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sues
BC,
Two reasons Indy let go of Peyton Manning.
1. Because they had the worst record in
the NFL last year (without Manning who was injured) the Colts
get to pick first in the upcoming college draft. That first pick
this year is likely to be Andrew Luck (quarterback
from USC) who is said to be the best quarterback prospect to come out
of college since Dan Marino.
Mr. Luck is considered a “can’t miss” franchise quarterback. He
was so coveted that several teams were
accused of playing to lose in the regular season so they could be the
first to draft. This race to the bottom
was known as the “suck for Luck” sweepstakes.
2. Peyton Manning was on an option year
in his contract due a $28 million dollar signing bonus or his
unconditional release. Manning had been out for an entire season
after having surgery to fuse some of his
neck vertebrae. The damage also included severe damage to the
nerves in his throwing shoulder. Doctors
still aren’t certain that the nerves in Manning’s shoulder have
completely regenerated although he has been
cleared to play football.
The Indianapolis Colts had a decision to make. Do they take the
opportunity to draft the ‘once in a score
of years’ franchise quarterback in Andrew Luck –OR- do they pay a $28
million bonus to an ailing superstar
in the twilight of his career with no guarantee that he can play at his
old level or that his third neck surgery
won’t make him too fragile.
As for Tim Tebow, you gotta feel a little sorry for the guy.
Denver Broncos quarterbacking legend and
current President, John Elway, never would have drafted Tebow had he
not been instructed by his owner
to do so. After losing a few games, the fans started screaming
for Tebow to play, even though knowledgeable
football people said he didn’t have the necessary talent at
quarterback. All Tebow did was to take control of
this losing team and win 7 out of 8 games and a playoff game.
But, people (like Elway) still don’t think
Tebow has the right stuff. So, Elway is in a pickle – how does he
get out from under having Tebow dictated
to him by the ownership and the fans? Simple, he brings in a
certain Hall of Famer like Manning to blot out
all quarterback controversy. While no one is looking, Elway
trades Tebow to get the monkey off his back.
Side note: the fans screaming to let Tebow play are Evangelical
Christians first and football fans second.
They pressured the Broncos to let Tebow play because he was on Jesus’
team with them. Real football
fans were saying Tebow was not qualified to be Denver’s 3rd string
QB. And when the pressure finally
got to Elway (who didn’t really have any other options anyway), Tebow
got to start. Then, when Tebow
started winning in unconventional ways, the Evangelicals saw it as
“God’s will” for Tebow and the Broncos.
How
does Elway keep the Jesus freaks from destroying the Broncos as part of
God’s Will?
Bringing in a real football God (Manning) is the only way Elway has to
gracefully exit this scene.
Dennis in DC
Dennis, thanks for that.