33 years ago today (8/15) about 50,000 of us caught Colt Fever. We went to the old Gator Bowl on a stifling hot, humid evening to watch Channel 4's helicopter (Remember Sky4?) land in the stadium. Colts owner Bob Irsay exited the chopper to be greeted by mayor Jake Godbold.
The crowd in the stands pounded their feet and chanted: WE WANT THE COLTS! WE WANT THE COLTS! WE WANT THE COLTS! Some waved signs that read: I've got COLT fever!
Others bought Jacksonville Colts T-shirts* and caps. Remember those?
Alas, we didn't get the Colts. Still, it was a once in a lifetime experience.
*Once it was known the Colts weren't coming to Jacksonville, Misfits T-shirts sold their remaining stock of Jacksonville Colts T-shirts with a big red X over the logo.
(I wasnt able to attend, but since Sky4 was being used WJXT pre-empted their regular programming to broadcast Colt Fever live. I'll never forget sitting in my grandmother's den, pounding my fist on the coffee table** and yelling: WE WANT THE COLTS!)
**until Gramma came in & told me to stop making so much noise.
Quote from: BackinJax05 on August 15, 2012, 01:09:58 AM
33 years ago today (8/15) about 50,000 of us caught Colt Fever. We went to the old Gator Bowl on a stifling hot, humid evening to watch Channel 4's helicopter (Remember Sky4?) land in the stadium. Colts owner Bob Irsay exited the chopper to be greeted by mayor Jake Godbold.
The crowd in the stands pounded their feet and chanted: WE WANT THE COLTS! WE WANT THE COLTS! WE WANT THE COLTS! Some waved signs that read: I've got COLT fever!
Others bought Jacksonville Colts T-shirts* and caps. Remember those?
Alas, we didn't get the Colts. Still, it was a once in a lifetime experience.
*Once it was known the Colts weren't coming to Jacksonville, Misfits T-shirts sold their remaining stock of Jacksonville Colts T-shirts with a big red X over the logo.
(I wasnt able to attend, but since Sky4 was being used WJXT pre-empted their regular programming to broadcast Colt Fever live. I'll never forget sitting in my grandmother's den, pounding my fist on the coffee table** and yelling: WE WANT THE COLTS!)
**until Gramma came in & told me to stop making so much noise.
I do remember that. I didn't go, however. But I remember going to the Jacksonville Fair in 1979 (just after we moved to Jax) and there was a guy there selling Jacksonville Colts merchandise.
We got punked. But all's well that ends well, I suppose.
Bob Irsay was the REAL punk >:(
Quote from: BackinJax05 on August 15, 2012, 02:41:48 AM
Bob Irsay was the REAL punk >:(
I think there are a LOT of people in Baltimore who share your opinion :D
^^ There used to be a restaurant in Baltimore (might still be in business, I dont know) that had a special BOB IRSAY ROOM. It was the mens room :D
All these years later, Indianapolis Colts still sounds silly.
We got played in Memphis too by Irsay.
I am to young to remember this, I do remember the Bulls. :-)
Shows that cities have NO real power over a franchise, and the owners can hold the city hostage for more, more, more. Most cities go broke paying for the owner's ego.
This was before my time, but I do know the history. Knowing him, I highly doubt Jake had bought Irsay's line. He used the situation to let the league know Jacksonville was serious, and clearly it paid off.
He was serious. And the league knew it, to our benefit. But that doesn't mean he went in assuming it was a done deal. There was much to gain even if it failed, and we capitalized on it.
BSC, is it Gene Smith's fault that Jax didn't get a NFL team the first go around?
Quote from: fsquid on August 15, 2012, 08:50:13 AM
We got played in Memphis too by Irsay.
After Irsay played us, we also got played by Atlanta, New Orleans, St. Louis (now Arizona), and worst of all: Houston (now Tennessee). Im sure there were others, but I cant remember.
Quote from: fsujax on August 15, 2012, 09:06:07 AM
I am to young to remember this, I do remember the Bulls. :-)
I remember the Bulls, too. The best game was where owner Fred Bullard came on the field to argue with officials over a blown call.
Quote from: mtraininjax on August 15, 2012, 11:49:27 AM
Shows that cities have NO real power over a franchise, and the owners can hold the city hostage for more, more, more. Most cities go broke paying for the owner's ego.
Sad, but very true.
Quote from: British Shoe Company on August 15, 2012, 02:42:17 PM
Quote from: fsujax on August 15, 2012, 09:06:07 AM
I am to young to remember this, I do remember the Bulls. :-)
Remember the song "Here come the Bulls"
It was classic!
Before the Bulls, we had the Sharks, then Express in the World Football League.
A few years later, and right before Colt Fever we had the Firebirds - later called the Sunbirds - of the American Football Association.
^^ Didnt know that.
I was only 7 at the time, but I remember hearing the owner, Fran Monaco, ran the Sharks into the ground, so to speak.
Quote from: British Shoe Company on August 15, 2012, 11:45:30 PM
Quote from: BackinJax05 on August 15, 2012, 11:31:34 PM
Quote from: fsujax on August 15, 2012, 09:06:07 AM
I am to young to remember this, I do remember the Bulls. :-)
I remember the Bulls, too. The best game was where owner Fred Bullard came on the field to argue with officials over a blown call.
Are you referencing the game where the New Jersey Generals won by 3 when the referee slipped and said the General's field goal was good, and it was a little wide of the upright?
It might have been. I only remember Mr. Bullard on the field. He was MAD >:(
What I DO remember is the USFL had really lousy officials.
Ahh Colt Fever, guess it has been 33 years. Wow!
I was there along with a bunch of co-workers from Sawgrass where I was working at the time (not sure but we may have closed the restaurants in order to go). Thinking it was a Wednesday perhaps.
It was a very surreal experience and a heck of a turnout to show Bob Irsay we were serious. Probably got us on the NFL radar even way back then. Jake Godbold pulled it off. Not sure we have the chutzpah anymore to do something like that again (this made national news remember).
Trying to leave was an event in itself. I remember finding my school bus was too full and they wouldn't let anyone else on, so I got a boost and climbed thru the little bus window head first as the bus started to leave. This got a cheer from the crowd and added to the 'ambiance'. There may have been alcohol and other chemical substances involved but I can't remember everything.
To those that only know me as who I am today I assure you that I used to be much more fun, lol! 8)
Cheers!
Mark
I was there in the stadium and had also sent in a check for season tickets in the end zone. Seems like it was only like $140. I got my money back minus a handling charge.
People talk about Jacksonville, but Indianapolis is probably the luckiest city to get a NFL team. Irsay really wanted to move the Colts to Phoenix, but for whatever reason, the city of Phoenix botched up the deal, so Irsay hastily settled for the second option Indy. In Jax's case Wayne Weaver wanted the team here in Jax through, and through. The supposed 'ironclad STL Stallions deal' apparently wasn't so ironclad afterall.
Even though I can care less about Baltimore, I highly recommend watching the HBO documentary "The Band that Wouldn't Die" the story about the B-More Colts marching band; It gives great accounts concerning on what happened during Irsay's move to Indy, and the other cities (like Jax) that was in the race for the Colts.
Quote from: I-10east on August 16, 2012, 11:19:37 AM
People talk about Jacksonville, but Indianapolis is probably the luckiest city to get a NFL team. Irsay really wanted to move the Colts to Phoenix, but for whatever reason, the city of Phoenix botched up the deal, so Irsay hastily settled for the second option Indy. In Jax's case Wayne Weaver wanted the team here in Jax through, and through. The supposed 'ironclad STL Stallions deal' apparently wasn't so ironclad afterall.
Irsay seemed to have serious flirtations with Memphis too (though Phoenix surely was his first choice). Then Phoenix nearly nabbed the Eagles before it got the Cardinals to move.
Irsay's choice of Indianapolis was borne not only of haste (the Maryland legislature basically forced his hand because it was deliberating seizing the Colts by eminent domain) but of a bizarre and overwhelming love for domed stadia. He was obsessed with the idea that Baltimore needed to build him a dome, and one was in fact proposed as a new home for both the Colts and Orioles at one point. The Indianapolis mayor said that Irsay fell in love with the Hoosier Dome and you could see him "mentally making the move" to Indianapolis while touring it.
Quote from: I-10east on August 16, 2012, 11:19:37 AM
Even though I can care less about Baltimore, I highly recommend watching the HBO documentary "The Band that Wouldn't Die" the story about the B-More Colts marching band; It gives great accounts concerning on what happened during Irsay's move to Indy, and the other cities (like Jax) that was in the race for the Colts.
I saw that and thought it was really entertaining, and a fascinating story. But I didn't like the wanton insults of Jacksonville in the discussion of the 1993 expansion race, and I especially didn't like the completely uncritical portrayal of Baltimoreans' celebrating stealing a team from Cleveland after they had spent the first hour and a half of the movie moaning about how terrible it is to have a team stolen from your city.
Baltimoreans seem to really have a hang-up about Jacksonville. Whenever the teams encounter each other the Baltimore Sun runs some whining about the 1993 expansion derby or (occasionally) Colt Fever. When we beat them in the Monday night game last year, all the visiting fans had an epic "Jaguars to L.A." meltdown. The irony of their having had a team taken away from them seemed entirely lost on them.
It really makes me glad that Jacksonville got its team via expansion rather than poaching another city's team.
^^^Well said Wacca, I agree 100 percent. It's funny that two cities that lost the bid for the 93' expansion teams, Baltimore, and St Louis; Both of those cities since then have got a NFL team from other cities; Both of those cities have won championships since then in those cities (1999 Rams, and the 2000 Ravens) Only one of those cities STILL bitches, moans and complains about the Jags 'stealing the team that was supposed to be in B-More'. I never heard a Rams fan complain about the Jags existence; STL was actually in the race, unlike B-More.
Good point. St. Louis columnists did some whining in the immediate aftermath of the expansion derby (I believe it was Bernie Miklasz who asked "Do they have cable TV in Jacksonville yet?"), but they haven't clung to bitterness the way Baltimore has by any means.
How about when Charlotte was all over us when they were awarded the Panthers and we had to wait.
I was there with my dad... I remember Mayor Jake hyping it up... Come on doen for the free hot dogs and cold dranks.
Quote from: Tacachale on August 15, 2012, 02:48:26 PM
This was before my time, but I do know the history. Knowing him, I highly doubt Jake had bought Irsay's line. He used the situation to let the league know Jacksonville was serious, and clearly it paid off.
I'm with you on this on Tacachale. Perhaps I can shed a bit more light on this subject and open a can of speculation.
The Date, about 1984. A close friend of mine (remember I was all over the city government selling the streetcar idea through the agency of the DDA which adopted the project) came to my house for dinner with our wives. My friend was highly placed in the Chamber of Commerce and city government at that time. In the course of after meal discussions on rebuilding our city, I tossed out the remark in an offhanded way, 'Hey --- do you REALLY think we'll ever get an NFL team here in Jacksonville?' Suddenly ---'s mood changed, he seemed uneasy, reminiscent of the ridiculous 'Have you ever seen an F-5 tornado,' scene in the movie twister, he leaned forward and quietly said, 'Bob, it's a done deal,' that's all I can tell you.
I moved on the following year to Orlando, OKC, Valdosta and ultimately Colombia, I lost track of my old friend though I have heard his name mentioned from time to time. Now that I'm back home, I have no idea what was REALLY taking place, but your assumption that Jake played Irsay, seems to fit the story as I know it.
'Bob, it's a done deal...' Imagine that.
Quote from: Wacca Pilatka on August 16, 2012, 11:28:54 AM
Quote from: I-10east on August 16, 2012, 11:19:37 AM
Even though I can care less about Baltimore, I highly recommend watching the HBO documentary "The Band that Wouldn't Die" the story about the B-More Colts marching band; It gives great accounts concerning on what happened during Irsay's move to Indy, and the other cities (like Jax) that was in the race for the Colts.
I saw that and thought it was really entertaining, and a fascinating story. But I didn't like the wanton insults of Jacksonville in the discussion of the 1993 expansion race, and I especially didn't like the completely uncritical portrayal of Baltimoreans' celebrating stealing a team from Cleveland after they had spent the first hour and a half of the movie moaning about how terrible it is to have a team stolen from your city.
Baltimoreans seem to really have a hang-up about Jacksonville. Whenever the teams encounter each other the Baltimore Sun runs some whining about the 1993 expansion derby or (occasionally) Colt Fever. When we beat them in the Monday night game last year, all the visiting fans had an epic "Jaguars to L.A." meltdown. The irony of their having had a team taken away from them seemed entirely lost on them.
It really makes me glad that Jacksonville got its team via expansion rather than poaching another city's team.
I love the way Baltimore bashes us. They should really look in the mirror. Baltimore is one of the filthiest cesspools on the eastern seaboard. Dirty, run-down, and graffiti EVERYWHERE. No wonder they're so quick to bitch in Baltimore: they're jealous of us! ;D
Sure, Jacksonville has its problems - but at least it isnt Baltimore! ;) I have family in rural Maryland. They dont like Baltimore, either. As for me, I have nothing against the state of Maryland. Its beautiful, and they have one of the most interesting state flags of the 50 states. I only dislike filthy, disgusting Baltimore - and have felt that way long before Colt Fever.
^ I'm from Maryland and believe me, I hear you.
Quote from: Wacca Pilatka on August 17, 2012, 08:29:34 AM
^ I'm from Maryland and believe me, I hear you.
Thx :D
If I had to live anywhere else it would be Western Maryland, near the Pennsylvania & West Virginia state lines. (But I'd still watch the Jaguars on Sunday Ticket)