I’ve been a Colts fan since...

[coltsfeva]

  The recent changes to the Colts secondary emblem made me wonder how many of us were fans of the team in Baltimore?
  I was born in 1955 and remember the disappointment of SB III, the joy of winning SB V and the Jones era in the ‘70s.

 How about you?

 

[PrincetonTiger]

I remember when the Mayflower arrived but the fandom was cemented with the drafting of Ken Dilger

 

[MPStack]

About 1979 with a declining Colts team for me. Think I was the only kid who wore Colts attire to school, during the Colts final seasons in Baltimore.

 

I think those desiring changes to the Colts uniforms are not from the Baltimore Colts generation IMO. 
 

 

[jvan1973]

When the mayflower trucks rolled into town

[cdgacoltsfan]

Late 60s for me. Became a fan when they spanked the Browns in the playoffs, As a kid, loved the 1968 Life magazine article poems with pics ...My Colts by Ogden Nash.

[Dingus McGirt]

24 minutes ago, coltsfeva said:

  The recent changes to the Colts secondary emblem made me wonder how many of us were fans of the team in Baltimore?
  I was born in 1955 and remember the disappointment of SB III, the joy of winning SB V and the Jones era in the ‘70s.

 How about you?

 

You took my thoughts!  

[RollerColt]

1990 was when my dad started taking me to games. I was only 2 at the time, so the earliest I remember is 1993 as far as games and actively being a fan. But really I’ve been a fan since birth basically haha...
 

 

[pacolts56]

I became a Colts fan in 1962 at 6 years old....

 

I grew up in NJ and as a teenager would scour the Monday sports section for whatever information I could find on them.... which wasn’t much in a Jersey newspaper. 

 

Anyway.... when they moved in 1984 I was stationed in West Berlin so I kinda shrugged my shoulders and thought “okay then, I’m an Indianapolis Colts fan now”.

What a great ride through all the ups and downs.... and I’m still lovin it! 

 

[Dingus McGirt]

1 minute ago, pacolts56 said:

I became a Colts fan in 1962 at 6 years old....

 

I grew up in NJ and as a teenager would scour the Monday sports section for whatever information I could find on them.... which wasn’t much in a Jersey newspaper. 

 

Anyway.... when they moved in 1984 I was stationed in West Berlin so I kinda shrugged my shoulders and thought “okay then, I’m an Indianapolis Colts fan now”.

What a great ride through all the ups and downs.... and I’m still lovin it! 

 

Love that line "...shrugged my shoulders and thought 'okay then, I'm and Indianapolis Colts fan now."  Exactly how it went for me.

[coltsfansince65]

I became a fan of the Baltimore Colts when my oldest brother began playing for a semi pro team in New Hampshire called the Nashua Colts.  My fandom was solidified when after their 1964 season I attended my brother's post season banquet in early 1965. The guest speaker was none other than John Unitas. I was 11 years old when I met him. There would be no further question as to what team I would forever be a fan of.

[pgt_rob]

I watched exclusively when Peyton was drafted. At that point I was about 10 years old and was first excited about watching football and rooting for a team every week.

[w87r]

Check me in the move to Indy department.

[2006Coltsbestever]

When the team moved to Indy. So since 1984. I had been watching football since basically 1977 and had many teams I liked but when we got a team I started rooting for the Colts. I was 12 going on 13 so understood the game pretty well at that point. We stunk from 84-86, when we got Dickerson in 1987 that put us on the map. I voted moved to Indy in 1984. 

 

My top 5 favorite seasons since 1984 still remain:

5. 2004 - Peyton 49 TD's, 12-4 record, a playoff win. Peyton was a machine.

 

4. 1987 - Put us on the map, we won the AFC East led by the Dickerson! We finally out did the Dolphins and Patriots.

 

3. 2012 - Lucks rookie season. The comebacks by Luck were unreal and we went 11-5, made the playoffs when many had us winning maybe 5 games at most. Luck looked a 10 year Vet that season.

 

2. 1995 - Harbaugh magic. 1 play away from the SB, what a fun season. Lost in the AFC Title Game where we got screwed by the usual Pitt REFS  . Winning at KC in the Divisional Round was priceless. That game was so awesome.

 

1. 2006 - Playoff run = Won at Baltimore beating Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Steve McNair in the Divisional Round. Beat the Patriots 38-34 (AFC Title Game) taking out Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. Beat the Bears in SB 41 when Bears fans were talking crap before the game saying Peyton was a choker. We were also 10-0 at home counting the playoffs. I have always said, great teams take care of their home field. 

[Yoshinator]

Became a fan before my 11th birthday in 1998 during the NFL Draft. My dad wanted me to be a Broncos fan, and I didn't have much knowledge of football yet, so I said, whatever team Peyton Manning is drafted by is the team I'll root for. 

 

He got drafted by the Colts, and the rest is history! 

[Coltsfan1953]

I'm an old Colts fan from 1963. I loved the Colts from the first I saw Unitas. I loved his style of play.

[PrincetonTiger]

2 minutes ago, Jared Cisneros said:

Became a fan before my 11th birthday in 1998 during the NFL Draft. My dad wanted me to be a Broncos fan, and I didn't have much knowledge of football yet, so I said, whatever team Peyton Manning is drafted by is the team I'll root for. 

 

He got drafted by the Colts, and the rest is history! 

By the time I was 11 I was working as a spotter for the HS TV broadcasts

[cdgacoltsfan]

19 minutes ago, Dingus McGirt said:

Love that line "...shrugged my shoulders and thought 'okay then, I'm and Indianapolis Colts fan now."  Exactly how it went for me.

I said as long as they didnt change the uniform, I'm still a Colts fan.

[CurBeatElite]

1994, age 8.  I, like @pacolts56 grew up in NJ.  My dad and brothers were big Giants' fans.  My dad took me to my first NYG game and I must've been learning geography in school then.  I was furious that the 'New York' G-men played in NJ and vowed that I could never root for them again unless they became the New Jersey Giants.  

 

That was Faulk's rookie year.  Blue was my favorite color and I liked the horseshoe logo.  I went with the Colts then.  That was a rough year, we went 4-12 but watching Harbaugh the following year was great, he's probably my all-time favorite Colt.  Then I got to sit back and enjoy the past 20 years of mostly positive Colts memories (the Manning years, a down year, 3 very fun years with Luck, etc.).  

[Barry Sears]

Until they moved to Indy, I followed the Colts and Steelers in the Unitas and pre-Bradshaw Steelers era.  Always followed the Colts because Unitas played at Louisville and he was just amazing to watch.  I continued following them through the Bert Jones era and loved that SB win over Dallas.  I was also into the Steelers before they started their incredible run once Bradshaw, Greene and all the other HOF player arrived.  But, once those guys started leaving Pittsburgh, then the team became less interesting and then the Colts moved to Indy and they have been my one and only team since 1984.

[NannyMcafee]

The year 2000. I was fortunate enough and got to see the GOAT QB Peyton Manning from the start of his elite play all the way to the finish here in Indy. 

 

Grew up poor. I had 1 Colts hat and damn it got dirty but it was my hat and I wore it everywhere. 

 

Worst memory ever was 2005 playoff loss to the steelers. I was feeling great as a Colts fan, never saw them play so good. 2005 was a special team that Colts fans never saw the like of again. Of course, we won it all in 2006, but 2005 everyone knew the Colts were the best team in the NFL. Of course. That didnt matter when you lay an egg vs the Steelers. 

 

2nd worst memory was 2003 loss vs the Patriots and this is where my hatred began for them, and still burns strong to this day. 

 

And shockingly, the 2009 SB loss is 3rd place in my worst memories as a Colts fan. 

 

My greatest memory? 

 

AFCCG Reggie Wayne likes to tempt fate and nearly fumble the football only to catch it again mid air... that guy had me going there! 

[Kyle]

I need a since Jim Harbaugh era choice

[colts8718]

I loved the BET JONES era Roger Carr and the sack pack.Bert is still my favorite Colts QB they played some tough teams in that era Bert had a great arm tough guy but it cost him in the end.

[lincolndefan]

I was born in 1953. Remember being at my uncle's house for dinner while the greastest game ever played was airing on t.v.. Of course, the picture was so snowy you couldn't hardly see it and i really didn't understand what was going on. I was raised in lower Delaware close to the Mason Dixon line, so therefore as i was growing up the local t.v. would show most of the games. As i got older i was able to go see them live at memorial stadium a few times. Oh how i loved going and watching the game and all the excitement. A lot of good memories.  

 

When the Mayflower trucks came to Baltimore and took them away it was in all the t.v. coverage. It was a really big deal. I personally felt betrayed and remember feeling devastated. Eventually i realized i had no ties to the city of Baltimore and began to follow my Colts in Indy. Thanks for the internet! 

 

Anyway, i have been a Colts fan for many years and have both my sons as the same. In my area, there still remains a few Colts fans here and there. I'm proud to wear my Colts apparel and am proud to be a Colts fan. Thank you NFL Sunday Ticket!

[RollerColt]

7 minutes ago, NannyMcafee said:

Worst memory ever was 2005 playoff loss to the steelers. I was feeling great as a Colts fan, never saw them play so good. 2005 was a special team that Colts fans never saw the like of again. Of course, we won it all in 2006, but 2005 everyone knew the Colts were the best team in the NFL. Of course. That didnt matter when you lay an egg vs the Steelers.

My disdain for the Steelers was imprinted upon birth. Though my dad is a Colts fan, the majority of our family roots for the Bengals. 2005 took my disgust of yellow and black to a whole new level. 
 

My mini Super Bowl every year is the day the Colts or Bengals beat them. 

[NannyMcafee]

3 minutes ago, RollerColt said:

My disdain for the Steelers was imprinted upon birth. Though my dad is a Colts fan, the majority of our family roots for the Bengals. 2005 took my disgust of yellow and black to a whole new level. 
 

My mini Super Bowl every year is the day the Colts or Bengals beat them. 

 

As much as that memory haunts me, I dont hate these guys. I have a lot more respect for them than I ever have the Patriots. The Colts just a laid an egg vs the steelers pretty frequently. As much as that sucks, they legit beat us. Especially in 2005. Peyton laid an egg in that game along with the whole team. 

 

As for the patriots that's debatable. I'll never forget how much they harrassed the Colts WR group in 2003 and got away with it... I think they called one pass interference all game. 

[buccolts]

1 hour ago, coltsfeva said:

  The recent changes to the Colts secondary emblem made me wonder how many of us were fans of the team in Baltimore?
  I was born in 1955 and remember the disappointment of SB III, the joy of winning SB V and the Jones era in the ‘70s.

 How about you?

 

 

I think you're trying to steal my identity.

[RollerColt]

1 minute ago, NannyMcafee said:

 

As much as that memory haunts me, I dont hate these guys. I have a lot more respect for them than I ever have the Patriots. The Colts just a laid an egg vs the steelers pretty frequently. As much as that sucks, they legit beat us. Especially in 2005. Peyton laid an egg in that game along with the whole team. 

 

As for the patriots that's debatable. I'll never forget how much they harrassed the Colts WR group in 2003 and got away with it... I think they called one pass interference all game. 

Without a doubt they are much more of a respectable organization. Can’t deny that. 

[Btown_Colt]

No Peyton Manning option? I’d say he is responsible for the majority of the younger generation Colts fans. Is for me anyway. 

[LockeDown]

I grew up in Mississippi with no pro team. I was 7 or 8 years old and my brother was 1 year younger. He liked the red team (Chiefs) and I liked the blue team (Colts). Both won Super Bowls next to each other. Santa Claus brought me a kids Baltimore Colts uniform and that was it for me. Johnny U. my favorite Player of all time. My brother is just now winning a Super Bowl. He waited his whole life.

[Ehrman.Dutton.Cook.Barnes]

1 hour ago, coltsfeva said:

  The recent changes to the Colts secondary emblem made me wonder how many of us were fans of the team in Baltimore?
  I was born in 1955 and remember the disappointment of SB III, the joy of winning SB V and the Jones era in the ‘70s.

 How about you?

 

I grew up in the Bronx NY and saw the greatest game ever played. I was 10 and the only member in the family rooting for Johnny U. & the Colts. He was my boyhood hero and I treasure his autographed photo I got before he passed. Could barely hold the pen.

[The Fish]

35 minutes ago, Btown_Colt said:

No Peyton Manning option? I’d say he is responsible for the majority of the younger generation Colts fans. Is for me anyway. 

This is correct. He's also very likely why the Colts are still the Indianapolis Colts.

 

I grew up a 9ers fan, they had a few down years, I was in middle school/high school and more concerned with girls and guitars and didn't pay a great deal of attention to a few seasons (00, 01?), fell out of the loop with the 9ers and had been to a few Colts games. After a year or two (03 was when I was all in for real) of watching all of the Colts games  it hit me I didn't care what happened out west. I'm a sort of bandwagon fan compared to you guys who've been fans since the 60's, but after 17 years you'll all forgive me.

[The Peytonator]

How does Philip Rivers qualify for a Colts era but Peyton doesn’t? 
 

The P Money era is my answer. I was raised to be a Dolphins fan for some reason living in the Midwest but once I was old enough to form my own identity I picked the Colts. I remember scouring through a fantasy football catalog and seeing Peyton, Edge, Marvin, and some drunk guy who used to kick for us all ranked number one at their respective positions going into the year and saying “that’s my team.” 

[PrincetonTiger]

9 minutes ago, The Peytonator said:

How does Philip Rivers qualify for a Colts era but Peyton doesn’t? 
 

The P Money era is my answer. I was raised to be a Dolphins fan for some reason living in the Midwest but once I was old enough to form my own identity I picked the Colts. I remember scouring through a fantasy football catalog and seeing Peyton, Edge, Marvin, and some drunk guy who used to kick for us all ranked number one at their respective positions going into the year and saying “that’s my team.” 

Bob Griese

     Evansville native and Purdue Grad

         Dolphins Legend

[Fluke_33]

1991 while in college and out of my hatred for the jets and their fans.   Started out as a joke but became a diehard very quickly.

[RollerColt]

8 minutes ago, PrincetonTiger said:

Bob Griese

     Evansville native and Purdue Grad

         Dolphins Legend

Yep. Before ‘84 most Hoosiers were Bears fans, Bengals fans or Dolphins fans. 
 

Southeast Indiana never left the Bengals phase. It pretty much bleeds orange and black over here.

[richard pallo]

First Colts game I ever watched was the 1958 sudden death championship thriller over the Giants when I was 12.  I've been a loyal fan ever since as is my son and now my grandson.  Doesn't get any better than that.  

[Flash7]

1. Peyton Manning era colts. I had seen great quarterbacks before, but none like Manning -- with all of the theatrics before the snap, fake audibles, and then the precision of the offense that he ran. He revolutionized the position. I couldn't look away, and I've been a fan since, even while living in the California Bay Area.

 

2. Also, I worked at Stanford and remember the buzz about a freshman QB from Houston. I watched him play and thought to myself, "I don't get it. He's so boring." But all he did was win. Turns out, he made everything look effortless, almost boring. As I watched him more closely, I realized he had no flaws for a college QB. He was 6'4" 240 lbs, accurate, could throw deep, and could run when needed, and would often make his own calls (select from 3 plays given to him) at the line. 

 

I was sad to see the Colts move on from Peyton, but couldn't believe that we were able to get Andrew Luck. Unfortunately, when Andrew retired, it hurt even more -- it was all for not.

[atapcl]

1 hour ago, lincolndefan said:

I was born in 1953. Remember being at my uncle's house for dinner while the greastest game ever played was airing on t.v.. Of course, the picture was so snowy you couldn't hardly see it and i really didn't understand what was going on. I was raised in lower Delaware close to the Mason Dixon line, so therefore as i was growing up the local t.v. would show most of the games. As i got older i was able to go see them live at memorial stadium a few times. Oh how i loved going and watching the game and all the excitement. A lot of good memories.  

 

When the Mayflower trucks came to Baltimore and took them away it was in all the t.v. coverage. It was a really big deal. I personally felt betrayed and remember feeling devastated. Eventually i realized i had no ties to the city of Baltimore and began to follow my Colts in Indy. Thanks for the internet! 

 

Anyway, i have been a Colts fan for many years and have both my sons as the same. In my area, there still remains a few Colts fans here and there. I'm proud to wear my Colts apparel and am proud to be a Colts fan. Thank you NFL Sunday Ticket!

I’m right there with you. I was born in 1952. My mom bought me a Green Bay uniform though I was just a 6 year old football fan not a Green Bay fan. I became a Colts fan watching the 1958 World Championship game.

[Four2itus]

Watched my first NFL game. SB V. It was a black and white tv. Fell in love with the shoe. Never faltered, have never given up hope, and have never dumped on my  team because they didn't do what I wanted. Ever. 

 

Fan until I breath no more. 

 

[M0NEYdontLIE]

Born in 88 and have been a fan since birth because my Grandpa (Father figure) lived in Indiana and watched EVERY GAME. Best memories ever are sitting on the couch with him watching Colts games and talking football all Sunday. First memory being the Harbaugh playoff run. Really got fun after Manning was drafted though.

 

Moved away years ago but couldn’t imagine calling any team MY team but the Colts.