When it was in the bag Sunday night and the final few second ticked off the clock I was torn between emotions. On one hand I was so happy to see my team finally get over the hump and win the Championship. On the other hand I had a great feeling of relief.
All week long I had really thought the Colts would win and that feeling never really escaped, but I had no illusions that the Bears would back down. But as the game approached I felt more and more anxious about what "they" would say if the Colts lost.
Sure I shouldn't care what the media says, but after being so close with this team the past few years and having them rip my heart out time and time again, I just didn't know how I could face another media blitz on the Colts and how they proved they could not win the big one and were simply a soft dome team. I was concerned that we would face another off season of questions about the players and coaches. Of course any time you don't win it all you face that, but this team has been preseason favorites the past three or four years and has always managed to fuck it up. By winning it, they put all of that chatter behind them and it just feels like a relief to me.
Honestly though I am just so happy. I got a little misty after the game when Don Shula presented the Lombardi Trophy to Jim Irsay. Monday morning I was watching Sports Center and Mike and Mike and flipping between tuners and pausing one when I went to the other. I read all of the articles in the paper and literally had tears streaming down my face. Good thing the wife wasn't home!!
Monday after the pep rally in the dome I was just drained. It was such a high for that 24 hours. By the time the rally ended I was ready to just lay down and sleep. Starting today we can start to dissect the draft. We can begin the talk about our free agents, who to keep, who to lose. We can discuss the chances for a repeat. Why didn't the defense show up until the playoffs? Is this team truly bored with the regular season? If so, how does winning it all help? Can this team regroup and take everyone's best shot next year and even make the playoffs? Do we have the makings of a dynasty or did we get ours too late into the game for our core group of players? How much longer will Marvin play? And for God's sake, can we take down those ridiculous "Wild Card" and "AFC Finalist" banners in the Dome?
