It’s becoming a phenomenon. Even the waitresses at my greasy spoon breakfast spot are now wearing the hats and T-shirts as they bring me my usual order.
It’s the same at the barbershop, where I get what hair I have left cut, and even my U.S. Mail carrier has an air freshener dangling from the rear-view mirror of the delivery vehicle bearing their likeness. Oh, I almost forgot my neighbor and the suction cup flags that proudly display the logo on his massive SUV.
In the brief time it took you to read the previous paragraph, another person purchased an official item online and will conduct a vigil at the front door, awaiting the truck from the delivery option they chose.
Yes, my friends (and detractors), the Indianapolis Colts are now winners of their first three games as they continue to create a month of September that is both unpredictable and surprising.
Forget the fact that they haven’t defeated a playoff-caliber team (the refs handed them Denver), as their diehard fans simply don’t care. They have endured so many lackluster performances to start the season that it has brought them a newfound euphoria that feels better than central air on a hot summer day.
Starved for what seems like an eternity for a competitive football team, Colts Fan 2.0 has now set their collective sights on a division title and a playoff berth.
All that seems to be a bit lofty considering their inept historical performance. But don’t mention that to the lady at the dry cleaner’s who puts a precision crease in my dress shirts and smiles as she hands them to me while wearing a new Colts sweatshirt.
So, just what’s making all the aforementioned, as well as the majority of central Indiana, so giddy about their favorite team?
Is it the play of newly acquired quarterback Daniel Jones or the watchful eye of a new owner that has caused a sudden surge that finds them atop their division?
It’s probably all that and a lot more, but l will also throw in a healthy Jonathan Taylor and an offensive line that’s holding its own against the opposition.
You must be able to run the football and control the line of scrimmage in today’s pass-happy NFL and so far, these Colts have done that for the most part.
Even the secondary, which l feel is the greatest area of concern for this team, has stepped up. And while there isn’t a lot of depth on this roster, the ball has bounced the right way for them and that’s a huge factor in it all.
The schedule to date has been pretty generous, but that will even out a bit real soon with a cross-country trek to face the Los Angeles Rams, who just let the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles off the hook in a game they should have won.
For now, the Colts remain both undefeated and relevant, so l encourage their incredibly loyal fan base to savor it all and then some. You’ve spent a ton on tickets, merchandise and overpriced beer at Lucas Oil Stadium and you deserve this current surge in the standings.
Just because l think you should be objective and pump the brakes a bit doesn’t mean you have to. If your tsunami of joy continues, l’ll acknowledge that l was incorrect about your team.
If l’m correct, there’ll be no saying I told you so. The jury is still out in this early season, so let the best team win. Hopefully, it’s the one everyone is currently elated with and not the one that has disappointed you for ages.
Danny Bridges, who thinks the Colts have a fan base second to none and truly wants them to have something to cheer about, can be reached at (317) 370-8447 or at bridgeshd@aol.com.
Danny Bridges is an award-winning journalist and a longtime sports columnist for the Indianapolis Recorder. He covers college, professional sports and especially all things IndyCar racing. He can be reached at 317-370-8447 or at bridgeshd@aol.com.
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