Some old Colts don't want to claim #18

[foreverfree]

To Peyton's disappointment, apparently.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/story/492909p-415177c.html
-snip
Manning, who appreciates the history of the game more than most current players, was thrilled to be drafted by a team with so much tradition, but he was disappointed to learn the separation between past and present.

"When I got here (in 1998), I found out that none of them embraced Indianapolis," Manning said in "Johnny U," a 2006 biography by Tom Callahan. "None of the old players ever came to practice. It disappointed me. I wanted to feel connected to them."
-snip-

Care to comment?

John

 

[White Shogun]

Maybe they embrace Steve McNair instead?

Or Ray Lewis?

 

[sport historian]

It would be different if the Colts were still in Baltimore. An old-line football fan like myself who remembers the great Baltimore Colt teams still finds calling them the "Indianapolis Colts" a bit strange.

 

[white is right]

Maybe they embrace Steve McNair instead?

Or Ray Lewis?

I think the old timers are in no mans land. I recall Art Donovan saying he supports the city of Baltimore and the Colts team.

 

[Lance Alworth]

"When I got here (in 1998), I found out that none of them embraced Indianapolis," Manning said in "Johnny U," a 2006 biography by Tom Callahan. "None of the old players ever came to practice. It disappointed me. I wanted to feel connected to them."

Maybe the reason why none of them embraced the team because none of them played in the city of Indianapolis, ever thought of that dumbass! I'm sorry folks, but i don't care if Manning is white or not, I simply don't like this guy. His commencement speech at the University of Tennessee was nothing short of a slap in the face to all real hardworking college students everywhere. He said something to the effect of "football was more of a challenge than the actual academics" Yeah I'm sure it was Peyton, being that you probably majored in 'Dumbsh*t 101' I hope the Bears crush the Colts this SundayEdited by: Lance Alworth

 

[Matt_Bowen_Fan]

Maybe its because Irsay treated Johnny U like sh*t? Maybe because he fired Unitas not once but twice over the telephone? Maybe its because the Colts lived and worked in Baltimore, and not Indy? Most people in the DC and Baltimore region are not huge Colts fans, but continue to feel betrayed.

 

[White Shogun]

Gee, Lance tell us what you really think.

You're just pissed because Peyton isn't a Raider. How you like Aaron Brooks? Hope Jamarcus works out for ya.

And for all those fans in D.C. and Baltimore who are still upset.. get over it. How many people who live there now even know who Johnny Unitas is? Or Irsay? Is it one of those popular things to do, to hate the Colts cause they moved?

And what does that have to do with Peyton Manning? Edited by: White Shogun

 

[Bart]

I'm sorry folks, but i don't care if Manning is white or not, I simply don't like this guy. His commencement speech at the University of Tennessee was nothing short of a slap in the face to all real hardworking college students everywhere. He said something to the effect of "football was more of a challenge than the actual academics" Yeah I'm sure it was Peyton, being that you probably majored in 'Dumbsh*t 101' I hope the Bears crush the Colts this Sunday

One of my brothers in law shares the same opinion. We disagree. I think it's possible that football was more challenging.


Internet source concerning Peyton: Named winner of National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Scholar-Athlete Award ... Selected Phi Beta Kappa ... Earned Citation for Extraordinary Campus Leadership and Service from the Chancellor in 1997 ... Graduated with a 3.61 GPA in speech communication and minor in business, and is now a graduate student in sport management ...


He wasn't preparing for a career at NASA, but he's far from being a dumb jock.

 

[foreverfree]

Head over to baltimoresun.com/talk and click on the Ravens board and you'll see passionate talk about this issue. I don't care about it one way or the other (and I don't have a rooting interest in SB XLI other than perhaps Manning finally getting that ring). You see, I lived in the Philadelphia market until 1985 and didn't have a front row seat to Unitas' exploits or Irsay's antics. I first saw the Mayflower footage on Good Morning America the next day.

BTW I use my CF handle on the Sun board but I rarely post there.

John

 

[Hockaday]

A friend of mine from southern california is still an avid Rams fan, all these years after they left LA. I never could understand that. In my thinking, the Rams had betrayed him.

I'm from the other end of the state, so it's the Raiders and 49ers for me even though they're several hours drive away. For me, the Raiders ceased to exist when they moved to LA. Leaving like that is a slap in face to the local fans. Still, when they came back, all was forgiven.

I can see why the old Colts are resentful. Their continuity of tradition was lost when the Colts moved. They lost a lot, along with the fans. I'm not surprised that Manning (who's seems to be a bit of a narcissist) doesn't understand that.

Elway was on to something when he refused to go to the Colts. At least he saved himself from the conflict that Unitas and Curtis and the others have to go through as ex-Baltimore Colts.Edited by: Hockaday

 

[White Shogun]

I guess I just don't understand the attachment people have for a team, local or otherwise. The local fans here are all die-hard Cowboys fans. They remain fans to this day, no matter how Jerry Jones sh*t on Tom Landry and the Cowboys legacy. Jimmy Johnson ran thug central during their Super Bowl years. But everyone stays a fan, regardless.

I agree, what Irsay did was sh*tty. That's why we root for players and not teams. I'd rather see Peyton Manning and Dallas Clark win a Super Bowl than Lovie Smith and Tank Johnson. But that's just me.

The owners make millions no matter who wins.

 

[Lance Alworth]

Gee, Lance tell us what you really think.

You're just pissed because Peyton isn't a Raider. How you like Aaron Brooks? Hope Jamarcus works out for ya.

eh, dont rub it in lol

Anyway, my favorite QB of all time was Jim Plunkett. True, he was a Mexican, but they never really made a big deal about it during his playing days, and he was by all intents and purposes, a white QB. I think the reason why I liked him was because he was sort of the anti-Peyton Manning. He came from nothing (unlike Manning, who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth) went to Stanford (a school which actually requires brains, which would explain the amount of white players that play there) was considered a 1st round flop, and was almost out of football until the Raiders signed him and revived his career, winning 2 super bowls. It was a great story. Peyton Mannning, as good as he is, doesn't fit the Raider image. I would rather have the next Plunkett instead of the next Manning

 

[Weltner]

In spite of what Irsay did,if he had simply done what Art Modell had done when he moved the browns to Baltimore, which was

-leaving the Browns' uniforms and colors behind in Cleveland for when they would get a new team,

-giving the team a new name and different colors for the new city.

99.9% of the whole story would have been forgiven.But no,he had to take everything regarding that with him.He's not the only one,of course,the Dodgers and Giants never changed their name or look when they moved,same with the Rams,the Cardinals,for example,but it still doesn't excuse him.

 

[Bart]

Peyton Mannning, as good as he is, doesn't fit the Raider image. I would rather have the next Plunkett instead of the next Manning

Manning doesn't fit the Raider image. What a loser he must be.

 

[Don Wassall]

The spate of NFL franchises moving to different cities during the 1980s and '90s was done out of pure greed by the owners involved. Not one of the cities that lost a team deserved to. And in the case of Cleveland and Houston, they had to pay extortion money to get a crappy expansion team in order to get back in the league.

 

[Freedom]

Lance Alworth, I've heard other people make the same comments about Peyton Manning's commencement speech. Peyton Manning's academics were probably a lot easier than his football challenges, but he doesn't know what it is like to be a serious college student, nor do most serious college students know the work involved in being the best of the best in athletics.

I heard the same remarks on a Raiders forum. Do you have a copy of the speech?
www.raiderfans.net/forum/showthread.php?t=59259&page%3 D2+%22University+of+Tennessee%22%22Peyton+Manning%22%22comme ncement+speech%22&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=1 Edited by: Freedom

 

[Tired old White]

I guy I worked with asked me why I was not a Panthers fan since I live in NC. I told him that the Panthers have nothing to do with NC. They are a sports entertainment business that located in the most lucrative market available and will leave if and when a more lucrative market opens up to them. I pick my favorite team based on a coach or a player or the number of white guys they start at skill positions ( this last is is a real sure way to get me as a fan ). So this year i rooted for NO. Next year who knows and if the Panthers move to NY or LA who cares.

 

[jaxvid]

I guy I worked with asked me why I was not a Panthers fan since I live in NC. I told him that the Panthers have nothing to do with NC. They are a sports entertainment business that located in the most lucrative market available and will leave if and when a more lucrative market opens up to them. I pick my favorite team based on a coach or a player or the number of white guys they start at skill positions ( this last is is a real sure way to get me as a fan ). So this year i rooted for NO. Next year who knows and if the Panthers move to NY or LA who cares.

That's exactly right! I am the same way. I cheer only for my own team, the one with the most guys wearing the same uniform as me, not representing some nearby city.

 

[Burts]

I guess I just don't understand the attachment people have for a team, local or otherwise.

True, if you did, you wouldn't have been so dismissive of older Colts fans with your smart-ass remark a few posts earlier for them to "get over it."

Speaking from the viewpoint of a born and raised Baltimorean, I know why some will never "get over it."

It would have been easier to stomach, if like Weltner said in his post, Irsay had renamed his team to Racers or whatever, and left the Colts name and uniforms behind.

 

[White Shogun]

Sorry if you were offended, Burts.

Can you tell me what it was that you loved so much about the old Colts that you are still upset about it? Do you root against the Indianapolis Colts because of what happened?

 

[foreverfree]

It would have been easier to stomach, if like Weltner said in his post, Irsay had renamed his team to Racers or whatever, and left the Colts name and uniforms behind.

"Racers." Not a bad idea. But likely to be confused by the man in the street with "Pacers" (as in basketball).

"Checkers" might have worked except that that name IMO says "hockey", or maybe a certain board game.

Wasn't there a World Hockey Association team called the Indianapolis Racers?

John

 

[Lance Alworth]

It would have been easier to stomach, if like Weltner said in his post, Irsay had renamed his team to Racers or whatever, and left the Colts name and uniforms behind.

Wasn't there a World Hockey Association team called the Indianapolis Racers?

John

Gretzky played for them

 

[Weltner]

Lance Alworth, I've heard other people make the same comments about Peyton Manning's commencement speech. Peyton Manning's academics were probably a lot easier than his football challenges, but he doesn't know what it is like to be a serious college student, nor do most serious college students know the work involved in being the best of the best in athletics.


Most White still do,and always will,whereas 99.9% of black ones never do.

 

[Burts]

Sorry if you were offended, Burts.

Can you tell me what it was that you loved so much about the old Colts that you are still upset about it? Do you root against the Indianapolis Colts because of what happened?

Didn't mean to comeback at you so strong, WS, I guess you touched a raw nerve or something.

As for what I loved about the Colts, it's hard to explain in detail. Obviously they were a source of pleasure for me as a small kid. I was going to games before I can even remember, as my Dad was in the Colts band for years.
I guess what still upsets me is the way Irsay spirited the team out of town the way he did. That's something that will forever be stuck in my craw.
I don't root against the Colts, or for them for that matter, but do like Manning and hope he can win the big one tomorrow.

 

[White Shogun]

Sorry if you were offended, Burts.

Can you tell me what it was that you loved so much about the old Colts that you are still upset about it? Do you root against the Indianapolis Colts because of what happened?

Didn't mean to comeback at you so strong, WS, I guess you touched a raw nerve or something.

As for what I loved about the Colts, it's hard to explain in detail. Obviously they were a source of pleasure for me as a small kid. I was going to games before I can even remember, as my Dad was in the Colts band for years.
I guess what still upsets me is the way Irsay spirited the team out of town the way he did. That's something that will forever be stuck in my craw.
I don't root against the Colts, or for them for that matter, but do like Manning and hope he can win the big one tomorrow.

No problem at all, Burts, I know I can come across the wrong way myself sometimes (often?) LOL.

I thought about your first response to my initial comments and why someone might react so strongly. I thought that it must have something to do with growing up watching the games with Dad, going to the ball park as a family, things like that. Not so much the Colts themselves, as a person would probably have the same feelings about the home team if they lived in some other city, if they were raised the same way.

I agree, the way Irsay moved the team out in the dead of night was pretty chickensh*t, to say the least. I guess without the fond memories of childhood to attach me to one particular team though, I view Irsay as just another ******* owner who conspires with city governments to make taxpayers foot the bill for their multi-million dollar stadiums and other expenses.

Not to mention how much worse my opinion of NFL ownership is in general after reading Maple Leaf's theory on the cba.