My Mind Is Changing.

[braveheartcolt]

Cool.

I know in this country there is NO WHERE near the interest in soccer like in Europe. They've been trying to "grow" the interest for years, with arguably little success as is evident by how infrequently it is on tv. Part of that is due to its relatively "young life" in youth programs such as schools. for example, when i was in school, the scchools in my area didn't even have soccer teams.

I would argue its the same for "American football" in Europe. it just doesn't have the interest as is evident by only 1 game a year in 1 city. Also, the NFL tried the NFL Europe thing a few years back and it just didn't work.

I am in no way arguing your interest or commitment to the sport, but I believe you are in the minority.

Yep, very much the minority over here, but it is growing. The thing with NFL Europe was that it was an inferior product, and not the 'real thing'. I run an Anglo - American NFL Pool in my office every year. It went from 2 to 5, from 5 to 9, and now we have 14 participants! So I'm doing my best to fly the NFL flag, as well as the Colts flag over here in the UK! Only another 10 million to go...

[WoolMagnet]

If Mike Curtis read the OP and saw the use of his name attached, he would probably flat out clothesline the guy. Just like that epic fan tackle back in the day. Keep your head on a swivel my MCurtis32!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtAyt-IddEA

Thats EXACTLY what I was thinking but was afraid MCurtis32 would take it the wrong way.

[WoolMagnet]

Yep, very much the minority over here, but it is growing. The thing with NFL Europe was that it was an inferior product, and not the 'real thing'. I run an Anglo - American NFL Pool in my office every year. It went from 2 to 5, from 5 to 9, and now we have 14 participants! So I'm doing my best to fly the NFL flag, as well as the Colts flag over here in the UK! Only another 10 million to go...

Yea, i know NFL Europe wasn't the NFL. It was utilized, or was meant to be utilized as a farm system for the NFL.

It was better football than the arena league, XFL, etc.

Keep working on your "mates".

[GrizzColt]

Thats EXACTLY what I was thinking but was afraid MCurtis32 would take it the wrong way.

Mike Curtis is one 3 reasons I became a Colt's fan: Johnny Unitas, Bubba Smith and Mike Curtis. Man, I get pumped up watching him and remember how tough the team was. I hope and pray Pagano brings that to our defense.

[BNS]

Right now the Colts fans are living through what fans of other teams in other sports have had to live through over the years. At the end of their careers, long time players for one franchise ended up playing for other teams to finish their careers, and in each instance, it came down to a business decision. Do we keep a guy because he's always played here, even though his skills have declined? Or, do we let them go or trade them in order to rebuild?

Babe Ruth ended his career in Boston.

Johnny Unitas in San Diego.

Joe Montana in Kansas City.

I could list more, and all of these guys were icons in the cities where they played most of their career.

The Colts are at a crossroads now, and we'll see who the "real" Colts fans are when all is said and done. If Peyton retires or ends his career with another team, I'll still be a 100% Colts fan.

I'm a St. Louis Cardinals fan and someone asked me recently if I was going to become an Angels fan now that Pujols has left St. Louis...and I said, "no, I'm a Cardinals fan."

Like Billy Crystal once said...we cheer for uniforms, no matter what players are wearing them. It's the nature of professional sports...the players change over time, and we choose to follow the player(s) or the team.