Mainly because they have to be.

Colts quarterback Peyton Manning heard the message early Friday morning, heard it in the speech Colts President Bill Polian gave as the team's veterans and most of its rookies gathered at the team’s practice facility for the 2007 mini-camp.

The Colts were Super Bowl champions last year.

Now, last year is over.

And now things will be a bit different in many ways.

Most of all, what has changed is this:

In years past, the Colts have been the “hunter,” striving to get past the AFC playoffs and into a Super Bowl, striving for a Super Bowl title.

“Now, we’re kind of the hunted,” Manning said Friday afternoon, the first day of the three-day mini-camp at the team’s Indianapolis practice facility.

“That’s the role you want to be in.”

Manning, the Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player in 2003 and 2004 and the Super Bowl XLI MVP, addressed a variety of issues Thursday, his first extensive session with the Indianapolis and national media since the Colts’ Super Bowl victory in February.

The primary topic was the Super Bowl – and specifically, how a team moves on from it to focus on the following season.

It’s an issue Manning said is foremost on the minds of Colts players.

And it’s one he said he expects the team to handle well.

Manning said the process of preparing for a post-Super Bowl season shouldn’t be drastically different than preparing for a season after a playoff loss.

“The best thing we’ve done in years past is really put a disappointing playoff loss behind us,” Manning said. “As disappointing as it was, we’ve addressed it, learned from it and moved on. To me, it shouldn’t be any different this year.

“We’ve kind of addressed last season and put it to bed. You can never take it away from us, but it’s time to move on to 2007. That’s what I think we’re doing.”

Although the weekend marks the Colts’ first official practices since before the Super Bowl, most of the team’s veterans have been working out in the off-season conditioning program since mid-April.

Manning said although the program started three weeks later than normal because of the Colts’ extended playoff appearance last season, the off-season still felt relatively short.

“Some of those things we usually do in late January, we didn’t have time to do that,” Manning said. “That’s something we’d like to get used to.”

Manning said he has turned down far more appearance requests than years past, and that his off-season hasn’t been drastically different than seasons past. The main differences, Manning said, were two high-profile appearances – hosting Saturday Night Live and attending a White House dinner with Queen Elizabeth II.

“The two things I’ve said yes to happened to be highly-publicized, I guess you’d say,” he said, smiling.

Manning since the Super Bowl said he has attempted to follow the advice of past Super Bowl champions, including linebacker Derrick Brooks of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“I remember Derrick Brooks telling me, 'Be sure to enjoy it,’’’ Manning said. “He said, ‘Work as hard as you always have and be sure you’re in good shape, but be sure you soak it up and don’t be in such a hurry to get it behind you.’ I have tried to do that and (Colts Head) Coach (Tony) Dungy has encouraged us to do that. That’s why it has been fun.”

A group of 10 Colts players recently attended the Kentucky Derby along with former Colts wide receiver Brandon Stokley.

“We just drove over to Louisville together and laughed the whole time,” Manning said. “It’s moments like that, when you’re kind of together – whether it was the trip to the White House, when you have the whole team together, and I guess we have the ring ceremony coming up in June – but those are the times that are probably the best.

“When you’re there together as a team, that’s pretty special.”

Manning said his focus this weekend wasn’t on the off-season, but on continuing preparations for next season. And this weekend, he said, is crucial to that process – mainly because it is the first chance for rookies to become familiar with the veterans’ approach.

“Guys like (veteran Pro Bowl wide receivers) Marvin (Harrison) and Reggie (Wayne) probably aren’t going to say a whole lot, but to watch those guys work on the practice field, as a young player, is impressive – just to see how seriously these guys take their crafts and how they approach their jobs,” Manning said. “To me, that has a positive effect on these young players. That’s what rookies are encouraged to do, to watch the veterans, and the veterans are encouraged to lead by example.”

This year, as in past years, Manning said it is likely that rookies will play a crucial role. And not just early-drafted rookies, either.

In last year’s Super Bowl, three rookies played extensively – running back Joseph Addai, safety Antoine Bethea, and offensive tackle Charlie Johnson, a sixth-round selection who played three quarters against the Bears in place of injured right tackle Ryan Diem.

“I didn’t even know he was in the game until the third quarter,” Manning said. “Young players will be called upon, no matter what draft choice, no matter what free agent they are, at some point this season. You never know who it’s going to be.

“It’s an exciting time for all these guys.”

And with the Colts entering next season with a new role, Manning said the mini-camp is important not just for rookies, but for veterans, too.

“Knowing how hard we work, how hard we worked last year to accomplish our goals, it makes you want try to do it again,” Manning said. “It also reinforces my respect of teams like Denver and New England, who have been able to repeat and win it multiple years.

“I know how hard it is not to win a Super Bowl. It was exciting last year and that’s what we’re here right now for, trying to work toward being a better team next year. I really feel like we should be.

“This is the first official time that the whole team is here together, so this is always an exciting time.”