Mad Dog Mike Curtis Baltimore Colt (32) to the hall of fame?

**Mista T** · 03-19-2014, 06:19 AM

Originally Posted by GOTA

Joe Thomas was one of the worst executives ever. In a couple of years with the Colts he destroyed two decades of winning. He then went to the 49ers and crippled them. That guy was just terrible.

No, no, no! As much as we all detested Thomas' coldness in dismantling the Colts, he was correct in doing so. His methodology was unpopular, in particular shipping off our icon John Unitas, but he did what had to be done. The Super Bowl team of the 1970 season got old all at once. The Colts had to be dismantled in order to be rebuilt. Thomas was the architect of rebuilding the Colts through the down years of 1972-1973 of developing rookies, into the young Colts division champs of 1974-1977.

**AirFlacco** · 03-19-2014, 12:14 PM

He didn't have to get rid of all those guys. They all weren't old. He got rid of anyone who said anything. Ted Hendricks best years were ahead of him in OAK. He went into the HOF as a Raider not a Colt and won the SB again in OAK. Thomas got nothing for him, same as Mike Curtis mentioned above. Hell, he got rid of Morall too and Shula grabbed him in Miami where he helped them get into the SB when Griease went down but he came back in time and Shula didn't start Earl like in SB 3. He learned his lesson. Never start a game with your best player on the bench like he did with Unitas in SB 3. And he finally won the big one as Earl picked up 2 more rings in Miami as a backup.

We had young guys like Stan White and Bruce Laird whom he kept and plugged in for many years, Jim O'Brien who won SB 5 with a FG and he was also a WR, Dennis Gaublatz who was the only one that sacked Namath in SB 3, and Sam Havrilak-sp, Norm Bulash-sp, Bill Curry the all pro Center, and Don NOttingham, the bowling ball, who was even smaller than Ray Rice, I think. Shula picked him up in Miami too along with Norm Bulasch-sp.

Plenty of teams picked up our castoffs. Yea, Mackey,Matte, Unitas, Orr were old but not everyone. Hell, Unitas still continued to play in SD and groomed Dan Fautz-sp. When he got his HOF bust and said thanks JOhn, I finally made it thanks to you. He wasn't here to groom our young QB someone named Marty Domres-sp. Remember him? From Unitas to Domres. Yea sure.

And even though Thomas made the POs he never won.

**livegonzo** · 03-19-2014, 04:18 PM

Originally Posted by AirFlacco

He didn't have to get rid of all those guys. They all weren't old. He got rid of anyone who said anything. Ted Hendricks best years were ahead of him in OAK. He went into the HOF as a Raider not a Colt and won the SB again in OAK. Thomas got nothing for him, same as Mike Curtis mentioned above. Hell, he got rid of Morall too and Shula grabbed him in Miami where he helped them get into the SB when Griease went down but he came back in time and Shula didn't start Earl like in SB 3. He learned his lesson. Never start a game with your best player on the bench like he did with Unitas in SB 3. And he finally won the big one as Earl picked up 2 more rings in Miami as a backup.

We had young guys like Stan White and Bruce Laird whom he kept and plugged in for many years, Jim O'Brien who won SB 5 with a FG and he was also a WR, Dennis Gaublatz who was the only one that sacked Namath in SB 3, and Sam Havrilak-sp, Norm Bulash-sp, Bill Curry the all pro Center, and Don NOttingham, the bowling ball, who was even smaller than Ray Rice, I think. Shula picked him up in Miami too along with Norm Bulasch-sp.

Plenty of teams picked up our castoffs. Yea, Mackey,Matte, Unitas, Orr were old but not everyone. Hell, Unitas still continued to play in SD and groomed Dan Fautz-sp. When he got his HOF bust and said thanks JOhn, I finally made it thanks to you. He wasn't here to groom our young QB someone named Marty Domres-sp. Remember him? From Unitas to Domres. Yea sure.

And even though Thomas made the POs he never won.

Man, you sure do know your Colts history, what a history lesson. God Bless you for sharing this. I do remember number 36 Norm Bulash and the human bowling ball Don Nottingham. I loved these guys as a kid and still do; that's why I did this thread. If anything, its an education for younger people who didn't know all of the great history with the Baltimore Colts and other players besides Johnny U. I also think maybe Bert Jones might have been a HOF player, if he didn't get hurt, what a football player he was. I show all the 20-30 something him on YouTube at work along with Mike Curtis and they can't believe it. I say "that's when football was football." Now its kind of watered down with a kind of criminal element to go. We were lucky to have lived when these guys played. I still love it and the Ravens but it is what it is. As long as we beat the Pissburgh Sqeelers and Indy that makes it worth wild. I can't help but still lose my mind on Sunday rooting for the Ravens, but have to watch my blood pressure lol. It is gone now, but if I had my choice I would want the Colts here. I guess there is blame to go around from the commie State of MD to, Shaffer, and Baltimore City for not stepping in fast enough to stop the move. Oh well!

**Greg** · 03-19-2014, 04:19 PM

Thomas was fired before the last playoff season. He was not here long enough to win it all.

Would he have? I don't know, but he left, the Colts made the playoffs that season after and then were done.

**AirFlacco** · 03-19-2014, 04:30 PM

Originally Posted by Greg

Thomas was fired before the last playoff season. He was not here long enough to win it all.

True dat, but Irsay ran into contract disputes with just about everyone Thomas brought in, the sack pack, Bert, Roger Carr, etc and they all left. Irsay would have hand cuffed him like he did Sysmanski and Accorsi who said he had Elway about to sign. Says his pen was raised. Then Irsay traded him for a guard w/o telling him and don't forget when Colts passed on Walter Payton who became the greatest RB in history. We had Lydell Mitchell another great back but he was no Payton. Acorsi said he got his Masters degree in drafting that year and Ozzie learned about it too as a player then who paid attention to such things. That's why he always takes the BAA and won 2 trophies himself as a GM. Acorsi was fired too and went on to the Browns and then succeeded Young as Giants GM and built their SB 35 team, the one that we beat. Acorsi named his current successor who won two trophies after that.

Would he have? I don't know, but he left, the Colts made the playoffs that season after and then were done.

It was really a shame that Irsay could transfer his great business savvy to the Colts. He stole his father's air conditioning business when he was dying and his brother was in college and had to drop out to pay his dad's bills. Irsay did nothing as his own mother called him the devil on earth in an SI article. You can still google it. Irsay won the air conditioning contract for Disney World and bought the Colts. His business partners swore by him.

**AirFlacco** · 03-19-2014, 04:36 PM

Originally Posted by livegonzo

Man, you sure do know your Colts history, what a history lesson. God Bless you for sharing this.

Thanks man. I get bashed sometimes for being long winded but like Irsay, f*ck em.

I do remember number 36 Norm Bulash and the human bowling ball Don Nottingham. I loved these guys as a kid and still do; that's why I did this thread. If anything, its an education for younger people who didn't know all of the great history with the Baltimore Colts and other players besides Johnny U. I also think maybe Bert Jones might have been a HOF player, if he didn't get hurt, what a football player he was.

Man, ESPN recently showed that hit when he hurt his arm and that was years ago but Marchibroda ruined him bringing him back too soon. He would have made HOF with the Steelers or Cowgirlz. Bellicheat said Bert had the best arm he ever saw and his first job was with the Colts when Bert was here. Said his first job with the team was making copies and fixing the XEROX machine. He said the players didn't even know what a XEROX machine was.

I show all the 20-30 something him on YouTube at work along with Mike Curtis and they can't believe it. I say "that's when football was football." Now its kind of watered down with a kind of criminal element to go. We were lucky to have lived when these guys played. I still love it and the Ravens but it is what it is. As long as we beat the Pissburgh Sqeelers and Indy that makes it worth wild. I can't help but still lose my mind on Sunday rooting for the Ravens, but have to watch my blood pressure lol. It is gone now, but if I had my choice I would want the Colts here. I guess there is blame to go around from the commie State of MD to, Shaffer, and Baltimore City for not stepping in fast enough to stop the move. Oh well!

True but as Bisciotti says, back in those days the cities told the owners to go screw themselves when they wanted a new stadium like here, LA, OAK, and even Cleveland and then they were sorry. Now an owner gets a new stadium every 20 years like Irsay just did.

**Real Fan Dan** · 03-19-2014, 04:41 PM

Originally Posted by livegonzo

Since we have all have the emotions of the past come up with the arrest of Irsay and the Baltimore Colts, I thought I would post a push on the net to get Mike Curtis into the hall of fame. As great as a player as Ray Lewis was in Baltimore. I think Mike was more aggressive and nasty, right up there with Butkus. I think we are blessed to have had linebackers like this come out of Baltimore, and I think Mad-Dog Mike belongs in the HOF.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8AwfReVeyU

http://www.mikecurtisfootball.com/

http://ravensroost44.blogspot.com/20...l-of-fame.html

All of the videos have been blocked.
"This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by the National Football League."

Ahh the No Fun League strikes again.

Like you I grew up loving Mike Curtis. He was most def the baddest cat out there in his day, but I just don't think he has the numbers to make the HOF.

**livegonzo** · 03-19-2014, 08:05 PM

Originally Posted by Real Fan Dan

All of the videos have been blocked.
"This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by the National Football League."

Ahh the No Fun League strikes again.

Like you I grew up loving Mike Curtis. He was most def the baddest cat out there in his day, but I just don't think he has the numbers to make the HOF.

You can get it on youtube or just copy the link in your browser.

**walkingpneumonia** · 03-19-2014, 09:33 PM

Originally Posted by AirFlacco

. When he got his HOF bust and said thanks JOhn, I finally made it thanks to you. He wasn't here to groom our young QB someone named Marty Domres-sp. Remember him? From Unitas to Domres. Yea sure.

And even though Thomas made the POs he never won.

Growing up out in Glen Arm we lived around the corner from Marty Domres who was sharing a house with Don McCauley at the time. In first or second grade I remember going over and knocking on the door to get an autograph -- got both of them on 8X11 official team black and white photos --unfortunately long gone. Several years later when we were painting the house of the doctor who lived next door he used to talk about the parties they would have --and all the women. Good times.

**AirFlacco** · 03-19-2014, 10:58 PM

Ah man, how could I forget Don McCauley, another good guy. Yea, Marty was a good guy who could party better than throw a football. Man, he was terrible. It was unbearable to watch the Colts after John left but we did it.

**Real Fan Dan** · 03-20-2014, 11:18 AM

Originally Posted by livegonzo

You can get it on youtube or just copy the link in your browser.

Tried it. Removed by user.

**GOTA** · 03-20-2014, 11:26 AM

Originally Posted by Mista T

No, no, no! As much as we all detested Thomas' coldness in dismantling the Colts, he was correct in doing so. His methodology was unpopular, in particular shipping off our icon John Unitas, but he did what had to be done. The Super Bowl team of the 1970 season got old all at once. The Colts had to be dismantled in order to be rebuilt. Thomas was the architect of rebuilding the Colts through the down years of 1972-1973 of developing rookies, into the young Colts division champs of 1974-1977.

You're probably right. Those team just seemed to be below the Steelers, Dolphins and Raiders but they probably never would have gotten that far with the old guys.