I'm The Only Broncos Fan Not Excited About Manning
So Peyton Manning is signing with my Denver Broncos. He's a four time MVP, led the Indianapolis Colts to seven AFC South division championships, two AFC championships, and to a Super Bowl championship. His numbers are legendary. Denver could use some leadership in this position.
I should be elated. But I'm not.
Part of it is that I'm genuinely worried about Manning's next few years. I'd say he has three good years tops, assuming his -- what -- four neck surgeries in 18 months turned out all right. I'm not even sure he should be playing and I'm worried he's going to disappoint a bit after a year on the sidelines.
And where will the Broncos be after his three-year run? Who knows? Our management hasn't exactly done the best job of cultivating the bench in recent years.
Also, I'm shocked that I'm saying this, but I'm disappointed that we will lose Tim Tebow. I was not an original Tebow fan and (dare I say) I find some of his more enthusiastic backers to be a bit much.
But I grew to love him and I think he's completely undervalued as a player. I get it. He's young, he's messy, his arm is completely erratic. But I haven't enjoyed Broncos games like last year's second half of the season since Elway was at the helm. He is such a dramatically better player now than when he was drafted. Someone agrees with me:
What NFL people should realize is that regardless of the doubts they had about Tebow going into the draft two years ago, he is a far more polished player now. He has always had an ability to dazzle with his knowledge. Denver coaches and executives in the Broncos room at the draft combine in 2010 were stunned by his ability to not only break down his offense at the University of Florida but theirs too … and San Diego’s and New England’s. They said they had never seen a college quarterback do such a thing.
No player spent as much time studying either. When he finally left the Broncos practice facility to go home at night, Tebow carried with him stacks of DVDs of different offenses that he would watch over and over, often calling his coaches several times at night to ask about things he noticed on the screen. He worked for hours before and during practice on his footwork, based on the Elway belief that if he had the proper balance he would make more accurate throws.
Someone should pick him up and give him another chance. I suspect they won't be disappointed.
And I'll do my best to get behind Manning. I just hope Elway has a plan for what happens a couple of years from now.
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Oct '11
Re: I'm The Only Broncos Fan Not Excited About Manning
I think the Broncos should maybe hold onto Tebow and have Manning mentor/groom/train him to take over in two years.
Jan '11
Re: I'm The Only Broncos Fan Not Excited About Manning
Doesn't Colorado have medical marijuana?
Dec '10
Re: I'm The Only Broncos Fan Not Excited About Manning
I hear ya, Mollie. We Jags fans have watched this closely as Jacksonville was in the Manning loop and will be in the Tebow loop. We have a fine, young, QB in Jax that needs at least this year to develop, without the distraction of Tebow being brought into the mix.
However, Jacksonville was Tebow's home and UF is the nearest big school, so the new Jaguars owner will be under tremendous pressure to send Denver some draft picks for Tebow. This is unneeded turmoil for the young Jacksonville offense, and not a move for the future for Denver.
Anybody know where Favre is, this week?
Aug '10
Re: I'm The Only Broncos Fan Not Excited About Manning
I would stay put if I were Tim Tebow. It's doubtful that Manning will even get on the field given his serious neck problems.
Dec '10
Re: I'm The Only Broncos Fan Not Excited About Manning
Albert, Manning doesn't mentor and that's the considered opinion of those that know him well and considered him being brought into Jacksonville. He's an arch competitor, not a seasoned back-up that shows young QBs the ropes.
Feb '11
Re: I'm The Only Broncos Fan Not Excited About Manning
I’m with you, Mollie. I’m at least half-disappointed.
I’d also like to take this opportunity to point out that, when we trade Tim Tebow, he won’t act like Jay Cutler.
Re: I'm The Only Broncos Fan Not Excited About Manning
SMatthewStolte: I’m with you, Mollie. I’m at least half-disappointed.
I’d also like to take this opportunity to point out that, when we trade Tim Tebow, he won’t act like Jay Cutler. · 4 minutes ago
If you mean Tebow won't lead his team to the conference championship, I agree.
Jun '10
Re: I'm The Only Broncos Fan Not Excited About Manning
The Broncos could learn something from NASCAR. The best attraction, commercially, is someone who's equally loved and hated. People cannot not watch if he's on the screen. Manning is okay, but he's no Tebow.
A pretty good backgrounder:
Tim Tebow - Outside the Lines
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2vb_0Qjof4
Jun '10
Re: I'm The Only Broncos Fan Not Excited About Manning
I feel sorry for all you pessimists. I'm actually happy. It's a risk, but it has a big upside.
The big question: Should Bronco fans be nervously optimistic like Ike on June 5, 1944 or will this turn out to be another Bay of Pigs? I like Ike.
Mollie is a rugged pessimist like Lucy. I'm Charlie Brown.
Edited on March 19, 2012 at 11:02pmJan '11
Re: I'm The Only Broncos Fan Not Excited About Manning
Yeah, but he's Peyton Manning.
Don't worry about a blitz anymore - Manning can handle it. Don't worry about hiring an offensive coordinator - you already have one. He's going to make other people want to come there who are also looking for a championship. (I'm sure other guys were waiting to see where he went to make their own decisions.) You're never out of any ballgame.
I mean, he's a football multiplier. Nothing against Tebow - it's just that Manning is that good.
I'd take him in an instant. No hesitation.
Re: I'm The Only Broncos Fan Not Excited About Manning
Cheer up, Mollie. There are worse places to be around the NFL right now. Miami, which seems to be in the midst of a kamikaze mission, comes to mind.
Apr '11
Re: I'm The Only Broncos Fan Not Excited About Manning
As a New England Patriots fan I'm excited about Manning going to Denver because it may mean that Bill Belichick will finally be able to bring Tebow to the Pats, as was his plan until thwarted by the Denver Broncos who unexpectedly scooped Tebow in the 2010 Draft.
Dec '11
Re: I'm The Only Broncos Fan Not Excited About Manning
I agree with this and for however long Manning may have left as a starter, Tebow can only benefit from the exposure.
Mar '11
Re: I'm The Only Broncos Fan Not Excited About Manning
I think Tim Tebow would benefit from being around Peyton Manning, and the Broncos would be nuts to let Tebow go. Every team needs a backup quarterback, and if nothing else, Tebow has proven that he's not going to dissolve under pressure. (Yeah, Caleb Hanie, as a matter of fact I was looking at you.)
Re: I'm The Only Broncos Fan Not Excited About Manning
The Broncos are still recovering from the blight of the Patriots taking over our coaching a few years ago. I fear you may be right.
Dec '10
Re: I'm The Only Broncos Fan Not Excited About Manning
We'll see what happens, folks, but I'll pass along a phrase from the great Vic Ketchman: "Starting quarterbacks never go to the bench." As with any rule, there must be an exception, but Vic has been covering the NFL for 39 years and is usually right. There are salary cap issues and locker room cohesion aspects, but basically, starting NFL QBs are the rarest of the rarest breeds and they don't move to the bench, as another team will pick them up.
Re: I'm The Only Broncos Fan Not Excited About Manning
Herky, I'm a Pats fan too (there's a certain episode of "Young Guns" that I'd like to delete from the archives as a result), and I hope these rumors (which even Drudge is now carrying) don't come to fruition. Tebow's obvious on-the-field intelligence, mobility, and tenacity make him valuable, but he's still something short of a franchise-caliber quarterback, and certainly not a worthy successor to Brady.
It's a tertiary concern, but I think that a New England fan base would also be considerably more hostile to the religious aspect of his public persona.
Frankly, I think the place that makes the most sense for Tebow is Jacksonville. He gets to be the big fish in a little pond, with a hometown crowd. He also probably gets more time to work out the kinks in his game there.
Re: I'm The Only Broncos Fan Not Excited About Manning
Frozen,
I think that decision is being made by John Elway (who runs football operations for the team), not Tim Tebow. If you watched the Broncos over the past season, it was clear throughout that Elway felt trapped by the fact that the fan base had pinned their hopes to Tebow. Elways seems to have been perpetually skeptical of Tebow's abilities and this is the perfect out for him -- the only way to get Tebow out of town without working the city of Denver into a lather.
Re: I'm The Only Broncos Fan Not Excited About Manning
Peyton had a cervical fusion. If done with bone grafting his spine looks like this:
If it was done with metal it looks like this:
He shouldn't be playing football. He has nothing to prove in that arena. I assume he is financially secure.
Some say hindsight is 20/20. In this case, so is foresight.
I don't want to hear anyone say they didn't know if a tragedy occurs after a sack, because everyone does know.
Edited on March 20, 2012 at 12:16amJun '10
Re: I'm The Only Broncos Fan Not Excited About Manning
Yeah, when I first heard the Broncos were pursuing Manning I thought it made perfect sense: get what they can out of Manning's last few seasons while giving Tebow a chance to learn from him and develop. Tebow has the raw talent but he needs a lot more polish. And you need a good young backup behind Manning, just in case.
But now that I hear they plan to trade Tebow, I think it's a much riskier move.