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By now, you’ve all heard the story of Robert Irsay sneaking the Baltimore Colts out of town in Mayflower moving trucks. What you haven’t heard is my personal story and how that move affected me directly.

Robert Irsay. Dead and still hated in Baltimore

My dad used to take my brothers and me to the old Baltimore Colts training complex in Owings Mills, back when you could still attend practices and mingle with the players.  One day I played catch with wide receiver, Raymond Butler.  Wore #80.

Not to be confused with Raymond Berry

Raymond asked me if I’d like to be a ball boy the following season.  I couldn’t believe it!  Hell yes I wanted be a ball boy!  My dad talked with some of the Colts staff and, next season, I was gonna be a ball boy for the Baltimore Colts!  I was so fired up!  My dad was fired up too because he knew it meant free tickets.  We couldn’t wait!  But next season never came.
It was a cold, snowy night on March 28, 1984.  I was sleeping soundly next to my fraternal twin brother in our identical twin beds.  My dad woke me out of my sleep.  He had this look in his eye.  I knew it was something serious.  He said, “The Colts are gone.”  Huh?  “The Colts left.  They’re gone.  Snuck out of town.  We don’t have a football team anymore. They’re headed for Indianapolis.”  Wait.  What?!?!  Where?!?!  I knew about Annapolis but I’d never heard of Indianapolis.  I was so confused.  Imagine if someone woke you out of your sleep tonight and told you that pizza was gone.  It doesn’t exist anymore.  You’d freak out!  That’s how big this was to me.
By the time Baltimore got a new football team it was 1996.  My dad had been dead for almost seven years.  He didn’t live long enough to see football return to Baltimore.  Anytime the Ravens play the Colts, the games always mean a little something more to me.  When the Ravens won their Super Bowl it helped dull the pain but I can’t root for the Colts – even when the Ravens need them to win.  It’s like rooting for your ex-wife to hit the lotto.  Not gonna happen.

Kuh Kaw!

- Ryan Sickler, Ravens Blogger