Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Fare Thee Well Mr. Manning!!

I actually got the idea for my little rant tonight from a Facebook post by one of my friends saying that he believes that the Colts are "traitors" for letting Peyton Manning go in order to get Andrew Luck in the draft.  I'm not a sports writer, that's my brother Bryans  niche and he's more qualified to comment, but I believe my friend to be correct in his outrage.

Personally I sincerely hope that Luck ends up being a lame duck like Ryan Leaf, (no personal offense to either individual), and that Peyton goes on to bigger and better things with a more appreciative franchise.  From  what I've heard several people have came back from that same neck surgery that he's returning from and gone on to have many years of productive play.  Who and when I can't recall, again that's not my area.

I just think that free agency has pretty much ruined sports today, especially my beloved football.  I can't count the times that I've shook my head in disbelief at some of the people my personal favorites, the Pittsburgh Steelers, have let go over the years for salary cap or whatever  reasons.  Greg Lloyd, Kevin Greene in the 90's as well as Rod Woodson.  Don't get me started on how they did Kordell Stewart, who I still think created the modern mold for the mobile quarterback, but I AM biased.  Most recently the decision to release three older players, Hines Ward, Aaron Smith, and James Farrior, who were all relatively still productive.  There seems to be a lot more player loyalty toward the team than the other way around.

I understand that it is a business and the powers that be in the organizations have to make decisions based on what they believe to be the best for the team, but I think if a player is willing to take a salary cut just to finish his career with the team that he's fought, and bled for for years, then arrangements surely could be made.   If a player has been injured and makes a full recovery and is deemed playable by all the right medical authorities, such as Peyton Manning, then he ought to be at least given a chance to compete for his job with a rookie, if need be.  I'm no expert, but I personally believe he's got at LEAST 3-4 good, productive years left in him.  Colts fans should be disgusted and angry at the ownership's decision.

Teams owners expect results and success immediately, that's why they can't wait to see if a returning legend is capable of playing at his former level, and why coaches tenures are shorter and shorter.  It takes more that a year, even two for a system to develop, in most cases.  Their are times where newcomers like Jim Harbaugh, and even my Steelers Mike Tomlin, come in and hit the ground running and have success, but usually there is a core team there either on defense, offense, or both that make that possible.  Although I'm not a NFC fan, after the Steelers got "Tebowed" in the playoffs, I was glad to see Tom Coughlin and the Giants take the Super Bowl.  One of, if not the main reason, was that earlier in the season, all you heard was Tom Coughlin is done in New York, blah, blah, blah!  It did my heart good to see someone with a tenure of almost 10 years and a team that has had it's share of ups and downs with pretty much the same core of veterans get it done and take it all.

I suppose we as sports fans will just have to deal with decisions of our teams owners and management no matter how much it ticks us off, because as I said, it is a business and nowadays everything is determined by businessmen.  If it's not profitable, they get rid of it, players are products nowadays in the purest sense of the word.   We'll continue watching, however, as always no matter what foolishness they do, because we are the epitome of  loyalty, we are the fans.

I'll leave you with a little musical goodness of Pink Floyd at Madison Square Gardens in 1987 singing about what makes it all go 'round...Money!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MGzVVI-onE&feature=related



No comments:

Post a Comment