Super Bowl

Spartan Daily
February 1, 2012
News Sports Opinion A&E Multimedia
Eli is an elite quarterback
by Nick Celario Jan 31, 2012 8:28 pm Tags: Eli Manning, NFL, SUper Bowl XLVI

Throughout his career, New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning has been overshadowed by other quarterbacks who are considered to be the best in the NFL, such as Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees and Tom Brady.
Being constantly compared to his older brother Peyton, also considered to be one of the league’s finest, does not help his cause.
Earlier in the season, Eli said he considers himself an elite NFL quarterback, comparing himself to the likes of Brady.
According to ESPN, Manning has completed 61 percent of his passes, threw for 4,933 yards, 29 touchdowns and 16 interceptions during the 2011 regular season.
Manning also has an overall quarterback rating of 92.9.
During a playoff game against the 2010 Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers this season, he completed 63.6 percent of his passes and threw for 330 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.
During the same game, he had a quarterback rating of 114.5.
Manning has proven himself as one of the better quarterbacks in the league this season.
This Sunday, he has the opportunity to prove himself yet again as he and the Giants face Brady and the New England Patriots in a Super Bowl XLII rematch.
During that Super Bowl in 2008, Manning made a key play in the final minutes, avoided getting sacked then completed a pass to wide receiver David Tyree to convert on fourth down and sustain the drive.
He then capped off the game-winning drive with a touchdown pass to wide receiver Plaxico Burress.
In doing so, the Giants stopped Brady from winning a fourth championship and tying the record for most Superbowl wins by a quarterback.
The Giants also took away the Patriots’ chance of completing a season undefeated, an achievement that has not been accomplished since the 1972 Miami Dolphins.
Despite winning a championship, Manning was still not grouped among the league’s premier signal callers.
If Manning and the Giants beat New England again for a second Super Bowl five years, Manning ought to be considered elite now, right?
Winning a championship, let alone two, should allow him to be thought of as one of the league’s best.
Having one more championship than his old brother Peyton, a guaranteed future Hall of Fame quarterback, ought to put him in the company of the league’s elite.
Defeating Tom Brady, a sure-fire future Hall of Famer, in two Super Bowls should make a compelling argument for him to be considered as one of the greats in NFL history.
If the Giants win this Sunday, Manning should get the recognition he deserves and be distinguished as an elite NFL quarterback.
@TedrTed ·
There's nothing wrong with sports, and watching them every so often can be fun and relaxing. The Super Bowl and other sports really foster the spirit of competition.It's the spirit of the world, the "me first" spirit -- do what's best for yourself, win no matter who you have to hurt or step on in order to get ahead of the next guy. That's just the opposite of what Jesus wants to teach people -- to love your neighbor as yourself. Of course, some form of sports is fine. It's good exercise and can be good fellowship time with others. But things in the world are so different, and when athletes get to the professional level where they're being paid to win, it gets extremely competitive. It becomes almost a life-and-death spirit. For example, the soccer players in the World Cup practically ran themselves to exhaustion, suffered injuries and bruises, and still kept playing because they wanted to win no matter what it cost them physically.
Ted Rudow III, MA
class of 1996