  Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning walks off the field after throwing an interception that was run back by the New Orleans Saints for a touchdown in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XLIV in Miami, Florida February 7, 2010. (MIKE SEGAR/Reuters)
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MIAMI — Like it or not, the Indianapolis Colts are going to wear this Super Bowl loss for a while.
One of the knocks against the Colts is that, despite their unparalleled regular season record over the past 10 seasons — 115 wins, including seven 12-win seasons — they only have one Super Bowl victory to show for it. They could have silenced those voices by winning on Sunday.
This loss, in a game that they had under control early, will only allow that noise to get a little bit louder.
The Colts knew they were up against a huge feel-good story in the Saints, but they had an agenda of their own. They have amassed an impressive winning record over the past 10 years but they know only Super Bowls will build their legacy to the status of the Steelers, the old 49ers and the modern Patriots.
“People sometimes do overlook what we’ve done here, and a lot of that is because of our past playoff failures,” said Colts cornerback Marlin Jackson, in reference to postseason losses to New England (2003 and ’04), Pittsburgh (2005) and San Diego (2007 and ’08).
“People look at those things and it might take away from what we’ve done in the regular season. But when you look at our consistency, it is amazing. It speaks to the level of what we’ve built here.”
Earlier this week, the legacy was on Colts owner Jim Irsay’s mind as he looks to have his franchise step up to the level occupied by Pittsburgh and New England.
“There’s no question about the importance of what this means to us,” Irsay said. “The legacy in terms of getting a second and being able to be a two-time world champion and separate yourself from some other franchises that have won one — it’s a big thing.
“Winning the world championship is what it’s about, and I’ve said it before: You scratch and claw, you’re 100 feet from the top of Mount Everest and you know only one person’s going to make it and the other person’s going to fall down to the bottom. It’s something to us that means a lot, getting the second world championship. There’s no doubt about it.”
And now they’ll have to wait at least another year.
“You never know when you’re going to get to this place again,” quarterback Peyton Manning said. “A lot of things have to go right to be one of the last two teams standing. We can only look at this as a lost opportunity.”
Of his calamitous interception, thrown just as it looked as if the Colts would respond to tie the game in the last moments, Manning was crestfallen.
“We were right there, down seven and then ... I’m very disappointed.”
ken.fidlin@sunmedia.ca
