[Southsider2k12]

http://www.michigancityin.com/articles/200.../23/news/n5.txt

Lombardi Trophy coming to LaPorte


INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - The Indianapolis Colts are taking their Super Bowl championship trophy on a 50-stop tour over the next month.

The tour will cover the state and include two stops in Kentucky and one in Danville, Ill.

It will be on display in LaPorte on March 21.

Coach Tony Dungy said Thursday that the team thought it was important to give fans a chance to touch the Lombardi Trophy and have their photo taken with it.

“It really is something special. My youngest son had a chance to sleep with it overnight,” Dungy said. “It's hard to explain, but we want to be able to share that with fans. We couldn't think of a better way to do it.”

The tour stops include several in northwestern Indiana and at the Palmer Arena in Danville, Ill. - areas that could be considered the territory of the Chicago Bears, who the Colts defeated 29-17 in the Feb. 4 Super Bowl.

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IF YOU GO

€ WHAT: Trophy tour

€ WHEN: 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 21

€ WHERE: LaPorte Civic Auditorium, 1001 Ridge St., LaPorte

[Roger Kaputnik]

This is a great idea. Go Colts!

[Southsider2k12]

I went and got my picture taken with the World Series trophy after the Sox won it all in 2005. It was a dream come true as a life-long White Sox fan. If anyone out there is a Colts fan, I recommend checking it out. The lines will be long, but it is a neat experience.

[Southsider2k12]

http://www.michigancityin.com/articles/200.../22/news/n3.txt

Colts trophy draws fans

By Jesse K. Cox, The News-Dispatch

LaPORTE - The Civic Auditorium joined a growing legend Wednesday.

Unofficial Indianapolis Colts videographer Zack Legend came to the Civic to do what he always does with his little Canon digital camera: Include the fans.

About 1,000 people filed into the Civic for a chance to see the Vince Lombardi Trophy awarded to the Colts after winning Super Bowl XLI. Legend was there to catch every moment.

“This is starting to become an American Idol-YouTube generation,” Legend said. “It's a good way for the Colts to connect with the common fan.”

Legend captured footage as a mere tailgater and face-painted fan in the RCA Dome stands throughout the season for friends and family to see on YouTube.com and MySpace.com.

His videos of life in the stands attracted thousands of viewers, enough to grab the Colts' attention. The organization sent him to Miami to capture the same for their own Web site.

“I try to capture what it's like to be the common fan inside the game,” he said.

Legend isn't his real name; he keeps that as much of a secret as his age. He wants to keep viewers guessing on camera. His outlandish screaming and antics keep the younger viewers hooked, too, he said.

“(The Colts) expected me to do OK,” Legend said. “They just didn't expect me to do so well.”

The Lombardi trophy tour will stop in 50 Indiana towns, but Legend and the Colts saw an opportunity to include fans in a city on the outskirts of Colts Country.

Orange is a color most LaPorte residence wear with pride because of the community's deep support of the high school athletic teams. But Legend's camera got to capture blue and white, with the occasional splotch of orange.

Robert Smith, 25, of Hannah was one of the defiant attendees. Blue, the Colts mascot, blasted Smith with party string to the applause and cheers of the blue and white faithful around him.

“Did you get that?” Legend asked fellow Colts.com videographer Ryan Hupfer, who caught the incident on his own camera.

Those are the kind of moments Legend loves to get. The real moments off the field Indianapolis' fans can appreciate as much as a great catch by wide receiver Marvin Harrison.

Legend got similar - actually, worse - treatment when he attended a game in Baltimore.

“They spit on me at the two-minute warning,” he said. “I was walking around the city and I had a cop stop and hassle me.

“After that, when I was a New England fan, I welcome them to our city. I hope you lose, but welcome to our city.”

Legend will try for press credentials next season to bring an all-access look at the game and the team.

“I see us getting sponsorship,” Legend said. “I'd like to go ahead and keep going because it's so simple.”

Contact sports writer Jesse K. Cox at jcox@thenewsdispatch.com or 874-7211, Ext. 577.