Mailbagg™ is like the opposite of social media. It brings out the best in people.

This had been a great week for the Mailbagg™ , with heartfelt notes about fathers and sons, beautiful remembrances of Pete Rose, readers wanting to help me out – thank you!! – and one wanting to help the world with a public service announcement about prostate testing.

But then the Colts lost to the Jaguars and backup quarterback Joe Flacco played great. That had me writing something crazy and sending a text message heard ‘round the world – we have subscribers on * several continents! – and just like THAT, my plan to write a loving Mailbagg™ changed. It’s like what Mike Tyson said:

Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.

From: Me

Can't believe I'm saying this, but: Should the Colts play Joe Flacco until the wheels fall off? Anthony Richardson is the future, clearly. But it seems just as obvious: Flacco is the present.

Here’s my column.

Doyel: Anthony Richardson is the Colts' QB tomorrow, but Joe Flacco is the guy today

What happened next: 92 replies.

(I see every reply. Members of our text group see only what I send to the group.)

* No idea if this brag about having subscribers “on several continents” is true.

Wait, where are the punches?!

From: Brian M.

Wrong wrong wrong. Just saying.

Well that’s not much of a punch. More like a nudge on the shoulder.

From: Aaron T.

Keep AR in. Needs to develop and this team is going nowhere with this defense anyway.

Not a punch at all! More like a comment from a buddy at the bar.

From: Brian C.

I respectfully disagree. Richardson needs to play. This season is going to be a loss because of the atrocious defense so Richardson might as well get as many snaps as possible. Flacco was electric though.

More like a hug.

From: Nathan S.

Honestly, my opinion is no. Richardson needs to play. I didn't expect the Colts to be anything more than a fringe playoff team at best, so why not let Richardson get the reps he needs since this is essentially his rookie season?

You people can’t throw a punch to save your life.

From: Andy B.

No.

Short, quick, to the nose. Decent little jab, Andy.

From: Tom S.

This seems like clickbait. Flacco is not the future. Richardson might not be, but the Colts have to find out. And soon.

Calling my 1,500-word painting “clickbait” is hurtful. I’m Van Gregg, remember. This is art!

From: Me

Ninety-two replies to my outrageous column that Joe Flacco should start over Anthony Richardson, and 85 of them were in agreement. You people are soft! And I love you. Thank you.

From: Andy B.

So, 85 in agreement? That's why fans don't run organizations 😎😎😎

Showoff, Andy.

More Anthony Richardson/Joe Flacco fallout

From: Caryn T.

OMG GREGG GUACAMOLE IS AMAZING

Yes, my very important thoughts on guacamole were in that story too .

From: Doctor Ben

Last week when the Steelers played at Indy, I was driving to Pittsburgh and listened to the Mike Tomlin show. The ONLY player Tomlin said he was concerned about pregame was "Mr. (Jonathan) Taylor". He was pretty indifferent about AR. The personalities on the radio said AR reminds them of that pitcher Wild Thing from the movie “Major League:” All over the place and no control. One more thing:

Weren't the wheels already shaky before the season started? Maybe even riding on three wheels?

Interesting insight from afar, Doc. But one thing: Tricycles don’t shake.

New Colts motto: Go Trikes!

From: William S.

The last three sentences of your article are right on, except the third-from-last should be in all caps.

As you asked:

GUS BRADLEY IS THE WRONG DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR FOR SHANE STEICHEN.

From: Marc C.

Who has his head the farthest up his (rump): The too-often injured QB, the coach, or the owner?

Not printing this one.

This text group > social media

It’s math, people, and as I’ve already established: I’m great at math . Or writing like Van Gogh. Or was it Sudoku? No, wait. Baseball and soccer! Apparently I’m great at a lot of things. Good thing I’m humble, or I’d be insufferable.

Anyway, a note I sent last week:

From: Me

Back in Indiana. I appreciate your support about my dad, I really do. Randy S. has a self-serving question - I'm the self about to be served - whose answer gives a peek behind the curtains here at Gannett:

Randy asks: “Does it help you out more if I go to your stories from the links you share?"

In a small way, Randy, yes. We have all kinds of metrics, including where people find stories: Google search, our website on laptop vs. mobile, social media ... it's a lot. Maybe eight folks in the whole company (hundreds of papers) have a text group. Ours is the largest!

We track stories reached thru texted links. So please do click. We're No. 1! We're No. !

From: Philip J.

We're No. 1!!!

From: Jeff I.

I don't follow you on social media because I know I'll get the columns here. If other writers did this I’d use social media even less. The other benefit is that I read your column, but while I’m there I'll spend more time on the IndyStar app to read other news.

You’re like a bot, but for good. Do those exist?

From: Rick B.

Well, now I feel bad. I usually read your stories when I go to the IndyStar website when I'm reading other news. I'll try to be more mindful of clicking on these.

Don’t feel bad, Rick! Just don’t ever do that again . I appreciate you, truly.

From: Caryn T.

Oh that's good to know, Gregg. I frequently am unable to read your column right when you text the link but get to it later through the app. I'll be more mindful to click the text link instead.

Can you see why I love this group so much? Still mad at you for the guacamole note, though.

From: Greg S.

You can delete me from your text list – I’m unable to open your columns.

Hang on, Greg. Do you not subscribe? Or do you subscribe – and still can't open them? If it's the latter, this trips up a lot of folks:

Your phone browser has to be signed into IndyStar for it to recognize you as a subscriber. Just because you're logged in elsewhere – say, on your laptop – doesn’t mean the phone recognizes you. Try that story again, then log in when it asks, and you should be OK. Let me know.

From: Greg S.

Thank you and I'm sorry to bother you. I am a subscriber and have been for years – I open the app on my iPad, and it recognizes me, but won’t allow me to open stories from your texts. I will try customer service today and hope for the best.

Now do you see why I love this group so much?

Odds and ends, mostly odd

From: Alan B.

“Van Gregg." That's good stuff, but the mustache needs to go.

Gone baby, gone. A momentary lapse that will live forever IN MY COLUMN MUG SHOT. Bosses have been asking me for years not to write so much – shaddup! – and now I have a reason: Less columns equal less mustache pics.

From: Matt B.

So at lunch today I'm reading The ‘Bagg™ . When I get to your second use of " ...if you've embedded yourself in such a cocoon... " I literally do a minor spit take. Then I come to my name and nearly need the Heimlich! Truly! I can tell my grandchildren someday that I was in The ‘Bagg™ . Thanks for the shoutout, my friend. Also: 26. Sorry!

Thanks Matt. No more numbers in my head! How many texts did I print last week, anyway? Let me see ... only 15. Ha! Now I can let the number 26 go!

It sure does 15 feel good to stop having a number in my h15d.

From: Terry J.

Hey Jimbo, looks like the Reds got them a new coach. Love ya man.

Who you calling Jimbo??

From: Terry J.

So, who is this. I guess I sent this to the wrong person.

It’s Duckie. Van Gregg. The Mailbagg™ guy! Oh never mind. Sorry to bother you, Terry.

On Pete Rose, and my dad

Last week, Pete Rose died on Monday night. I was already scheduled to fly to Florida to see my dad on Wednesday. His health is not good. The Pete Rose obituary I sat down to write Monday night morphed into a larger look at life, and fathers and sons, and baseball – and 36 hours later I visited my dad. Amazing timing.

That story gently touched a nerve with readers.

From: Tom M.

My dad will be 99 in a couple of months and I am retiring early, tomorrow, so I can spend more time with him. He still lives at home, but it’s a struggle. He had access to Reds season tickets for his customers, so I probably attended a couple hundred games during the 70's – including World Series games. Pretty special. Pete was our favorite, he could do no wrong. Write on, brother, write on.

From: Chris B.

Just read the Dad/Pete Rose story . In fact, I read it aloud to Charlie, my husband, who is 77, was in Vietnam, and who loves baseball. Your story made Charlie tear up. Need I say more.

From: Sid B.

I'm sorry about your dad. I've learned via your stories what an amazing and resilient man he is. This story causes me to remember my Dad, especially when he no longer had the energy to play golf or do the things he was accustomed to doing.

From: Randy R.

You got me misty-eyed, Gregg. I'm sorry your dad is suffering. Tell him I still think of him whenever I consider my own problems. Also, I began to think about the relationship I had with my father. All we talked about on a regular basis was sports and movies. Now I'm old and beat up, and my wife and I are flying to California next month to see one of my sons. When I told him what weekend we were coming, he said, "Great! We can watch Missouri and Hoosier football. And maybe catch a movie." I raised my sons in the same manner I was raised. Again, my best to your dad.

Appreciate you all so much. I’m with my dad now. Told him about all these notes. You’ve made him smile. Priceless.

And finally, a PSA

From: Jeff L.

I was diagnosed last year with prostate cancer. Prevention is key. Get your annual physical and PSA so you can keep up the good work.

Can I share this with the group, Jeff? As a PSA about the PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test? If so, what's your age and prognosis? Either way, I appreciate you thinking of me.

From: Jeff L.

Yea please do share it. I’m 61, and blessed to work with a group of radiation oncologists, and have the man upstairs on my side…

Now do you see why I love this group so much?

Find IndyStar columnist Gregg Doyel on Twitter at @GreggDoyelStar or at www.facebook.com/greggdoyelstar .

More: Join the text conversation with sports columnist Gregg Doyel for insights, reader questions and Doyel's peeks behind the curtain.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Mailbagg™ is like the opposite of social media. It brings out the best in people.