Colts cheers erupt in Baghdad [View All]

[Breeze54]

Colts cheers erupt in Baghdad

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070204/LOCAL/70204015/0/SPORTS03

By Laura Olson - February 4, 2007

As the final seconds ticked from the clock, pandemonium erupted in Baghdad.

Indiana National Guard soldiers from Indianapolis stationed in Iraq were yelling
and jumping in excitement as they cheered on their Colts thousands of miles from home.

About 25 soldiers from the 38th Division Support Command and other area units gathered
throughout the game, watching a projected video from a laptop, said chief warrant officer Matthew Lohsl.

“I’m feeling like a champion,” said Sgt. 1st Class Troy L. Dumes Jr., laughing.
“We’ve been waiting on this every Sunday and this is the way to go out.”

Dumes said his last words to his wife, Antonette, before he left for Iraq
several months ago were predicting a Colts-Bears Super Bowl.

“It’s really ironic for me,” he said. “I’m really happy for Coach Dungy and Peyton
and Marvin and the guys. We really have a great group of guys.”

Soldiers decorated a conference room with blue-and-white balloons, streamers
and newspaper articles about the Colts, he said.
Care packages from home supplied chips, cookies and Colts apparel.
Pizza, a rare delicacy for the soldiers, was brought in for the occasion.

The unit includes soldiers from across the state, and even a handful of Bears fans,
who mostly steered clear of the celebration.

“There was one in here, cheering every once in awhile,
but he didn’t have much to cheer about,” Sgt. 1st Class Curtis Waggoner said.

The time difference means a 2 a.m. kickoff, local time. Some soldiers watched kickoff
after just ending a shift, while others trickled in throughout the game.
Regardless, work on the base will continue as usual Monday.

“Tomorrow will still be a normal work day, so some people are opting to sleep
and wake up for the tail end,” Lohsl said.

As the tired soldiers get ready for 8 a.m. duty in a little more than an hour,
they say the happy ending will be more than enough to keep them going.

“Out of our six months here, this has been the evening, and it should
carry us through for awhile,” Dumes said.

-------

Glad to hear some of them got to watch the game!

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: