Page 25

Book of 2016

- Page 25 -

St. Peyton, the savior of the Colts franchise.   The leader of the three headed monster.  The Man, the Myth, the Legend. 

I am a Colts fan.  I can't say that I have always been a Colts fan, but I have always been from Indiana, therefore, when I first moved to California I realized how much I actually loved my home state. I found myself rooting for IU (my alma mater, grew up and still am a Purdue fan, i am a rarity in my home state, someone who can root for both IU and Purdue with equal conviction, but that is another story for another day.), but for the Colts, and the  even Cubs again (my break with the Cubs happened in 87 and I have my reasons, but again, another story, for another day).

Long story short here is I am not a Bronco's fan.  I rooted against Peyton two Super Bowls ago.  I couldn't stand the thought of him winning in anything but Colts blue and white.  I look back now and wish I hadn't felt that way, but it is what it is.

Manning took such a beating this year, that I couldn't help but want him to come out and prove everyone wrong.  I couldn't help but want him to lead another group of horses to the Super Bowl.  Plus, he was playing Brady and those of us who are Colts fans, do fancy the Pats are rivals.  I have even found myself rooting harder against Brady than for the Colts these days.  So, when Manning v Brady 17 came up I assumed like most of the world that Brady would win.  That he would go on to be the first five time winner of the super bowl.  However, Peyton played just well enough not to let that happen.  And when it was all said and done, I was just as nervous watching Peyton that game as  I was in the Super Bowl in 06.    I was heart broken and stopped watching football for a year after 09 but was shitting bricks the whole game then too, and it was happening all over again but this time in a different uniform.  I was screaming at the TV when brady drove down three times in the 4th and almost one that fucking game.  I was elated when it was finally over and Peyton Manning was taking his team, even though it was not mine, to another Super Bowl.

I am not going to lie, I want the fairy tale ending. I want Peyton to ride off into the sunset after this season. (then again I wanted him to retire in 2011).  I want him to win the big game one more time.  I am going to root for him. I like Cam, I like the Panthers, but I want Peyton to win. I think if he goes out like Elway did, if he goes out a winner, that is how he will be remembered and how he should be remembered.  Any time you talk about Manning you talk about the chokes, and the missed opportunities.  How Bill Belichick had his number. How he couldn't win the big game.  I know if the Broncos are to win, it will have to be because of that vaunted defense showed up and laid an ass whopping on Cam.  However, it will be Manning's fairy tale ride and I want  that for him.  I am a dreamer and I want Manning to go out with the dream.

I think in reality, I understand what I want is a tall order. I know that Cam and company are freaking good and they are destroying the competition right now.  Two of the best teams in the leg or that were thought were best in the leg they took out behind the woodshed.  So, I am thinking the Broncos are in trouble. I wouldn't have thought so until I saw what the Panthers did to Seattle and then Arizona.  I think the defenses will cancel each other out.  so it comes down to the which QB can make the play. Unfortunately I am thinking youth will win out.  I am thinking that Cam just has more juice right now than Peyton.  I hate saying that.  I don't want it to be true, but I think it will be and that makes me sad.  I will root for the fairy tale!  I will root for St. Peyton but that isn't enough.

Either way, win or lose, he will go out as my favorite quarterback of all time.  I will never forget the religious experience that was watching him play at Lucas Oil.  When the crowd would sit down and shut up every time he stepped on the field.  I remember I got chills when that happened, just like I got chills with number 18 pulled another rabbit out of his hat.