I'm going to defend Peyton Manning.
No, not his play on the field, regardless of what delusional Manning cheerleaders think, the man choked. He was Mama Cass in that game, no ifs, ands, or buts about it.
It's Caldwell's fault, he was too conservative on offense.
Really? Then explain to me why, when Manning is carving up (oftentimes mediocre) opponents in the regular season, superlatives like 'He's and extension of the coach' or 'He's his own offensive coordinator, he can audible at will because he's that good' get bandied about. After the Saints effectively made him irrelevant during the second quarter and the game tightened up, Manning was a different quarterback. It's the same old story, when the lights get their brightest, Manning becomes pedestrian. He's a 9-9 playoff starter with a Super Bowl courtesy of poor New England receiving (remember the name Reche Caldwell and watch that AFC title game again) and Rex Grossman (really, his Super Bowl victory came against maybe the worst Super Bowl team ever).
(Allow me a tangent: Evidently there is a Colts Web site masquerading as serious journalism called Stampede Blue, but amounts to an unofficial fan club blog. Read posts from a guy named BigBlueShoe, not only does he argue that Manning didn't choke, but it's stupid to assume that he is a choker. Um, what planet are you from, buddy? In 15+ years as a nationally prominent quarterback, Manning has one title. That's an anomaly. He also likes to acknowledge the argument that Tom Brady outshines Peyton Manning with a patronizing sarcasm. At best, sir, Manning is possibly a better regular season quarterback, but remember, 50 > 49. When Brady had talent similar to that of Manning surrounding him, he became a stats fiend too. Oh, and then there's that whole playoff thing. Allow me, 14-4 > 9-9 and 3 > 1. But you are right, BigBlueShoe, the guy with a .500 playoff record and the same number of titles as Trent Dilfer is the best quarterback of his era and it's so laughably one-sided to boot.)
With that vitriol out of my system, I will get on with my defense of Manning, or rather, his lack of a post-game handshake. Guess what? It was poor sportsmanship...and I fucking LOVE it. I cannot properly describe how much I hate it when guys from my favorite teams lose a big game then proceed to get chummy with their opponents. I would rather a guy pop his foe in the mouth then give him a handshake or a hug. It's the best way to realize 'Yeah, this guy makes too much money, but at least he still cares more about winning than cash.'
I'm not advocating being an ass at your press conference or at a later date, but in that moment, I want you to be pissed. Which Manning clearly was; it's a bit tricky to tell, what with the Manning Face and all, but remember, whenever Peyton looks like a spoiled six-year-old that's been denied a toy by his mother, he's actually in a fit of blind rage. And I applaud it, at least you know that the game mattered to him.
What I don't applaud, however, are the sack-tickling Colts fans that feign indignation that Manning's post-game integrity is questioned. He hugged Darren Sharper on the way to the bus, he said he was going to call Drew Brees and Sean Payton...that defines class! Really, because I seem to remember a different sentiment from these fans when Bill Belichick pulled a similar stunt after Super Bowl XLII--and even he had the wherewithal to shake Tom "My Red Face Indicates a History of Alcoholism" Coughlin's hand. I was trying to find an example of such outrage, then decided to check back in with our friend BigBlueShoe and his post-game posting from that game:
Choke job! Giants beat Patriots 17-14, Patriots lose Super Bowl 42: Eli Manning and the Giants just pulled out the biggest upset in sports history! I guess karma has a way of coming back to bite ya, and sometimes the good guys win. Way to keep it in the family, Eli! Be sure to hop over to Big Blue View and congratulate Eddie and the Giants fans over there. Belichick's post-game news conference was typical Bill: Assholish, short, and classless. The news conference was trumped only by his childish act of walking off the field with 1 second left on the clock, leaving his team on the field to finish the game. Brady is on now, and unlike previous loses (where he storms off and seems to cry) he's actually standing in there and fielding questions. So, bully for Brady.
Wait a second! It's totally cool for Manning to walk off, because he is a competitor...and he was going to send a congratulatory text anyway. But Belichick? He's a childish asshole. Oh, and I guess you are right, karma does have a way of 'coming back to bite ya' ('Ya'? What are you, Sarah Palin? You betcha!)...hahacoltslose. Anyway, where do you draw the line for choke jobs? I mean, according to Vegas, the heavily favored Pats lost 31-14, indeed a terrible loss. But at least the margin of defeat isn't as embarrassing as the Colts' (Vegas weighted) 37-17 loss, is it? Especially with the undisputed Greatest Quarterback, Nay, Greatest Human Being (That Totally Never Chokes) of All-Time Peyton Manning under center.
(Note: This post took a negative turn in the midst of writing, because I happened upon this BigBlueShoe character.)
These Stampede Blue shenanigans leave me with a handful of lingering questions...
Is that a paid site? If so are they hiring, because evidently they accept anything, and I'd love to mindlessly churn out posts for cash.
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