On Sunday night, the folks at NFL Network unveiled the next-to-last installment in the Leading 100 series, featuring the 20th to 11th very best players in the league, as voted by the players.
The initial and last spots of the night had been reserved for quarterbacks.
At No. 20, and fifth at his position, was Mike Vick. At No. 11, and fourth at his position, was Aaron Rodgers.
We agree with the placement of Vick, even although we expected him to finish greater, mainly since we expected the players to overrate him. We disagree with the placement of Rodgers. The list has a distinct “what have you done for me lately?” vibe, given the presence of man like defensive end Jason Babin and Bucs receiver Mike Williams. Therefore, Rodgers’ performance in the postseason and Super Bowl MVP award need to have landed him greater than 3 other quarterbacks who have been named Super Bowl MVPs in the past, but not in the immediate past.
With 10 players to go, here’s who we believe will be revealed next week, in alphabetical order: Pats quarterback Tom Brady, Saints quarterback Drew Brees, Texans receiver Andre Johnson, Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis, Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, Bears defensive end Julius Peppers, Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, Steelers safety Troy Polamalu, Ravens safety Ed Reed, and Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis.
Here’s how we (I) would rank them, from No. 10 to No. 1, given that our (my) 1st choice for No. 1 (Rodgers) already is out: Lewis, Peppers, Peterson, Revis, Reed, Johnson, Manning, Brees, Polamalu, Brady.
We’ll find out just how wrong we (I) am next Sunday. Meanwhile, let us know whether or not you feel Rodgers was placed too low on the final poll.
On Saturday, we provided up a take on why Colts quarterback Peyton Manning has suddenly gone into full-blown media avoidance mode. We ultimately surmised that Manning “simply doesn’t want to be put on the spot, either due to the fact he doesn’t believe he fully understands the nuances of the labor/litigation problems or due to the fact he fears that he may possibly say some thing that he shouldn’t say.”
Mike Freeman of CBSSports.com has an even far better take. Freeman thinks Manning is keeping a low profile in order to preserve his high profile when it comes to marketing dollars.
“[T]hat’s what his silence is about — sweet money,” Freeman writes. “He’s willing to take only so much of a stance and jeopardize his standing as America’s football very good guy and bankable commercial star. Brees doesn’t appear to care, and agree or disagree with his position, he’s as principled a man as I’ve ever met. Other players have risked the lengthy-term ire of fans, such as Jay Feely, Mike Vrabel, and Osi Umenyiora, amongst many others, doing so realizing taking a public stance could potentially price them amongst a divided fan base.”
Freeman will join PFT Live on Monday to talk about this and other aspects of the labor dispute.
When we initially saw that Colts players are conducting players-only workouts in sufficiently secretive fashion to ruffle the feathers of a nearby media that routinely shakes pom-poms for the franchise, we suspected that the players’ objective could be to keep the press from obtaining out that, for example, an assistant coach or two is present at the sessions.
In light of a new report from Ian Rapaport of the Boston Herald, we’re beginning to believe there’s an option, or maybe additional, explanation.
Rapaport writes that Colts quarterback Peyton Manning appeared at a Pop Warner football event in Brockton, Massachusetts, topic to several express conditions. “He insisted no 1 publicize the event beforehand or he may well not show,” Rapoport says. “He banned cameras from the stadium, and he kicked reporters out, as properly. It was extremely clandestine.”
Although Manning rarely speaks to the media unless he’s getting paid many thousands of dollars by one of his sponsors to do so, there’s a opportunity that he’s especially sensitive to becoming asked any questions about the lockout or his role as a named plaintiff in the Tom Brady antitrust litigation. Occam’s Razor would point to the notion that Manning just doesn’t want to be bothered, but the surrounding circumstances make us wonder regardless of whether he basically doesn’t want to be put on the spot, either simply because he doesn’t think he fully understands the nuances of the labor/litigation problems or simply because he fears that he may say some thing that he shouldn’t say.
Then there’s the opportunity that, given his habit of wearing his Bitter Beer Face on his sleeve, Manning will say all the correct points while his expression tells us how he truly feels.
As the objective evidence continues to point to the possibility that the NFLPA* has adopted a litigate-do not-negotiate strategy until the court method yields substantial leverage (even if it takes a lost season or a lot more to get there), guys like Manning and Brady — who are far a lot more concerned about competing for championships than posturing for a lot more dollars and cents that they simply don’t want — will become a lot more likely to say points that could cut against the quest for money.
Thus, it is greater for guys like Manning and Brady to say absolutely nothing at all.
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning has a new job, but it doesn’t involve throwing footballs — at least not yet. A spokesman for the Marion County Health Department says Manning and wife Ashley are the parents of twins. Spokesman John Althardt says birth certificates filed April 8 show Mosley Thompson Manning and brother Marshall Williams Manning were born March 31 in Indianapolis.
