Colts owner Jim Irsay pays $2.2 million for Ringo Starr drum set

A drum kit Ringo Starr used to record some of the Beatles' earliest hits was sold for $2.2 million at auction in Beverly Hills to Jim Irsay, the owner of the Indianapolis Colts. 

Julien's Auctions said Irsay bought the three-piece 1963 Ludwig Oyster Black Pearl kit on Friday during a two-day auction involving more than 800 items owned by Starr and his wife, actress Barbara Bach.

Starr used the kit in more than 200 performances between May 1963 and February 1964 and was used on such iconic recordings including Can't Buy Me Love, She Loves You, All My Loving and I Want to Hold Your Hand.

The auction, which includes items like instruments and career memorabilia, concludes Saturday.

Also for sale is a guitar used by John Lennon, which the late Beatle gave to Starr.

"[We] thought... we've got lots of furniture, we've got lots of cutlery... and I thought let's make it really crazy and special... like John's guitar,' Starr said at a party on Tuesday night ahead of the auction.

"It's been played twice," he added.

Last month, Julien's Auctions sold a drum head from a kit Starr played on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964 for $2.1 million.

A portion of the proceeds will benefit the couple's Lotus Children Foundation, which focuses on global social welfare issues.

So if you hear someone banging out It Don't Come Easy from the owner's box at Lucas Oil Stadium, you'll know who it is.

Vontae Davis says Colts 'prepared really hard for Tom Brady'

Unless you were hiding under a rock all week, you probably knew that Peyton Manning was coming back to play at Lucas Oil Field. Apparently cornerback Vontae Davis didn't get the memo — or did he?

After his Colts won and ruined Manning's return to Indianapolis, Davis was asked by NBC's Michelle Tafoya about limiting the Broncos offense on Sunday night and he said the Colts "prepared really hard for Tom Brady."

"We had a good week of practice," Davis said. "We prepared really hard for Tom Brady."

Davis' comment was made during the craziness  of the postgame, so it's possible he just didn't realize what he was saying.

But, because Davis' comments came on the heels of Jim Irsay's remarks before the game — the Colts owner pointed out that Brady had several Super Bowl rings — Manning fans now think Davis knew what he was saying to rub it in.

Even if Davis' verbal flub wasn't intentional, it is funny.

Jim Irsay says 'um' 127 times during six minute 'Peyton' speech

From the time Indianapolis Colts president Jim Irsay began today's Peyton Manning press conference by saying," We're here to announce the conclusion of Peyton's playing career with the Colts and honor all the incredible memories..." and finished by handing over the podium to the departing Colts quarterback "for a few more words," he uttered the sound "um" or "uh" 127 times during his 5 minute and 57 second speech.

Not to be hatin' on the Colts boss— it was an emotional moment for both him and Manning— but by the time he got through saying "The No. 18 jersey will never be worn again by a Colt on the field" and Manning "will always be part of the  horseshoe," I was "ummed" out.

It was a classy press conference with no drum rolls or brass bands and the perfect way for a big-time NFL star to leave a small-market city.

When Manning addressed the Colts fans and said, "Thank you very much from the bottom of my heart, I truly have enjoyed being your quarterback," it was hard not to see through the toughness of a grateful man.

The New York Giants would love to have Peyton but we already have little brother Eli.

Vintage 1894 football card found in farmhouse; Player resembles Peyton Manning

The oldest known football card ever seen was found by a man cleaning out a Kentwood, Mich. farmhouse and headed to the trash until he decided to take it to a sports card dealer.

Good thing.  The vintage 1894 card— considered the "Holy Grail" of football cards— bears the likeness of Harvard's John Dunlop and was appraised at a value of  $10,000.

The card is labeled "Anonymous" because it doesn't bear Dunlop's name but the sepia-toned headshot does have a strange resemblance to Peyton Manning.

Could it be?  It feels like that whole saga between the Indianapolis Colts quarterback and team owner Jim Irsay started about 118 years ago too.

                                                             

The unidentified man found the rare card— along with 35 other cards of mostly boxers including one of the all-time greats John Sullivan— in an old notebook while emptying out the home after a death in the family.

Experts said the vintage card was issued by the Mayo Tobacco Works of Richmond, Virginia and is part  of a set considered to be the first and rarest collection of football cards ever printed.

All of the cards will be submitted for auction.

Manning's status is still in the air.