The Colts’ most prized possession is the Vince Lombardi Trophy they earned for winning Super Bowl XLI. They trusted us not to try running off with it.
As a reward for an above-average year, today my company sent numerous employees on a field trip to the Indianapolis Colts Training Facility on the northwest side of Indianapolis, where they spend hours upon hours working out, honing, drilling, planning, and doing everything within their power to man up so that when things go wrong during each game, it’ll hopefully be someone else’s fault.
I saw new things up close, had a few snacks, took a few photos, watched others enjoy some of the more physical activities, and maybe learned a thing about football.
Where football comes to life before it’s played for real at Lucas Oil Stadium and then heckled by live-tweeters nationwide.
Friends and longtime MCC readers know sports aren’t my thing, but sometimes I don’t let that deter me when opportunity knocks.
I’ve driven past the Facility before, as it’s down the street from our largest, prettiest city park, but I’d never had cause to step inside before. I expected it would be huge, but I didn’t expect the main building to contain an entire football field. Perhaps I should’ve. I’m short-sighted sometimes.
Unlike Lucas Oil Stadium, the roof doesn’t retract and there’re no tenderloin vendors.
Visitors had a variety of activities to try, many of them physical and outside my skill set. Folks could throw or kick actual footballs, run a 40-yard dash, and so on. I thought tackling practice might be fun, but it wasn’t an option.
I was tempted to Google “how to kick a field goal” and give it a try, but I wasn’t sure this was the time for watching YouTube tutorials.
The Lombardi trophy shown above was on display in the center of the field. The line to take selfies with it was the longest of them all. That part took up the majority of my time.
The one thing I learned: AstroTurf is much softer than our own carpet. Now I’m jealous.
A separate pavilion offered free snacks and drinks. I’d been hoping for authentic tailgate treats such as potato skins, Buffalo wings, or pricey gourmet platters, but those were apparently beyond the scope of their catering options. We appreciated the complimentary calories nonetheless.
Our choice of football cookies or blue-‘n’-white cupcakes. Those Colts do love their color scheme.
Best snack in the room: these pigs-in-a-blanket. Granted, they could’ve used cheese, dipping sauces besides ketchup, maybe a little seasoning, and also they needed to be a quarter-pound each.
Giant horseshoe behind the receptionist’s desk for good luck, with or without Luck.
Banners along the walls celebrate Colts throughout time, considerate enough to include big names from their thirty years in Baltimore.
The Pavilion was crowded with wall-to-wall employees fraternizing and making the most of the shindig. Our CEO is an Easter egg in this pic.
A few special personalities were on hand to welcome us and enliven the soiree. #15 wide receiver Phillip Dorsett, a first-round draft pick from Miami in his first year on the team, was on hand to sign autographs.
Fun trivia: Dorsett is a year older than my son, and now I feel 60 just typing that.
Also mingling with the crowd: authentic Colts cheerleaders. I can honestly say I’ve never had my photo taken with a professional cheerleader before, let alone two. Today was filled with new experiences, but for me this scene may have been the weirdest of all.
Photo shared with the approval of my wife, who knows where my heart is and who could take both of them in a Star Wars trivia contest.
Midlife Crisis Crossover! 
Those cheerleaders seem way too covered up.
LikeLike
Maybe those are their winter variant uniforms? That might make sense if temps hadn’t been in the low 50s. Or maybe these are their business-class togs…
LikeLike