Why indy will get there asses handed to them in the playoffs
Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 8:59 am
Yet Again!KARMA!
Trying to pawn off Johnny U as a indy tard is like saying INdy has anything to do with Horse racing!
As you all know im not a crackmore fan at all but this is weak! Watch the Pats beat them down yet again when $$$ is on the line!
A new split over old Colts
License plates please Indiana, irk Maryland
By Childs Walker
Sun Reporter
Originally published December 17, 2005
INDIANAPOLIS // From one point of view, it's a grave robbery. From the other, it's a nice way to honor men who did great things in the days of yore.
But then, Baltimore and Indianapolis probably never saw eye to eye on matters concerning a certain pro football team.
Baltimore's nightmares of Mayflower trucks slinking off in the snow became the Colts' journey to "the friendly heart of the Midwest." Or so the team's media guide says.
So perhaps it's no surprise that Indiana's plan to celebrate its football team by auctioning commemorative license plates has turned into another reason for old Baltimore Colts to be offended.
The Colts are auctioning 429 specialty license plates on the Internet to help raise funds for a new $500 million stadium, slated to open in 2008. Four plates are tailored to honor Baltimore Colts greats John Unitas, Lenny Moore, Raymond Berry and Gino Marchetti.
"I think we were trying to honor the old and the new," said John Klipsch, executive director for Indiana's Stadium and Convention Center Authority.
"I think the fact that [Unitas'] number 19 is one of the top-20-selling plates shows how much people continue to respect and admire the great players from years gone by," said Marc Lotter, a spokesman for Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, who helped conceive the auction.
Stephen Conway, a Colts fan who posts weekly haiku about the team on the Internet, said he appreciates the Baltimore legacy.
"I know Unitas and many of the other Colt greats, as well as Baltimore Colts fans, want to distance themselves completely from the franchise since the move," he said. "To me, it's understandable, but it's also unfortunate."
Unitas' son, John Unitas Jr., is trying to block Indiana from profiting from his father's name and number. He said that his attorneys are in discussions with Daniels' office but that he might pursue legal action and seek punitive damages. "What I want first is an apology," he said.
Moore also said he'd rather not be associated with the promotion. Berry and Marchetti said they were indifferent.
Others who loved the Baltimore team are inflamed about the auction.
"It's ridiculous," said John Ziemann, who helped keep the Colts Marching Band together for the 12 years Baltimore lived without the NFL. "They are playing off our history and our heritage."
Ziemann said the Colts became a different franchise, "the day they went up I-70 and crossed the state line."
"The history of the Baltimore Colts stays here," he said. "I don't blame their fans, but to me, they should start their own history there. Our heroes should not be helping to build their new stadium."
The Indianapolis Colts are riding a wave of popularity. A stroll through the downtown area near the RCA Dome finds businessmen wearing Colts ties and babies in Colts suits. The Colts team store is so popular that on game days, security guards have to escort customers in small groups so fire codes won't be violated. Tickets for tomorrow's game against the Chargers are going for $400 on eBay.
Amazing for a franchise that went 12-36 its first three years after the move and became known around Indy as the Dolts.
For all of the franchise's current success, much of its history lives in Baltimore. Five of its six league MVPs played in Baltimore, 10 of its 11 Hall of Famers made their names in Baltimore and its only Super Bowl title was captured when the team was in Baltimore.
Conway said Indy fans don't draw sharp lines between past and present. Peyton Manning may be their hero, but they know Unitas holds the franchise career passing records.
"Indy fans certainly can't appreciate Colts of the past the way Baltimore fans do," he said. "But I feel like the team and the fans buy into the idea of upholding the proud football traditions that come with the big blue horseshoe."
Next >> Jump to page: 1 2 At the Colts store, manager Vickie Miller said some customers talk about the old Baltimore teams and ask for Unitas jerseys. "We get a lot of season-ticket holders who say they had tickets back in Baltimore also," she said. "It's just turned into a nice big home for everybody."
But fans asked about the old Colts said they have nothing but respect for the franchise's Baltimore legacy.
"Oh sure, we followed them back in the day - Johnny U., Earl Morrall, the black high-tops," said David Holt, a security guard at the Indianapolis airport who wore a Colts tie and was buying blue-and-white-patterned pants.
Holt said his brother wore No. 32 in high school because he loved former Baltimore linebacker Mike Curtis. He said he likes to think of the Baltimore and Indianapolis years as an unbroken chain but said he can understand lingering bitterness from the team's former home.
"The thing about it is that the Colts are going to be the Colts no matter where they are," he said. "But I'm sure that if they left here, we'd have some of those same feelings."
Other fierce Colts fans said the ties are more tenuous. Randy Collins is co-founder of the Blue Crew, a fan club of more than 800 that tailgates before every home game. He loves the team so much that he bought a firetruck and repainted it blue and white. But of its history, he said, "it kind of started for us in 1984."
Collins said he liked former Baltimore quarterback Bert Jones but added that when he hears about the old Colts, he thinks, "Oh, OK, there was life before 1984."
The plate auction closed yesterday. Lotter deemed it a success.
"We didn't know what to expect, but it's been extremely well-received," he said.
After hearing that Unitas' son was upset, officials removed the quarterback's name from the promotional Web site for the auction. But plates bearing No. 19 are still being sold. "We'll just think of that 19 as the number of games we hope to win this season," said Lotter, referring to the Colts' pursuit of a perfect season.
Bidding on a "QB 19" plate reached $605 by the close of the auction at 5 p.m. yesterday.
That's far less than the $10,305 for "QB 18" (Manning's number). But Unitas beat out luminaries such as Jim Sorgi ($220).
Other Baltimore greats didn't fare as well. Moore, still the franchise leader in career touchdowns, drew $190, less than James Mungro or current backup runner Dominic Rhodes.
The number for Berry, perhaps the most precise route runner in NFL history, went for $255, $400 less than for Brandon Stokley.
Marchetti, one of the first great power-speed combinations at defensive end, also went for $255, $250 less than current pass rushing wizard Dwight Freeney.
A bidder with the user name ncfreak03 appeared to have snapped up the Manning plate and the $6,030 "WR 88" for Marvin Harrison, though winners won't be posted until Monday.
Officials said the auction raised $104,370. Part of that will go to the stadium project along with proceeds from regular Colts license plates, which will become available in January. Lotter said the state hopes to generate about $500,000 a year from fees associated with the plates.
That might seem a pittance when the price tag for the stadium is $500 million, but state officials said money was never the point.
"It's a way for people who are not ticket-holders to connect to the team pretty inexpensively," Klipsch said.
childs.walker@baltsun.com
Trying to pawn off Johnny U as a indy tard is like saying INdy has anything to do with Horse racing!
As you all know im not a crackmore fan at all but this is weak! Watch the Pats beat them down yet again when $$$ is on the line!
A new split over old Colts
License plates please Indiana, irk Maryland
By Childs Walker
Sun Reporter
Originally published December 17, 2005
INDIANAPOLIS // From one point of view, it's a grave robbery. From the other, it's a nice way to honor men who did great things in the days of yore.
But then, Baltimore and Indianapolis probably never saw eye to eye on matters concerning a certain pro football team.
Baltimore's nightmares of Mayflower trucks slinking off in the snow became the Colts' journey to "the friendly heart of the Midwest." Or so the team's media guide says.
So perhaps it's no surprise that Indiana's plan to celebrate its football team by auctioning commemorative license plates has turned into another reason for old Baltimore Colts to be offended.
The Colts are auctioning 429 specialty license plates on the Internet to help raise funds for a new $500 million stadium, slated to open in 2008. Four plates are tailored to honor Baltimore Colts greats John Unitas, Lenny Moore, Raymond Berry and Gino Marchetti.
"I think we were trying to honor the old and the new," said John Klipsch, executive director for Indiana's Stadium and Convention Center Authority.
"I think the fact that [Unitas'] number 19 is one of the top-20-selling plates shows how much people continue to respect and admire the great players from years gone by," said Marc Lotter, a spokesman for Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, who helped conceive the auction.
Stephen Conway, a Colts fan who posts weekly haiku about the team on the Internet, said he appreciates the Baltimore legacy.
"I know Unitas and many of the other Colt greats, as well as Baltimore Colts fans, want to distance themselves completely from the franchise since the move," he said. "To me, it's understandable, but it's also unfortunate."
Unitas' son, John Unitas Jr., is trying to block Indiana from profiting from his father's name and number. He said that his attorneys are in discussions with Daniels' office but that he might pursue legal action and seek punitive damages. "What I want first is an apology," he said.
Moore also said he'd rather not be associated with the promotion. Berry and Marchetti said they were indifferent.
Others who loved the Baltimore team are inflamed about the auction.
"It's ridiculous," said John Ziemann, who helped keep the Colts Marching Band together for the 12 years Baltimore lived without the NFL. "They are playing off our history and our heritage."
Ziemann said the Colts became a different franchise, "the day they went up I-70 and crossed the state line."
"The history of the Baltimore Colts stays here," he said. "I don't blame their fans, but to me, they should start their own history there. Our heroes should not be helping to build their new stadium."
The Indianapolis Colts are riding a wave of popularity. A stroll through the downtown area near the RCA Dome finds businessmen wearing Colts ties and babies in Colts suits. The Colts team store is so popular that on game days, security guards have to escort customers in small groups so fire codes won't be violated. Tickets for tomorrow's game against the Chargers are going for $400 on eBay.
Amazing for a franchise that went 12-36 its first three years after the move and became known around Indy as the Dolts.
For all of the franchise's current success, much of its history lives in Baltimore. Five of its six league MVPs played in Baltimore, 10 of its 11 Hall of Famers made their names in Baltimore and its only Super Bowl title was captured when the team was in Baltimore.
Conway said Indy fans don't draw sharp lines between past and present. Peyton Manning may be their hero, but they know Unitas holds the franchise career passing records.
"Indy fans certainly can't appreciate Colts of the past the way Baltimore fans do," he said. "But I feel like the team and the fans buy into the idea of upholding the proud football traditions that come with the big blue horseshoe."
Next >> Jump to page: 1 2 At the Colts store, manager Vickie Miller said some customers talk about the old Baltimore teams and ask for Unitas jerseys. "We get a lot of season-ticket holders who say they had tickets back in Baltimore also," she said. "It's just turned into a nice big home for everybody."
But fans asked about the old Colts said they have nothing but respect for the franchise's Baltimore legacy.
"Oh sure, we followed them back in the day - Johnny U., Earl Morrall, the black high-tops," said David Holt, a security guard at the Indianapolis airport who wore a Colts tie and was buying blue-and-white-patterned pants.
Holt said his brother wore No. 32 in high school because he loved former Baltimore linebacker Mike Curtis. He said he likes to think of the Baltimore and Indianapolis years as an unbroken chain but said he can understand lingering bitterness from the team's former home.
"The thing about it is that the Colts are going to be the Colts no matter where they are," he said. "But I'm sure that if they left here, we'd have some of those same feelings."
Other fierce Colts fans said the ties are more tenuous. Randy Collins is co-founder of the Blue Crew, a fan club of more than 800 that tailgates before every home game. He loves the team so much that he bought a firetruck and repainted it blue and white. But of its history, he said, "it kind of started for us in 1984."
Collins said he liked former Baltimore quarterback Bert Jones but added that when he hears about the old Colts, he thinks, "Oh, OK, there was life before 1984."
The plate auction closed yesterday. Lotter deemed it a success.
"We didn't know what to expect, but it's been extremely well-received," he said.
After hearing that Unitas' son was upset, officials removed the quarterback's name from the promotional Web site for the auction. But plates bearing No. 19 are still being sold. "We'll just think of that 19 as the number of games we hope to win this season," said Lotter, referring to the Colts' pursuit of a perfect season.
Bidding on a "QB 19" plate reached $605 by the close of the auction at 5 p.m. yesterday.
That's far less than the $10,305 for "QB 18" (Manning's number). But Unitas beat out luminaries such as Jim Sorgi ($220).
Other Baltimore greats didn't fare as well. Moore, still the franchise leader in career touchdowns, drew $190, less than James Mungro or current backup runner Dominic Rhodes.
The number for Berry, perhaps the most precise route runner in NFL history, went for $255, $400 less than for Brandon Stokley.
Marchetti, one of the first great power-speed combinations at defensive end, also went for $255, $250 less than current pass rushing wizard Dwight Freeney.
A bidder with the user name ncfreak03 appeared to have snapped up the Manning plate and the $6,030 "WR 88" for Marvin Harrison, though winners won't be posted until Monday.
Officials said the auction raised $104,370. Part of that will go to the stadium project along with proceeds from regular Colts license plates, which will become available in January. Lotter said the state hopes to generate about $500,000 a year from fees associated with the plates.
That might seem a pittance when the price tag for the stadium is $500 million, but state officials said money was never the point.
"It's a way for people who are not ticket-holders to connect to the team pretty inexpensively," Klipsch said.
childs.walker@baltsun.com
