Of Robert Irsay and Art Modell
Published by Toronto Mike on July 24, 2010 @ 09:47 in Sports
TSN is airing the exceptional ESPN 30 FOR 30 film project. If the idea of some of Hollywood's finest filmmakers creating documentaries centered on the last 30 years in sports sounds interesting to you, you'd absolutely love this series. I PVR the series and steal a documentary viewing every chance I get.
I just watched Barry Levinson's The Band That Wouldn't Die. In the early hours of the morning of March 29, 1984, Robert Irsay had fifteen Mayflower trucks hurriedly pack the Baltimore Colt's property and transport it to Indianapolis. Robert Irsay broke the hearts of the Colts faithful, and 12 years later, Art Modell would do the same to Cleveland Browns fans.
Modell, owner of the Cleveland Browns, secretly negotiated with the State of Maryland to move the franchise to Baltimore for the 1996 season. I always found it rather unsettling that Baltimore, so devastated by seeing their team leave for Indianapolis on a snowy winter night, would see NHL football return to their city by stealing Cleveland's beloved team. That had to be bitter sweet.
Here's the Baltimore Colts fight song that made grown men and women cry in Levinson's The Band That Wouldn't Die. I highly recommend you start watching ESPN's 30 For 30 if you aren't already.
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Ryan
July 24, 2010 / 11:41
Hey Mike, I told you this one was good!! I still think Cube's Straight outta LA is the best thus far. Run Ricky Run was also good but people HAVE TO SEE "The two Escobars" about the Columbian Soccer Team. It's two hours long as opposed to most that are one hour with commercials. But this one will knock your socks off.
I will see all 30 for sure!!!!!!!