Tillman Makes Eli Manning Look Even Smaller (NYC Crowd Lustily Boos Petulant NFL 'Royalty')

Toledo Blade ^ | April 25, 2004 | John Harris

[lavrenti]

Eli is better than Peyton coming out of college. Ole Miss was never a NC contender and I watched him do things Peyton only does now.

Also, what makes Peyton great are his receivers ability to run curls unseen in years. Eli is more like Archie, making do with less. We'll be hearing a lot of Manning-to-Shockey in the coming season.

I bet Eli is going to get a ring before Peyton.

[Vigilantcitizen]

I'm a falcons fan. Next season can't get here fast enough.

[threat matrix]

Someone in the crowd was thinking along the same lines with a sign saying 'Eli, can you play baseball?'

[Chu Gary]

Is this maroon John Harris always on drugs, or just when it involves white people making some choices and a lot of money?

New Yorkers will forget about this controversy by the time June arrives. The Giants and their fans will regard Eli Manning as the future of the franchise and no grudges will be held except perhaps in San Diego and by John Harris.

[Libertarian4Bush]

but... but... I thought only Eagles fans booed! (sarcasm)

[commish]

I bet Eli is going to get a ring before Peyton.

As A Georgia Bulldog fan, that will suit me just fine. LOL. Eli was just a little Gnat buzzing around in the Western Conference, I obviously hold a small grudge against Payton and the Vols ;-)

[threat matrix]

The New York fans are a prepared bunch..

[commish]

The Falcon's are my second team. We moved from Buffalo to Macon when I was 13, and I have lived in Alabama for the last 12 years.

I love Mike Vick, but he needs to learn to protect himself a little more -- he is too good and too valuable to be doing all those open field acrobatics evry play. Of course, it would help if Blank would get him an OL so he doesn;t have to run for his life every play.

I am excited to see what Mora brings to the table and how Vick does outside of Reeve's archaic scheme.

[raynearhood]

Of course, this view of Manning only comes from the brouhaha that has surround the draft. The kid could be great. I don't know.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

His father was drafted by the Saints and, as a result, one of the greatest quarterbacks ever almost got killed instead of achieving the greatness he could have with a better team. Dad probably offered some advice on tis.

[lavrenti]

Peyton never won a big game. It seemed every SEC game was huge for Ole Miss, considering they were constantly fighting for respect, much less a championship.

Eli was a one-man team at times. Luckily he didn't get racked like Archie, who was painful to watch as a child viewing Saints games on TV. Ugh. It's sad that Archie never had the luck or opportunity that unamed Patriots QB had.

[lavrenti]

LOL, unfortunately Eli is right-handed so the Yanks cannot use him.

They are a painful team to watch these days.

[threat matrix]

I think Archie miscalculated the mood of the country after the Tillman tradegy, Eli is going to have to weather this PR storm..

[DameAutour]

I agree with your post.

Maybe it isn't fair comparing Eli Manning to Pat Tillman. But people like their sports figures to be heroes and Eli Manning just comes across as another kid who thinks he is some kind of royalty when he hasn't earned his dues. Maybe that's an old-fashioned notion but a lot of people still believe in it. He's not the quarterback hero the way Johnny Unitas was, or Joe Montana. Brett Favre is a great modern example of someone who seems to be selfless, and loves the game and would sacrifice anything on the field for the game. I've never been a Packers fan but I love Brett Favre. I couldn't imagine him throwing a hissy fit or letting his displeasure show the way Eli Manning did.

[DameAutour]

but... but... I thought only Eagles fans booed! (sarcasm)

You know, every year I watch the draft, and every year there is booing. But Eagles fans are the only ones who ever got in trouble for it.

[raynearhood]

Yeah, but I don't think it will just be Manning. Wait to see the sizes of contracts this year. I think the whole "Teachers should get paid more, players less" argument is going to get huge again.

I'm psycho.... I see stuff like this coming.

[commish]

Peyton never won a big game.

And he still hasn't with the Colts!

I do have to admit, it is fun to speculate what Eli could have accomplished had he played with the type teams LSU, Georgia, Florida or Auburn have fielded the last few years.

He WAS the reason Ole Miss had the season's they did. I just hope that when he comes out and struggles (as all new NFL QB's do) that the NY press and fans don't eat him alive. Archie may have not wanted Eli to take the beating he took in NO, but IMO playing for NY is much worse. They are not much better than SD, and Eli will have to take the mental beating from the fans and press in addition to constantly being pounded into Jimmy Hoffa's gravesite.

[lavrenti]

I can imagine Eli throwing against the wind coming from the Jimmy Hoffa Memorial End Zone.

[commish]

LOL. Of course since he is the Giants QB, they will close the doors for him. LOL