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Reb32 Offline
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Post: #1
 
Privileged Eli leaves sour taste
Tuesday, April 27, 2004
In journalism, you are supposed to tell the story without fear or favor. You are expected to shoot straight and if there is a conflict, you should reveal it and let the reader decide whether it influences your opinion.


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I am biased on the following subject. Very biased.

I have been a loyal fan of Archie Manning since before getting out of middle school. I have gotten to know him well in recent years and we've become friendly. He is one of the classiest people I've ever met. I have admired the way he has allowed his sons to develop their respective careers, giving them the necessary room to breathe.

Until now.

Perhaps the truth lies somewhere between the obvious meddling and bullying seen by the Manning family in the recent NFL draft and just making a sound business decision for the future. However, from a distance, it stinks.

I found disturbing the spectacle of Eli Manning frowning and glowering after achieving the crowning glory of his career by being taken first in the NFL draft. Manning acted like a tetchy teenager, the son of privilege, who was disappointed in Mommy's and Daddy's graduation gift of a brand-new Beamer.

"I hate this car," he seemed to be saying between sniffles. "I wanted an Escalade. My friends will hate me now."

Then, Manning the Younger mumbled something about going to law school for a year (hey, Eli, how were your LSAT scores?) and pouted until he was finally traded to the New York Giants. I suspect civil procedure, contracts and torts will have to wait.

There are some media critics comparing Manning's little rich-kid paroxysm and juxtaposing it against the shocking and gut-wrenching end of Pat Tillman's life. Frankly, it's contumelious to mention Tillman in the same sentence with Manning. One is an American hero. The other comes off as an enfant terrible.

Both were willing to turn down the millions of the NFL but for dramatically different reasons. Tillman said no because of a noble cause -- fighting for his country and freedom. Manning was willing to say no because his Daddy had enough money and clout to handle the car payments for a year while his son worked on his tan.

Before we get too carried away, Archie Manning had some obvious reasons to be concerned. He knows the affects of playing with a dysfunctional franchise. It robbed him of a legacy much deserved but never earned because the Saints' fans were too busy putting garbage bags over their heads instead of watching a great quarterback's career destroyed by mismanagement.

In the end, it may work out great for everyone. Philip Rivers, the kid from Athens -- who learned the game from his hard-working, middle-class father who was also his high school coach -- goes to San Diego. Eli Manning, who grew up going to private school under the watchful eye of Team Manning, goes to New York.

So it's unfair to compare Manning and anyone else, including Tillman. However, it's still difficult to miss the chilling irony of the passing of one man and the petulance of another assimilated together on a cruel and chaotic April weekend.
04-28-2004 06:30 AM
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bama_jay Offline
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No argument here. He's primarily a B'ham media guy (news and radio) and makes a living off of hatin' on everybody. He's been on my list for years and i will rarely, if ever, even listen to or read anything by him.
04-28-2004 08:48 AM
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USMC Offline
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he's a hack. He's the Jerry Springer of newspapers. Nothing more. I have 0 respect for the man.
04-28-2004 08:49 AM
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georgew Offline
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Finebaum is biased alright, biased toward what ever will sound best and keep his creepy little self in print. I'm so tired of journalism becoming more and more an intertainment source rather than it's intended purpose of information.
So here's to all to floaters that call themselves journalist that are Katie Couric wannabees 03-puke :john: 03-nutkick
04-28-2004 08:57 AM
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RoundTown Offline
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He would understand why Archie did what he did if he had read that book that Peyton and Archie did together. If anything.. I admire Archie for what he has done. In sports today families do get a bit to involved in their kids sports lives. I will be the first to admit that. He is not one them by all means. If he was then Peyton would have gone to Ole Miss. The book explains all the grief he received for him not going. He never offered any Coach advice on what he should do even when he saw problems. This goes for all three of his sons. He let them lead their own life, make their own decisions, and at times mistakes. He would only offer advice when asked. He is a man of great integrity.

It is no big secret that the chargers are not a team of any integrity. They leaked trade information to other teams to try to get them to offer more for Eli. The Chargers management is about as corrupt of a group as they come. Eli is not as much like Peyton in the fact that he would have no problem asking his father for advice. I am sure that they researched it to the point where they realized that the Chargers are not a good fit for his son.

Archie has been around long enough to see what could happen to his son if he got stuck in a bad situation. I would not be surprised if he did this to put his son in a good position to succeed while taking all the bad press off of his son and putting on himself. It is nothing I would not do for any of my kids. I may be a Memphis fan but I have nothing but true respect for the Manning family as a whole. Archie is the number one reason his sons succeeded in life.
04-28-2004 12:19 PM
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RoundTown Offline
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I saw Eli on Letterman the other night. I thought he did well.
04-28-2004 03:26 PM
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USMC Offline
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me and u both
04-28-2004 03:46 PM
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LSUJoe Offline
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PF hit that nail right square on it's head.

Enjoy NYC Little Archie.
04-29-2004 02:59 PM
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each time you post, you do nothing but show more and more of your ignorance. I am beginning to wonder if it is limitless.
04-29-2004 03:15 PM
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georgew Offline
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I'll answer that for him "IT IS" 03-lol
04-29-2004 03:28 PM
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