What is going to happen to Peyton? Why are
they being to tightlipped? Did Eli leave camp "sick" the week
before the Super Bowl because of this situation? There had been
contradictory reports from sources on Michael Kay's ESPN show that week. What
would be a best move for Peyton?
Eli's sickness and Peyton's neck are two separate types of injury. Eli's team/game situations were certain. He was playing for the Giants and scheduled to play the 49ers that Sunday. Therefore, the league has imposed injury reporting regulations. They will never admit to the reason, but it's largely driven by odds makers trying to handicap a game.
If Eli's sickness were
to have an adverse effect on his availability or performance, it would have
moved the line toward San Francisco and had a huge economic effect on the
gambling world. Like it or not, and for reasons only the NFL understands,
weekly injuries must be reported as probable 75%, questionable 50%, doubtful
25%, and out 0% by each team on Thursday during the season.
Peyton's injury is not
related to any specific game's spread. It relates to his contract status
and to what team he'll ultimately play for. It's in both the Colts AND
Peyton Manning's best interest to have Peyton Manning (who is still the
property of the Colts) trading on the market at MAXIMUM value.
I'm not a neck
surgeon. Nor did I stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. But it's my understanding that Manning's availability is not truly known
right now. It may never be truly know until he steps onto the field and
either succeeds, plays poorly, or re-aggravates it. Therefore most teams
will be cautions in the structure of his contract, perhaps forcing him to agree
to a game-by-game compensation schedule if no teams are willing to offer
a full year of guaranteed money.
The Browns, Redskins and
Dolphins are drafting 4th, 6th, 8th respectively. They are all players,
and may be jockeying to get that #2 pick from St. Louis, where they intend to
pick RG3. (And I hope the Redskins don't get RG3). Seattle and
Arizona select later.
MANNING COULD END IN ARIZONA
Arizona CAN go through
with the Kevin Kolb experiment, but if the contract is right they can abandon
it. I think the Cardinals are in the best position to WAIT AND SEE what
happens with Peyton Manning, whereas some of the other teams will be forced to address
the QB position in the draft because waiting for Manning could end up as a
dead end. You can't throw money and low draft
pick(s) at a QB AND court Peyton Manning.
I say he ends up in AZ.
Peyton’s health is still a
question. Recovery from neck surgery is more complex than a RB coming back from knee
surgery or a pitcher coming back from elbow surgery because re-aggravation may
have an effect on his quality of life ...perhaps restricting him to a wheelchair
or worse.
That being said, I am a firm believer that
it's up to PEYTON MANNING to weigh the options and long-term health
risks. I don't think it's any fan or sportswriter's business telling a
player how to value his waning and precious football years vs. his quality of
life after football. If that were the case, everyone who outwardly
proclaims that Manning should not play should be actively protesting NASCAR,
UFC, Cliff-diving, and Mountain Climbing.
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