The Enemy

by Brady's Revenge on Sep 10, 2011 8:05 PM EDT

Since 2004, Peyton Manning has been a real pain in the neck when it comes to bringing home a fourth Lombardi trophy. This time around it looks like the pain in his neck will dash the Colts dreams of playing and hosting one. When looking up the word "Quarterback" in Webster’s dictionary, you could easily place Peyton’s face there as a symbol of dedication and commitment to a position that is both cerebral and enduring. But I am not here to create rainbows or paint a happy picture for Colts fans saying everything is going to be alright, cause truthfully, no one knows what the future holds for him in terms of recovery. What I am here to say is that this opens a wormhole, a great opportunity that we have never seen before. As much as I would love to go through number 18 for a possible fourth championship, this feels like a blessing in disguise. It has been a very, very, long time since Peyton was not under center and as much as I don’t like seeing any player get hurt, especially something that may be career threatening, I can’t help but smile about the things to come. Trust me, no one shed a tear when Brady went down, hobbling off the field with trainers on each arm. I was at the bar with my wife that day as fans from different teams cheered and high fived that the NFL’s pretty boy was injured. It was disheartening, yet at the same time I understood. As Jeff Bebe, the lead singer of Stillwater said about William Miller in the movie Almost Famous, "He is the enemy". For as much as Peyton is a symbol of the NFL, bottom line Pats fans he is the enemy. How many times have we gone to bed or driven to work to see those lasting images of Peyton guiding the Colts back to victory days after the game was over? How many times have you come across the NFL Network or ESPN when those games were being replayed to only quickly change the channel? There is nothing more devastating than a gut wrenching loss to a rival. We only need to turn on last years game against the Jets to remember that awful feeling. I don’t recall anyone shedding a tear for LT when he was unable to play in the Championship game for the Chargers while he pouted on the sideline with his helmet on. Was anybody hoping that T.O. and his hyperbaric chamber would help heal his wounds and guide the Eagles to victory? Hell no, the NFL is a dog eat dog world and I see it as an opportunity for the Patriots to attain a long and enduring goal. Sorry if I do not share the same sentiment as other people around the league; after 208 games poor old Peyton Manning and spoiled Colts fans will have to deal with him not being under center. Feel free to can call me a fan, a homer or just plain old insensitive. So please pass me a tissue to wipe my crocodile tears, the truth is all I care about is that fourth Lombardi trophy hoisted in Indianapolis while the enemy looks on.

The views expressed in these FanPosts are not necessarily those of the writers or SBNation.

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Comments

This is highly inappropriate.

Don’t contradict yourself. You can either be happy that a player has been injured, or upset. If you’re a part of the latter, don’t pretend to be of the former as well.

I would never wish injury to a player, not Peyton Manning, not Mark Sanchez, not Ben Roethlisberger, and not Bart Scott. Plus, if we hoist our fourth Lombardi Trophy in February, it won’t feel as satisfying to me that we didn’t get through Peyton Manning. I want to be able to beat Brady’s counterpart in the “Best QB of his generation” discussion and be damn proud of it.

Cyril P
liryc715@yahoo.com

by Cyrilp on Sep 10, 2011 8:27 PM EDT reply actions

To be fair

he’s not wishing injury to a player, just saying the team should take advantage of the opportunity it presents. I disagree that it presents any advantage for the Patriots though, and I wouldn’t mind one bit if they won a Super Bowl regardless of which cities they had to go through or not to win it.

Colts-Pats is my favorite rivalry. With 2009 and 2010 being so similar in how those games were played out, I was especially looking forward to the “tie-breaker” this year. Win or lose it won’t feel the same if Peyton isn’t playing.

Keep the faith!

by Marima on Sep 10, 2011 9:01 PM EDT up reply actions

While I'm not fond of Peyton Manning

I respect him for what he does, and wouldn’t want him, or anybody else, to be hurt. I’ve had 6 surgeries in the last 3 years, which have all but derailed my college baseball/football careers, at least until next year, so I know what it’s like to go from stalwart to injury prone, and I hate it. I actually dropped out of college completely until I know I’m healthy enough to go back, so that way I don’t waste any potential time. Peyton is an excellent player, and although this year it would be easier to go to the Super Bowl because he is one less obstacle standing in the way, you can’t be happy that he’s hurt. But, at the same rate, you can’t take anything away from the Patriots if they do win the Super Bowl, because a win is a win, regardless of circumstances. Peyton beat the worst offensive team ever in his Super Bowl, but he’s still got a ring.
So, what I guess I’m trying to say is, don’t be happy that he’s hurt, because we wouldn’t want Brady to be in his situation. An ACL is nothing compared to the nerves and vertebrae in your neck…

It matters not how strait the gate, nor charged with punishments the scroll:
I am the Master of my fate. I am the Captain of my soul.

by BigRussNovak on Sep 10, 2011 8:59 PM EDT reply actions

A neck injury certainly puts other injuries in perspective.

A whole different level.

Keep the faith!

by Marima on Sep 10, 2011 9:04 PM EDT up reply actions

Season-ending can become life-altering real quick

It’s almost weird to think about these players we see get banged up each week and then realize they have to live with that wrecked knee or shoulder or whatever. I’ve probably screamed at the TV a million times wishing for someone to decapitate Manning during a game but it puts it in a different perspective when you consider that it isn’t something that’s going to go away after a few weeks recovery.

Deep in enemy territory

by JeffyB on Sep 11, 2011 8:54 AM EDT up reply actions

The Onion

actually had a picture of that happening.

Keep the faith!

by Marima on Sep 11, 2011 6:23 PM EDT up reply actions

I agree with everything you've said.

Oh my god a floor zombie! Oh wait, thats you
- Toby Turner

by New Century Silver on Sep 11, 2011 11:53 AM EDT reply actions

I'm not happy when anyone gets hurt....

But watching the Colts get drilled is a quite enjoyable experience, bordering on breathtaking.

by sweetjesusihatethejets on Sep 11, 2011 7:32 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

The way I see it...

…
Phillip Rivers is viewed as a jerk.
Tony Romo doesn’t seem competitive.
Aaron Rodgers could be seen as cocky.
Ben Roethlisberger is self explanatory.
So is Michael Vick.
Tom Brady is living the model life that people are jealous of.
Drew Brees is lovable.
Peyton Manning is the farmhand that you can’t dislike. You just can’t dislike his person.

Most quarterbacks give people reason to dislike them. Brees and Manning are two that act and live in a way that prevents you from disliking them.

I would hate to see Manning go down in flames like this.

Pats Pulpit | @Follow Me On Twitter

by Richard Hill on Sep 12, 2011 8:43 AM EDT reply actions

I can dislike Manning the person, easily.

Because he’s not some farmhand from nowhere who happened to throw a football well, he’s the Chosen One. Son of an NFL QB, always started in college, #1 draft pick, had everything handed to him… And he whines and rages when things don’t go his way, it’s never his fault when something goes wrong, and always looks out for himself (see his contracts and renegotiation tactics with the Colts). He’s the epitome of the spoiled child, and that’s something that should be pitied, if we were bigger men.
Eli is far easier to like, because he’s the younger brother in the shadow of the great, well-liked Peyton, and has probably heard from everyone that “Peyton did it this way”, “You’re not your brother”… And if he’d just fallen on the ball one February evening in suburban Phoenix, I could. But alas! It was not meant to be.

Brady’s not perfect either, but with him the hate is because you can’t beat him no matter what. His life is the “perfect” one, the dream – superstar NFL QB, dates actresses and supermodels – ill feeling towards him is not hate so much as jealousy.

Brees is interesting. You look at all the great things he’s done for the city of New Orleans, but then he comes out during the CBA negotiations as the extreme hardliner on the players’ side. When his contract comes around, what is the real Drew Brees going to do?

"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West

by ISN on Sep 12, 2011 10:13 AM EDT up reply actions