In light of Eli recently signing a contract extension that makes him the highest paid player in the NFL, I thought it appropriate to expand upon the fact that one of the best quarterbacks in the league makes his home in the great state of New Jersey, more specifically, in Hoboken. One would think that Eli would want to live in Manhattan since he is the quarterback of one of the most high-profile teams in the league, and therefore can afford the various overpriced luxuries that New York City has to offer. But no, not a down to earth gentleman like Mr. Manning. Classy men like him choose New Jersey over New York City every time.
Eli and the Giants agreed to a 6 year contract extension worth $97.5 million ($35 million guaranteed) that if you add to the one year left for $9.4 million he has on his current contract, means he'll be around for at least 7 more years for a total of $106.4 million. Sweet Jesus that is a lot of cash. Is Eli Manning deserving of this kind of payday? Let's explore.
Eli took over for Kurt Warner during the his rookie season of 2004 and experienced some severe growing pains, which included his fabled 0.0 QB Rating performance against the Baltimore Ravens that I thankfully was in London for. Had I been here in the States and had my own personal belongings to destroy, it's safe to say that my TV would have ended up out the window, my right hand would have been broken in 6 places, and I would have significantly less friends. But none of that happened so yay! Anyway, 2005 was Eli's first year as the full-time starter, and it was largely a success despite his usual inconsistency. He finished in the top 5 in the league in passing yards and touchdowns while leading the Giants to the NFC East title with an 11-5 record. They were then destroyed in the first round of the playoffs by the Carolina Panthers, 23-0, in a game most remembered by Tiki Barber's postgame tirade about not getting the ball enough. That remains one of only 2 Giants games in my ENTIRE LIFE that I turned off before it was over. The only other is Super Bowl XXXV where we were embarrassed by Baltimore. I never wore my Ike Hilliard jersey again after that one (tear). 2006 was a lot like 2005, with Eli being inconsistent but still putting up decent numbers. The Giants started the year 6-2, only to fade down the stretch and eventually lose to the Shitadelphia Eagles in the first round of the playoffs on a last-second field goal. God I hate the Eagles.
And then came 2007. Ahhh, 2007. The year started like 2006 did, with the Giants racing out to a 6-2 start (and by racing, I mean they were the worst team in history the first 2 games, then won 6 in a row. Suffice it enough to say that I was pooping myself during our 0-2 start). Eli was playing great and the defense was dominant. Then came the inevitable second half slide that began with a bad loss to the Cowboys that I blame on those ridiculous red jerseys we break out every once in a while. They are AWFUL. After that game Giants owner John Mara publicly questioned whether or not the Giants could win with Eli at the helm. He didn't answer that question very well, as two weeks later he threw 4 interceptions, 3 of which were returned for touchdowns, in a 41-17 loss to the Vikings. Eli also set a record for most incompletions in a game during a loss to the Redskins in week 15. They were not the most inspiring performances, and they led to a public outcry for Eli's head. Despite all this, the Giants won in Buffalo in week 16 to secure a spot in the playoffs, then played their best game of the year in week 17 against the undefeated Patriots, where Eli matched Tom Brady score for score until they finally lost at the very end. It was a good sign for the playoffs, and gave all us Giants fans hope that another first round exit may not have been in the cards.
The playoffs began with a convincing win at Tampa Bay, then continued with a great win against Tony Homo and the Cowboys in Dallas, after which Terrell Owens memorably cried during his press conference and I laughed extremely hard. Eli played great in both games; the throw he made on an out pattern to Kevin Boss as the first half was winding down in the Cowboys game was one of the most beautiful throws you will ever see a quarterback make, perfectly weighted with just the right amount of touch to get over 3 Cowboy defenders and settle into Boss' hands as he tiptoed along the sideline. Then came the NFC Championship game in Green Bay, where it was -2 degrees outside with a wind chill of -23, the third coldest game in NFL history. These were the types of conditions where Brett Favre normally thrived, while Eli normally was terrible. This, however, was not the case on this day, as Eli, with the help of a dominant Plaxico Burress, outplayed Favre in every way, leading the Giants to Super Bowl XLII after Lawrence Tynes hit his third attempt at a game winner in overtime (do we really have 4 more years of Lawrence Tynes? Crap). Now it was on to Glendale, Arizona for a rematch with the now 18-0 New England Patriots.
Super Bowl XLII was a defensive struggle until the 4th quarter, which began with the score 7-3 Patriots. Eli began the quarter by hitting Kevin Boss over the middle for a 45 yard catch and run. The drive ended with Eli hitting David Tyree for a touchdown on a beautiful play-action pass to make it 10-7 Giants. New England eventually responded to go up 14-10 with 2 and a half minutes left, at which time Eli walked on to the field for one final drive, to either become the most unlikely of Super Bowl Champions, or to go home second best. The Giants made their way to their own 44 yard line for a 3rd down and 5 with 1:15 left on the clock, when the following play happened that you may recall:
(Hold on one moment while Steve collects himself)
...
There we go. It was the greatest play in Super Bowl history, and it was the kind of play that big-time players make when their team needs it the most. Eli Manning made that play, miraculously escaping from the clutches of the Patriot defense and heaving a pass downfield that David Tyree improbably caught on his helmet, himself instantly becoming a hero. Manning would hit Plaxico Burress for the game-winning touchdown a few plays later, and the New York Giants were Super Bowl XLII Champions, beating the previously unbeatable Patriots. It was the greatest moment of my life, and led to me emptying my entire bank account and going completely broke on Giants Super Bowl memorabilia. Trust me when I say I would gladly do it again.
In 2008, the Giants began the year an incredible 11-1, with the defense again dominant and Eli seemingly taking the next step towards becoming an elite quarterback. That was, of course, until Plaxico Burress shot himself in the thigh, thereby ruining the Giants season, not to mention his own career. IDIOT. We eventually would lose to the Eagles again in the first round of the playoffs.
So now that we've made our way to the present time where Eli has received this exorbitant contract extension, I'm going to break out the Eli Manning Face Rating System to grade his career up to this point. Remember I introduced this rating system in my last entry, but was unable to use any faces because Megan Wants a Millionaire was so atrocious. So here it is, the first ever Eli Manning Face Rating System that will actually show the Faces, appropriately grading Eli Manning himself:
There you have it. 4 out of 5 Eli Manning Faces for Eli Manning. I didn't give him that last face for a perfect grade because he has yet to reach the point where he is consistently excellent. But don't think this is a bad grade. 4 Faces is a great grade, one he deserves due to leading my Giants to the most improbable Super Bowl Championship ever by driving them down the field in the last moments of the game under the most immense amount of pressure. And that is the exact moment where Eli excels: when the game is on the line and the pressure is at it's greatest. In his brief career he has shown that when the chips are down, he is going to get the job done and lead his team to victory, and this is why I believe he deserves the contract he has been given. I look forward to many more years of greatness, and hopefully a few more Super Bowl Championships, from Eli Manning, the great quarterback who lives in the great state of New Jersey.
Eli and the Giants agreed to a 6 year contract extension worth $97.5 million ($35 million guaranteed) that if you add to the one year left for $9.4 million he has on his current contract, means he'll be around for at least 7 more years for a total of $106.4 million. Sweet Jesus that is a lot of cash. Is Eli Manning deserving of this kind of payday? Let's explore.
Eli took over for Kurt Warner during the his rookie season of 2004 and experienced some severe growing pains, which included his fabled 0.0 QB Rating performance against the Baltimore Ravens that I thankfully was in London for. Had I been here in the States and had my own personal belongings to destroy, it's safe to say that my TV would have ended up out the window, my right hand would have been broken in 6 places, and I would have significantly less friends. But none of that happened so yay! Anyway, 2005 was Eli's first year as the full-time starter, and it was largely a success despite his usual inconsistency. He finished in the top 5 in the league in passing yards and touchdowns while leading the Giants to the NFC East title with an 11-5 record. They were then destroyed in the first round of the playoffs by the Carolina Panthers, 23-0, in a game most remembered by Tiki Barber's postgame tirade about not getting the ball enough. That remains one of only 2 Giants games in my ENTIRE LIFE that I turned off before it was over. The only other is Super Bowl XXXV where we were embarrassed by Baltimore. I never wore my Ike Hilliard jersey again after that one (tear). 2006 was a lot like 2005, with Eli being inconsistent but still putting up decent numbers. The Giants started the year 6-2, only to fade down the stretch and eventually lose to the Shitadelphia Eagles in the first round of the playoffs on a last-second field goal. God I hate the Eagles.And then came 2007. Ahhh, 2007. The year started like 2006 did, with the Giants racing out to a 6-2 start (and by racing, I mean they were the worst team in history the first 2 games, then won 6 in a row. Suffice it enough to say that I was pooping myself during our 0-2 start). Eli was playing great and the defense was dominant. Then came the inevitable second half slide that began with a bad loss to the Cowboys that I blame on those ridiculous red jerseys we break out every once in a while. They are AWFUL. After that game Giants owner John Mara publicly questioned whether or not the Giants could win with Eli at the helm. He didn't answer that question very well, as two weeks later he threw 4 interceptions, 3 of which were returned for touchdowns, in a 41-17 loss to the Vikings. Eli also set a record for most incompletions in a game during a loss to the Redskins in week 15. They were not the most inspiring performances, and they led to a public outcry for Eli's head. Despite all this, the Giants won in Buffalo in week 16 to secure a spot in the playoffs, then played their best game of the year in week 17 against the undefeated Patriots, where Eli matched Tom Brady score for score until they finally lost at the very end. It was a good sign for the playoffs, and gave all us Giants fans hope that another first round exit may not have been in the cards.
The playoffs began with a convincing win at Tampa Bay, then continued with a great win against Tony Homo and the Cowboys in Dallas, after which Terrell Owens memorably cried during his press conference and I laughed extremely hard. Eli played great in both games; the throw he made on an out pattern to Kevin Boss as the first half was winding down in the Cowboys game was one of the most beautiful throws you will ever see a quarterback make, perfectly weighted with just the right amount of touch to get over 3 Cowboy defenders and settle into Boss' hands as he tiptoed along the sideline. Then came the NFC Championship game in Green Bay, where it was -2 degrees outside with a wind chill of -23, the third coldest game in NFL history. These were the types of conditions where Brett Favre normally thrived, while Eli normally was terrible. This, however, was not the case on this day, as Eli, with the help of a dominant Plaxico Burress, outplayed Favre in every way, leading the Giants to Super Bowl XLII after Lawrence Tynes hit his third attempt at a game winner in overtime (do we really have 4 more years of Lawrence Tynes? Crap). Now it was on to Glendale, Arizona for a rematch with the now 18-0 New England Patriots.Super Bowl XLII was a defensive struggle until the 4th quarter, which began with the score 7-3 Patriots. Eli began the quarter by hitting Kevin Boss over the middle for a 45 yard catch and run. The drive ended with Eli hitting David Tyree for a touchdown on a beautiful play-action pass to make it 10-7 Giants. New England eventually responded to go up 14-10 with 2 and a half minutes left, at which time Eli walked on to the field for one final drive, to either become the most unlikely of Super Bowl Champions, or to go home second best. The Giants made their way to their own 44 yard line for a 3rd down and 5 with 1:15 left on the clock, when the following play happened that you may recall:
(Hold on one moment while Steve collects himself)
...
There we go. It was the greatest play in Super Bowl history, and it was the kind of play that big-time players make when their team needs it the most. Eli Manning made that play, miraculously escaping from the clutches of the Patriot defense and heaving a pass downfield that David Tyree improbably caught on his helmet, himself instantly becoming a hero. Manning would hit Plaxico Burress for the game-winning touchdown a few plays later, and the New York Giants were Super Bowl XLII Champions, beating the previously unbeatable Patriots. It was the greatest moment of my life, and led to me emptying my entire bank account and going completely broke on Giants Super Bowl memorabilia. Trust me when I say I would gladly do it again.
In 2008, the Giants began the year an incredible 11-1, with the defense again dominant and Eli seemingly taking the next step towards becoming an elite quarterback. That was, of course, until Plaxico Burress shot himself in the thigh, thereby ruining the Giants season, not to mention his own career. IDIOT. We eventually would lose to the Eagles again in the first round of the playoffs.
So now that we've made our way to the present time where Eli has received this exorbitant contract extension, I'm going to break out the Eli Manning Face Rating System to grade his career up to this point. Remember I introduced this rating system in my last entry, but was unable to use any faces because Megan Wants a Millionaire was so atrocious. So here it is, the first ever Eli Manning Face Rating System that will actually show the Faces, appropriately grading Eli Manning himself:
There you have it. 4 out of 5 Eli Manning Faces for Eli Manning. I didn't give him that last face for a perfect grade because he has yet to reach the point where he is consistently excellent. But don't think this is a bad grade. 4 Faces is a great grade, one he deserves due to leading my Giants to the most improbable Super Bowl Championship ever by driving them down the field in the last moments of the game under the most immense amount of pressure. And that is the exact moment where Eli excels: when the game is on the line and the pressure is at it's greatest. In his brief career he has shown that when the chips are down, he is going to get the job done and lead his team to victory, and this is why I believe he deserves the contract he has been given. I look forward to many more years of greatness, and hopefully a few more Super Bowl Championships, from Eli Manning, the great quarterback who lives in the great state of New Jersey.
Even though Eli is a chump and causes the most holding penalties in the league, he was the nicest of the Mannings I've had to check in at work. A real sweetheart.
ReplyDeleteI remember that night. I went to my room really quickly when I was sure the Giants were going to lose and I didn't want everyones anger to be brought upon me. When they won I ran downstairs and was thrown into the air more then once...good memories : )
ReplyDelete