'The Joy Of Watching Peyton Manning'

From Michael Lombardi:

Winning football games is being able to cover the many details that present themselves each week, and Manning leaves no stone unturned, regardless of the quality of the opponent. He takes every team seriously, and his drive for perfection is a remarkable trait.

Since Manning entered the league in 1998, he's achieved a quarterback rating over 100 in 40 percent of the games he's played. Meanwhile, over half of the teams have had more than 10 different starting quarterbacks. As the quarterback carousel goes round and round, Manning has been able to live in the continuity of the system. As he told me, "I have only played in three systems my entire life -- high school, college and the pros."

As the famous French writer Francois de La Rochefoucauld once said, "I have always been an admirer. I regard the gift of admiration as indispensable if one is to amount to something; I don't know where I would be without it." I greatly admire Mr. Manning, and without having to root against him, watching him perform is just plain incredible.

He isn't the best ever--yet. Watching Manning this season, though, I really think he has a shot. He threw a TD to Dallas Clark this week that was just perfect.

It's weird watching him though, because Kenyatta's family in Tennessee kinda hates him (They got a street named after him. Peyton Manning ain't never won nothin. This was pre-Super Bowl.) I can't even give you the details, because I've never much cared. I think they were huge Tee Martin fans. Anyway, whenever I'm going on about Manning, Kenyatta gets this mock-Tennessee accent going and sort of mutters Peyton Manning don't walk on wartah.

Uhh, yes he does...