Irsay, Manning, Polian and Dungy Discuss Voice of Colts
Lamey
On Saturday night, longtime Voice of the Colts Bob Lamey will enter the Indiana Swriters and Sportscasters Hall of Fame. Lamey, who will enter his 22nd season with the Colts next season, said of the organization, "The Colts are a team that has captured the city's hearts because of the way they play and the way they are off the field. It makes my job a heck of a lot easier. No question about that." As evidenced by the following comments from Colts players and officials, Lamey has had a similar impact on the Colts.
Colts Owner and Chief Executive Officer Jim Irsay: "Bob's play-by-play broadcasts reflect his entire career: ELECTRIC! His energy is infectious and his knowledge of the Indianapolis Colts would be hard to match. We are proud of his accomplishments in the industry and the recognition from the profession that he has earned.''
Colts Quarterback Peyton Manning: "He's about as passionate a Colts fan as I've met since I've been here in Indianapolis. He's thinking about the Colts every day and is truly an integral part of this organization. His energy and his passion for the Colts kind of feeds off on the players when you see him around the building or out at practice or on the airplane flying to the game. As a quarterback, and a player on this team, I can appreciate his passion, his intensity. I also admire his work ethic. He's constantly studying, preparing and learning everything he can about every player on this team and also the opponents we're playing. When you call over here, if I'm calling one of the coaches, when you're on hold, you get to hear Bob's calls on the game. Sometimes, I kind of like to stay on hold for a while to hear the call and hear what he has to say. I'm really happy for Bob going into the Hall of Fame. It's obviously well-deserved. He's the best."
Colts President Bill Polian: "He's the Voice of the Franchise, just as Mel Allen was the Voice of the New York Yankees, just as Marty Glickman was the Voice of the New York Football Giants, just as Ernie Hallwell was the Voice of the Detroit Tigers. Bob is in that same category as both a broadcaster and a person. This is a well-deserved and long-overdue honor. It's nice to have a resource who has some historical background and who understands what has gone on the past - institutional memory, if you will. That's terribly important and that's the role that person plays. That's the role Mel Allen, Harry Caray, Ernie Hallwell, Marty Glickman – people like that – played. Bob is in that category. He makes it relevant both for the players and the fans."
Colts Head Coach Tony Dungy: "It really is special. Bob has been the voice of the team since he has been here. That's what we see. We see a generation of people who didn't identify with the Colts before and when we came here as a team, they began to identify with Bob Lamey. That's what our fans know – that the Colts are Bob Lamey's voice. That's pretty neat. There aren't many people in our business who can say they have been the voice of a franchise for the whole history of it. That is pretty unique and Bob has been a great voice. He has been a great ambassador for the team. It's pretty special, the relationship he has with our fans. He is a sports fan. He has a great history and his memories of the Colts teams are pretty special. It is great to have that there for our players and our coaches."
Colts Senior Executive Vice President Pete Ward: "Bob is synonymous with the horseshoe. He is the Colts and the Colts are Bob Lamey. His voice is so identified with us and our history. He has a unique voice and people all over the country – when they hear Bob's voice on the weekend highlights – know it's about the Colts. He's the epitome of a loyal employee, but most of all he's a great fan and he bleeds blue and white.
Colts Middle Linebacker and Defensive Captain Gary Brackett: "He's a very classy guy. Win, lose or draw, he always picks out the positive in every player. You see it more in the losses. The wins are kind of swept under the rug, but what he says after the losses on us rebounding, or going back to the basics or doing what we do, or making strides – this isn't just his job. He believes what he's saying. He's breathing air almost in to the team and breathing life. You can feel through his words that he wants it more than anyone in the building. He's a tremendous addition to our organization, having a guy walking around definitely bleeding blue. You definitely know what you're going to get from Bob Lamey: everything he has. I'm sure after the game he has to get ice for his lungs. He's emotionally spent from the last three hours. As a player, I can sense that from him and it means a lot to me."
Colts Tight End Dallas Clark: "I think the best part about him is when he sits down and talks to you about past players. I've only been here five years, going on six, but the players he has seen and the games he has watched . . . he has seen it all: the good, the bad, everything. To hear him talk about the history of the Colts, it's a way for players to really appreciate the history of the Colts from a guy who has been here so long. This is a business where longevity doesn't really exist much, so to have a guy like that – who can bring up past games – is great. The fans know exactly, and that's what's great – is he relates so well to the fans. They're on the same page as he is and they've experienced what he has experienced. He's always going to go to bat for you. He's a guy who always is going to stick up for you. He's nothing but a positive guy when he's around here. After a loss, after a win, he's always upbeat and just a very positive guy."
