As an old-school kind of sports fan, I tend to like guys to who have old-school values. I like players who are personable, but not over the top. I like guys who are honest and take responsibility for their mistakes. I like guys who have built their legacies with one franchise, and who know to go out on top instead of stumbling to the finish line. I like guys who give plenty of credit to their teammates and coaches, but at the same time aren't afraid to take some of the credit for themselves. I like players who work hard and succeed even though they might not be the most athletically gifted guy on the planet. In short, I like guys like Peyton Manning.
And that's why it's been painful for me to watch the saga that is Peyton's current relationship with the Colts. After almost singlehandedly turning the Colts from the league's doormat into a consistent Super Bowl contender, Peyton seems to be getting an extremely raw deal. The Colts have the number one pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, and they'd be crazy not to take Stanford QB Andrew Luck. At the same time, Luck's shadow already seems to be pushing Manning out of Indianapolis. Some fans are calling for him to be traded. Others have accused him of making things difficult for team management. More are caught between backing a guy they've loved for the last 15 years and siding with a guy who might lead them for the next 15.
Peyton's in a rough spot right now. If he comes back with the Colts and the team struggles (which they likely will, given that the team finished 2-14 this year), will fans be awkwardly calling for one of the game's all-time best players to be benched in favor of an unproven rookie? If Peyton goes to another team, will he be able to cement his legacy as perhaps the best QB of all time by leading yet another disappointing team (the Jets, maybe?) to the Super Bowl? Or will his second act be more like Brett Favre's (minus all of the lewd SMS messaging, of course), where he'll struggle to regain his footing in a new environment and tarnish everything he's built over more than a decade in Indy?
If Peyton calls to ask me for advice today (it seems unlikely, but you never know), I'd advise him to retire this offseason. From a health standpoint, Manning is coming off of serious neck surgery and doesn't want to risk suffering a life-altering injury that could negatively impact him for the rest of his days. On the field, Peyton has nothing left to prove - he's won a Super Bowl, been NFL MVP and developed a reputation as the best QB of his, or perhaps any, era (the Colts' struggles without him this year truly prove just how valuable he is). The Colts are going to select Andrew Luck in the NFL Draft, and with a new GM and coaching staff will probably want to hand him the keys sooner rather than later. If Peyton Manning retires now, he can go out on good terms with the fans, the Colts and, most importantly, his own inner thoughts.
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