SeahawksSB42champs
Posts:1206
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| 02/04/2008 9:19 AM |
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Until Sunday, I was not the least bit impressed with Eli Manning, so much so that I believe I posted in another thread that the only way he even GETS to a Super Bowl is by the Colts and Giants engineering a trade that puts him as his big brother's backup.
Even as the game wore on, and the Giants were driving Brady nuts, I told a friend of mine, "no way in hell Manning leads this team to the title. He's going to blow it, it's just a matter of when."
When the Pats went up 14-10 with less than three minutes to go, I said, "Game over. Manning can't possibly lead this team back. No way in hell."
And I will be the first to admit that I was wrong, wrong and damn wrong . . . that was one of the most impressive last-drive efforts I have ever seen a quarterback engineer. Better than Montana leading the Niners back against Cincy, better than ANY John Elway comeback drive . . . that was a LEGENDARY effort put on by the one quarterback I thought would NEVER pull off such a feat.
The escape from a sure sack and the subsequent heave that was picked out of the sky was amazing. The only bad thing about that pass, from a historical perspective, was that it wasn't the touchdown catch that won the game. It set up the game winner, but that was THE play of the year in all of football.
Props to Eli Manning for playing the absolute game of his life and staring down defeat when it mattered the most. I didn't think the young man had it in him, and my perception of him as a quarterback and a leader have been forever altered by his performance Sunday. |
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Crit40
Posts:2483
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| 02/04/2008 9:39 AM |
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| Yeah, I know what you mean. I said in another thread that Eli would avoid all the Super Bowl glitter up to the game and outplay Tom Brady and win the Super Bowl. I guess I gotta eat cro......wait aminute......THAT REALLY HAPPENED! |
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Counting the Herd one hoof at a time. |
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egami
Posts:5397
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| 02/04/2008 9:50 AM |
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Posted By Crit40 on 02/04/2008 9:39 AM
Yeah, I know what you mean. I said in another thread that Eli would avoid all the Super Bowl glitter up to the game and outplay Tom Brady and win the Super Bowl. I guess I gotta eat cro......wait aminute......THAT REALLY HAPPENED!
You know what they say about blind squirrels... 
Yeah, will officially move Manning up to "Trent Dilfer" status now. He still has to prove himself next year before I move past that though. The guy has an incredible team around him that gelled at the right time. The Giants kept improving week after week and Eli improved with them.
It's going to be interesting to see if he has shed that "old" Eli next season. Winning a Super Bowl lifts an immense amount of pressure. |
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Posted By Omahan on 11/04/2008 2:24 PM
I've worked very hard to become your friend egami. |
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Crit40
Posts:2483
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| 02/04/2008 10:04 AM |
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Blind squirrels have to have excellent "vision".  |
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Counting the Herd one hoof at a time. |
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vranged
Posts:2813
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| 02/04/2008 10:08 AM |
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| So, Eli Manning winning at Dallas, at Green Bay, and against the team considered to be the greatest of all time (prematurely, obviously) is a blind squirrel finding a nut? He beat 3 of the 4 best teams in football -- none at home. Come on -- give the guy some credit!!!!! |
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After acknowledging that he was desperate, Dwight said "people will resort to saying things they know aren't true when they are desperate." That about sums it up! |
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egami
Posts:5397
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| 02/04/2008 10:21 AM |
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Crit = blind squirrel
As far as Eli...the rest of that reply is the extent of the credit I am giving him.
That journey was far more a "team" effort that Eli leading them that whole way. |
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Posted By Omahan on 11/04/2008 2:24 PM
I've worked very hard to become your friend egami. |
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vranged
Posts:2813
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| 02/04/2008 10:46 AM |
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| Credit is obviously hard to come by, especially from Mr. Every Trade is a Failure Unless it Yields A Championship. |
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After acknowledging that he was desperate, Dwight said "people will resort to saying things they know aren't true when they are desperate." That about sums it up! |
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egami
Posts:5397
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| 02/04/2008 10:49 AM |
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| I am not going to pre-maturely give a guy credit. Right now, in my books, he ranks about at a Trent Dilfer level. If he continues to play well into next season I'll bump him up a peg higher. If not, then Dilfer status may be about what his legacy will be. |
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Posted By Omahan on 11/04/2008 2:24 PM
I've worked very hard to become your friend egami. |
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vranged
Posts:2813
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| 02/04/2008 11:02 AM |
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I'm not saying you have to annoint the guy as the best ever, but if you're not impressed with 10 road wins in a row, and beating GB, Dallas and New England in the playoffs -- Eli's fighting a losing battle in his search for credibility in the eyes of egami.
I think your book sucks. |
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After acknowledging that he was desperate, Dwight said "people will resort to saying things they know aren't true when they are desperate." That about sums it up! |
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egami
Posts:5397
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| 02/04/2008 11:08 AM |
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| I never stated I wasn't impressed with what he did against GB, Dallas and New England. |
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Posted By Omahan on 11/04/2008 2:24 PM
I've worked very hard to become your friend egami. |
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vranged
Posts:2813
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| 02/04/2008 11:11 AM |
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| If mincing words was an Olympic sport, you wouldn't qualify to participate because you'd be deemed a professional. It's kinda sad that that's how you have to respond when you know there isn't really a leg to stand on for your position. |
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After acknowledging that he was desperate, Dwight said "people will resort to saying things they know aren't true when they are desperate." That about sums it up! |
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egami
Posts:5397
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| 02/04/2008 11:12 AM |
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| Maybe just take more care in not deliberately misrepresenting my view for me... |
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Posted By Omahan on 11/04/2008 2:24 PM
I've worked very hard to become your friend egami. |
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vranged
Posts:2813
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| 02/04/2008 11:16 AM |
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| I didn't. But due to your masterful manipulation, and desire to avoid the actual issue, that's the position you're now taking. |
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After acknowledging that he was desperate, Dwight said "people will resort to saying things they know aren't true when they are desperate." That about sums it up! |
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egami
Posts:5397
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| 02/04/2008 11:26 AM |
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My position hasn't changed. I've never once stated that his performance in the playoffs wasn't deserving of credit.
There is nothing masterful about stating simple fact. |
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Posted By Omahan on 11/04/2008 2:24 PM
I've worked very hard to become your friend egami. |
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Crit40
Posts:2483
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| 02/04/2008 12:52 PM |
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The kid is marginal, yet he hangs on with a big market team. Is his Manning name warding off criticism? Are the Giants just biding time making sure they don't let him go too soon? Are occasional games like the one versus New England keeping fans and management pacified? Are the numerous dropped passes being discounted?
Eli is a 2nd rate QB in the NFL and the brother of a great
I think 2nd rate might be borderline promotion...
How about just saying maybe some of these comments were a little premature? A carrot?  |
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Counting the Herd one hoof at a time. |
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egami
Posts:5397
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| 02/04/2008 1:15 PM |
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| There was nothing wrong with those comments when they were made. |
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Posted By Omahan on 11/04/2008 2:24 PM
I've worked very hard to become your friend egami. |
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vranged
Posts:2813
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| 02/04/2008 1:26 PM |
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If I said "Brett Favre is a crappy QB, and will never amount to anything" after his first 3 seasons in the league, there'd be nothing wrong with those comments either.
But if I maintained that position in 2008, because I'm stubborn and can never acknowledge mis-reading or being totally wrong about a player, I'd be an idiot. It seems like you're trying to save face b/c Eli proved your characterization of him wrong. It's okay to be wrong about a player. Hell, I thought Tyrone Wheatley was going to be a surefire HOF'er. I was wrong about Wheatley -- you're wrong about Eli. It's all good.
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After acknowledging that he was desperate, Dwight said "people will resort to saying things they know aren't true when they are desperate." That about sums it up! |
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egami
Posts:5397
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| 02/04/2008 1:33 PM |
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I don't see where I ever said he won't amount to anything.
That would be wrong with that statement about Favre. |
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Posted By Omahan on 11/04/2008 2:24 PM
I've worked very hard to become your friend egami. |
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vranged
Posts:2813
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| 02/04/2008 1:37 PM |
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There you go again!!
Egami, you have taken the art of backpedaling to a new level. It's funny to watch.
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After acknowledging that he was desperate, Dwight said "people will resort to saying things they know aren't true when they are desperate." That about sums it up! |
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Blackshirt
Posts:586
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| 02/04/2008 1:39 PM |
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Eli's shown a lot of people to be wrong. Two very good drives for him in the fourth quarter and the one pick he threw was a dropped pass.
Now, let's see him take his game to a higher level over the course of a full season.
Now that he's won a Super Bowl, he just needs to be more consistent. |
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"Perhaps the worst thing that can happen is to reach into the refrigerator and come out with something that you cannot identify at all. You literally do not know what it is. Could be meat, could be cake. Usually, at a time like that, I'll bluff. "Honey, is this good?" "Well, what is it?" "I don't know. I've never seen anything like it. It looks like...meatcake!" "Well, smell it." (snort, sniff) "It has absolutely no smell whatsoever!" "It's good! Put it back! Somebody is saving it. It'll turn up in something." Thats what frightens me. That someone will consider it a challenge and use it just because it's in there." -- George Carlin |
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