Baltimore fan invades Colts blog!

by Brad Wells on Dec 6, 2007 4:56 PM EST in Interviews

Baltimore Beatdown

Rexx, the head blogger over at Baltimore Beatdown, was kind enough to answer a few questions about the old Baltimore Colts, Johnny U., and (of course) the game this Sunday between the Baltimore Ravens and the Indianapolis Colts.

He even let my hold his Kyle Boller action figure! Actually, no. I'm lying. I didn't hold the figure. But, dare to dream!

BBS: First off, were you a Baltimore Colts fan before becoming a Baltimore Ravens fan? If so, what was your reaction in 1984 when the Colts moved?

Rexx: The team had sunk to the depths of the NFL by then and attendance was at an all-time low. Irsay had been recently interviewed as he appeared drunk and said he wasn't moving the team. To steal them out in the middle of a snowy night showed what type of person he was and his lack of any integrity. The least he could have done was be more like Art Modell was when he moved the Browns from Cleveland and leave the team name colors.

BBS: I think we can both agree that Bob Irsay was not the best of owners. What's your opinion of his son, Jim Irsay, who now owns the Colts and seems to be the stark opposite of his father?

Rexx: Once an Irsay, always an Irsay. He was produced using the seed of his father. Therefore, if I can speak for all of Baltimore, we're glad to be done with the entire family. While deep down seeing the blue horseshoe on the helmet evokes good old memories, the Ravens are our team now and the Colts are yours.

BBS: After the Super Bowl last year, I recall many former-Baltimore Colts (I can't remember their names) saying Peyton Manning reminded them of John Unitas. One went so far to say Peyton walked like John. Do you think Manning deserves to be mentioned in the same category as Unitas? Why or why not?

Rexx: Absolutely yes. Manning is one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. He also seems very respectful of the legend of Johnny U., even petitioning the league (unsuccessfully, I believe) to allow him to wear hightops like Unitas. My opinion is that Unitas was one of the best, but Manning is right up there with him. However, Manning is a much better actor!

BBS: It looks like Brian Billick will get fired after this season. It's my opinion that this should have been done a looooooong time ago in Baltimore. What's your assessment of Billick? Should he stay, and if he doesn't what is his legacy?

Rexx: Up until this season I was a huge Brian Billick fan. He is a great motivator and sticks up for his players, treating them better than most coaches in the league, according to the free agents that come in here. Sometimes, arrogance is a requirement to be the coach of a NFL team. However, the repeated poor playcalling and clock management during critical junctures in games this season has convinced me he should go. Unfortunately, he just signed a four year extension after last season's 13-3 record and with three years and $15 million still due, there's just no way ownership pulls the plug on him after this year.

BBS: And finally, what are your key match-ups in this upcoming game? Will Baltimore use a similar defensive plan against Manning that they used against Brady last week? Or, will they do what they normally do against Peyton and drop everyone into coverage?

Rexx: The key to beating the Colts will be to put pressure on Manning when he drops back into the pocket. If the Ravens can continue to play defense like they did against the Patriots, they will make it surprisingly tough for Manning and the Colts. Offensively, the Ravens will need to repeat their rushing performance against the Colts in order to allow Kyle Boller the luxury of pass protection to find his receivers and limit his mistakes. If the Ravens can control the game like they did against New England, they can make a game of it and perhaps even upset the Colts. I never would have said this before the Pats game. However, for the first time all season, the Ravens played the way they were expected to play.

BBS: Bonus question: Game outcome and why?

Rexx: While the Colts are pretty close to a double digit favorite, they will be hard pressed to earn the victory, as despite the Ravens woes this season, the defense has never given up. Both cornerbacks are back for just about the first time in a couple of months and there is still not another middle linebacker who affects the game like Ray Lewis continues to do. Don't underestimate this angry and frustrated Ravens team. If they can control their emotions, they will spring the upset Sunday night. You heard it here first: Ravens 24, Colts 23!

Thanks to Rexx for the chat. Rexx blogs over at Baltimore Beatdown, and will have my answers to his questions up soon.

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Comments

Jim Irsay

Oh come on, Jim is NOTHING like his father. Baltimore fans need to drop the hatred of everything Irsay. Really, the rest of the country just shakes its head in disbelief everytime this issue comes up. It was TWENTY-THREE freaking years ago! 1984! I mean, keerist, Victor Chernenko took over for Yuri Andropov in ruling the Soviet Union. Who? Exactly...

"Once an Irsay always an Irsay." Sounds like someone hasn't moved on to step 3 of the grieving process.

by PigInZen on Dec 6, 2007 9:46 PM EST reply actions

It's easy to say that

But if Mike Vanderjagt's son was lining up to kick a game-winning FG, don't you think that you'd probably assume he'd miss?

I rest my case. :D

Bullets Forever: Blogging with Phenomenal Swag!

by Jake Whitacre on Dec 6, 2007 10:36 PM EST up reply actions

Get over it, pious Baltimore fans

Anybody in Baltimore who still holds a grudge over the Colts relocation in 1984 and yet is a Ravens fan, is a hypocrite. There, I said it. Rexx praises Modell's leaving the team name and colors; I'm not sure that was Modell's idea or to his credit.

The Wikipedia entry for Art Modell is pretty interesting -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Modell

I'd bet there were many more upset Cleveland fans than there were upset Baltimore fans in the teams' respective moves. As mentioned, Baltimore's fan support was dwindling when they moved. Cleveland, however, had one of the most loyal (and rabid) fan bases in football.

And the Ravens won a Super Bowl very shortly after moving. For the Colts... not so much. I am thrilled that we finally did win a Super Bowl, but there was 23 years worth of frustration along the way with flat-out awful Colts teams, and -- almost even more frustrating -- teams that were very good but not quite good enough. Must be nice for a city to get a team and win a Super Bowl so quickly.

Seriously, if anybody should be bitching, it should be Cleveland. Get over it, Baltimore.

by ctnyc on Dec 7, 2007 12:23 AM EST reply actions

Bitter Baltimore Fans

I am the Ravens blogger who answered Brad's questions. The only reason I spoke of the Irsay issue was that it was brought up as a question. I'm over it, but get upset any time I hear the comparisons to what Art Modell did. Irsay sneaked out in the middle of the night after publicly saying he wouldn't move the team. Modell begged the Mayor of Cleveland for a new stadium and said he couldn't survive financially without one and if they didn't build one he would have no other choice but to move. Baltimore tried to get a new franchise when they were awarded to Carolina and Jacksonville, even though Baltimore's proposal and history should have earned them a new one back then. I had an uncomfortable feeling about getting another city's team. However, when Modell (yes, it was his idea!) agreed to leave the name and colors, and the NFL promised a new team in Cleveland within TWO years (Baltimore had to wait 23 YEARS!), I knew it would be the only way. The lack of respect I had for Indianapolis at the time of the move was that why didn't the city have enough respect or pride of its own heritage to change the name and colors to establish an identity of their own? As far as moving on, as long as the Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, has the memorabillia of all the old 'Baltimore Colts' (John Unitas, etc.) listed under the Indianapolis Colts, it will never totally go away.

by Rexx @ Stampede Blue on Dec 7, 2007 9:57 AM EST up reply actions

Rexx

The whole Colts move thing is sensitive for all. Baltimore fans, for years, blamed Indy fans for "stealing" their team. Indy fans (myself included) would respond with "Well, if you'd bothered to go to the damn games, the team would've stayed."

The bottom line here is Bob Irsay (a terrible alcoholic) was a wretched owner. He destroyed the Colts in Baltimore and did nothing with them in Indy. However, when his son Jimmy took over the team, there was a change. The team started winning, and the attitude of the city changed towards the team.

I once read that Jim Irsay really regrets how Baltimore views the Colts now. Jimmy grew up in Baltimore, and for the last 15 years Jimmy has worked to repair some of the damage wrought by his dad both in Baltimore and Indy.

Please make an account and post a diary, add some comments, and make some noise. Accounts are free, and only require an email address.

by Brad Wells on Dec 7, 2007 10:42 AM EST up reply actions

No offense to the city...

...of Indianapolis for "receiving" the Colts, as it was Bob Irsay who "took" them. Other than the issue with the name and colors I spoke of in my prior post, most Baltimore fans have nothing against the city. The only reason fans stayed away from the games is that the elder Irsay demoralized this team and city and not even the #1 pick in the NFL Draft (John Elway) wanted to play here. The Baltimore Colts was once one of the storied franchises in the late 50's through the early '70's. Bob Irsay reduced it to an earily similar state that our Baltimore Orioles are now in. Good ownership makes a huge difference. Art Modell was not a good owner, he was a great one, and it is a travesty what the press (especially in Cleveland) has done to prevent him from being rightfully enshrined in the Hall of Fame. He is a sick man, and they should right a terrible wrong before he passes away (heck, he was instrumental in the development of Monday Night Football!). Good luck the rest of the season, just not Sunday night!

by Rexx @ Stampede Blue on Dec 7, 2007 12:54 PM EST reply actions