How did YOU become a Colts fan?
by Colts_and_Cavs_in_09! on Jul 15, 2009 3:09 PM EDT
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I was just wondering what everyone's stories were. My story of being a colts fan is kind of strange, I just wanted to know if anyone had a stranger story. See, I moved to Indiana when I was five. I learned what "sports" were when I was eight. I started playing them at nine. I got decent at sports when I was 12. But football never crossed my mind. It was always basketball for me. Back in 2005 my cousins visited us here in Indiana, they were from Arizona. They got me Madden 04 as a gift (which I still have, and play). I didn't like football so I put it away. The first football game I ever watched was the AFC championship in 2006. Not a bad place to start, huh? I watched maybe 40% of the superbowl and I was happy when the colts won, but I still wasn't a fan. My next game was superbowl 41.5 colts vs. patriots. We lost and I didn't care much. The playoffs came and went and I still didn't like football too much. Then I started playing Madden, and eventually I learned all of the rules of football from Madden. I knew exactly what football was and over summer I became a huge colts fan. I watched every colts game last season and I kept track of ALL of the stats. I am now obsessed with the colts and I know EVERYTHING about stats. I know every team, every division, every depth chart. My brain picked it up over summer, and doesn't want to let go. I have spent countless hours reading about the colts previous games, previous years. I didn't watch them, but I know exactly what happened every year.
This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Stampede Blue's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Stampede Blue's writers or editors.
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I was born and raised in Carmel, IN
"I saw a commercial on late night TV, it said,'Forget everything you know about slipcovers.' So I did. And it was a load off my mind. Then the commercial tried to sell me slipcovers, and I didn't know what the hell they were."
-Mitch Hedberg
That one is easy.
As soon as they showed up in the mayflower trucks, it was on. It was such a big deal for Indy to get a football team that most people jumped on board to show there support right away. There were plenty of people that stayed loyal to their team, mostly douche bag Steelers fans, but, most folks opened their arms to the new home town team immediately.
The team and the dome reshaped, downtown Indy, before the team’s arrival, downtown Indy was totally dead. You could go down town, after dark and if there wasn’t a Pacer game going on at Marketsquare, you may not have seen another car the entire night.
All the hotels, condos and people moving back to downtown are because of the colt’s arrival back in ’84. So when you see or hear people bitching about the cost of the stadium or the Colts holding the city hostage, just laugh at their dumb asses; the city owes a lot to Bob Irsay, Bill Hudnut and few others, if it weren’t for those guys downtown would still be a ghost town.
Defense is more important than breathing.
didn't watch much pro fooball as a little kid, just Iowa games
I got a little interested in the days of the greatest show on turf since Kurt Warner went to high school in the area I live, but before I had really gotten interested and gotten behind a team (there isn’t a Pro Team playing within 300 miles of my hometown, so I was pretty much a free agent), the Colts drafted two of my favorite Hawkeyes in back to back years. Bob Sanders and Dallas Clark, and I was sold. Young team on the rise with an O remenistent of the greatest show on turf which had first interested me in football that now has two of my all time favorite Iowa players? Sign me up.
That's big talk for a little guy,
but I'm walkin' without reply.
-Lil Wayne "Mr. Postman"
Boring, but here it is anyway.
In 1962 when I was seven years old, I was a baseball nut…..I also used to read a lot. I picked up a football book and read about the greatest game ever played. That’s when I became interested in the Colts. About as much as any seven year old, anyway it wasn’t until 66, I think, and Life Magazine came out with a pictorial called “My Colts” and I did a school report on it and that’s when I started getting hard core. I remember the great Rams and Colts wars in the sixties, and all those lean years in the mid and late seventies, and the brutal 80’s. Oh how I died a hundred times. When they moved, I was bugged, but I got over it, and here I am an old fart on a blog.
sweet
somebody older then me on here.
Dude you are my new favorite poster.
Defense is more important than breathing.
The older the ram, the stiffer the horn.
You’ll get here soon enough, young’un
And I felt old at 35 on this sort of forum =p
by coltsfanawalt on Jul 17, 2009 1:13 PM EDT up reply actions
What?
You can’t be an old, fat, grampa and still live and die with the Colts? Irsay hasn’t sent me a memo that says I’m ineligible yet.
He's working on that.
It’ll be on your desk by Tuesday.
Now a proud annoyance on Stampede Blue, 18to88, Indy Football Report, and Phil B's blog.
Man, I need a life...
Random fact of the week from the empty void that is my mind: Snails can sleep for three years at a time.
Of course you'll have forgotten this conversation by then anyhow...
by coltsfanawalt on Jul 17, 2009 5:14 PM EDT up reply actions
Tough crowd here.
That’s OK cause I was born in days of old, when knights were bold, and rubbers weren’t invented. This was a funny poem, but I forget the rest.
I think I've posted this before, but here's my story
I grew up in Southern California and discovered football when I was 8 (remember distinctly asking my Dad to explain… one more time… the whole thing with downs and yards to go). At the time, the local team were the L.A. Rams, but I preferred the Oakland Raiders – then L.A. Raiders – then Oakland Raiders again. But over the years, I became less and less enamored with the Raiders’ image and decided to look for a team that (a) had a clean-cut image, and (b) had the highest number of former Cal players.
Clean-cut in my mind meant mostly Midwest teams, though I suppose I could have gone 49ers or Seahawks to be closer to home. But i really kinda had my eyes out for Indy, so I was able to justify with all the Cal players (Tarik Glenn chief among them).
There ya go.
How can you not love a team that does this?
Spending most of my youth in Southern California with a choice between the Raiders and Rams
I was mostly a college football fan (read: UCLA).
Grew up watching the Saints with dad (from New Orleans) when Archie was playing – dad was a huge Archie fan. That stuck with me.
So I’m watching college football (Tennessee vs UCLA) and who is the QB? A young man named Peyton Manning. He was amazing in college and then I added Tennesee to my college list. Been a Peyton fan ever since.
When he was drafted by the Colts, I became a Colts fan. Just fell in love with the entire organization. The Colts have so much class. There is really no other team out there that can compete with that.
"I throw, you catch. It's NOT that hard!"
Peyton Manning, SNL, 2007
Well I didn't grow up a sports fan at all
I still don’t watch baseball or hockey, and the only time I watched the NBA was during the Finals in which Jordan seem to be in every year throughout my childhood ( I was born in ‘89). The only NFL teams I had heard of were the Cowboys and Giants (from the movie Little Giants), the 49ers, and the Raiders(my dad’s favorite team).
When I was probably 14 or 15, I saw my dad watching a Colts game. I sat there and watched for probably a few minutes, andI thought to myself, “Hmm, that’s a pretty good team” since they had a pretty large lead. Then one of the announcers said something about Peyton Manning and was like, “I’ve heard that name before!” Fast forward to the 2004 Super Bowl. I’m watching the Pats and Panthers play and I thought to myself, “Why aren’t that Colts team playing? They were cold.” Little did I know about the Colts playoffs mishaps.
But you won’t believe what turned onto football: the MTV show “Two-a-Days”! I was 16, so imagine what that does to a girl when she sees cute high school boys shirtless throwing the pigskin around ;-)…j/k. No, but really, I just became really interested in football just from that show alone. So, I started watching the NFL, and I remembered the Colts were a team that I could root for, so that’s what I did. It was the 2006 AFC Championship game, and I saw that the Colts were only one game away from the Super Bowl. They were playing the Pats, who I had just learned were their nemesises, and they were down 15 at the half. I was so disappointed, but my dad told that they could back and win the game, and the rest is history.
From that moment on, I was addicted to sports by constantly watching ESPN (yuck!) all day. I calmed down quite a bit, but I’m thankful for the Colts for opening my eyes to America’s past time: FOOTBALL!!!
"Peyton Manning flow, I just go no huddle."
- Lil' Wayne, Put Some Keys on That
lol
"Hmm, that’s a pretty good team" since they had a pretty large lead
I read that as: “…since they had a pretty large head.” seriously, I did. hahahaha
"I throw, you catch. It's NOT that hard!"
Peyton Manning, SNL, 2007
by peytonsthebest on Jul 15, 2009 4:48 PM EDT up reply actions
You of all people would.
Now a proud annoyance on Stampede Blue, 18to88, Indy Football Report, and Phil B's blog.
Man, I need a life...
Random fact of the week from the empty void that is my mind: Snails can sleep for three years at a time.
That's why we love you, peytonsthebest!
"Peyton Manning flow, I just go no huddle."
- Lil' Wayne, Put Some Keys on That
Can't help but see Peyton's fivehead everywhere you turn, huh?
by coltsfanawalt on Jul 17, 2009 1:15 PM EDT up reply actions
ha ha
yeah, at least I keep myself entertained, dork that I am. =-)
"I throw, you catch. It's NOT that hard!"
Peyton Manning, SNL, 2007
by peytonsthebest on Jul 17, 2009 1:37 PM EDT up reply actions
Living in Iowa
There aren’t really any “local” choices. My older brother was a Cowboys fan (this is back in the 70s when the Cowboys were still the good guys) but I wanted my own team. I was only about 5 years old so my selection process was a little under-developed. My family went to Dairy Queen one night and they were giving out sudaes in baseball cap shaped dishes with football logos on them. The one I got was of the Baltimore Colts. From that point on they were my team.
There were some lean years in there, and with nothing but broadcast TV in Iowa there wasn’t much of a chance to really keep up with the team – especially when your older brother kicks you off the TV to watch the Cowboys – not that the Colts were ever really on much in our market anyway. But when asked I would still give the Colts as my team.
As I got older and we got cable in the mid-80s it got a little easier – not that the news was ever good at that point. Now, with the Internet, I’m able to share the sport of football with my sons and they can actually follow the teams they’ve eached picked for themselves. And just like their dad, they each had a somewhat arbitrary way of picking – two of them based on color and the other because he liked Manning but was determined to have his own team, so he picked the “other Manning.”
Now, with four teams to watch and follow Sunday’s get real interesting in my house.
by the_iowa_hawkeye on Jul 15, 2009 4:59 PM EDT reply actions
Was put on the Colts P.A.L. football team as a kid
My family moved from Chicago to Ft. Wayne, Indiana, and in 1994 I was old enough to play pee-wee football. I was placed on the Colts and started following them. To this day I feel blessed that I wasn’t put on the Lions.
Like shake I didnt watch a lot of football
I was introduced to football in 2002, my friend who was (and still is) a huge bucs fan wanted me to change the channel to watch the bucs play and from then on I started to learn and understand the game of football. it was because I followed my friends bucs, that I was lead to the Colts on that fateful monday night of october 6, 2003, when they made that incredible comeback, down 21 in the 4th. That game inspired me to make the colts my permanent team.
BTW
I didnt watch football since i was raised and still am living in los angeles, which as you know, has no football team
by metal_militia on Jul 15, 2009 7:07 PM EDT up reply actions
nice stories
What surprises me is that most people aren’t saying “I was born in Indiana and the colts are my team”. There are a lot of different stories here.
by Colts_and_Cavs_in_09! on Jul 15, 2009 6:18 PM EDT reply actions
yeah that is a bit of a surprise
"If you don't [draft me], I promise you I'll come back and kick your ass for the next 15 years."
Natural extension early
Grew up in Indiana, family were Colts fans, and the Colts became a natural extension of my love for basketball and the Pacers and Hoosiers.
Started paying attention to the Colts for the 1994 season, but was pretty preoccupied with the Pacers, though I did love watching Marshall Faulk. It was the 1995 season was when I really started following them, having a full offseason to really start understanding who the Colts were and blah blah blah.
Like with the Pacers, I think being a fan was just right place right time. The 1995 season was just so electrifying to experience as your first real season like 93-94 was for the Pacers. I had a blast that year, though it’s kind of funny that thinking back, no one in my class shared my enthusiasm for the Colts…and I mean NO one.
surprisingly
The colts had a very small fanbase when they first moved here. They still have a relatively small fanbase. But Indiana is a small state.
by Colts_and_Cavs_in_09! on Jul 15, 2009 7:31 PM EDT up reply actions
Indiana is quite populated, however
Compared to size anyway.
But of course, having so many bad teams makes it easier to stray and start cheering for the Cowboys or Redskins or 49ers or any other NFC team that had an ounce of relevance in the late 80’s, early 90’s. I’d say I got the last laugh if I didn’t assume each and every one of them weren’t Colts fans right now.
similar timing for me
I moved to Indy in ‘95 as an 11 year old and all it took was one season to become a fan. Definitely great timing. It didn’t hurt that I was leaving Boston and Drew Bledsoe didn’t really inspire any fandom…
"If you don't [draft me], I promise you I'll come back and kick your ass for the next 15 years."
I moved to Indiana the same year the Colts did when I was 6 years old. Growing up, I was never really into football that much…Indiana was basketball country and that’s what I largely followed until around ‘93 when my dad got a Joe Montana Sports Talk NFL game for the family’s Sega Genesis. I played the heck out of that game and finally got what all this football stuff was all about. Being the homer that I am, I played as the Colts almost always, and from there I started watching the actual games on TV and rooting for the blue and white. The rest is history.
EXACT same as me :) except it was with madden 04
by Colts_and_Cavs_in_09! on Jul 16, 2009 11:13 PM EDT up reply actions
I've lived in Indiana all my life.
(to this point)
I grew up with the Pacers and Reggie Miller… I was going to be a pro NBA player and I JUST KNEW IT.
I followed the colts occasionally, loved Jim Harbaugh, hated the Steelers for a good 5 years as a result of the ’96 AFC championship game (for years I was convinced Aaron Bailey caught that ball)… but never latched on until the ’99 season.
I don’t know what it was, but up until that time, I had assigned roles for my Indy teams— the Pacers were the team worthy of attention, whereas the colts were mediocre with occasional spurts of decent play.
I remember my dad being ecstatic about our drafting of Peyton, but we were still 3-13 his rookie year…
I still remember, that Sunday afternoon in September of ’99, hearing my dad tell me that we had beaten Buffalo (and well), and my utter shock (undeserved?) at hearing said news. From that ultra-frustrating Pats game at Foxboro, to the heartbreaking loss to the Titans, I watched every colts game that season, and for the first time since the 96 AFCCG, I was truly emotionally involved with the team.
I finally committed the strategy of the came to memory with NFL2k for Dreamcast (though that would have meant 40 swing passes and screens to Edge per game, if I would have had my way), and… the rest is history.
I actually don't remember
What I really honestly felt when they drafted Peyton. I was thinking, “Yeah! Peyton Manning!” But I know I didn’t think of it in terms of him being the greatest QB ever and getting a Super Bowl to Indianapolis. I think that after watching the 1997 team (though remembering clearly how elated I was at school to a particularly mouthy Packers fan one Monday), I didn’t think there was any way I could expect Manning to lead a Super Bowl run because of how bad the Colts were.
Of course, that 1998 NBA Playoffs run for the Pacers became my favorite ever, so I was a little preoccupied to really worry about what kind of long term historical impact Manning would have. I knew he was the obvious pick though. I do, however, vividly remember being upset at the drafting of Edgerrin James over Ricky Williams, but that would be why I wasn’t an NFL GM at age 15. If StampedeBlue were around this time a decade ago, I would be trashing Edge pretty hardcore right now.
The 1999 season was absolutely unreal. I never once thought about the Colts as a Super Bowl team in that entire season. It didn’t matter. All that mattered was the team I was a fan of was winning…a lot and often, in a manner I’d never seen before. There were no expectations for me. I just wanted to see them keep playing and keep winning. The end result matters little to me compared to the wonderful season that particular year was.
Ive lived in Indy all my life too......
wow i miss the old Pacers and Reggie Miller……its just not the same anymore. i need to get over it and start following them on a regular basis again.
i started watching in 99 as well. i remember the Edge or Ricky Williams hype…..and started watching to see if the Colts made a good pickup…….ive maybe missed a handful of games since then!
yeah the pacers are become entertaining again
Granger is a great guy to root for. Good player and an even better person with an interesting personality. The young guys look decent too. They’re definitely still a couple years away from any seroius contention but they’ve got a legitimate shot at getting a low seed in the playoffs this year. And of course you wanna get on the bandwagon now before it gets crowded in 2012, right? right?
"If you don't [draft me], I promise you I'll come back and kick your ass for the next 15 years."
i jumped on the bandwagon as soon as Granger made the all star game!
by Colts_and_Cavs_in_09! on Jul 16, 2009 11:15 PM EDT up reply actions
Wow, not a lot of lifers.
I was born in Bloomington and I was told I was a Colts fan by my dad as soon as I was old enough to watch sports. My dad was in the military so we pretty much never got to watch games back in the eighties unless it was a Monday Night game and I don’t have to tell some of you that there weren’t many of those that featured the Colts back then. So we followed them in newspapers and through what highlights we could get living out of state. One of my earliest memories of football was my dad letting me stay up way past my bedtime when we lived in Virginia to watch a Colts game on Monday night football in 88. I was the one kid living in Ansbach, Germany with a Colts sweatshirt and jacket in 1990. And the other kids in school never let me forget how bad the Colts were most years. They always knew they could sucker me into betting my lunch money that the Colts would win on Sunday, pride wouldn’t let me say no. I feel like I’ve earned my stripes in the 80’s and 90’s and am being justly rewarded with our present success.
impressive
"If you don't [draft me], I promise you I'll come back and kick your ass for the next 15 years."
absolutely +1
I feel like I’ve earned my stripes in the 80’s and 90’s and am being justly rewarded with our present success
I feel the exact same way,
Defense is more important than breathing.
It was a hormonal thing
I grew up in Bloomington, and of course I had some interest in football, I always rooted for the Colts. Of course I knew about Peyton Manning, and the Triplets, and there was a life-sized cutout of Marvin Harrison in my high school cafeteria. But I never really understood football or watched the games. But then, one August, I think it must have been 2003, right after Dungy was hired, a preseason game was on TV. And suddenly, I was FASCINATED with this game. I couldn’t look away. The chess match of the secondary and the receiver, the hits, the whole game was just intoxicating. I was hooked from then on; I still remember Thanksgiving 2004 and seeing Manning just school the Lions. When they went down in NE that year I was HEARTBROKEN. I went right out and bought Madden 05 and beat the Patriots 63-0. Vandershank, the AFC Championship, Superbowl 41.5, those heartbreakers against the Chargers…it’s been getting worse and worse, to the point where this year I’m absolutely frothing for training camp.
OK, so I haven’t been a devotee since the Harbaugh days, but I fell in love with the game, and I swear I’ll be a Colts fan even when they’re Manningless and 3-13. I’m a lifer.
same with me. Its been like that with the pacers for three or four years now. I’m the only one who sees the good in the pacers, when everyone dismisses them to look at the lakers and celtics and cavs. I love the pacers and when everyone LOVES them in a few years, I’ll have a warm fuzzy feeling inside.
by Colts_and_Cavs_in_09! on Jul 16, 2009 11:17 PM EDT up reply actions
Born in a small town of Culver, IN
Which is about halfway between Indy and Chicago, so it’s pretty well split. I didn’t really get into to football until I think 2000-2001 (I’m 18 now) and I just picked the Colts over the Bears, don’t even remember why. (Family as a whole were bigger baseball fans, that’s how inherited being a Cubs fan…so sad lol)
I’ve lived in Michigan for 3 years now, and have kept with it, over time just became a huge NFL to go along with being a Colts fan.
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I use to hate football...
I played it back in JFL and I hated the sport. I first became a Colts fan when I went on a trip with my towns Boys and Girls Club. We went to a Colts-Ravens game for free back in 2002. I started liking them then, but I still didn’t like the game. I really got into the game when I joined my HS team my freshmen year. The only reason I joined, was what I call the oddest sports swich ever made. I started playing football due to being good at dodgeball at 215lbs. If ya want the full story just ask. When I join I fell in love with the sport and the Colts just came naturally to me to be a fan. My dad doesn’t like me being a Colts fan, he votes for the Bears.
We're out there for 60 minutes. In that 60 minutes you can be gods or you can be smucks. And I want to be a god. How bout you?
by 7_Painter's_First_Fan on Jul 16, 2009 1:10 PM EDT reply actions
You've intrigued me.
I want the full story.
Now a proud annoyance on Stampede Blue, 18to88, Indy Football Report, and Phil B's blog.
Man, I need a life...
Random fact of the week from the empty void that is my mind: Snails can sleep for three years at a time.
Well it all started...(I hate that line)
For the reason I hated the sport was back in 3rd grade I played JFL. I was one of the smaller guys out there but i weighed enough that i could only be a lineman. Every practice the coasch would put me aginst his son that was at least twice my size. Lets just say it wasn’t the best year for me. After that I wanted nothing to do with the sport cause I didn’t like get hit. I did watch some but wasn’t all that interested in it. But near the end of my 8th grade year we were playing Dodgeball for my gym class. My class of full of the kids who played a lot of sports and activities. I only did swimming. Well as the game got going I was juking and dodging that Addai would be proud of I was also catching a lot of them thrown at me. At one point I was the only kid on the court that weighed over 160 lbs. I finally got hit and as I walked over to the side my teacher called me over. He asked me if I played football. I said no. He replied back saying that I should. And that got me thinking. During the summer I went on a class trip to Colorado with some guys who played on the team. I talked to them about it and when we got back from Colorado I dissided to try it out for a year. I remember the first day of summer wieght lifting I was doing leg press and the DB/DC came up to me. He looked me over and grabbed hold of my bicep to feel it. He then said to me that I would make it as a football player. That season we went 8-1 winning our Frosh conference, and I fell in love with the sport. Six years later I’m now a backup Nose Tackle for my college team.
We're out there for 60 minutes. In that 60 minutes you can be gods or you can be smucks. And I want to be a god. How bout you?
by 7_Painter's_First_Fan on Jul 16, 2009 2:52 PM EDT up reply actions
I Called
them drafting him when they did. I was doing some of my homework at college and I told my roommate when the Colts got on the clock that they were going to pick a Purdue boy. He just laughed at me until Painter’s name came up.
We're out there for 60 minutes. In that 60 minutes you can be gods or you can be smucks. And I want to be a god. How bout you?
by 7_Painter's_First_Fan on Jul 16, 2009 4:35 PM EDT up reply actions
great story. but the coach held your bicep? That’s messed up.
by Colts_and_Cavs_in_09! on Jul 17, 2009 12:18 AM EDT up reply actions
Yeah
He was just checking my strength, but It was really weird, cause I had no idea who he was at first.
We're out there for 60 minutes. In that 60 minutes you can be gods or you can be smucks. And I want to be a god. How bout you?
by 7_Painter's_First_Fan on Jul 17, 2009 10:28 AM EDT up reply actions
my mind is screwed up
“when I went on a trip with my towns Boys and Girls club”
I read that as “when I went on a trip with my towns Boys BAD girls club”
sorry guys. I had to share that.
by Colts_and_Cavs_in_09! on Jul 16, 2009 11:18 PM EDT up reply actions
comment to the original poster
Your first game was the 06 AFCCG??? That’s not even fair. That’s like being a Red Sox fan and starting in ’04.
"If you don't [draft me], I promise you I'll come back and kick your ass for the next 15 years."
lol
Hey, it takes what it takes ;) I have a feeling that that game earned the Colts alot of new fans!
"I throw, you catch. It's NOT that hard!"
Peyton Manning, SNL, 2007
by peytonsthebest on Jul 16, 2009 3:28 PM EDT up reply actions
or being a Browns fan and starting...............
never mind.
Now a proud annoyance on Stampede Blue, 18to88, Indy Football Report, and Phil B's blog.
Man, I need a life...
Random fact of the week from the empty void that is my mind: Snails can sleep for three years at a time.
I was born October 13, 1984 on Kingsley Drive (by Broadripple)
how could I not be a Colt’s fan? My parents basically dressed me in Colt’s gear for the first 3 months of my life. Been a fan since the day I was born.
Dun nuh nuh nuhhhh!!!! Super Mathis
by hoosier in sodak on Jul 16, 2009 9:15 PM EDT reply actions
was raised in Fort Wayne...
Was never a pro-sports fan until attending Univ. of Indianapolis (1992-1996). Those were some exciting years to follow Indy pro-sports (I loved the Komets – Ice rivalry). However, the moment I really became a Colts fan for life was a game during the 1995-1996 season. Home vs. San Fransisco. I forget some of the details, but the Colts were down 2 or 3 right before the half, and the 49ers were attempting a field goal. They were stopped short of the goal line the play before, and had to rush their field goal team out since they couldn’t stop the clock. (Please anybody correct me if I’m remembering the details wrong.). Then this ridiculous penalty was called against Indy – a glove was lying on the field, and they blamed the Colts sideline for throwing it out there (I’ve never seen this call made since at any level) – so they moved the ball to the 2 yrd line and stopped the the game clock! Instead of going for the field goal, San Fran lined up for another play. The crowd was livid! Steve Young hands off to whoever was their running back. Then Trev Alberts (yes, Trev Alberts!) penetrates, forces the ball carrier to go left. The guy turns up field between the 5 and 4 yrd line, and Jason Belser makes the tackle at the two – end of half! The awesome thing is he jumps back up, rips his helmet off, and throws it across the field like a bowling ball while running down the field. Crowd goes insane. I knew at that moment that the Colts were legit. The Colts went on to win that game. That was, by far, my favorite game not played during 2006-2007.
By the way, this is my first post ever, so hi to everybody. Love this blog. Go COLTS!
by taipei_coltsfan on Jul 16, 2009 9:51 PM EDT reply actions
Now THAT is a great game to start. The AFC championship game was big and all, but this was a game that the colts established some respect. Not only did they get a crap call, but the 49ers didn’t go for the FG, they tried to humiliate the colts. NOT IN OUR HOUSE. :)
by Colts_and_Cavs_in_09! on Jul 17, 2009 12:14 AM EDT up reply actions
2003 AFC Wild Card Game vs. the Broncos
when marvin got up without being touched and ran it in for the score, I found a team to follow.
by torontocoltsfan on Jul 16, 2009 10:12 PM EDT reply actions
how many great plays in colts history…. no wonder the fans were all instantly hooked.
by Colts_and_Cavs_in_09! on Jul 17, 2009 12:14 AM EDT up reply actions
An "Original" Indy Colts fan...
I was 11 when the Mayflower trucks left Baltimore. I was SERIOUSLY bummed we were getting the Colts instead of an expansion team of our own at first. But, I went to the Colts “Welcome to Indy” event with my stepdad, and I got behind “our” team. In middle and high school, I got teased MERCILESSLY for wearing my Colts gear.
I remember the Ron Meyer “winning streak” in ’86 that kept us from drafting Testaverde. I remember our first playoff game in ’87 (the replacement players won more than the regulars, and we won our first AFC East title!) and the first Monday night game in Indy against Denver on Halloween in ’88. ’95 broke my heart.
I was in the Navy, stationed in San Diego, in 1998. I got to see a lot of Ryan Leaf, and at first, it looked a lot like the Colts drafted the wrong QB. I was never happier to be wrong.
The 2003 Wild Card was a classic…the first Indy playoff win. And of course, 2006 I will never forget. Now I live in Cowboy country, but I’m a Colt fan for life!
Man, you really have some history with these guys, huh? I just hope someday when i’m old and withering, I’ll have these great stories about the “old days” in 06-07. My kids will be all freaked out that we watched the games on a 2 dimensional TV and not on a massive holographic projector….
by Colts_and_Cavs_in_09! on Jul 17, 2009 12:16 AM EDT reply actions
Moved here in '84
I wasn’t on the Mayflower trucks, me and my big brother were at some of the first games. I remember watching them with my dad when I was a kid, and I’ve followed them for their entire existence. Now I proudly go broke each year trying to afford my awesome season tickets that are probably too good for my budget.
"You're hitting the wrong person. Don't you know you're hitting Ron Artest?"
The hardest time ever had as a Colts fan was
After loudmouth Namath made good on prediction. I had a fight at the bus stop befor school, and another at school, which got me suspended AND a beating from the old man. The Rams started to look pretty good. But only for a minute.
Several Things
1) I went to college in Northwest Indiana and worked across the border in Illinois. The Illinois guys always made fun of the Indiana guys, saying they were a bunch of hick corn-chuckers and such. (Of course they never minded coming over to get their gas and cigs cheaper in Indiana.) They always had that mentality that we shouldn’t have access to Chicago sports stuff. Most Indiana guys there didn’t argue, kinda acted embarrassed and seemed content in being the red-headed step-child (so to speak) and cheer for the Bears from NW Indiana. I always thought that if I were ever a hoosier, I would take pride in my state. I like Indiana’s laws and state in general way better than Illinois personally.
2) I came from Michigan and at that time cheered for the Wolverines like my family all did. I watched a Tennessee QB during that time named Peyton Manning, who I instantly liked and respected. Even as a Michigan guy, I thought Manning was robbed when Woodson got that Heisman. Anyhow, I began to follow Manning and the Vols.
3) In fall of ‘98 and a fresh college grad, I took a job position just a little south of where I was already. (I now live in Lowell, IN, which is south Lake County.) At that same time, the Colts began their season with a rookie QB I liked named Peyton. After the Illinois jeering experience, I decided that I would be a full-fledge Hoosier. I switched my loyalties from Wolverines and Spartans to Boilermakers and Hoosiers. Bulls to Pacers and Packers to Colts. Wasn’t much to be excited about in those days, but the Colts have turned it around and made me proud. I have hopes for the Pacers. And Purdue is close enough to make it good because of access.
4) Although I live in a part of Indiana that is mostly Chicago-biased, I am glad to see the Colts making a surge around here the past few years. We are inundated with all Chicago news and sports on TV and in print. I have to pay for NFL Sunday Ticket just to watch the Colts games from their own state, and I gladly do so. Most people around here have no idea what’s going on in Indiana politics, and too many couldn’t name our governor. All we get is across the border news. However, Manning and company are starting to help us turn the corner here upstate. I went from being a voice in the wilderness to now seeing more and more Colts love all around. I hope it continues.
Lowell? haha, I knew a few people from there
I normally wouldn’t post on here to say something trite like “I know someone from your town”, but, one of my really good friends from college lives up there. In fact, he is my Madden friend, as in, the friend I spent too much time with playing madden until 5 in the morning. fun stuff, I’ve been there a few times, not too much to do…
"If you don't [draft me], I promise you I'll come back and kick your ass for the next 15 years."
Small Town
Yeah, Lowell doesn’t have a lot going on, especially compared to city life. 8500 people or so. Of course, after having lived my teen years in a Michigan village with a population of 500, Lowell seems huge =p And we do have a great high school football team year in and year out.
Interesting, I wonder if I know your friend. Anyone dedicated enough to play Madden until 5am must be a great guy. Perhaps he should run for councilman. We live near the corner of Joe Martin Road and Gatewood Drive. I’d bet he knows right where that is.
by coltsfanawalt on Jul 18, 2009 9:54 PM EDT up reply actions
yeah he's lived there long enough to know where anywhere is
His last name is Bubness, which in it of itself is a pretty funny name. He teaches in the middle school now I think and he still has a bunch of family there. I met some of his friends too but the only guy whose name I remember is Fat Tony. So that’s not much help…
"If you don't [draft me], I promise you I'll come back and kick your ass for the next 15 years."
Huh.
Maybe I’d recognize him by face. It’s hard to totally avoid someone in Lowell, unless you’re a hermit.
by coltsfanawalt on Jul 19, 2009 3:19 PM EDT up reply actions
You rang?
Now a proud annoyance on Stampede Blue, 18to88, Indy Football Report, and Phil B's blog.
Man, I need a life...
Random fact of the week from the empty void that is my mind: This would probably happen to me if I ever won anything.
Lol.
Hard time picturing you as a hermit, my friend.
by coltsfanawalt on Jul 20, 2009 3:44 AM EDT up reply actions
One of my first football cards
was of Zefross Moss and I loved the name. That made me a Colts fan early on and when Peyton was drafted it just reinforced the idea that there was no better team to cheer for.
I loved that giant mohawk he had his first or 2nd year here
couldn’t find a pic of it, it must have added 10" to his height. It must of been one of the top 10 mohawks I have ever seen.
I was at one of the games, b-4 he was a starter, back in 88 or 89 and he took his helmut off on the sidelines me and my buds just loved it, we were fans of his from then on.
Defense is more important than breathing.
I was born and raised in Indianapolis
Still live here, in the suburbs now, Fishers. It takes 20 minutes to get to Lucas Oil Stadium from my house. I got interested in football when my son played the game. One of the happiest days of my life was seeing him run on to the field in his Fishers Tigers uniform. But I became a Colts FANATIC when Peyton entered my conciousness. I don’t just watch the Colts now, I watch all the football that I can. From watching other teams play, I came to realize just how special Peyton is. How lucky am I that I live in the same town as Peyton Manning?
"You can't defend the perfect throw, what can I say?" Peyton quoting Marino
I liked Manning when he was in UOT
I’m from Ms and I thought for sure manning was go play for ole miss but his brother eli did. I watched manning play at university of tennesse cause my cousin played there with him but my cousin wasn’t that good lol. Ever sence Peyton shine in Tennessee I was a big fan of his and when he came to the colts I been a fan ever sence.
John U Converted Me
I used to watch the Colts on TV when I was about 11 years old. John Unitias was the QB and was the coolest player I ever saw. The camera would show him walking off the field, unsnapping his chinstrap and had the same look on his face. The question was did he throw an interception, turn it over on downs, or hit one of his receivers for a TD? Never could tell by the look on his face cause it was the same. Always figured if I went to a poker game and saw John sitting at the table, I would kindly decline playing because he was the king of poker faces. RIP John, you are still Mr Colt in my book. Signed A Colt Fan For Life
I agree, this guy is the greatest colt ever. He defined a modern day pocket passer. In today’s league, he would throw for over 4500 yards EVERY season, he was great.
by Colts_and_Cavs_in_09! on Jul 19, 2009 11:49 PM EDT up reply actions
Hey, another old fart.
Unitas was the greatest for so long. The guy was picked up as a free agent off the sandlots. If you look at his physical stats, he was unimpressive. Around 6 feet tall, 196 pounds, and ran like a bowlegged stove up cowboy. The man made it on his brains, arm, and courage. Never a more cool customer has played in the league. And absolutely never did he pull any of the bush league crap that we’ve seen over the last 25 or so years. What an adsolutely class act. And called his own plays to boot. John Unitas was the definition of a MAN.
I'm curious,
Who do you think is the better QB, Peyton or Unitas?
"You can't defend the perfect throw, what can I say?" Peyton quoting Marino
Hard to compare...........
On stats alone, Manning kills Unitas. These guys played in different eras. Based on that alone you really can’t get an oranges to oranges comparison. Lots of questions because of that. Unitas played in an era when the quarterback and recievers weren’t anywhere near as protected as they are today. But todays athletes are bigger and stronger and faster. Could Peyton have survived the 50’s and 60’s as injury free as he has in this era. Could Unitas pick apart deftenses which are much more complicated and disguised as they are today? We can never know. All I know is that the Colts have had the benefit of probably the best two quarterback that ever strapped on a helmet. Loved watching Bert Jones, and Earl Morral pick ’em apart too.
As much as I love peyton
Unitas was the greatest QB ever. People say that Manning is the smartest QB ever to play the game. Not true. Unitas was smarter, Manning was more blessed physically (even though he’s a super genius) but Unitas was smarter. Not to mention football was a MAN’S game back then. Now its just a man’s game. When people played you could see that they wanted to crush you and hit you and eat glass and be dirty. Now you see guys who want to maybe beat you by a little bit as long as they try to play fair.
by Colts_and_Cavs_in_09! on Jul 23, 2009 3:18 PM EDT up reply actions
He made the position what it is today...forever changing the game...
AND, if you watch a side by side comparison between Johnny U. and Peyton, they’re nearly identical in their dropbacks and passing motions. Its awesome.
"I throw, you catch. It's NOT that hard!"
Peyton Manning, SNL, 2007
by peytonsthebest on Jul 20, 2009 4:50 PM EDT up reply actions
I wonder if in the future people will say that Peyton has changed the way QB's play?
He definitely has a unique way of calling plays, isn’t there a play named after him? I can’t remember what it is though.
"You can't defend the perfect throw, what can I say?" Peyton quoting Marino
I think Peyton has definitely taken the position to a new level...
the way he disects defenses, his use of hand signals (or as I prefer to call it: his chicken dance) and his mastering of the play action pass…
Johnny U. was a passing QB during a time when football was a run first sport. I like tim55’s explanation: kind of apples to oranges.
Have you seen the special about the ’58 Colts/Giants game? They show a split screen clip in it with Peyton and Unitas dropping back and checking down that will give you goose bumps. Identical.
I haven’t heard about any play being named after him…there should be. Which play, though? That would be a good subject for a fanpost.
"I throw, you catch. It's NOT that hard!"
Peyton Manning, SNL, 2007
by peytonsthebest on Jul 20, 2009 6:55 PM EDT up reply actions
You mean the Greatest Game Ever Played?
I bet Peyton has watched every play Unitas ever made. I’m sure he sort of models his play on the style of Unitas. The play I’m thinking of is when he draws the opponent off sides to get a first down, on a third and short situation. He’s the best at it.
"You can't defend the perfect throw, what can I say?" Peyton quoting Marino
Yeah, yeah, yeah...
Great play. Also, one of my faves, is his ability to catch the defense with 12 guys on the field – the quick snap.
"I throw, you catch. It's NOT that hard!"
Peyton Manning, SNL, 2007
by peytonsthebest on Jul 21, 2009 10:15 AM EDT up reply actions
that...
is something that might be used a lot now. But it’s just one of those small things that makes you good to be a colts fan.
by Colts_and_Cavs_in_09! on Jul 23, 2009 3:23 PM EDT up reply actions
people won’t say that. Maybe they will say that Peyton added a whole other aspect to passing the ball, but Unitas truly changed it. Brady Manning Brees Montana Favre Marino. They ALL wanted to be like Unitas. And if you asked each of them individually if they think they’re better than Unitas, they’ll tell you the truth. No one was as good as him. (But Peyton Manning is a helluva lot closer than anyone else)
by Colts_and_Cavs_in_09! on Jul 23, 2009 3:21 PM EDT up reply actions
Born & Raised.
Born on South Side of Indy in ’76. Started goin to games in ’84 at 8 yrs old. Rod Dowhower, Mike Pagel, Jack Trudeau. Vivid memories of truly sucking.
Needless to say, the Boys In Blue have come a long way.
by I'm Not Alone, I'm Just Blue on Jul 20, 2009 4:20 PM EDT reply actions
Mike Pagel
I thought Pagel would be the second coming when the Colts got him. He showed a little bit of talent and then fizzled with the crap he had around him. Too bad, I liked the guy.
Dated Peyton's Cousin
I was bron & raised a Cowboys fan here in TX. I moved to MS in ‘95 and met a girl from Drew, MS in ’96. Come to find out she was Peyton’s cousin. Archie’s family is from that area, NOT New Orleans. There were pics of her & Peyton in a playpen together, etc. Really cool stuff. Anyway, I started following him at Tennessee and then on to Indy when he was drafted.
Coincidentally, I moved to Indy in 2000 and got a chance to see how the Colts operated up close & personal. Once I saw what a class organization they are I lost all respect for my once-beloved Cowboys and I’ve never looked back. I’ve left Indy but it hasn’t left me … and I’ll be back to joint he rest of you at The Luke one day soon!
You're kidding right?
That is the GREATEST story here! What happened with you two?
by Colts_and_Cavs_in_09! on Jul 23, 2009 3:24 PM EDT up reply actions
So what happened to the girl?
You fouled up letting her get away.
It all started with super bowl xlii
I never liked football. My family was more into baseball. My brother liked the cowboys fan and that was the extent of the nfl in our house. Then in 2007 I actually watched the Colts super Bowl, it was the first time I had ever watched a football game and not been bored out of my mind. It also happened to be the first time I ever won the bet on who would win the Super Bowl. So after that I liked the colts, never watched games their games in the 2007 season, but i liked them. Then I watched super bowl 42 in 2008 and that was it, I found something fascinating about football. To this day I dont know what, but there was something about it. And now I watch as many Colts games as I can and admit that Peyton Manning is my hero. Also, I didnt used to hate living in New England. LOL.
So, that is my colts story.
by manning18clark44 on Jul 21, 2009 3:46 PM EDT reply actions
Dude, same here.
Except I saw about 50% of the AFC champ game. The superbowl was my first full game (well, pretty close to full)
by Colts_and_Cavs_in_09! on Jul 23, 2009 3:25 PM EDT up reply actions
Since I could walk....
I’m from Remington, IN. I’ve been raised on the Colts since I was a kid (I’m talkin Jim Harbaugh, Sean Dawkins, Ken Dilger, Marshall Faulk, Quentiin Coryatt, Jeff Laudermilk, Ashley Ambrose, Jason Belser…..the list goes on and on), but I remember how we got robbed by Pittsburgh in the AFC Championship game back when they had Kordell “Slash” Stewart… The first time I ever shed a tear over a sporting event, and the most recent being our victory over New England in the AFC Championship game…. I bleed blue and will fist fight over it, haha…..I’ve always been a diehard fan from the minute I could pronounce “Ray Buchanon” and will always be!
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