"As he basked in the adulation coming his way from the crowd at Sports Authority Field at Mile High, you could tell this one was even more special than his first two trips to the Super Bowl.
"Playing quarterback there are a number of things that come along with it," Manning said of the criticism aimed his way. "You have to try to keep a level head. You have to eventually focus on doing your job. Nothing more than that."
That's his way of saying he doesn't pay attention to the doubters. But he's a piٌata for the many legions of critics out there, led by a vocal media that loves to tear him to shreds. How can he avoid it? Publicly he might say that he doesn't care, but privately it bothers him to the core. He's too much of a competitor for it not to, and over the years we've had many a conversation about just that.
Why is he not appreciated like some others?
Coming back from neck surgery that could easily have ended his career to get to his third Super Bowl should silence some for a few weeks. Manning took everything Bill Belichick and the Patriots threw at him and made it look like a 7-on-7 drill broke out. New England may as well have set the cutlery out for the carving up that Manning did
The turnover the critics expected never came. Instead they saw Manning dominate the Patriots and rival Tom Brady.
So who's the big-game loser now?
Since Brady last won a Super Bowl in 2004, Manning will now play in more Super Bowls (3-2), won at least one more (1-0) and right now he's even lost one fewer since then, with Brady losing two. Yes, Brady has the edge in rings, but Manning has now beaten him the last two times they have played in an AFC title game.
"This should shut up some people about that," one Broncos player said"
Kick ass article is continued at - http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/writer/...ey-performance
"Playing quarterback there are a number of things that come along with it," Manning said of the criticism aimed his way. "You have to try to keep a level head. You have to eventually focus on doing your job. Nothing more than that."
That's his way of saying he doesn't pay attention to the doubters. But he's a piٌata for the many legions of critics out there, led by a vocal media that loves to tear him to shreds. How can he avoid it? Publicly he might say that he doesn't care, but privately it bothers him to the core. He's too much of a competitor for it not to, and over the years we've had many a conversation about just that.
Why is he not appreciated like some others?
Coming back from neck surgery that could easily have ended his career to get to his third Super Bowl should silence some for a few weeks. Manning took everything Bill Belichick and the Patriots threw at him and made it look like a 7-on-7 drill broke out. New England may as well have set the cutlery out for the carving up that Manning did
The turnover the critics expected never came. Instead they saw Manning dominate the Patriots and rival Tom Brady.
So who's the big-game loser now?
Since Brady last won a Super Bowl in 2004, Manning will now play in more Super Bowls (3-2), won at least one more (1-0) and right now he's even lost one fewer since then, with Brady losing two. Yes, Brady has the edge in rings, but Manning has now beaten him the last two times they have played in an AFC title game.
"This should shut up some people about that," one Broncos player said"
Kick ass article is continued at - http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/writer/...ey-performance
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