12/22/24
April 22, 2004
Archie Manning told the San Diego Chargers they should pass on Eli Manning with the first pick because the team sucks rocks.
Archie should stay out of the draft, go back to Riverdale and concern himself with whether Betty or Veronica is a better option.
posted by jeffmshaw at 03:22 PM on April 22, 2004
This has been a really big story all day on the news, and for the life of me I can't figure out what the big deal is. What's wrong with a kid's dad trying to protect his offspring? I guess the reason it's an issue is because Archie is high profile...but doesn't this go on all the time before every draft? It's just maneuvering... Now...if Eli says "If you draft me I will not sign and I will not play for you" ala John Elway, that's one thing. But he's not.
posted by vito90 at 04:21 PM on April 22, 2004
I think Eli will do whatever his dad tells him to do.
posted by dusted at 04:28 PM on April 22, 2004
You got to admit, he's got the Chargers there. They do.
posted by salmacis at 05:06 PM on April 22, 2004
I lost all respect for Archie when he and Jughead pulled a fast one on Principal Weatherbee and headed to the beach with Moose and Midge instead of going to the assembly. This, sadly, appears to be more of the same.
posted by holden at 05:15 PM on April 22, 2004
concern himself with whether Betty or Veronica is a better option I always thought having both of them was the entire message of that comic. [/Reggie]
posted by smithers at 05:17 PM on April 22, 2004
It's a big story because it makes the draft's most likely No. 1 pick look like a 12-year-old whose dad pitches a fit at the Pop Warner draft to get him on a better team. It's also a big story because it follows John Elway's now-legendary refusal to play for the Colts, which resulted in a trade to Denver and one of the most storied careers in NFL history. I'm offended by this move, but I kinda admire the effort by a college player to dictate the terms of his draft position. That takes balls.
posted by rcade at 06:03 PM on April 22, 2004
Draft him, SD! Stick it to him. I hate the Mannings too, and we Giants fans don't want him. We don't want Collins either, but an idiot Manning is not the answer.
posted by Bernreuther at 06:08 PM on April 22, 2004
As a Charger fan (cry for me), I'd almost hope that we take some kickass O-lineman rather than a QB. Hopefully Brees will get better with some protection, and who knows what Tomlinson would be able to do with blocking. Plus, we could probably trade down and get more picks, meaning we could get two offensive lineman, or possibly even a receiver or DB. I have yet to hear a convincing argument of why we'd actually want to draft Manning, other than putting butts in the seats, but who wants to see a rookie with no one to throw to get mauled?
posted by LionIndex at 06:16 PM on April 22, 2004
The Chargers should take Kellen Winslow, they should. And Lion Index, while I'm sure it's tough being a SD fan, at least you've been to the Super Bowl since the Berlin Wall fell.
posted by vito90 at 06:30 PM on April 22, 2004
And suffered one of the biggest drubbings of all time. The infamous game where someone tried to get in Deion's face, and the only response he felt he needed was to point at the scoreboard.
posted by LionIndex at 08:33 PM on April 22, 2004
I never liked it when players tried to dictate who drafted them, but I wonder if we would still be drooling over Michael Vick had the Chargers kept their pick. I've always felt there are a few select pro franchises where promising players disappear because they don't get the right coaching. And SD certainly fits that bill. Remember Ryan Leaf? Sure, he turned out to be an ass, but maybe that was out of frustration. They've had a ton of first round picks over the years. Just take a look at their draft history. Should be interesting to see how this turns out.
posted by usfbull at 06:52 AM on April 23, 2004
While everyone else in the world was proclaiming him Sliced Bread, I hated John Elway. I still do. And it all went back to the way he acted when the Colts took him in the draft. "Waa-waa, I'll play baseball. Waa-waa." Now, I have a new person to hate. Thanks Eli, you *&%# gobbler. The Chargers should take Robert Gallery, OT Iowa. (Link goes to the pre-draft journal he's been writing for ESPN.) Or stick it to Eli and trade with a team worse off than the Chargers... Hmmm?
posted by 86 at 07:31 AM on April 23, 2004
I still HATE John Elway for what he did to baltimore. i respect the Mannings and this is different than elway, but close enuff that some of that respect is forever gone. still, the media is hyping this waay out of proportion (as they do the draft as a whole).
posted by danostuporstar at 09:10 AM on April 23, 2004
Draft him, SD! Stick it to him. I hate the Mannings too, and we Giants fans don't want him. San Diego should be trying to improve their team, not playing some schoolyard game of nanny-nanny-poo-poo. If they take him and he sits (which he might Lindros and JD Drew waited a full year to go pro) what do the Chargers get out of it? Satisfaction? There are 5 other impact players they could have...including Philip Rivers, who some say Marty likes better. As far as Giants fans go, well I'm one and I really hope they get the deal done. Eli's got equal numbers to his brother in a far inferior system playing against top-quality SEC competition. Plus, he's been raised to be one thing...an NFL Quarterback. The Giants have screwed up with their first round picks for a long time, this seems like a pretty sensible one. And if you're the negative type, as a fan you can boo his entire first starting season.
posted by YukonGold at 09:47 AM on April 23, 2004
Part of me thinks "nanny-nanny-poo-poo" might be more fun to watch than what they've been doing the last couple years.
posted by LionIndex at 10:15 AM on April 23, 2004
Plus, he's been raised to be one thing...an NFL Quarterback. 
posted by yerfatma at 10:16 AM on April 23, 2004
I hope the Chargers pick him so that we can see him do his "Steve Francis gets drafted by the Vancouver Grizzlies" impression.
posted by mbd1 at 10:27 AM on April 23, 2004
I wonder if there isn't another reason why Eli (or the whole Manning clan) is being all like this. I never got past Elway's or Francis' (or Lindros') entitlement fetishes and their nauseating I'm-the-I-in-team attitude, but I'm willing to hear Eli out if he's doing this for any other reason than just that the Chargers suck. But if he's just being sniffy about the organization, then fuck him. Let him turn burgers at Bennigan's for a few years until he makes Assistant Manager.
posted by chicobangs at 10:49 AM on April 23, 2004
How can you be upset with someone telling a potential employer they'd prefer not to work for them? The whole draft system, while I suppose necessary, is complete bullshit for those being selected. In what other profession is the top person in his class expect to go work for the shittiest organization? Try applying a draft to other professions. If you were the best accountant coming out of college a few years ago, would you have enjoyed being shipped to Enron?
posted by wfrazerjr at 08:32 PM on April 23, 2004
very interesting take, fraze. but ultimately it breaks down as these top employees are going to the top organization in their field, the NFL. the draft system only decides which field office the new hire will work in.
posted by danostuporstar at 11:19 PM on April 23, 2004
Well, the 'Dolts did pick Manning at the top, he is making the best of it on stage with Tags, but you could see on his face that he was not really the happy camper a #1 Pick ought to be. Berman et al cannot be obseqious enough, of course. What happens next in this saga?
posted by billsaysthis at 11:27 AM on April 24, 2004
Although now Manning in his instant ESPN interview is saying he now hopes for a trade, and the crowd is booing lustily live at the draft and at the Chargers' draft party in SD. He also implied sitting for a year is not out of the question.
posted by billsaysthis at 11:30 AM on April 24, 2004
I CANNOT BELIEVE ALL THE PICKS THE GIANTS JUST GAVE UP FOR MANNING!!!!! The (local) crowd is sure right to be screaming the disapproval!
posted by billsaysthis at 12:10 PM on April 24, 2004
HAW-ha! /nelson
posted by LionIndex at 02:12 PM on April 24, 2004
LionIndex, that's the best you got?!?!?!
posted by billsaysthis at 03:48 PM on April 24, 2004
Yes. I'm quite pathetic.
posted by LionIndex at 04:06 PM on April 24, 2004
Oh how sad and full of self-pity ;)
posted by billsaysthis at 04:09 PM on April 24, 2004
I'm a Charger fan. Comes with the territory.
posted by LionIndex at 04:20 PM on April 24, 2004
Man, you guys did make out on this one. I cannot see how Manning was worth more than this year's third rounder and one pick next year. For two next year, the Chargers should have at least thrown in their 2nd.
posted by billsaysthis at 04:24 PM on April 24, 2004
the draft system only decides which field office the new hire will work in. That would be a fair anaolgy if players could be elevated from the lousy field offices to the good ones, or ask for a transfer, but they can't -- not, at least, until their contracts run out with the drafting team. It's high-paying indentured service. And the Giants gave up WAYYYYY too much for Eli. Hell, several team had him rated as the No. 3 QB! Good for the Chargers for making chicken salad out of chicken shit.
posted by wfrazerjr at 09:45 PM on April 24, 2004
Amen, Dan. Comparing an NFL team to a company is a bad analogy. Besides, in today's NFL, teams move from the top to the bottom and back again in the space of a year or two. The Chargers could be better than the Giants this year.
posted by rcade at 09:45 PM on April 24, 2004
Frazer: It's not indentured service -- Manning was free to sit out a year and return to the draft in 2005.
posted by rcade at 09:49 PM on April 24, 2004
I hate all things Manning Family.