May 14, 2008

Marvin Harrison

The Colts’ higher-ups — owner Jim Irsay, coach Tony Dungy and GM Bill Polian — have been conspicuously quiet on the Marvin Harrison situation. Save for a short statement and a couple of interviews with local media outlets, there’s been little external discourse about their reaction to the reports that their All-Pro receiver was linked to gunfire in Philadelphia that wounded one man in the hand and gave a 2-year-old a facial laceration from the shattered glass of an automobile’s windshield that was hit by a stray bullet. Published reports, quoting unnamed police sources, have indicated that shell casings found at the scene of the shooting, near a North Philadelphia car wash owned by Harrison, came from a gun owned by Harrison. According to a source close to the team, there’s more concern among the powers that be than the Colts are publicly letting on. It’s not that they know or suspect anything more than what the police have told them, but the potential of a major off-field distraction during the season is something the Colts are relatively unaccustomed to dealing with under Dungy’s direction. Harrison has yet to be charged, or even be named a suspect, in the case. However, if he were to be charged, the timetable for his court appearances could pose serious problems for how the Colts juggle their WR corps during both training camp and the season.