One More For the Road
This is the weekend we’ve all been waiting for! All year, us diehard fans live for the build to this weekend, this day. And here it is. Yes, it’s the Royal Rumble. Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Shawn Michaels, Steve Austin, the Rock, the legends of the sport all built their legends by winning the Royal Rumble. Who will write their name in the history books next? We’ll soon find out! Oh, and some football game is coming on in a few hours staring some ok QB’s, but that stuffs all scripted.
I intended to write this piece last Sunday night, have it up Monday morning and I got lazy and told myself “do it next weekend”. Then, everyone started jumping on this narrative. You’d think I’d have the wherewithal to know that was coming….you’d think. Anyway…
Can someone explain to me why exactly some people reach record levels of sheer ecstasy whenever Peyton Manning does something wrong? Maybe people just are sick of him, but it’s not his fault he’s offered to pitch every product and the media adores him. I don’t get everyone being so eager to point out his struggles in the playoffs and completely ignore the team aspect of football. It couldn’t be more of a team sport, yet it falls on the QB all the time. Tom Brady tied a record on Saturday, most 300 yard games in the playoffs. Who did he tie? Peyton Manning. Would that not suggest that Peyton is doing his job? Nobody ever talks about poor defenses, poor running games, average coaches. Nope. All on Manning. Not to say he is without blame, but it is just insane the beating he takes from some people. Should he win this next game, he will move to 3-1 in AFC title games against Brady, 3-2 in the playoffs. If it’s all about the QB, then why is Manning beating Brady in the playoffs more often? It ISN’T you stupid f***s!
In case that line didn’t tell you, nothing pisses me off more than someone who just wants to look at a QB’s win-loss record and nothing else. You couldn’t have anymore of a TEAM sport, yet so many dip shits want to make it out to be QB vs QB.
And I think Brady is better than Manning, I believe most do. But one has the best coach of all time, one has never had that guy….in a coaches league. Why is it that because Manning hasn’t been as good as maybe the best QB of all time that must mean Manning is shitty? Give it up.
Enjoy this, because this is it for this rivalry. And for once, you have an underdog that nobody believes in. Brady started out as that guy, but by 2003 when they first met in the playoffs Brady had a Super Bowl and was on his way to a 2nd, people believed in him by then. Everyone believes that Brady and the Pats are going to hammer the Broncos. And they might. But what a story it would be if Peyton Manning had 2 more big games left in him. I really don’t have a routing interest in this game, both are great stories heading into the Super Bowl. Pats and Brady win, the story is can they repeat and can Brady get the record setting 5th Super Bowl ring. Broncos and Manning win, the story is the punch drunk fighter getting up off the mat one final time. Like Rocky coming out for…well I guess he was supposed to be done in just about all those movies wasn’t he?
If the Pats lose, Tom Brady’s legacy won’t be hurt. He’s going down as the greatest QB of all time except in San Francisco, Denver, Indianapolis, and with anyone who loves Tim Tebow. But a Broncos win, and then again in 2 weeks, it would shut the detractors up who think Manning needs 2 Super Bowls to justify his career. Had he won his 1 Super Bowl 2 years ago and not in 2006, this wouldn’t even be a topic. People would give him the credit he deserves. But because that Super Bowl win was 9 years ago, he now has to win a 2nd. Can you tell all the media and fans piling on Manning this season has made me snap?! Yeah, he’s not what he was, does that somehow make his career garbage?
It’ll go down as one of the greatest sports rivalries of all time. The 6th round pick nobody believed in vs the 1st overall pick who comes from football’s first family. Mr. GQ vs Mr. Papa John’s. They couldn’t be more opposite, and that’s what makes it so perfect. Here’s hoping the final showdown is a classic.
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