In 1953, a championship team was born: the Indianapolis Colts. Starting out in Baltimore, Maryland, the Colts began as the Baltimore Colts, playing in their home state. They didn’t end up in Indianapolis until 1984 where they played for many years at the Hoosier (now RCA) Dome. They have been named the horseshoes because of their logo and basic colors are blue and white, with the simple logo stamped on top.
The Colts didn’t start out as a winning team, however. When they were first playing in Indianapolis, they had a very difficult time. They lost, year and year again, and a huge depression sunk into the team. However, they finally selected a new coach, Ron Meyer, to replace their old one, and then the Colts took off. Under Ron Meyer, the Colts won their last three games of the season.
From that point on, the Colts’ luck took a promising turn and the team saw one victory after another. Of course, they still lost occasionally, but finally ended with the best winning record of all the NFL. Meyer was finally replaced by Bill Polian in 1996. At that point, a lot of drafts were made and older players who bogged down the team were gotten rid of. Then, new players such as Peyton Manning were selected for the team, starting a new era for the Colts.
All the Mannings have a history of being excellent football players, and Peyton Manning was no exception. He helped the team rise to victory from 1996 on. Now they continue to hold the title because of Peyton Manning’s leadership ability and excellent football skill.
In 2007, the Colts took their place in NFL history. The Super Bowl was played at Dolphin Stadium in the rain. The Chicago Bears faced the Colts, and they lost. At this point, the Colts not only won the Super Bowl but also became the first team to win in the rain and to win in an outdoor stadium.
Among the historical roster of the Colts are players like Art Donovan and Johnny Unitas. They’ve had several other Hall of Fame players as well. The team’s success has largely been attributed to players and coaches like these, who’ve proven to be excellent at understanding just how pro football works.
Unlike most teams, the Colts haven’t dealt with drama and troubled relationships within the team that many NFL teams have to deal with. Most of the Colt’s conflicts have stemmed from individual players being unable to carry their weight defensively or offensively. There’s no sordid history for this team.
The Colts continue to have training camps annually in Anderson, Indiana. This is one NFL team that doesn’t bother with silly drama and player troubles. They focus on the point of the game, which is strategy and skill. They have never let themselves be beat by the odds, and as long as they keep this attitude, they’ll continue to be a winning team.
Comments on this entry are closed.