Based on an August, 2014 article from TheStreet.com, Central Indiana taxpayers subsidized Lucas Oil Stadium to the tune of $620 million.

So whenever there is news from the Colts complex on West 56th Street in Indy, we all need to pay attention, fan or no NFL fan.  That was the case when Colts owner Jim Irsay was arrested by Carmel police about 2 years ago and underwent a rehabilitation program (Mr. Irsay’s struggles with addiction are well known and I wish him well in dealing with those demons).

The fact that the Irsay family is profiting handsomely from the public subsidy makes many Colts stories a news story.  Even when it’s about a coach.

I have never met Chuck Pagano, but his bout with Leukemia has been well publicized.  The coach has been in remission and appears to be in good health after the horrible scare of a few years ago of undergoing cancer treatments.

When Pagano was asked about his tenuous job situation as the Colts season began to head south, his answer was always the same:  I have a job today, I’m going back tomorrow to work as hard as I can to win.

That’s a trait of being a cancer survivor, a moniker Pagano wears proudly (as he should). After you have battled the possibility of death, losing a head coaching job in the NFL pales by comparison.

But there has been an added part of this equation.  Stories published by Bob Kravitz of WTHR and others clearly indicate Pagano and his boss, Ryan Grigson, were not on the same page and were barely speaking of late.

One thing that tells me is that Colts employees at the West 56th Street complex had had enough and began leaking inside stuff to reporters.  That’s a clear indication all was not well in the Colts family.

As I watched Irsay announce a 4-year contract extension for Coach Pagano, along with a promise to extend Grigson past the one year remaining on his deal, it appears all parties have decided to make amends.  I am guessing that Grigson and Pagano have reached agreement about how decisions will be made in the future.

When things are not well for the Colts, that puts Indiana’s investment in that incredible stadium at risk.  If the Colts become perennial losers (think Cleveland Browns) people will stop attending games, TV ratings would go down and the fortunes of the team would be in jeopardy.

What Jim Irsay has attempted to do is to show his tilt toward continuity if at all possible. Pagano said he planned to fight for his job, and it is clear he did.  Irsay was hearing the message sent by the fans and players that most of them wanted Pagano to return.

Will this stabilize the ship?  Will the Colts avoid the massive injuries of 2015 next NFL season and get back into the playoffs?  Time will tell.

But remember we have an interest in a successful Colts organization that transcends football.  We have a major public investment in these Colts.