I love sports, I just don't play them for the simple fact that I don't like to sweat and I'm a klutz. I play a bit of tennis or go bowling, that's about it. I love the excitement when my Colts score a touchdown or the roar of the engines as IndyCars soar into the first turn. I love when my husband tears up when that Gomer Pyle guy sings "Back Home Again in Indiana because he lives and breathes the 500. I love the excitement and chaos that the Super Bowl brought to Indiana this past February. Most importantly, I love how sports bring people together for a little fun.
I admit that I was downright pissed when the Colts let Jim Harbaugh go to pick up Peyton Manning back in '98 because to me, Jim Harbaugh made me love the Colts because I had followed his career since I was in high school and he playing for the University of Michigan. That is how the NFL works though, it's all about making a better team because it's all about the wins because no one likes watching a losing team. I experienced that too much growing up in Michigan and having the Lions lose.
Peyton Manning proved himself though and we all watched as the Colts went from a mediocre team to Super Bowl champions. It was so important to Indianapolis to have a team they could really cheer for and give a sense of excitement to Naptown. We don't have much around for entertainment and waiting for the Colts to demolish the next team gave us something to look forward to every Sunday. It was awesome watching Peyton as more than a quarterback and more like a computer as he executed his precision spiraling throws to Marvin Harrison or Dallas Clark. Wow, that man can through and he can analyze and change up plays on the fly to baffle the other teams.
Then came last season and Peyton's neck surgeries. We knew it was serious and the team seemed to fall apart. The excitement was gone as we watched our Colts lose week after week. My husband and I went to a pre-season game and it was just heart-wrenching. Would the Colts be the same without Peyton? We had to face the facts though that the team would eventually have to move on without Peyton and with a chance at the number one pick, I don't see how the Colts had any other option than to let him go. I had become a Peyton Manning fan and even named a pug I once had, Peyton.
It was so sad watching yesterday's press conference when it became official that Peyton Manning would no longer be a Colt. The future of the Colts as we know is unknown, but I'm sure they will be back on top after a couple of years of re-building the team. I think everyone is a little sad right now because the team was built around him, but it will be okay.
So thank you Peyton for a great fourteen year ride and good luck with whatever team you end up with, as long as it's not the evil Patriots. Now on to racing season and I don't mean NASCAR!!
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