The Sheriff - Indianapolis

 Remember that post where I was flying by myself for the first time? Well, that trip was to Indianapolis, a place I had never been before. It turned out to be a great trip and I loved all of the people I met while I was there.

Manning 18 - First retired jersey number in Indianapolis Colts history. NFL all-time record holder upon retirement: Five-time NFL MVP, passing touchdowns (539), passing yards (71,940), game-winning drives (54), comeback victories (45), total offense. Dedicated October 7, 2017 "The Sheriff" Sculptor: Ryan Feeney, Indianapolis, Indiana

As a Denver-ite and American football fan, you know that I had to look up some information about Peyton Manning. He played for the Colts from 1998-2011 before being picked up by the Denver Broncos from 2012-2015, managing to earn his teams 1 Super Bowl championship each.

Lucas Oil Stadium is located in the heart of the city allowing me easy access and I couldn't stop looking at this very cool homage to The Sheriff himself:

If you are an American football fan, this is a must-see on a trip through Indianapolis. I was there for about 29 hours and managed to squeeze it in just after my plane landed.

"The Sheriff" Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts Quarterback 1998-2011, The number one pick in the 1998 NFL draft, Peyton Manning went on to become one of the game's all-time greatest players, starting every game in his first 13 seasons and providing Colts fans with some of the most prolific moments in sports history. He was also one of the game's most popular players and personalities, re-nowned for his dramatic play-calling, colorful audibles, and heart-pounding comeback victories. Manning led a Colts team that set an NFL record for most victories in a decade, and he held seven NFL all-time passing records upon his retirement. He played in 14 Pro-Bowls, was named First Team All-Pro seven times, and was the MVP of the Colts Super Bowl XLI victory. He was also named the NFL MVP an unprecedented five times, and was the 2005 NFL Man of the Year. The people in our community will forever be grateful for Peyton's contributions, and for his role in bringing Indianapolis and Indiana their first major World Championship. "Always a Colt"  

Super Bowl Sunday in Philly

Green lights leading up to the City Building

When watching a Super Bowl it is difficult to know who is going to win - each team is usually well matched, and this year was no different. A few weeks ago, upon hearing that the Eagles would be a contender in the Super Bowl we knew we would be in for some fun! Eagles fans can be rowdy and passionate about their team, and they have never won a Super Bowl, so win or lose, something was going to happen in this city after the game.

As seen in a window across from our hotel

The hotel bar, Red Owl Tavern, had a few extra TVs set up for the game and we were able to secure a spot only an hour before kickoff. We ordered some drinks and settled in. Several groups of Eagles fans had already gathered and were eating or drinking preparing for the ride. I wore my Broncos jersey to show my interest in football and solidarity against Tom Brady.

The Eagles played really well and managed to pull it out at the end of the game. We watched as fans stood for the last few minutes and swelled to excitement as the clock ticked down to mark the end of the game - some people were starting to put on their jackets to take to the streets. Cheers erupted and several people ran out the door. We joined them just to see what was happening. Already, there was so much noise around us, we could a roar from several sides, people cheering and setting off fireworks, along with car horns honking up and down the street.

Cheering after an official review benefits the Eagles

We ran up to our hotel room and grabbed our jackets to join the festivities. The majority of the crowd was moving west towards the major thoroughfare of Broad Street. After a mile walk we found the crowd gathered - cheering, screaming, igniting fireworks, dancing, etc. whatever they could do to show their joy. Both of us were on alert for the mob mentality and the start of a riot, but the majority of people just seemed to be enjoying the moment, very little destruction was happening in our line of sight.

After 20 minutes we decided to walk back toward our hotel. Almost all the way, there and back, we ran into fans walking the street. It was quite an awesome site to see so many people united in a single cause. The news was reporting on several areas around Pennsylvania and the tri-state area that were holding rallies in the streets, still very little destruction was being reported on.

Congrats to the Philadelphia Eagles and their victory in the Super Bowl (and for beating Tom Brady), there's no thrill like seeing your team become the champions within their sport - cheers!!