INDIANAPOLIS – After a season of limited capacity, a packed house returned to Lucas Oil Stadium for the Colts’ season opener.
Many longtime season-ticket holders were back after sitting out last season amid the coronavirus pandemic. Cindy Brown was in her usual section 221 seats for Sunday’s game against the Seahawks.
“Oh, I love the beginning of it, when they come out of the tunnel,” said Brown. “The hairs stand up on my arms. It’s almost like the start of the Indy 500 for me.”
“There’s no way to duplicate that watching TV,” fellow season-ticket member Blair Snead said. “People say, ‘well, I can watch that at home.’ Really, they miss half the whole deal because it’s the crowd. It’s the yelling and screaming for the good players.”
Snead will also be back this season, but not until he receives his COVID-19 vaccine booster shot later this year.
“I’m going to be cheering and I’m going to be sipping a beer,” Snead joked. “Ultra-excited. I mean to be away from the Colts for this long has been a struggle for me.”
“I might even cry because my husband won’t be there,” admitted Brown. “It’s going to be super exciting, bittersweet.”
Brown’s husband, Duke, passed away in April. She honored him Sunday by placing his jersey on his seat and taking his picture to their longtime tailgate group, friends they’ve made at Colts games through the years.
“If the Colts hadn’t have come to Indianapolis, we wouldn’t have the wonderful people in our lives that we do now,” Brown said. “It’s all because of the Colts”
Even though she had mixed emotions when the ball was kicked off against Seattle, she never consider staying home again.
“He wants me to go,” said Brown. “Not long before he passed, he went on about how he’s so glad the Colts brought us together with our friends, because they’re taking care of me now.
“You’ll be safe with these guys and I know that for sure because I love them all.”
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