2008 Woodie Awards
Manning shares traits with past Super Bowl great
By Shaun Powell, AP writer
Issue date: 1/31/08 Section: Sports
At no point this week will Eli Manning grab himself a cold one, kick back in a lounge chair at poolside and announce how his team is guaranteed to shock Football America come next Sunday.
First of all, that's not his personality, and besides, some other quarterback has been there and done that already.
But that other quarterback, nearly 40 years after his famous prediction, came up with another the other day.
"Eli and the Giants can do it, I'm telling you," Joe Namath said.
Can they? Well, if anyone has a feel for this sort of thing, it's Namath. Eli and the New York Giants will arrive in Arizona on Monday the same as Namath and the New York Jets did in Miami in 1969. They'll be bracing to fight tremendous odds and an outstanding opponent. The New England Patriots, with their perfect record, genius coach and loaded offense, are equipped to pummel the Giants and keep suspense from entering Super Bowl XLII. In many ways, these Patriots look a lot like the formidable Baltimore Colts of 1969, who were coached by Don Shula and quarterbacked by Earl Morrall and Johnny Unitas and widely expected to thump Namath and the Jets, although we know how that turned out.
So once again, a lightly regarded New York team, led by a rising young quarterback, finds itself up against the world, and there aren't many who see a major upset brewing, other than a New York icon who saw something four decades ago.
"I've got nothing against New England," Namath said. "But this will be the first time I'll be pulling for an NFC team. I like what I've seen from Eli and the Giants."
"I've known Archie, his father, for many years," said Namath. "I've followed the Manning family. I've watched as much of Eli as I could. I was far more patient with Eli than most. I've always thought he handled himself beautifully. And it didn't matter what people said about him. For his teammates to elect him captain, that speaks the loudest. They knew what he could do.
"That game against the Packers wouldn't have gone into overtime if the Giants didn't make mistakes," said Namath. "They know they can do better."
All Manning and the Giants need to do is beat the Patriots, and New York will show them the same love given to Namath and the Jets. Guaranteed.
First of all, that's not his personality, and besides, some other quarterback has been there and done that already.
But that other quarterback, nearly 40 years after his famous prediction, came up with another the other day.
"Eli and the Giants can do it, I'm telling you," Joe Namath said.
Can they? Well, if anyone has a feel for this sort of thing, it's Namath. Eli and the New York Giants will arrive in Arizona on Monday the same as Namath and the New York Jets did in Miami in 1969. They'll be bracing to fight tremendous odds and an outstanding opponent. The New England Patriots, with their perfect record, genius coach and loaded offense, are equipped to pummel the Giants and keep suspense from entering Super Bowl XLII. In many ways, these Patriots look a lot like the formidable Baltimore Colts of 1969, who were coached by Don Shula and quarterbacked by Earl Morrall and Johnny Unitas and widely expected to thump Namath and the Jets, although we know how that turned out.
So once again, a lightly regarded New York team, led by a rising young quarterback, finds itself up against the world, and there aren't many who see a major upset brewing, other than a New York icon who saw something four decades ago.
"I've got nothing against New England," Namath said. "But this will be the first time I'll be pulling for an NFC team. I like what I've seen from Eli and the Giants."
"I've known Archie, his father, for many years," said Namath. "I've followed the Manning family. I've watched as much of Eli as I could. I was far more patient with Eli than most. I've always thought he handled himself beautifully. And it didn't matter what people said about him. For his teammates to elect him captain, that speaks the loudest. They knew what he could do.
"That game against the Packers wouldn't have gone into overtime if the Giants didn't make mistakes," said Namath. "They know they can do better."
All Manning and the Giants need to do is beat the Patriots, and New York will show them the same love given to Namath and the Jets. Guaranteed.
