Peyton Manning in Cardinal Red?


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Peyton Manning Rumors: Broncos and Cardinals Reportedly Front-Runners for Top QB

It’s starting to look more and more like Peyton Manning, the NFL’s only four time MVP, may become an Arizona Cardinal. For me, that would be fantastic. Phoenix is a puddle jumper flight from L.A. I might even consider buying season tickets.

Manning wants to make a decision before free agency trading begins on Tuesday, and it looks like he has narrowed his options to three teams: Arizona, Denver, and Miami. Manning can sign with a new team now because he was given his release by the Indianapolis Dolts—er, Colts. (Here’s hoping they return to pre-Manning era football obscurity for many years to come,)

He is meeting with the Cardinals today following discussions with Denver on Friday and Saturday. Cardinals’ wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald was among those who were there to meet him, along with Coach Ken Whisenhut. When Manning chose to go to the University of Tennessee, the main factor in his decision was the excellence of their receivers. There is no better receiver in the NFL than Larry Fitzgerald. They would make an amazing passing tandem.

Another factor Manning is undoubtedly weighing would be the willingness of the coaches to give Manning the keys to the offense. This seems a much more likely prospect in Phoenix than in Denver, where part-owner and ex Bronco QB John Elway might be reluctant to give Manning that degree of control.

Another factor is that, unlike the Broncos and Dolphins, Arizona plays in a dome stadium, which Manning clearly prefers.

I also suspect that Manning may be very reluctant to join a team that already has a popular quarterback—and Tim Tebow, despite his obvious limitations as a passer, still enjoys tremendous popularity in Denver. If Manning went to Denver, the Broncos would likely trade Tebow, and Manning would have to deal with the fan blowback such a move would generate.

The downside for Miami is that they play in a tough division. Miami has terrific weather, but the other three teams play in cold weather. And Manning would have to face his nemesis—Tom Brady and the Patriots—twice a year. Who needs that grief?

The one stumbling block for Manning might be Cardinal owner Bill Bidwill, a notorious tightwad. I suspect both Denver and Miami may offer him considerably more money. At this point in his career, though, Manning is probably much more interested in Super Bowl rings than money. He already has more money than any human being needs to thrive for several lifetimes.

Manning will probably make his decision Monday, after meeting with the Dolphins.

Here’s what John Madden had to say about Manning:

“There was no one closer to being a coach and a player than Peyton Manning. I’ve had many conversations over the years with him, and you could talk to him as a coach, and he was the level of a coach, and you could talk to him as a player.

“To me, he was the system [in Indianapolis]. The stuff that he could put in his brain and then put out and get on the line of scrimmage and call, that was all him. The Colts did it because he could do it. The Colts did it because he wanted to do it. The Colts did it because he did it better than anyone else.”

Tomorrow, this ex-Colts’ fan becomes either a Cardinals’ fan, a Broncos’ fan or a Dolphins’ fan. Go Cardinals! I can’t imagine a better way to use all my frequent flyer miles.

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And the award trophy for Fickle Fan

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and the award trophy for Payton Manning Butt Boy

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goes to....

Envelope please...

Fanfare...

DENNIS HARDIN!

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Real clever, Adam. I knew I could count on you for a perceptive response.

My comment on Yahoo in response to the news story about Dolts' owner Jim Irsay giving Manning his release:

"My favorite teams next season will be the team Peyton plays for and whoever is playing against the Colts."

So far it has 24 thumbs up and 2 thumbs down.

Remember when Rush Limbaugh was among a group of investors who wanted to buy an NFL team, and some current owners blocked the move? Guess which owner was in the forefront of those who denounced Rush as unacceptable?

Jim A-hole Irsay. Now that he no longer has Peyton to make him look successful, it will be great fun to watch his team wallow in the AFC South cellar where he belongs.

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Dennis:

I agree he is a fool.

Were you a Colt fan prior to Payton's arrival? I am guessing not.

Therefore, the "fickle fan" would truly not be applicable.

Now as to the Manning Butt Boy...I think you plead Nolo Contendere on that one.

Since they came originally from Baltimore, Maryland, it is the Spiro Agnew rule also.

Adam

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Now it looks like Tennessee Titans' owner Bud Adams has entered the sweepstakes and is determined to do "whatever it takes" to sign Manning. Given Peyton's history with the University of Tennessee, that might be very tempting to him. Nashville is also a lot closer to New Orleans, where he grew up and where his parents presently live. That might be another factor. Archie is 63, and probably not that thrilled about the idea of traveling West every other week. (His other son, Eli, plays in New York.)

Oh, well. Kay Sarah Sarah.

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Now if Peyton got Tebow's job, somehow I think Dennis would like that...

:smile:

Michael

I actually admire Tim Tebow, Michael, believe it or not. Not for his religiosity, but for his courage and determination. He credits God for his accomplishments, when of course he should be taking pride in his own achievements. I don’t think he is likely to be successful, long term, as an NFL quarterback due to his limitations as a passer. But he will probably play for a while and win his share of games. He reminds me of Bobby Douglass, another quarterback who was more of a runner and scrambler than a good passer. Douglass played for the Chicago Bears for five seasons in 1970s and was often very exciting to watch.

If Peyton goes to Denver, I expect Elway to trade Tebow to avoid any quarterback controversy. And wherever Tebow goes, the fans are going to want him on the field working his “Tebow magic.”

From what I know, both Peyton and Eli were raised in a fairly religious environment, and both are probably “good Christians” like their dad, Archie. I think that just shows that, if approached purely as a code of principles upholding honesty, integrity, respectfulness and perseverance, religion can be a positive thing in a person’s life. It’s a tool that can be used in a way that’s either pro-life or anti-life. It’s all a matter of emphasis and the way religion is taught. My impression is that Archie Manning taught his sons how to be strong, courageous, and hard-working—not meek, selfless, sacrificial lambs. They were taught to believe in themselves, not rely on divine intervention for success. Their ‘faith’ was just a way of reinforcing the importance of living by principles.

I often think about how much I would have loved to have had a father like Archie Manning.

Thanks for your thoughtful and respectful comment. :smile:

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Great scene from The Natural...Redford goes back to Glenn Close's apartment after having had lemonade at the soda shop and walking and talking about the years that they have been apart:

Roy Hobbs: I'll take some coffee, then.

[Hobbs finds ball and glove on couch after viewing framed photos placed on furniture]

Iris Gaines: It's my son's. he means the world to me. he's a great kid.

Roy Hobbs: I'll bet he is. I'd like to meet him.

Iris Gaines: He's coming pretty soon.

Roy Hobbs: Is he with his father?

Iris Gaines: No. His father lives in New York. But, I'm thinking he needs his father; he's at that age. He needs him.

Roy Hobbs: Sure. A father makes all the difference.

Iris Gaines: [music starts as she turns her gaze away from the conversation and whispers] Yeah.

[looks at son's photo, turns to Hobbs and embraces him]

Adam

could not find the scene on YouTube

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Now if Peyton got Tebow's job, somehow I think Dennis would like that...

:smile:

Michael

I actually admire Tim Tebow, Michael, believe it or not. Not for his religiosity, but for his courage and determination. He credits God for his accomplishments, when of course he should be taking pride in his own achievements. I don’t think he is likely to be successful, long term, as an NFL quarterback due to his limitations as a passer. But he will probably play for a while and win his share of games. He reminds me of Bobby Douglass, another quarterback who was more of a runner and scrambler than a good passer. Douglass played for the Chicago Bears for five seasons in 1970s and was often very exciting to watch.

If Peyton goes to Denver, I expect Elway to trade Tebow to avoid any quarterback controversy. And wherever Tebow goes, the fans are going to want him on the field working his “Tebow magic.”

From what I know, both Peyton and Eli were raised in a fairly religious environment, and both are probably “good Christians” like their dad, Archie. I think that just shows that, if approached purely as a code of principles upholding honesty, integrity, respectfulness and perseverance, religion can be a positive thing in a person’s life. It’s a tool that can be used in a way that’s either pro-life or anti-life. It’s all a matter of emphasis and the way religion is taught. My impression is that Archie Manning taught his sons how to be strong, courageous, and hard-working—not meek, selfless, sacrificial lambs. They were taught to believe in themselves, not rely on divine intervention for success. Their ‘faith’ was just a way of reinforcing the importance of living by principles.

I often think about how much I would have loved to have had a father like Archie Manning.

Thanks for your thoughtful and respectful comment. :smile:

Alain de Botton was here recently promoting his new book. A good line.."Religion is too important to leave to those who actually believe in it."

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Alain de Botton was here recently promoting his new book. A good line.."Religion is too important to leave to those who actually believe in it."

I had no idea who Alain de Botton was, so I looked him up. His book, Religion for Atheists: A Non-believer's Guide to the Uses of Religion looks quite fascinating.

Some additional quotes:

De Botton, an atheist, says he opposes the “virulent strain” of atheism that sees religion as “not just false but wrong, ridiculous, malign and corrupt,” epitomized by Christopher Hitchens’ claim that “religion poisons everything.”

“We are presented with an unpleasant choice between either committing to peculiar concepts about immaterial deities or letting go entirely of a host of consoling, subtle or just charming rituals for which we struggle to find equivalents in secular society."

“You often hear it said that art galleries are our new churches,” he said. “Perhaps, in some ways, our approach to art is not going as well as it might have.”

“We need art to bring to light neglected truths, to show what would otherwise be dismissed as clichés,” said Mr. de Botton, in a lunch-hour talk about how the rituals of religion can be scavenged for secular benefit, in everything from weddings and funerals to the contemplation of beauty.

Atheist Alain de Botton challenges Hitchens assertion that religion poisons everything

Alain de Botton's 'Religion for Atheists'

Thanks, Carol. I want to read the book.

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Peyton has evidently crossed the Arizona Cardinals off his short list of potential new teams, but he may still be wearing scarlet this fall, since the San Francisco 49ers have now entered the sweepstakes. The 49ers are the same distance from LA as the Cardinals, so I'm still hopeful that I'll be able to attend some home games.

The prospect of Manning teaming up with coach Jim Harbaugh and Frank Gore--the 49ers' all time leading rusher--is fantastic. The 49ers have one of the best defensive units in the NFL, and Manning would make them almost invincible. If winning Super Bowls is Manning's primary goal, San Francisco is where he belongs.

They might not lose another game until Manning retires. (Okay. That might be overstating it a little.)

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Peyton has evidently crossed the Arizona Cardinals off his short list of potential new teams, but he may still be wearing scarlet this fall, since the San Francisco 49ers have now entered the sweepstakes. The 49ers are the same distance from LA as the Cardinals, so I'm still hopeful that I'll be able to attend some home games.

The prospect of Manning teaming up with coach Jim Harbaugh and Frank Gore--the 49ers' all time leading rusher--is fantastic. The 49ers have one of the best defensive units in the NFL, and Manning would make them almost invincible. If winning Super Bowls is Manning's primary goal, San Francisco is where he belongs.

They might not lose another game until Manning retires. (Okay. That might be overstating it a little.)

Dennis:

Perfect match for him.

Their present QB will have to file his ego for at least a year or two which is the way it goes in a team effort. He can still get a lot of playing time and learn from Payton.

It could be a devastating combination.

The older brother will just have to get used to losing the Super Bowl for the next two (2) years to his little brother when they meet.

Go Big Blue!

Adam

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Dennis:

Perfect match for him.

Their present QB will have to file his ego for at least a year or two which is the way it goes in a team effort. He can still get a lot of playing time and learn from Payton.

It could be a devastating combination.

The older brother will just have to get used to losing the Super Bowl for the next two (2) years to his little brother when they meet.

Go Big Blue!

Adam

Ahem. Adam, fellow football fanatic that you are, you must be aware that, if Peyton (not Payton) goes to the 49ers, he and Eli will never meet in the Super Bowl. I won't insult your intelligence by explaining why.

The truth is that he would undoubtedly prefer not to be in the same conference as his brother. As long as he remains in the AFC, Peyton will only be forced to embarrass and humiliate his dear sibling every 4 years. I suspect that's why he may end up signing with the Broncos.

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Dennis:

Perfect match for him.

Their present QB will have to file his ego for at least a year or two which is the way it goes in a team effort. He can still get a lot of playing time and learn from Payton.

It could be a devastating combination.

The older brother will just have to get used to losing the Super Bowl for the next two (2) years to his little brother when they meet.

Go Big Blue!

Adam

Ahem. Adam, fellow football fanatic that you are, you must be aware that, if Peyton (not Payton) goes to the 49ers, he and Eli will never meet in the Super Bowl. I won't insult your intelligence by explaining why.

The truth is that he would undoubtedly prefer not to be in the same conference as his brother. As long as he remains in the AFC, Peyton will only be forced to embarrass and humiliate his dear sibling every 4 years. I suspect that's why he may end up signing with the Broncos.

Dennis:

Oops. Of course when Peyton loses the two (2) consecutive NFL Championship Games to his younger brother.

Never good to post quickly is it.

We shall see. I do not think that Denver's offensive line is up to protecting Peyton [i was probably subconsciously thinking of him being paid a "ton" of devaluing dollars].

Adam

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I am now officially a devoted, die-hard Denver Broncos' fan. As they say in Tennessee Vol country, Go Big Orange!

Denver better shore up that offensive line.

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