ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Indianapolis owner Jim Irsay backed down a bit after Broncos coach John Fox and former Colts general manager Bill Polian chided him for comments critical of Peyton Manning. Fox used his weekly SiriusXM NFL Radio appearance Tuesday to criticize the Colts owner for sounding ungrateful for all Manning did for his team and city, including winning a Super Bowl in 2007, and Polian used the same platform to say Irsay was wrong in both his facts and opinions. After a series of tweets defending himself Tuesday night, Irsay took to Twitter on Wednesday to say he meant that if the Colts had given Manning better special teams and defence, they could have won more than one Super Bowl, instead of asking the quarterback to do too much. He added that he found it hard to see how anyone could misinterpret his comments, but controversy sells, so he understands why people try to stir things up. In a conference call with Denver media Wednesday, Colts coach Chuck Pagano said Irsay harbours no ill will toward Manning. "I dont think theres anybody that Mr. Irsay respects and cares for more than Peyton," Pagano said. "What cant you say about Peyton? What hes done for this organization, what hes done for the city, our fans -- what hes done for football -- its off the charts. And certainly all I know is that our owner has the utmost respect and love and passion for that guy and always will." Irsay told USA Today in an interview Tuesday that the Colts turned to Andrew Luck two years ago and released Manning rather than pay him a $28 million roster bonus because they were looking for more playoff success. "Weve changed our model a little bit, because we wanted more than one of these," Irsay said, showing his Super Bowl ring. "(Tom) Brady never had consistent numbers, but he has three of these. Pittsburgh had two, the Giants had two, Baltimore had two and we had one. "That leaves you frustrated. You make the playoffs 11 times, and youre out in the first round seven out of 11 times. You love to have the Star Wars numbers from Peyton and Marvin (Harrison) and Reggie (Wayne). Mostly, you love this," Irsay added, showing his ring again, according to the newspaper. Those comments were similar to the ones Irsay made in an interview with The Associated Press last summer, when the Colts owner said his only regrets about releasing Manning were that he wanted the star quarterback to throw his final pass as a Colt and he wished Manning had departed with more than one Super Bowl ring. So, instead of relying on the high-charged offence Manning directed, Irsay said the teams future February celebrations would come more frequently if the Colts ran a more balanced offence and divided the budget more evenly between the offensive and defensive players. Dictating the terms of his post-practice Wednesday news conference as effectively as he orchestrates his offence from the line of scrimmage, Manning paid virtually no heed to this weeks comments from Colts owner Jim Irsay. Manning said he had no comment when asked for his reaction to Irsays interview earlier this week when he said he had to give up the old Indy offences "Star Wars" numbers in a quest for more Super Bowl rings. Irsays latest verbal barrage, coming as it did this week, created quite a buzz. Fox normally isnt one to criticize anyone in public, but Irsays comments clearly struck a nerve. "I thought it was a bit of a cheap shot," Fox said on SiriusXM. "In my opinion, they were disappointing and inappropriate. You know, Peyton would never say anything because hes too classy to do that. "They sounded a little ungrateful and unappreciative to me for a guy thats set a standard, won a Super Bowl, won division titles, won four MVP awards, and Id be thankful for that one Super Bowl ring because a lot of people dont have one." Polian fired back at his old boss, saying Irsay had it wrong. "For one thing, I dont believe that Baltimore had two at the time that we were fired, all of us, Peyton, me and the rest of the staff, (coach) Jim Caldwell at the end of the 11 season," Polian said. He said Irsay was "very upset" after the Colts lost to New Orleans in the 2010 Super Bowl, "and I think its pretty telling that getting to the Super Bowl in his mind doesnt count. And for anyone who is in the game and who has to make that journey from training camp to the Super Bowl, you know that its awfully difficult to get there. "And as John Fox said ... if you have one, you count yourself lucky. Ive had teams that have been to six Super Bowls and won one. Im not ashamed of that record by any means, and Im certainly not ashamed of what we did in Indianapolis." Manning is 160-70 in the regular season -- joining Brady as the only quarterbacks with 90 more wins than losses -- but is just 9-11 in the playoffs with eight first-round exits. The Broncos -- who have won 19 of 23 games under Manning, but lost to Baltimore in the playoffs -- visit the Colts on Sunday night in Mannings first return to Indianapolis since his teary-eyed goodbye news conference alongside Irsay in March 2012. Mannings former coach, Tony Dungy, said on a conference call this week that he thinks Irsay wouldnt have let Manning go had he known Manning would bounce back as he has. "I can almost guarantee you that if he knew that he was going to be healthy like this and playing this kind of football, in hindsight I dont think he wouldve done it," said Dungy, whos now an NBC football analyst. "But with everything the way it was at that time, with Andrew being there and being available, knowing the scouting report on Andrew and the percentages of Peyton coming back and playing well at that point, it was the right thing to do." Irsay defended himself in a string of responses on Twitter on Tuesday night, when he quoted Manning as saying that both he and the owner wanted him to stay in Indianapolis but "circumstances forced our hand." He finished with a joke, saying he hopes for old times sake that Manning completes some passes to his old teammates such as safety Antoine Bethea. Jerseys From China . PETERSBURG, Fla. Wholesale Jerseys USA Online . But the quarterback hopes to stay involved in football after officially calling it quits Tuesday. "Id love to look at those opportunities as they arise," Pierce said in an interview from his Winnipeg eatery. http://www.wholesalejerseys.pro/ Cheap Authentic Jerseys . Pert has formerly spent time as an assistant coach with Cardiff City, Coventry City, and Bahrain mens national team. "Martyn is a highly-respected coach with experience at the top levels in England," said Whitecaps FC head coach Carl Robinson. Jerseys China . "Trying to breathe," he said with a grin. Bernier stopped 42 of 43 shots on Monday night, including all 22 in a hectic middle frame, his heroic performance propelling the Leafs toward an undue point in their final game before the Christmas break.PORTLAND, Ore. -- Last month when the 76ers hosted the Trail Blazers, they were embarrassed by a barrage of 3-pointers. Since then Philadelphia has made some defensive adjustments. It showed on Saturday night when the Sixers paid back the Blazers in Portland by beating them 101-99. It was Philadelphias fourth straight win to conclude a six-game road trip. "I give the guys so much credit for fixing the things that were so poor when we played them the last time," coach Brett Brown said. Thaddeus Young matched his season high with 30 points and the 76ers (12-21) displayed vastly improved defence in holding off a furious late rally by the Blazers (26-7). Evan Turner added 23 points and rookie star Michael Carter-Williams had 16, but fell hard on the court at the final buzzer when he was trying to keep Damian Lillard from scoring the game-tying basket. Carter-Williams appeared to hit his head and stayed down for several moments while his teammates held off their celebration. When he finally rose, he held his hand to his head. "He got hit in the head by Thaddeus," Brown said, adding that Carter-Williams was undergoing concussion tests and his condition was not immediately available. Portlands LaMarcus Aldridge had 29 points and 14 rebounds for his 20th double-double this season. Robin Lopez added 14 points and 15 rebounds in just the Blazers fourth loss at home this season. Portland led 76-69 going into the fourth quarter, but Youngs layup tied it at 84 and Spencer Hawes added another to give the 76ers the lead. Tony Wroten hit a pair of baskets to make it 90-84 for Philadelphia, but Wesley Matthews, Lillard and Lopez all made free throws to tie the game at 90 with 2:32 left. Philadelphia held off the Blazers and Youngs tip-in gave the Sixers a 96-94 lead. Spencer Hawes made a pair of free throws to give the 76ers a 99-95 lead with 19.3 seconds left. But after Aldridge hit a layup and Turner made free throws, Lillards layup closed Portland to 101-99 with 7.9 seconds left. A steal by Robin Lopez gave Portland back the ball but Lillard missed a layup at the buzzer that would have sent the game to overtime. "I had a good look," LLillard said.dddddddddddd "Off-balance or not, Ive got to make that." On Dec. 14 when the Blazers visited Philadelphia they drained a franchise-best 21 3-pointers en route to a 139-105 victory. Carter-Williams did not play in that game because of a skin infection on his right knee. Portland matched the franchise record on Thursday, when they had 21 3s in a 134-104 rout over the Charlotte Bobcats. It was the first time a team has had at least 20 3-pointers in two games in a single season. The NBA record for 3-pointers in a single game is 23. It appeared that this game could be similar 3-point clinic. The Blazers ranked atop the league with 349 3s this season and a 40.5 3-point percentage. But Portland made just three of 22 3-point attempts. "When I heard they hit like 21 the other night, you think of the law of averages. Sometimes the basketball god says Tonights not your night from the 3-point line," said Turner. The 76ers jumped out to an 18-4 lead midway through the first half on Thaddeus Youngs dunk. Portland was sloppy, with five turnovers in the first seven minutes, and had trouble adjusting to Philadelphias energetic tempo. But the Blazers chipped away, pulling to within 39-32 on Mo Williams long jumper. He added a 3-pointer to narrow the gap to 47-45, before Wesley Matthews fast-break layup tied it. Portland pulled in front on Aldridges jumper but the Sixers led 52-50 at the half. Portland led by nine points late in the third quarter, but the stubborn Sixers wouldnt let the Blazers go up by double digits. Wroten made a pair of free throws that got Philadelphia within 78-77 early in the final period. NOTES: With his first six points, Aldridge became the fourth-leading scorer in Trail Blazers history, passing Jerome Kersey (10,067). ... Portlands Nicolas Batum has had at least seven rebounds and seven assists eight times this year, second only to LeBron James with 11. ... After the game the Blazers said Batum sustained an avulsion fracture of his left middle finger, meaning a fragment pulled away from the bone, but he is still listed as probable for Tuesdays game at Sacramento. ... 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