Chris Hagan, FOX59 Sports Anchor Joins!

Chris Hagan (0:00)

Hammer and Nigel. You believe these characters? They're weirdos. So let's rock!

Nigel Jason Hammer (0:06)

My name is Nigel Jason Hammer, right over there with a very special guest on the hotline.

SPEAKER_3 (0:12)

There are three people in this country that actually like Mississippi State football. Brandon Walker of Barstool, Dak Prescott, and Chris Hagan of Fox59.

Mr. Hagan, how are you?

Chris Hagan (0:25)

Hail State.

SPEAKER_3 (0:29)

Our news partners of Fox59, I should say. I want to make sure that I do it right. All right. Biggest story in Indy today is that the Colts have, as some would say, finally parted ways with General Manager Chris Ballard.

Was it solely the loss to the Titans, you think, Chris, or is there more to this?

Chris Hagan (0:52)

Well, it's been building up and for years, I mean years, I've been hearing from fans going, I got to fire Chris Ballard. They got to fire Chris Ballard. Somehow, he was entering its 10th season, which is a long run as GM when you're not winning division titles or playoff games. So he's had a long run.

I think I said yesterday, our pregame show, it was a get right game or get fired game. You could get right against the Titans, move to three and three just be a game behind the Jaguars who had lost earlier in the day. I mean, it was one extreme or the other. Even if they win that game ugly, they're feeling good about things. But when you heard that chorus of boos that started raining down in that second half, you knew somebody or more than one somebody was going to get the pink slip today, and that's exactly what happened.

SPEAKER_3 (1:41)

And it just happens to coincide with season ticket renewals going out to season ticket holders. I know this, Chris, because I am one.

And, man, the timing of this, the Irseys had to do something, because it feels like this fan base has become very apathetic, if that's the right word. There were empty seats there yesterday, Chris. You heard boos coming down. And even when they had the lead on the Titans in the first half, it didn't feel like there was any juice in that place.

Chris Hagan (2:15)

Yeah, and then let's go ahead and blame this all on Adam Vinatieri, because he comes out there at half time and he says, it's a bad day to be a Titan. And the Titans were already back on the field. And I said to somebody, he's going to look like a real dumb ass if the Titans come back and win this game and that's exactly what happened. They blow the 13-nothing lead all because the, the goat decides to poke the bear, if you will. But yeah, I don't, I think, I think the Colts, I mean, when you see it collapse in all three phases, you see poor Rigoberto Sanchez getting his leg, like his leg was snapped in half.

They needed to be up more. They needed to be up, they needed to be up at the half. They should have turned that turnover into 17-nothing and the Titans would have laid down. So they had to settle for the field goal. Then they come out and turn the ball over. And you look up and the Titans are saying, are you kidding me? We could win a game? And you let them hang around and then that's what sealed it. I think this might have been coming in the next two games because they have to go on the road for two games they could lose. But now you look at it and like you said, the season tickets, the fan base and I've seen fan fans, you know, disappointed coming out of the stadium or when we do the interviews with the fans, but they were flat out pissed off. They were an angry mob and something had to be done today.

And it was just a matter of who or how many were going to get it today.

Nigel Jason Hammer (3:34)

I saw one of the most depressing headlines on Fox59, this guy holding his little baby girl and said, Coach Stiken ruined my baby girl's first Colts game.

Chris Hagan (3:50)

Oh my God. You know?

Nigel Jason Hammer (3:54)

I saw that and I go, all right, somebody's getting fired somewhere. I don't know if it's going to be the coach or the GM, but man, that poor daughter.

Chris Hagan (4:06)

Well, you know it's bad when they had a Titans fan. There's always Titans fans that make their way up here.

Nigel Jason Hammer (4:11)

Sure.

Chris Hagan (4:11)