Peyton Manning, Madison Avenue poster boy

Last night should have been entitled, "Sunday Night with the Mannings."

 

Peyton did win the SEC Championship game as a senior. But yeah, that's about the only huge game he's ever won.

Some of those commercials are funny, though, and Peyton's a good guy.

 

So Wright Thompson will someday help Peyton win the Super Bowl?

 

I hated Peyton for a long time, because I knew a girl who went to school with him and he was a total asshole.
But that was years ago.

I like the commercials, and I liked his presser last night.

But did anyone think he could someone in trouble with his swag comments about the bowl games? Or was he kidding about all the free stuff they get?

 

The Manning ad monopoly tells a big story about today's sports 'heroes"...how many star athletes out there would you trust with your multi-million dollar ad campaign?

Go ahead, make a list: High visibility winning athletes with clean reputations who will a) probably win, b) probably not embarrass you, and c) appeal equally to men and women and kids.

 

OK, so Manning is 3-6 in playoff games, but that means he did win three playoff games -- are those not big games? When did playoff victories become worthless?

In those three playoff victories, Manning averaged 379 yards passing and four touchdowns. Two of those games came at home against the Broncos, the other at the Kansas City (which, I know, hasn't won a playoff game since Joe Montana in January 1994). Dan Marino finished with an 8-10 record in the playoffs and never got bashed this way. Say Manning was ever able to make a Super Bowl but lose, people would never cut him the same slack as Marino, who also pitched his fair share of products.

Rather, they would just say again, "He doesn't win any big games." Never mind that he would have had to win a big game or two in the playoffs to make it there.

The venom out there for Peyton simply astounds me.

 

What does Mike Vanderjagt think of Peyton?

 

You mean the guy who's missed more clutch kicks than anyone in league history? If he makes that kick, the Colts probably win in ovetime against the Steelers, rip the Broncos at home, then advance to the Super Bowl against the Seahawks.

 

No, he could also use the Ben Roethlisberger Formula.

Stink up the joint in the Super Bowl. Post a passer rating of 42.36 (you can go 0 for 7 and have a similar passer rating, for crying out loud). Fumble on the goal line.

But have a defense that gives up only 10 points and let Antwan Randle-El bail your ass out by throwing a touchdown pass that YOU sure as hell weren't going to throw on this night.

Voila! You're a Super Bowl champion.

You're a winner.

At least in the eyes of the ignorant masses.

Whitlock tore Manning to shreds after he put up the following numbers against the Steelers: 22 of 38, 290 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INT.

But our Super Bowl champion QB escapes without a stratch after posting the following numbers: 9 of 21, 123 yards, 0 TDs, 1 INT.

 

That's right, because you know Trent Dilfer can win the big game.

 

The Master Card commercial is pretty funny. but that Nextel commerical, with his porn stache and hairdo, is a little out there.

 

He's Uncle Rico!

(still love me some Peyton)