INDIANAPOLIS — It certainly didn’t take Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy very long to find out the reaction of fans to the news that Lucas Oil Stadium will be the site of Super Bowl XLVI.
Dungy was a member of the official presentation group that traveled to Atlanta Tuesday to the final vote and subsequent announcement by National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell. Unlike last year’s unsuccessful bid to host the 2011 Super Bowl, where the veteran coach was one of the primary speakers, Dungy took more of a supporting role this time around.
Still, traveling back Tuesday night, the emotions of everybody involved in the city’s bid presentation mirrored what he saw and heard when the group landed at Indianapolis International Airport.
“Very, very exciting. I was part of the group that was presenting last year and I got to see first hand all the work that went into it. And the work that group did, I think this year’s committee built on that. And to see it come to fruition for the city, for Jim Irsay, just for everyone involved and the people that are in the process of constructing [the stadium] now, the people that are doing the work on it, it was just a thrill to see it all come together,” said Dungy, during a break from the second day of organized team activity workouts Wednesday.
“I thought our group did a great job in representing the city really well. [The reaction of fans] was pretty good. I came back on the first plane and even by the time we landed, people knew [that Indianapolis got the Super Bowl bid]. You could kind of sense the buzz, everybody just kind of basking in the sunshine a little bit.”
• Correction — The NFC practice site will be built on the campus of Indianapolis Tech High School, not Howe High School as was initially reported.
A $9 million indoor practice facility will be built at Tech and will then be given to the school after the Super Bowl in 2012. The artificial turf from the practice site will be removed and reinstalled on the school’s outdoor football field.
Youth groups from the east side of Indianapolis are slated to use the building as an activity center for both athletics and non-athletics events.
• Workouts in full swing — Two organized team activity practices are now in the books for the Colts. After a workout today, players and coaches will be given the rest of the Memorial Day weekend off.
Three more practices are set for next week, with four practices on the schedule for the final two weeks of organized team activities (OTA’s). The workouts, which are closed to the public, are set to wrap up on June 12.
“We’re really kind of breaking [the OTA practices] down this year,” Dungy said. “We’ve got a week of individual fundamentals, really fundamental work, and then next week will be team work. And so we’ll alternate for the next four weeks and try to get the best of both worlds.
“Get a week where we really concentrate on the rookies and the young guys. And then a week of building that chemistry. So we’re going to alternate, but I think it’s going to work out well for us.”
While the practices are strictly voluntary, the Colts have had a good history in past years of having strong participation from most of the team’s veteran players.
“This week we’ve had different groups going. Veterans going at different times than the rookies so the coaches can spend a little more time with the young guys individually,” Dungy said. “But we’ve had a lot of guys here and we’re making good progress. Next week we’ll have the whole group together at the same time. My sense is that we’ll have everybody here throughout the four weeks like we have in the past.”
Colts
Indy, Dungy ‘basking in sunshine’ after landing Super Bowl
- Colts
-
-
Colts welcome Manusky aboard as defensive coordinator
On Thursday, Indianapolis Colts general manager Ryan Grigson, coach Chuck Pagano and potential No. 1 draft pick Andrew Luck led the parade.
Grigson and Pagano confirmed the hiring of several assistant coaches, including defensive coordinator Greg Manusky, Marwan Maalouf (special teams), Roy Anderson (safeties), Alfredo Roberts (tight ends) and Brandt Boyer (assistant special teams). -
Mathis, Garcon at top of Colts’ wish list; Wayne isn’t
Expect defensive end Robert Mathis and wide receiver Pierre Garcon to be priorities for the Indianapolis Colts during free agency.
-
Manning tiptoes around health questions
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning and team owner Jim Irsay came to an agreement last week to keep any lingering issues about Manning's future with the team on the backburner during Super Bowl week.
-
Back home again in Indiana
Former Indianapolis Colts coach Jim Caldwell has landed a job as quarterbacks coach for the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens announced Caldwell’s hiring Monday.
-
Patriots first to arrive in Indy
Welcome to Super Bowl Week.
-
Pagano wants aggressive defense with Colts
When the Colts went looking for a new head coach, a good portion of the team’s fans made it clear that they wanted a departure from the laid-back style of former coaches Tony Dungy and Jim Caldwell.
-
Irsay: Manning comments should have stayed in-house
Not only did the Colts introduce new head coach Chuck Pagano during an afternoon press conference, team owner Jim Irsay also made his feelings known about recent comments that quarterback Peyton Manning made.
-
Colts go with defensive specialist
The Indianapolis Colts, after a weeklong search process, finally landed themselves a head coach Wednesday.
-
Caldwell can’t survive 2-14 season in Indy
The offseason moves just keep on coming for the Indianapolis Colts.
-
Colts fire head coach Caldwell
Tribune-Star correspondent Tom James reports that Colts head coach Jim Caldwell has been fired. No other details are known at this time.
-
Colts hire Eagles exec Grigson as GM
The Indianapolis Colts formally announced former Philadelphia director of player personnel Ryan Grigson as the team’s new general manager Wednesday.
-
Colts hire Eagles executive Grigson as GM
The Indianapolis Colts have hired Eagles executive Ryan Grigson as their new general manager.
-
Irsay: Colts are in 'rebuilding stage'
So are the Indianapolis Colts in a retooling or a rebuilding mode heading into the offseason?
If you ask the players, they would prefer to use the retooling philosophy. In their minds, get some injured players back and the Colts can be right back in the thick of the AFC South title race and once again be a contender for the AFC championship.
Team owner Jim Irsay, though, sees a tougher road ahead. -
Colts give the boot to Polian duo
It didn’t take long for Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay to start making moves with his team.
One day after Irsay’s Colts dropped a 19-13 road decision to Jacksonville, giving Indianapolis a 2-14 record and the No. 1 pick in the 2012 National Football League draft, longtime Colts executive Bill Polian and his son, vice-president/general manager Chris Polian, were both fired.
-
Interesting subplots abound in Colts-Jags game
This afternoon’s AFC South matchup between the Indianapolis Colts (2-13) and Jacksonville Jaguars (4-11) is the regular-season finale for both teams.
-
Colts players a fan of Murphy's promotion to defensive coordinator
Cohesion. That’s the word the keeps coming up when coach Jim Caldwell and many of the team’s players are asked about the turnaround of the Indianapolis Colts’ defensive unit.
-
To win or to lose? For Colts fans, it's not an easy question
With the No. 1 draft pick on the line if the Indianapolis Colts were to lose Sunday at Jacksonville, it’s easy to see why a lot of the team’s fans wouldn’t mind seeing the team fall to the Jaguars.
-
Colts’ Freeney to play in seventh Pro Bowl
Despite a team record of 2-13 heading into the final week of the National Football League regular season, there was some good news coming out of the Indianapolis Colts’ West 56th Street facility Tuesday night.
-
Colts’ last game not without questions
Are the Indianapolis Colts treating Sunday’s game at Jacksonville as the final game of the season or just the next game on the schedule?
-
Colts celebrate second straight division victory
Indianapolis Colts fans finally got a little luck on their side Thursday night at Lucas Oil Stadium.
It may not have been Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck, who is expected to the top pick in next spring’s National Football League draft. -
With latest win, Colts provide suspense for 2012 draft position
Now that the Indianapolis Colts have posted two straight wins in their last two games, including Thursday night’s 19-16 victory over AFC South champion Houston, many of the team’s fans find themselves in quite a quandary.
The Colts will take a 2-13 record into next week’s New Year’s Day regular-season finale at Jacksonville. -
Colts face another tough running test
The credit for the Indianapolis Colts’ win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday can go in a couple different directions.
-
Colts taking no risks with injured Manning
Both Bill Polian and Jim Caldwell are looking to the future when it comes to injured quarterback Peyton Manning.
-
More wins to come?
With a win finally under their belts, the Indianapolis Colts (1-13) now look forward to two days of intensive work beginning today.
-
FINALLY! THEY WON
It was a day of firsts for the Indianapolis Colts.
-
Polian hopes to set ‘record straight’
Indianapolis Colts vice chairman Bill Polian didn’t like what he was hearing prior to and during Sunday’s National Football League home game with the Tennessee Titans.
-
Polian shares thoughts on QB situation
With the Indianapolis Colts’ chances of clinching the No. 1 pick in the 2012 National Football League draft getting closer with each succeeding loss, talk among fans and team observers invariably goes to the possibility of the team selecting Stanford junior quarterback Andrew Luck.
-
Colts prepared for Hasselbeck or Locker
The Indianapolis Colts defense is preparing to face a two-pronged offensive attack when the Tennessee Titans visit Lucas Oil Stadium Sunday.
-
Colts could still become spoiler
Time is running short for the 2011 Indianapolis Colts.
-
Colts have three more chances to win
The Indianapolis Colts may be 0-13 for the season, but the team keeps battling.
- More Colts Headlines
-
Colts welcome Manusky aboard as defensive coordinator
Raw Video: Greek Rioting Ahead of Austerity Vote
Pop Music Superstar Whitney Houston Dies at 48
Raw Video: Whitney Houston's Last Performance
Reaction to Houston's Death at Clive Davis Party
Whitney Houston's Church Mourns Her Passing
Police: Houston Found Dead in Her Hotel Room
Coroner: Houston Autopsy Results Weeks Away
Raw Video: Child Rescued After Kosovo Avalanche
Fans 'Speechless' Over Houston's Death
Severe Cold Wreaks Havoc in China
Fuel Removal Under Way on Capsized Italian Ship
Recording Superstar Whitney Houston Dead at 48
79 Turtles Seized at Shanghai Airport
Snow Strands Italian Towns
Paul Suffers Narrow Loss to Romney in Maine
Palin Brings Anti-Washington Message to CPAC
Video of M.I.A's Obscene Halftime Gesture
Raw Video: Deadly Blasts in Syria
Stocks Fall Sharply As Greek Deal Is Held Up
Today in History for Tuesday, February 12th
Exclusive Video: Bobbi Kristina Leaving Hospital
2012 Grammys: Rihanna
Raw Video: Aurora Borealis As Seen From Space
2012 Grammys: Taylor Swift
Exclusive Video - Whitney's Bodybag
FUEL TV: Punk Payback Gym tips
Whitney's Final Days - EXCLUSIVE
First glimpse of Blue Ivy Carter
Lusetich: AT&T Rd. 3 recap
Peek inside Barbie's closet
Romney Tops Santorum in CPAC Straw Poll
Madonna's Daughter Shaves Head
Angry Dad Shoots Teens Laptop
Absolute Lin-sanity
5 Killed in Wrong-way Crash on I-10 in La.
Test on Comforter in Powell Unit Shows Blood
Hero Driver Saves Kids From Burning Bus
Funeral to be held for Powell boys
