Sometimes, when you follow a team so close, for so long, you fail to realize just how much time has passed and your context begins to haze over. It is understandable that this could happen, particularly when you are a part of a fan base that is intoxicated by a wave of records, success, and amazing football.
There is nothing wrong with allowing yourself to savor the ride but if you want to truly appreciate how good it feels to be a Colts fan, you have to read Nate Dunlevy’s book, Blue Blood: Tales of Glory of the Indianapolis Colts.
Dunlevy tells the Colts’ story from the moment the Mayflower trucks arrived in Indianapolis, all the way through to Super Bowl XLIV. What is important about this book, and the Colts story, is that relatively few Colts fans today truly appreciate all that the team has been through. Given the circumstances of how the Colts arrived in Indianapolis, the environment the team entered with a state entrenched around basketball, and the generational influence of many being Bears or Bengals fans, there is a legitimate excuse for not getting on board immediately.
Even more fans were only created recently, after Peyton Manning embarked on his future Hall of Fame career. Regardless of your background with the team, reading Blue Blood will provide perspective on how far the Colts franchise has come, insight into reasons why some of the struggles occurred early on, and serve as a reminder of how lucky fans are to be witnessing the team’s unprecedented success.
If you’re an old school Colts fan who simply wants to relive the good ol’ days and reignite the football flame during the off-season, you’ll love this book. If you’re a young football fan and you love the team but you only hear second-hand stories about players like Eric Dickerson, Marshall Faulk, and Jim Harbaugh, the book will make you more informed and give you a great appreciation of the history.
If you’re not even a Colts fan but you’ve been intrigued by the team’s success, impressed by the team’s leadership, or want to understand what all the fuss is about, this book is great for you too because there is little doubt that once you’ve finished, you will better understand how much this team and its fans have endured to get to this point.
Do yourself a favor, purchase a copy of Blue Blood. Not only will you enjoy the book, you will help support one of the hardest working and professional Colts bloggers on the internet (18to88.com) and reward him for all of his efforts.
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