INDIANAPOLIS COLTS FEATURE CLIPS
40 years of Irsays By Phil Richards, IndyStar October 21, 2011 (five pages) Jim Irsay is the guitar-strumming, song-writing, free-thinking owner of the Indianapolis Colts. He wears suits loud enough to break the sound barrier. He's offbeat, even goofy at times. He's a serial, whimsical tweeter. He's easy to underestimate. He's more. "He understands how we get things done in the NFL," Commissioner Roger Goodell said. "I think he's incredibly well-respected by the ownership in the league. He's created a tremendous success with this franchise, both on and off the field. "I think the vote to have the Super Bowl in Indianapolis is the best indication of the respect he has among the membership." Irsay's journey began as a 12-year-old ball boy in 1972. That's when his tempestuous father, Robert, bought the Los <strong>Angeles</strong> Rams and swapped the franchise, lock, stock and jocks, with <strong>Carroll</strong> Rosenbloom for the Colts. Over the years since, Jim has been almost continuously immersed in the personalities, operations, culture and traditions of the Colts and the NFL. He knew the late George Halas, Art Rooney Sr., Wellington Mara and Jack Kent Cooke, league pillars all, as a teenager. Irsay has toiled in every Colts department -- accounting, ticket sales, equipment, marketing and scouting -- worn every hat, and this season celebrates a family ownership anniversary. "It's nice," he said, "to be in your 40th season and be 52." Started at the bottom Irsay's first training camp was in Golden, Colo., in 1972. On game days, he greased the jerseys of offensive linemen like George Kunz and Elmer Collett with Vaseline to prevent defensive linemen from getting a grasp, then picked up sodden towels and jock straps after the final gun. On weekdays, he reported at 5:30 a.m. to launder them all. He earned $5 a week for his efforts, at least until an older ball boy convinced him and his colleagues to strike for a $10 pay raise. He was fired, for the first of "1,000 times," but reinstated soon enough. There was no pay raise. One day that late summer, as Irsay picked at the food on his tray at the training table, he felt a tap on his shoulder and heard the admonishment: "Son, move your a--." Irsay turned. Hall of Fame quarterback John Unitas shot him a look, then sat down beside him. By 1975, training camp had moved to Goucher College in Baltimore. Irsay lived in the dorm with the players. He was with them daylight to dark and beyond. He regularly sat late into the night in the room shared by wide receiver Glenn Doughty and Pro Bowl running back Lydell Mitchell. He listened to their banter. He learned about football. He learned about life.
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INDIANAPOLIS COLTS WEEKLY PRESS REL
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THIS WEEK’S OPPONENT: THE TENNESS
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COLTS NOTES IN A RUSH MATHIS EARNS
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COLTS NOTES TWO FOR A THOUSAND Seve
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COLTS NOTES VINATIERI KEEPING PACE
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WIDE RECEIVER REGGIE WAYNE LEADING
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RUNNING BACK JOSEPH ADDAI Colts All
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DEFENSIVE END ROBERT MATHIS THE SCO
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KICKER ADAM VINATIERI ADAM VINATIER
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2011 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS UNOFFICIAL
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2011 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS PARTICIPATI
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2011 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS ALPHABETICA
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2011 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS TRANSACTION
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INDIANAPOLIS COLTS / WEEK 7 / THROU
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TENNESSEE TITANS / WEEK 7 / THROUGH
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OFFENSE WR LT LG C RG RT TE WR QB H
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INDIANAPOLIS COLTS SCORING DRIVES O
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GOAL TO GO COLTS Score Pts/ Pos TD
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2011 INDIVIDUAL HIGHS TOP PERFORMAN
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INDIANAPOLIS COLTS BIG PLAYS COLTS
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INDIANAPOLIS COLTS RECEIVING STATS
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INDIANAPOLIS COLTS INDIVIDUAL DEFEN
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INDIANAPOLIS COLTS INDIVIDUAL DEFEN
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INDIANAPOLIS COLTS 2011 GAME-BY-GAM
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1 Pat McAfee INDIANAPOLIS COLTS IND
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INDIANAPOLIS COLTS TEAM STATS FIRST
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- Page 57 and 58: Gary Brackett #58 Linebacker 5-11,
- Page 59 and 60: David Caldwell #30 Defensive Back 5
- Page 61 and 62: Kerry Collins #5 Quarterback 6-5, 2
- Page 63 and 64: Darren Evans #32 Running Back 6-0,
- Page 65 and 66: Anthony Gonzalez #11 Wide Receiver
- Page 67 and 68: Jacob Lacey #27 Defensive Back 5-10
- Page 69 and 70: Robert Mathis #98 Defensive End 6-2
- Page 71 and 72: Dan Muir #97 Defensive Tackle 6-2,
- Page 73 and 74: Curtis Painter #7 Quarterback 6-4,
- Page 75 and 76: Chris Rucker #36 Defensive Back 6-1
- Page 77 and 78: Mike Tepper #67 Offensive Tackle 6-
- Page 79 and 80: Adam Vinatieri #4 Kicker 6-0, 202 p
- Page 81 and 82: INDIANAPOLIS COLTS ADDITIONAL BIOS
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- Page 127 and 128: Caldwell says of the less-is-more a
- Page 129 and 130: "You've just got to keep grinding,"
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