INDIANAPOLIS -- The RCA Dome never felt so good to the Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts.
After a rain-soaked victory in Miami the night before and then a frigid, bone-numbing homecoming parade through the streets of downtown Indianapolis on Monday night, the Colts finally arrived back at their stadium for a raucous celebration with fans.
More than 40,000 of them, just as loud and boisterous as they were when the Colts left the Dome two weeks earlier with the AFC championship, welcomed them home, reveling in the city's first major profesional sports championship in more than 30 years.
"It sure feels good to be back in this Dome after playing in that weather last night," shouted Peyton Manning, the MVP in the Colts' 29-17 victory against the Chicago Bears. "On behalf of the players, we want to thank the greatest fans in the world."
Most of the fans had been there for hours, patiently waiting for the team to arrive. The parade was supposed to begin about 4 p.m. but got under way late because the Colts' plane from Miami was delayed.
"It might be a once-in-a-lifetime thing," Robert Smith of Indianapolis said while watching a giant-screen TV replay of Sunday night's victory over the Bears.
Many of the fans were wearing Colts blue. Many held signs such as "We love our Colts" or just a simple "Thank You."
Once the team arrived, still wearing their parkas or hooded sweatshirts from the below-zero wind chill outside, it was the Colts themselves who delivered all the thank yous.
"You guys are awesome," coach Tony Dungy told the crowd. "For the last 16 or 18 hours, we've been enjoying this championship. We had a team party (in Miami) last night, but we were looking forward to coming home. This is more than we could have ever expected. Thank you for this turnout."
