The NY Football Giants are falling apart. Have you ever seen such a team unravel so quickly and so publicly? These guys make the political battles played out in DC seem like child’s play. You’ve got players against coaches (Tiki vs. Tom.) You’ve got players vs. players (Strahan vs. Plaxico). And you’ve got players vs. reason (Shockey vs. “there is no way in hell they can beat us”)
I find it all rather amusing. Folks in NY must be wondering what they hell is going on – this was supposed to be the YEAR. After the magnificent comeback victories from earlier in the year, the Giants were the heavy favorite in many people’s minds (including Sports Illustrated) to catch and surpass the Chicago Bears on the way to Miami for the Super bowl. Isn’t it strange how things can change in a simple three weeks? The bandwagon-ers have taken a ride further south, and hopped aboard the Tony Romo wagon in Dallas, and pundits nationwide are wondering if this phenomenon can Romonize the NFL for the rest of the season.
It’s a contrast of two teams. What is the major difference? The QB. Dallas has a small town Wisconsin kid living the dream, playing with nothing to lose, and leading his team to a 4-1 record in his five starts. NY has a QB living in the shadow of his older brother’s greatness. In no way can Eli Manning live up to the hype surrounding him. Can we really blame the guy – based on the excellence set by brother Peyton, it seems the kid is destined to fail in the eyes of many. I know who we can blame. Blame his Daddy.
Remember draft day a few years back. Here comes the can’t miss kid outta Ole Miss, the younger brother of Peyton, the only surefire pick in the NFL draft. Sitting with the top spot were the San Diego Chargers. And the Manning’s have the audacity to say, “Eli won’t play in San Diego.” Wait. WON’T play in San Diego. What the heck is the matter with these people? Look at the Chargers since that day – two seasons in the playoffs (including this year) and they barely missed out last year after running the gauntlet of a schedule put before them by the NFL. So Daddy Archie refused to let his baby boy play in Southern California with San Diego, because he wanted his son to be a part of winner? Seems like that argument may have bitten the boys in the bum – not only is Eli part of a franchise on the brink of falling apart, he is taking much of the heat for the Giants failings. How do you think Philip Rivers, the man whom San Diego traded Manning for on draft day, feels out in SD? Perhaps he’s chilling on the beach in the pristine 70 degree weather every day, enjoying the good life. Oh yeah, and his football team? Only a 9-2 juggernaut, and the most Rivers has to do is hand the ball off to the greatest tailback of this generation in LaDanian Tomlinson.
Pretty simple folks – the Giants are reaping what they sowed when they brought Manning into the Big Apple. A real QB is the unquestioned leader of any NFL locker room. What the Giants need now is a kid ready to step up, be a man, and bring the team together for a stretch run. What they have instead is a guy who couldn’t lead a boat full of seaman to the ocean – they have a shell of the Manning in Indianapolis, and this fan, for one, doesn’t feel the least bit bad about it.
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