Losing a game by 38 points isn't usually something you want to celebrate, but don't tell that to the Colts, who decided to commemorate their 45-7 AFC title game loss by hanging an "AFC Finalist" banner at Lucas Oil Stadium this week.
I spy a new #Colts banner inside @LucasOilStadium. We're live from mini-camp beginning 4p #TheNowIndy on @rtv6 pic.twitter.com/wLDkp4YOSE
— Dave Furst (@DaveFurst) June 10, 2015
If you think hanging up a banner that says "AFC Finalist" sounds ridiculous, you're not the only one, almost everyone on Twitter seems to agree.
A Super Bowl banner makes sense. A division title banner makes sense, too. But a banner to mark a loss in the AFC Championship Game?
Dear @Colts Please take down that banner asap. Sincerely, All Colts fans with any self respect.
— Joe Leahy (@jleahy18) June 10, 2015
The Colts hanging a "2014 AFC Finalist" banner at Lucas Oil is the funniest thing anyone's ever done in the history of sports
— Jill Pellegrini (@jillpell28) June 10, 2015
Colts hang AFC finalist banner. Congratulations on getting smoked 45-7 & putting a banner up to remind you how bad you lost
— Eric Blodgett (@eblodge8706) June 10, 2015
After hanging the banner, a few fans offered suggestions for other banners.
The Colts should hang a banner for every time they lose to the Patriots by less than 20.
— Matt Inglis (@Inglis_14) June 10, 2015
Ill be rooting for the @colts to run the table this preseason in hopes they raise a undefeated banner #AFCFinalist
— Matty Mo (@Matty_Mo9) June 10, 2015
We scored 3 points in the first quarter..... Gotta hang a banner. #Colts
— ryan berardi (@armyrossi) June 10, 2015
The new banner is also forcing Colts fans to ask themselves existential questions.
#Colts fans - Is it time for a higher standard of banner? http://t.co/mqyPz98gzG pic.twitter.com/Gee2elLV8b
— RTV6 Indianapolis (@rtv6) June 10, 2015
Patriots fans, who watched their team beat Indy 45-7, seemed to find the banner especially amusing.
All the #Colts need to do now is raise a WE STARTED DEFLATEGATE banner.
— Fitzy (@FitzyGFY) June 10, 2015
The Colts hung a banner because the lost to the Patriots #FreeTomBrady pic.twitter.com/cLEYpky1BB
— Chris™ (@chris_santigo) June 10, 2015
In the Colts' defense, this isn't the first time they've hung up an "AFC Finalist" banner, it's just the first time they've done it in the social media era when people could make fun of it. Here's a look at the banners from 1995 and 2003.
Colts have been doing that "finalist" banner thing for a long time now, for what it's worth. pic.twitter.com/MUAhIlzVy1
— Christopher Price (@cpriceNFL) June 10, 2015
@Softykjr @DaveFurst pic.twitter.com/AdcOvSJ1Ih
— Shaun Pettigrew (@shaun_pettigrew) June 10, 2015
If the Colts need some banner-hanging advice, they could ask the Detroit Lions, who were neatly able to commemorate 14 playoff appearances on only two banners (picture via the Lions website).
