It has been a long time since I lived in a town where everyone is a fan of the local major sports team. I lived in Detroit in ’84 when the Tigers were last great (uh, pre-2006, that is) and won the World Series. I lived in Atlanta when the Braves FINALLY won the World Series in ’95. I lived in Chicago the summer of ’98 when the Cubs made it to the playoffs by beating out the San Francisco Giants in a wild-card one-game tie breaker game (which they won, by the way). Now, it’s Indianapolis and the Colts.
I love the Colts. I was a fan of Peyton Manning when he broke the single-season touchdown pass record (sorry Dan Marino), and I was a fan of Tony Dungy all the way back to when he headed up the now sorry Tampa Bay Bucs. I totally got on board with the Colts 2 seasons ago as they headed toward a possible perfect season (My husband, a lifelong fan of the Miami Dolphins, the only team, by the way, to ever post a perfect season (in 1972), was pulling for the Colts to not make the perfect season). But now that I am an official Indiana resident again, I jumped on the bandwagon of fan-aticism with both hands and feet. I also was introduced to a new concept: Blue Friday.
Every Friday during the regular football season, everyone around town wears their Colts paraphernalia on the Friday before a game. In August, it was everywhere. In November, it began to get a bit thin. By the start of the new year, it was back. You should see the town on this very special Blue Friday–the first time this city has seen their team in a major championship game…ever! Other than the Pacers (who are they and what sport do they play?), the Colts are our only major league team. And this city L-O-V-E-S their Colts.
Today I heard crazy stories at the gym: one woman swears that whenever she strokes her boyfriend’s slipper, the Colts score a touchdown. Another woman refuses to wear any shirt but her Blue shirt on Fridays. Another one knows of a total crazy person who has Colts socks that she has not washed since the start of the season and will not do so until either they win or the season ends, whichever comes first. Ugh. I’m not that freaky. Am I?
I don’t know, but in the spirit of today, I adorned my children in their Colts’ jerseys, pulled out my own number 18 jersey and donned my Colts’ earrings. My car antenna topper has been a Colts’ helmet for months now, and today I added a window flag which flaps out my support for the beautiful blue Colts. I bought Colts’ paper plates and napkins for our party on Sunday. OK, so maybe I am a little freaky.
At least my stuff is all clean.
GOOOOOOOOOOOOO
COLTS!!!!!!!
Haha! Yeah I’m ready for the Super Bowl….but not as excited as you are. 🙂 I’m so glad that Peyton and Dungy finally get to go to the Super Bowl. Go Colts!!
Nebraska is like that with red on game day.