Thank you Peyton

As I am sure everyone knows by now, Peyton Manning is no longer an Indianapolis Colts. This is a very sad news, but it was expected even if I was hoping until the last minute.
A few of you have asked me why I like football and why I am a Colts fan! Well, it has a lot to do with when I was in High School and College as an exchange student and lived in Indiana.
Here is what I wrote about Peyton departure on Facebook the day it happened:

I have been a Colts since 1993 when I came to the US  lived in Indiana, my friend MJ and I used to drive to Indy on Sundays to watch them play live.

 I was a Colts fan when Aaron Bailey dropped Harbaugh Hail Mary and we came one play from going to the SB. That night I was at the airport cheering  on the team when they returned from Pittsburgh.

I was a Colts fan spending all my dollars as a college student to get season ticket to see Peyton go 3-13 his first season.

I was a Colts fan when Vanderjagt missed his first ever  post season kick in the dome, and once again we came short of going to the the Super Bowl.

I was a Colts fan celebrating in the freezing cold on Monument Circle on February 4th 2007 and the next day at the Super Bowl parade after we finally won the SuperBowl.

I was a Colts fan when the RCA dome was blown up and I have a piece of the field and of the roof on my wall!

I was a Colts fan, a sad one for sure when we lost to the Saints in 2010 and could not add another World Champions banner.

I was a Colts fan when my son was born and we decided to give him Peyton as a middle name.

I was a Colts fan this past season when in order to watch the Colts play I had to go to a restaurant with the Sunday ticket.  And despite only winning 2 games I was proudly wearing my #18 jersey every Sundays.

I have been, I m and will always be a Colts fan thru thick and thin. But tonight my heart ache because it's the end of an era.

We will never be able to thanks Peyton enough for what he did for the Colts and the state of Indiana.

If he does play again, I truly hope he wins another SuperBowl!

Godspeed Peyton.

In honor of Peyton, here are some pics of Jagger in Colts gear: