It takes a staff of dedicated journalists to bring you the news from around Central Indiana. In this feature, the Indianapolis Star introduces readers to our newsroom staff — or, rather, we let them introduce themselves. Up this week is Shari Rudavsky.

What’s your job title?

Local news editor for entertainment and business

When did you join IndyStar?

2004

What’s your favorite part of your job?

Meeting strangers who tell me that IndyStar has had an effect of any sort on their lives. That impact may range from trying a certain restaurant, changing their outlook on an issue or leading them to take action, all based on something they read either in our physical paper or online.

Why journalism?

I staunchly believe that the role of journalists consists of informing our community about the issues that matter in our lives and bring us together.

What do you do to unwind from a job that can be stressful?

Read, walk, do the New York Times Wordle, Spelling Bee and crossword puzzles.

What song do you shamelessly jam out to in the car?  

“Naked Eye” by Luscious Jackson. Yep, you’ve probably never heard it.

What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?

“Be yourself” — the last words my father said to me with the wish I pass them on to my son, his only grandchild.

If you could guest star on any TV show past or present, which one? 

Can I just take over for Terri Gross, queen of the NPR show “Fresh Air,” when she retires?

What’s something people would be surprised to learn about you?

My first job out of college was at Penthouse magazine. Seriously, I worked for Omni magazine, a now-defunct science magazine, as an editorial assistant, and Omni was published by Penthouse. Every morning I walked by a huge photo on the wall of Bob Guccione with a topless “pet” on his lap.

What’s the meanest tweet ever directed at you?

Not a Tweet and not the meanest (because I did write about abortion for several years so had unspeakably mean comments hurled in my direction), but years ago an IndyStar reader wrote to tell me that I needed to do something about my eyebrows.

How did you earn your first dollar?

I earned my first money pairing socks for the family laundry at the generous salary of “a penny a pair.” Since my family only had three people in it, my first full dollar was earned babysitting.

What’s your favorite comfort food?

New York City poppy or everything bagel toasted with butter

Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen announced that quarterback Anthony Richardson is dealing with an injury in the same throwing shoulder in which he suffered his AC joint sprain. Steichen said that Richardson will miss next week’s mini-camp.

Richardson originally suffered a grade 3 AC joint sprain in his right throwing shoulder in a game against the Tennessee Titans in his rookie season. The injury forced Richardson to the sideline for the entire remainder of the season.

Steichen said that Richardson felt discomfort in his shoulder after an OTA practice last week (per the team). Richardson proceeded to get the shoulder checked out by team doctors, who found aggravation in the AC joint.

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The team does not expect Richardson’s injury to need surgery. Steichen said he expects Richardson to return at some point during training camp.

The Colts will now turn to newly signed quarterback Daniel Jones to carry the first-team reps in next week’s minicamp. Jones and Richardson are expected to battle for the starting job in training camp, barring any setbacks in Richardson’s injury recovery.

Richardson has dealt with his fair share of injuries since entering the league in 2023. From a concussion to a shoulder injury to a hip injury, Richardson has had problems throughout his body.

The Colts will hope that Richardson can make a full recovery in time for Week 1 against the Miami Dolphins in early September. Hopefully, this injury is not a sign of permanent damage to Richardson’s shoulder.

The Indianapolis Colts have missed the playoffs in four straight seasons. Two of those seasons were under head coach Shane Steichen, but general manager Chris Ballard was there for all of them.

Heading into the 2025 season, Steichen and Ballard are both at risk of losing their jobs if results don’t come soon. The leash has been shortened drastically for Indianapolis’ front office following a pair of mediocre seasons that were filled with quarterback controversies.

2023 fourth-overall pick Anthony Richardson has struggled to stay on the field, starting 15 of a possible 34 games. In those 15 games he’s started, Richardson has left the field early due to injury in three of them. Basically, Richardson has finished 12 full NFL games.

The Colts signed former New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones at the start of free agency in an attempt to foster competition for the starting job, but that might not do much if the goal is postseason football, and that isn’t achieved.

Bleacher Report analyst Brad Gagnon described every team’s “nightmare scenario” for the 2025 season, and for the Colts, it revolves around the success of Richardson and Jones.

“A scenario in which they win enough games to lack significant Round 1 draft capital but also don’t get enough out of either Anthony Richardson or Daniel Jones to be confident in the quarterback situation entering 2026,” wrote Gagnon.

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The Colts have had two straight years of mid-first-round picks, selecting 15th overall in 2024 and 14th overall in 2025. Indianapolis is missing out on top-10 talent while simultaneously falling short of meaningful football.

Through two seasons, Steichen has coached the Colts to 17 wins and an equal number of losses. That sort of mediocrity can’t fly if he wants to stay in charge. Richardson and Jones will play a major role in determining not only this franchise’s future, but Steichen’s and Ballard’s as well.

Last year, Richardson started 11 games and threw for 1,814 yards, eight touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. Jones started 10 games in New York and won just two of them while throwing for 2,070 yards, eight touchdowns, and seven interceptions.

Neither guy sticks out, but Richardson likely has the upper edge thanks to his connections to the front office. It’d be a better look for the organization for the guy they drafted to lead the team to the playoffs, but that’s far from a guarantee.

The Colts need reliable quarterback play more than anything. Having the same guy under center for every snap would help, too. Letting receivers and blockers feel more comfortable with who they’re protecting is step one in building a Super Bowl-worthy team.

No matter who wins the job, the Colts should try to stick with them for as long as possible. There’s no point in flip-flopping starters every week, especially if the result is a loss every time.

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