Quote:
Originally Posted by SmootSmack
I think they had a similar agreement like the one Cleveland had, so all Colts history, awards etc. would remain a part of Baltimore. In fact, I think Unitas had made a big fuss about it when the team moved to Indy and had said he refused to be associated with the Indianapolis Colts
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I just think that Unitas had a great connection with Baltimore so that was his choice. It really would be up to the owner as to what defines a franchise's history. If Art Modell had wanted to claim some aspect of the Brown's history as his own, there is nothing Cleveland could do. Ditto Baltimore with the Colts. I think Modell may have made some concession in that area to facilitate the move, but it was not required that he do that.
It's like when a sponsorship changes on the PGA tour. The Kemper Open becomes the FBR Open. Then the annoncer's say "Greg Norman won the FBR Open in 1984" even though we all know that's NOT what he won. He won the Kemper Open. Same in Nascar. They will say "Cale Yarborough won 3 Nextel Cups". No he didn't. He won three Winston Cups. Point being, it's the ownership, not the name or the city that tends to carry the day.