Football
Colts' Manning Thrown Off His Routine
INDIANAPOLIS - Peyton Manning wants to stick to his offseason routine. Film a few commercials, visit New Orleans, watch some Tennessee basketball, maybe even show up at the Final Four. Even the NFL's best-known workaholic needs a break.
But thanks to Manning's first Super Bowl title and his MVP performance, the last month has been anything but typical for the Indianapolis Colts quarterback.
"Everything's been condensed a little bit, but that's good," Manning said Wednesday in a phone interview from Dallas. "It's a lot more fun working to find vacation time than figuring out a way to win the Super Bowl."
What's changed most is that the two-time league MVP must be even more selective about requests for his precious time.
Manning appeared on CBS' "Late Show With David Letterman" because he thought it would be fun - and, of course, Letterman is a Colts fan. Yet he turned down an invitation to be the official starter for the Daytona 500 because he'd already planned a trip to his hometown.
On March 24, Manning's 31st birthday, he's slated to be the guest host on "Saturday Night Live," which will give him a national forum to show a comedic side fans rarely see outside his commercials.
May is filling up, too. Manning will be the grand marshal for the Indianapolis 500 parade and the official starter for the May 27 race. But he turned down the invitation to drive the pace car so he wouldn't risk injury while going at 150 mph around the 2 1/2-mile oval.
For Manning, this is what life has become as a champion - busy, fun and full of activity.
The latest commercial gig plays off Manning's image as a morning workout artist. NBA All-Star Kevin Garnett plays Gatorade's version of the milkman, delivering the company's newest product, Gatorade A.M., on front porch steps. One stop is at Manning's house, but Manning has to go back inside after forgetting his playbook - something the league's best-known pupil would never do in real life.
"It's something I'll use," Manning said. "They're basically in breakfast-type flavors."
While he enjoys the attention, he understands he can't do everything. Nor can he have all his wishes.
In a perfect world, Manning would prefer defending the Super Bowl title with the same players who were instrumental in winning last year's championship.
There's no chance of that now.
Two weeks ago, the Colts released receiver Brandon Stokley, who roomed with Manning on road trips. Last week, running back Dominic Rhodes, who started all 16 regular-season games and topped 100 yards in the Super Bowl, signed with the Oakland Raiders. On Tuesday, starting cornerback Nick Harper agreed to a three-year deal with Tennessee, a division rival of the Colts.
To Manning, this is the part of football he laments.
"That gets harder every year, especially as you get closer with guys like Brandon, who was my best friend on the team," he said. "I'm happy for Dom and Nick that they've been rewarded with good contracts that we couldn't match. But you hate to see them go."
But the business side of football hasn't deterred Manning's businesslike approach.
In nine NFL seasons, Manning has been the model of consistency. He's taken the Colts to the playoffs seven times, been to the Pro Bowl six times, has never missed a start and seemingly gets better each year. Next season, Manning likely will break several of John Unitas' franchise records.
And despite all the potential offseason fun and distractions, Manning would never let them get in the way of his job. Even after winning a championship.
"It's been a little bit of a challenge the last five weeks," he said. "But I think one of the things we've done a great job with in years past was truly putting the last game behind us. ... We always said, 'Hey, we're good, but not good enough.' It was great that we completed our goal, but now we've got to get better this year, too."
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
examiner.com |
