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DEL.ICIO.USCan Manning be The Man?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Terence Moore
Miami — No victories in four tries against those hated Gators. Despite gifted Tennessee teams, zero national championships. Two failures against Tom Brady and his Patriots before last week’s AFC thriller to reach the Super Bowl. There is a game on Sunday that Peyton Manning has to win, and he will.
He hasn’t a choice.
That’s why Manning is obsessed with getting it right this time. In fact, here’s the most impressive thing about his attempt to use his perfectionist ways to win the Big One for a change: After he spent barely a minute scooting the Colts 80 yards through New England’s defense and into the Super Bowl, he began to hear from elite quarterbacks from the past and present. He called some, but many called him.
The subject: How to make Manning end his first Super Bowl Sunday looking more like Joe Montana and Tom Brady than Fran Tarkenton and Jim Kelly.
Were Montana, Brady, Tarkenton and Kelly among those on the phone with you during the last few days? “I’d rather not disclose the names,” said Manning on Tuesday from his podium during the Colts’ portion of Media Day. He was surrounded by nearly everybody carrying a notebook and a camera in South Florida, which means the following was directed to the considerable masses: “Maybe y’all can go do a little research and a project for the week and try to find the names.”
Then Manning eased into a devilish grin before adding, “I can tell you who it wasn’t, I guess. It wasn’t [Vince] Ferragamo or [Craig] Morton. [Len] Dawson or [Bart] Starr. It wasn’t [Earl] Morrall, but you probably can figure it out. I was just trying to have a pretty good idea of sort of what I was getting into during the week, and getting some good advice.”
The advice likely was to remember that Tarkenton scrambled his teams into Super Bowl losses and Kelly operated as the antithesis of a Hall of Fame quarterback during the NFL’s ultimate game. Manning also likely was told to remember that a heavy dose of poise gave Montana four Super Bowl rings and Brady three.
Neither Montana nor Brady lost this game, and that means Manning has to win this game on Sunday to have a chance to become Montana or Brady.
And to have a chance to become free of his past failures in the Big One.
“Don’t they always show that commercial with Steve Young after he wins the Super Bowl that involves taking the monkey off his back?” said Colts backup quarterback Jim Sorgi, nodding in Manning’s direction. “This would be kind of the same thing. It was huge for us to win that game against New England to get here. But to shed all doubters and to get everybody off of his back, he has to get a Super Bowl win. It would relieve a lot of pressure and stress on him.”
Pressure and stress that neither Manning nor his best friend say exist.
Well, that’s what they say.
There was Manning, speaking of his father, Archie Manning, the former NFL quarterback who gave a younger Peyton Manning a quotation from Chuck Noll, leader of Pittsburgh’s dynastic teams. The older Peyton Manning now rattles off the words with ease, saying, “Pressure is something that you feel only if you don’t know what you’re doing. I really abide by that when it comes to preparation, and [offensive coordinator] Tom Moore and [head coach] Tony Dungy have exactly that same philosophy. They both worked for Chuck Noll.”
Brandon Stokley didn’t. Even so, the Colts wide receiver knows about the Noll Doctrine as the teammate closest to Manning through the years. Stokley contended that the combination of the big, bad Chicago Bears and the overwhelming lights of the Super Bowl won’t cause Manning to go from prolific to pitiful after the opening kickoff.
“He’s always the same person,” Stokley said. “What I admire most is that, after we beat New England, I probably would have stood up on the victory podium and given a few people [an obscene gesture]. You know, like ‘Look at me now.’ But he doesn’t do those things. He’s a humble guy. He goes about his business and works hard.”
Sounds good. It will sound better after Manning ends the week with his fingerprints on the Lombardi trophy.
Permalink | Comments (24) | Post your comment | Categories: Falcons / NFL, Terence Moore
Comments
By Elijah Thompson
January 31, 2007 04:00 AM | Link to this
Hell yeah. Bout time Moore
By Larry
January 31, 2007 07:02 AM | Link to this
I know this is about Manning, a class act at QB, unlike this carnival act we have as our “current” starting QB here in Atlanta. However, much more than Manning’s need for “validation” is Tony Dungy.
Here is a fine Christian coach who tragically lost a son just over a year ago to suicide. I’ll be puling for Dungy more than anything else to find a little more joy after enduring such personal pain
By The Teller of Truths
January 31, 2007 08:27 AM | Link to this
It’s one of those lies that gets repeated so often that ignorant, easily-led people accept it as truth:
Manning is a choker.
The fact of the matter is, more often than not, in college and the NFL, Manning’s teams have been beaten by better teams. Where’s the shame in that?
For example, in 2003, 2004 and 2005, the Colts were knocked out of the playoffs by the team that went on to win the Super Bowl.
One more thing: Tony Dungy is one of the classiest figures in all of sports, but why isn’t anybody asking if HE can win the big one? Remember, the Bucs didn’t win it all until they replaced Dungy with Gruden.
And before any of you clowns say, “well, Gruden won with Dungy’s team,” let me point out that the Bucs had 25 new players on their roster the year they won the Super Bowl.
I would also ask this: why couldn’t DUNGY win with Dungy’s team in Tampa?
Having said all of that, I hope that the Colts beat the Bears so Manning AND Dungy can solidify their reputations as two of the all-time greats.
By GoBears
January 31, 2007 09:58 AM | Link to this
GO BEARS!! GO BEARS!! GO BEARS!!
By famuan
January 31, 2007 11:16 AM | Link to this
Leave it to hicks like Larry to turn a perfectly good column about Manning into a need to bash Vick. You are such a racist hick. This is about Manning, not your Freudian obsession with our #7. You are as repressed as Ted Haggard.
By DirtDobber
January 31, 2007 11:20 AM | Link to this
Manning/Dungy are winners regardless of the outcome on Sunday. They remain a class act, respected for what they bring to the game. They do not quit. They keep driving regardless of the score.
This is what champions are made of.
By Don
January 31, 2007 11:33 AM | Link to this
I take it Terence Moore didn’t have the guts to call Manning a “choker” to his face like he did in a recent column. It’s too bad, maybe Manning would have b-slapped the hack.
By John Lovelace
January 31, 2007 11:36 AM | Link to this
Well said T.M.
By Charlie
January 31, 2007 11:38 AM | Link to this
It’s great that Manning has made it this far. He is a class act and so is Tony Dungy.
However, the Bears are no less deserving of a championship and it should be noted that Rex Grossman, the much maligned, frequently disrespected QB, is also a class act. The way he has handled himself and the media has been nothing less than amazing, in the face of total negativity and near dismissal of his abilities.
If you want to talk about a complete team player, talk about Rex. He has little ego, (take a lesson Mike Vick), and gives up fancy QB status to do what it takes to win for his team.
P.Manning is a great QB…no question about that. But the epitome of a team QB can be found on the other side in this Super Bowl. While I’d love for Peyton to have his championship, I’d love to see Rex Grossman, workdawg and journeyman, QB of the people, and the city of Chicago have it instead. Peyton will have more opportunities. RG may never get another one.
By marbo
January 31, 2007 11:45 AM | Link to this
Why must every blog make reference to Mike Vick?
By Ed
January 31, 2007 11:59 AM | Link to this
I thought the Bears-Saints would be a closer game, the Bears defense looks to be ready for prime time on Sunday and their coach is a great guy. BUT, I think any team that can come back from 21 points against Brady and the Pats should and could win a superbowl. I agree both Dungy and Manning are class acts and deserve The Big Win. The Colts now have a kicker that can kick the ball when Manning rockets the ball within field goal range, unlike some of the games in the past that some people thinks Manning choked in. Last but not least, this Blog is not about Mike Vick or the Falcons. Vick nor the Falcons are in the superbowl, leave them out of it. This is about Lovie, Dungy…Manning and the superbowl, so stay on track.
By cobb county
January 31, 2007 12:12 PM | Link to this
Manning has had marvin harrison,reggie wayne,stokley,clark,Jeff Saturday & the best o-line in the league,edge james,freeney,bob sanders & Vanderjack.for the last 6 or 7 years.Has broken every passing & touchdown record ever made. And this is his 1st superbowl?? He should have been in his 4th SB by now and shld have 2 rings!yes manning is a choker,but makes good comercials
By Beretverde
January 31, 2007 12:42 PM | Link to this
I’m not a fan of Manning but he: 1. Doesn’t change his name. 2. Doesn’t flip off fans with the middle finger. 3. Doesn’t carry around hidden water bottle compartments at airports. 4. Knows the plays in the playbook. If these points are the criteria, then he is THE MAN!
By Ryder
January 31, 2007 12:50 PM | Link to this
Charlie,
Sorry to burst your bubble about the “journeyman” Rex Grossman, but if I remember correctly he was a first round pick and believed the be the future QB of the Bears. Not exactly the stuff journeymen are made of, bub. Also, everyone gets on Rex because he is as inconsistent as it gets. He’s had 5 games of a QB rating of 40 or worse. Matter of fact, I believe he had one game where it was 1.3! Face it, he was the beneficiary of a weak conference, weak schedule and a good team defense. If not for a lucky pass to Berrian in the 4th quarter of the NFC Championship, the Saints may be the ones playing in this game. But they’re not, so it is what it is.
Besides, Chicago has their title, it’s time for Indianapolis to win their first! Also, Grossman even admitted to slacking off in the last game of the season. When has Peyton, the consumate worker and student of the game, ever said that? Grossman has an ego and after Sunday will truly be humbled.
By DirtDobber
January 31, 2007 01:19 PM | Link to this
You might compare Grossman to Manning years from now but not today - there is no contest at present. They are a magnitude apart in all aspects.
I am not cheering for either team here but this should be obvious to all except avid fans on either side of the ball.
By NightHawk
January 31, 2007 04:51 PM | Link to this
Manning versus Grossman is absolutely no comparison whatsoever. Manning is in all likelihood the GREATEST QUARTERBACK IN THE HISTORY OF THE NFL. Grossman is very gross at the qb position and he is extremely lucky to be in the superbowl. However, his luck along with his Chicago teammates luck is about to run out since there is no way humanly possible that the Bears can pull an upset. Even if the Bears had Jim McMahon as their current qb the Bears will have no shot at all of competing in that game. In fact if the Bears win the Vince Lombardi trophy, then Peyton Mannings career will end up like Dan Marinos and Peyton will never get a superbowl ring. The path for Peyton Manning could not be any easier than going through the Bears to win a championship. The Chicago Bears lost to the lowly Green Bay Packers in the last game of the regular season for the Bears. In fact, as soon as Peyton wins the superbowl game next Sunday, the Bears will immediately begin to hybernate for the winter.
By Najeh Davenpoop
January 31, 2007 05:38 PM | Link to this
Manning’s obviously better than Grossman, there’s no contest. Grossman’s in his first full year as a starter and is still pretty inconsistent; Manning’s in his 9th year as a starter and is very efficient, at least in the regular season. But I still wonder why the same people who are more than willing to bash the players on their own home teams are so quick to come to the defense of Peyton Manning, a guy who played for a rival of UGA and who has no ties to the city of Atlanta. Is he a great quarterback? No question. Has he choked time and again in the playoffs? Absolutely.
The definition of “choking” is to play significantly worse in crunch time than in normal situations. Throughout his career, Manning has made it to the playoffs and at some point or another laid an egg, whether against the Patriots, Steelers, Jets, or any other team. And it hasn’t been the fault of his defense either — aside from his brilliant performances against the Chiefs and Broncos in 2004, he has thrown more picks than TDs in the playoffs and the Colts’ offense in the playoffs has scored significantly below their season average. You can’t blame his defense for putting up 0 points against the Jets, or throwing 4 picks against the Patriots, or completing under 50% of his passes against the Titans — not to mention the potential game-ending interception he threw to Troy Polamalu last year which was by the NFL’s own admission incorrectly overturned by the referee. So yes, by significantly underachieving in the playoffs so far, he has done enough in his career to this point to earn the “choker” label, similar to Alex Rodriguez in baseball or Chris Webber in the NBA. And yeah, he has lost to some great teams in the playoffs, but if you are an elite quarterback you have to beat these elite defenses at some point.
Having said that, his performance against the Patriots in the 2nd half was truly brilliant, and reminiscent of what Tom Brady (the real best quarterback in the NFL) has done throughout his career. If Manning can duplicate that performance against the Bears, it will silence all of his remaining critics, including myself. But in the words of Dennis Green, please don’t “crown his a*” until he actually wins the Super Bowl.
This Super Bowl matchup suspiciously reminds me of the 2002 Super Bowl, where the statistically best quarterback in the league that year (Rich Gannon) led the league’s most prolific offense (Oakland Raiders) against one of the league’s best defenses (Tampa Bay) which ran a Cover 2 scheme. As for me, I’m pulling for the Bears, because I want to see Lovie Smith hoist the Lombardi Trophy, which is what he should have been doing as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons right about now. Oh, but that’s right, Jim Mora “interviews better”.
By Jones
January 31, 2007 06:47 PM | Link to this
I miss Terence doing his best Ken Cook impersonation, as he did in his last column.
That was at least funny (unintentionally) , albeit dumb , this is just dumb.
Yawn.
By famuan
January 31, 2007 07:22 PM | Link to this
Help please!
I have an unwashed jock strap belonging to Mike Vick that I clandestinely confiscated from the Falcons’ laundry room in Suwannee that I’d like to get his signature on.
Any suggestions?
Ps: I keep it under my pillow at night and, when I can’t sleep, I just pull it out take a deep, hard sniff, and then fall right to sleep smiling from the sweet aroma of his various anatomical secretions.
By BUSHWACKER
February 1, 2007 10:21 AM | Link to this
Montana,Brady, Manning, classy,mature, professionals who take pride in their work and being good people. VICK : and I quote “I’m saving my money so when I retire I can sit around and do nothing” translation get high all day!
I just can’t get excited about the Falcons future as long as he is our QB.
Smoke em if you got em.
By BUSHWACKER
February 1, 2007 10:27 AM | Link to this
famuan you are the racist punk, all you vick backers think anyong who does not like Vick isbecause he is black. That is so simple minded its pathetic.We don’t like him becuasee of his work ethic and becuase we know he will never win a super bowl becuase he is not good enough, color has nothing to do with it as far as we are concerned, color only matters to idiots like you.
By GW
February 1, 2007 11:05 AM | Link to this
Is Manning a coonass ?
By BUSHWACKER
February 1, 2007 11:39 AM | Link to this
here we go again, what happened to freedom of speech????
By Batman
February 1, 2007 04:34 PM | Link to this
Manning CAN be the man and will be the man in the superbowl. Manning will easily win the superbowl over Rex Grossman because Manning is vastly superior to Grossman. Manning however will never be as good as Matt Schaub and this is why I keep saying that Schaub should be the starting quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons. Schaub is the ABSOLUTE BEST TALENT THAT I HAVE EVER SEEN IN THE NFL. PERIOD. He is the best marksman and best sharpshooter when it comes to passing the football and delivering passes with timing and perfect precision. Schaub had the BEST passing statistics in the history of college football. Schaub will become a restricted free agent this year and will be lost forever if Bobby Patrino, Arthur Blank, and Rich McKay dont come to their senses soon and realize the wonderful talent that Schaub has had for years. SCHAUB WILL TAKE OVER THE STARTING QUARTERBACKING DUTIES AHEAD OF VICK WHEN THE SEASON STARTS AND YOU CAN TAKE THAT ONE TO THE BANK.