It's not about the offensive starters, it's about the defense that the Patriots had. That's what has made them feared. Manning is always painted as a choker, but he's been forced to carry the entire load because of the Colts' defensive struggles. Whenever the Colts lose, it's Manning's fault. Why? Because Manning is the reason they win. Sanders is good, but never have the Colts had the sort of leadership that Harrison and Bruschi provided.
Try this thought experiment: imagine Manning leading the Pats for the last 10 years and Brady leading the Colts. I think you've got the same number of Pats titles and less success in Indy.
Brady will go down as the greatest clutch performer at quarterback in his generation because he's on a clutch team with great leadership. And he's been a great quarterback on a great team. Okay. Right now, he gets the nod. But if Manning wins this year--bringing the post-season measurement closer--then you've got to say Manning is the total package. Style, statistics, and winning grit.
In the fight between you and the world, back the world. --Kafka The Logic of Long Distance
I would have thought that being a 6th round draft pick and not being the son of a famous quarterback or being projected a # 1 pick from the time he was 8 years old would earn Brady some more credit but it seems to actually work against him. Even after, what, like 8 years as a starter and putting up the same kind of numbers as Manning and winning more championships people tend to think he's just doing it with mirrors or something. He really is that good.
And in the interest of fairness, I don't think Brady is more clutch, however you measure that, than Manning either. The reason Manning couldn't win shit his first 6 years in the league is his team didn't have a good defense.
But the idea that Brady has just been the beneficiary of being on great teams is kind of silly. That 2001 team shouldn't have won a single playoff game. They won a superbowl with Antawan Smith as their starting runningback for crying out loud. And on D, Rodney Harrison didn't join the Pats until the 03/04 season when he was in the twilight of his career. The best team the Pats have ever had, talent-wise, was in 2007 and they didn't even win the SB that year (but Brady broke Manning's single season passing record.)
Okay you're up to a 6/10 since you got me to type a serious response.
But if Manning wins this year--bringing the post-season measurement closer--then you've got to say Manning is the total package. Style, statistics, and winning grit.
I could agree with this. Like mikey said, the Manning/Brady debate is kind of pointless, almost any other team in history would have been ecstatic to have either one at QB. But if he does it this year with his young WRs and a tepid running game it would be a heck of an achievement. My opinion is it will require two wins against better teams (hell maybe 3 if Baltimore is as good as they looked Sunday, but I suspect it really came down to the fact that the Pats really were that bad).
On a side note, maybe mikey can relate to this more than Jeff. Don't you feel old when your sports heroes are younger than you but then retire? Players you remeber being drafted and have an entire career and then retire? It's a strange feeling.
It's like when I happen to hear a song from say Van Halen's 1984. That's 26 years now! That would be like me then hearing a song from 1958.
Manning will be 34 soon. 4 more years and he'll be 38 and that's math that Lank can appreciate.
mr train you are a pain, your words - they make me go insane
they strike my ever-thinking brain like little drops of acid rain
oh, to my life you are a bane; crazy, mixed up, mr train - r2e
It's like when I happen to hear a song from say Van Halen's 1984. That's 26 years now! That would be like me then hearing a song from 1958. Manning will be 34 soon. 4 more years and he'll be 38 and that's math that Lank can appreciate.
I think you're now officially a Mainer. Your fucking brain is frozen.
I'm happy with this. Mainly I'm just writing all this shit so that I can pretend I have a team to root for.
And yeah, L Train, all these guys are my age, which I find kinda cool. The crazy thing in sports is that you have this pretty damn small window. Right when you get to the point where you're finally getting all those damn hormones under control enough to even see straight much less think straight your body begins to decline.
My wife spent too much money at Christmas and her response was turn the heat down to 58 degrees and leave it that way. I go run to keep warm.
Rule #15
Your wife is insane Ltrain. No way my thermo is going below 68º.
Manning...best ever!
Ricky —our ability to perform up to our physiological potential in a race is determined by whether or not we truly psychologically believe that what we are attempting is realistic. Anton Krupicka
Did you guys hear Charlie Weis is trying to void his new contract with Kansas City? He thought he was hired by the Chefs.
HAHAHAHAHA
Get it?
Great googly moogly.
MTA:
Fucking blackberry. Can't figure out paragraphs. Some engineer I am.
Haha, your post looks like all the spam we've been getting in the gsp. That's how my posts from the bb look, too. One more point for the Droid, I suppose.
If we don’t try we’ll never know. At least I can find out how good I can be. I can have an answer at the end of the days, and have a hell of a good time with the process. -Desi Davila
Amy
Dave
Did you guys hear Charlie Weis is trying to void his new contract with Kansas City? He thought he was hired by the Chefs. HAHAHAHAHA Get it? Great googly moogly. MTA:
I got it without the picture. One of the best commercials ever. How many miles would I have to run to eat a whole snickers?
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