Led by a rookie quarterback and cries of Chuckstrong!, the Colts' march to the playoffs seemed at times like a plot straight out of Hollywood. The first in a series on our contributors favorite moments of 2012.
The sporting world gave us several memorable storylines in 2012. Thinking back, though, many of those were laced with tragedy. We witnessed the horrors violence and suicide, chronicled the inevitable downfall of this generation's most famous cyclist, and collectively shamed Penn State for one of the most jarring cover-ups in sports. I was all but finished with an essay on how our love of professional sports has led to corruption and disgrace; how sports are no longer about triumph and attrition, but rather contracts, lockouts, and egos.
The sporting world gave us several memorable storylines in 2012. Thinking back, though, many of those were laced with tragedy. We witnessed the horrors violence and suicide, chronicled the inevitable downfall of this generation's most famous cyclist, and collectively shamed Penn State for one of the most jarring cover-ups in sports. I was all but finished with an essay on how our love of professional sports has led to corruption and disgrace; how sports are no longer about triumph and attrition, but rather contracts, lockouts, and egos.
Then I saw footage of the Indianapolis Colts’ players and coaches dancing around the locker room, and decided not to give up all hope. The Colts’ season has enough heartwarming storylines to remind me of all the good things that still remain.
We all know the plot by now: The Colts finished the 2011 season with only two wins and decided, understandably yet controversially, to rebuild by drafting quarterback Andrew Luck. That led them to release Peyton Manning, the franchise quarterback and future Hall of Famer. Luck officially took the helm, facing the inordinate task of replacing one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game. More importantly, he had to do so with a team coming off its worst season since 1991.
Soon, Luck and the Colts faced yet another hurdle. Head coach Chuck Pagano in September announced that he had Leukemia, and would step away from the team. It could have been just another excuse for the Colts to drift through the season, resigned to the belief that a full turnaround was impossible with a rookie signal caller and no head coach.
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Instead, the Colts and interim head coach Bruce Arians used Pagano's diagnosis as motivation. Players and cheerleaders shaved their heads. Game balls were dedicated to his recovery. And as the Colts reeled off win after win, Pagano experienced a revival of his own. After three months of treatment, his cancer went into remission. He returned to the field to coach the final two games of the regular season, long enough win the year's 10th and 11th games and dance a happy playoff dance with his team.
As a Steelers fan, I was happy to see Bruce Arians gone from his spot as Pittsburgh's offensive coordinator. He just wasn’t quite the right fit for the Black and Gold. It turns out that he belonged elsewhere in the best of ways. His success is one of the many storylines of courageous triumph for this Colts team.
Perhaps we find the most genuine source of motivation in the darkest of times. In a year full of depressing sports memories, the Colts took what could have been a final blow to their season and instead transformed it into a message of hope for the sporting world. Chuck Pagano, Bruce Arians, Andrew Luck and company reminded us that unity and dedication can prevail over life's difficulties. All it took was a locker room dance to remind me that the uplifting storylines of sports can be just as telling as the corruption and cover-ups. We can all learn from the Colts’ remarkable season, and do our own little locker room dance to celebrate.
Michael Bennett is a contributor to Began in '96 and writes on hip-hop and culture at Poetic Justice.
We all know the plot by now: The Colts finished the 2011 season with only two wins and decided, understandably yet controversially, to rebuild by drafting quarterback Andrew Luck. That led them to release Peyton Manning, the franchise quarterback and future Hall of Famer. Luck officially took the helm, facing the inordinate task of replacing one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game. More importantly, he had to do so with a team coming off its worst season since 1991.
Soon, Luck and the Colts faced yet another hurdle. Head coach Chuck Pagano in September announced that he had Leukemia, and would step away from the team. It could have been just another excuse for the Colts to drift through the season, resigned to the belief that a full turnaround was impossible with a rookie signal caller and no head coach.
As a Steelers fan, I was happy to see Bruce Arians gone from his spot as Pittsburgh's offensive coordinator. He just wasn’t quite the right fit for the Black and Gold. It turns out that he belonged elsewhere in the best of ways. His success is one of the many storylines of courageous triumph for this Colts team.
Perhaps we find the most genuine source of motivation in the darkest of times. In a year full of depressing sports memories, the Colts took what could have been a final blow to their season and instead transformed it into a message of hope for the sporting world. Chuck Pagano, Bruce Arians, Andrew Luck and company reminded us that unity and dedication can prevail over life's difficulties. All it took was a locker room dance to remind me that the uplifting storylines of sports can be just as telling as the corruption and cover-ups. We can all learn from the Colts’ remarkable season, and do our own little locker room dance to celebrate.
Michael Bennett is a contributor to Began in '96 and writes on hip-hop and culture at Poetic Justice.
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