Soooo .... maybe Peyton Manning's not done in Indy.

If he is, though, it'll be on him. Colts owner Jim Irsay ensured as much today, sending Manning the most poisoned of valentines by saying the Colts would certainly be willing to work out an incentive-laden new deal if that's what Peyton wants to do.

I have a feeling Irsay's heart is in the right place here -- it seems glaringly obvious by what he said today that, now that the decision is imminent, he just can't bring himself to run off the face of the franchise -- but, wow, does it back Manning into a wicked corner. By sending the ball back to Peyton's court, Irsay makes No. 18 file for the divorce if that's what it comes to. At the same time (if that's what it comes to), he makes Peyton look like any other money-grubbing athlete if he's not willing to sign onto the newer, shrunken deal.

I have a hunch Peyton would take that deal, because I do think he wants to finish his career as a Colt as much as Irsay seems to want him to. But it's also abundantly clear the Colts are moving on from the Peyton Era, which means if he agrees to a new deal and stays, it can't end anything but ugly.

Whether it's a law of physics or just plain common sense, after all, two Eras cannot occupy the same space at the same time. And if Peyton stays, that's what you're going to have: The Andrew Luck Era (or the Robert Griffin III Era) chomping at the bit to get going while the Peyton Era lingers an unseemly length of time on the stage. Not a pleasant scenario no matter how you spin it.

The only solution is for Peyton to move on now, cleanly, quickly and with a minimum of sentiment. But clean, quick and unsentimental is not and never has been Irsay's way. And so, by leaving the door ajar, he's sent all three of those essentials packing.

What a mess.