Carroll Angeles

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 Angeles Rams and swapped the franchise, lock, stock and jocks, with Carroll 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.