Posted on 11/08/2004 3:21:09 PM PST by mysterio
Indianapolis, Nov. 8 - Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay led fans in a cheer during the midday pep rally. The crowd was pumped about the team's first Monday night showdown in four seasons.
Colts fan Matt Fultz considers it "a big deal, because Monday Night, national stage, it's a great time, atmosphere, rally the community."
The crowd was also pumped about keeping the Colts in Indianapolis. Irsay, who has remained relatively tightlipped about talks with city officials, told fans the team's future is here.
"We're working hard on getting a new home south of the dome. The future is bright. We want to have a Super Bowl here in Indianapolis, which we will. We want a state of the art stadium, which we will. And we want a Super Bowl championship team and I couldn't be more excited about it."
In a rare one-on-one interview, Irsay predicted a deal before year's end. "We hope before Thanksgiving to maybe get some general parameters in place."
And he talked how a new stadium plays into that. "For a permanent solution it's critical," even though he says it wasn't a top priority when negotiations began. "But I think with the convention center needs and the NCAA needs for the Final Four, I've been sensitive to the needs of the city."
Irsay adds that the Colts and NFL will contribute toward the cost of a new stadium.
Brings back bad memories of the Irsays, the Colts, and a fleet of Mayflower moving vans in the dark of night. I hate the Irsays.
Same as the ones in Houston except the "Oilers" oiled the city so the "Stros" could slide right into a taxpayer-funded playground.
Don't ya think that PAY-A-TON should at least win an AFC championship game first?
No, they got tired of losing in the old stadium. They need a new stadium so they can lose more profitably.
Hey, at least here in Nashville we used the PSL concept so the taxpayers didn't have to bear the majority of the costs. Why on earth would Indy not use PSLs ? Or are they?
All I can say as a lifelong Pats fan (yes... all the way back to the Grogan years) is THANK GOD FOR BOB KRAFT.
No way the Colts will take the big one with a non-viable defense. When it comes to the NFL draft Polian never heard of a wide reciever that he didn't like.
Irsay pimping another city. Jerk.
How many cities has the NFL pulled this scam on? Move a team....then get another to relocate or an expansion one with a new stadium and tax breaks up to your nose as enticement? Baltimore, St Louis, Houston, Cleveland....I'm sure there are more. The moveable Raiders are another great NFL story.
I wonder how many hundreds of Indianapolis families will have their property confiscated through abuse of eminent domain so the billionaires can have their playground.
If Irsay wants his damned stadium, I say make him pay for it out of his own pocket without blackmailing the city. If not, he's more than welcome to pack up his toys and find another pack of suckers willing to bend over for him.
I don't believe that we even have popular support for this measure. Is this totally Bart Peterson and the council?
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