The Book of Manning [Merge]

[dgambill]

I finally sat down & watched this marvelous documentary revealing what made Archie Manning a great human being: The drive to be a loving & caring father to his 3 sons: Cooper, Peyton, & Eli largely because Archie's father had difficulty expressing affection to his son &, after Archie discovered his dad's body from a gunshot wound, he knew how important family was & to let them know what they mean to you individually.

 

My dad grew up with a stern father too who never really showed affection very often. That's why SW1 goes out of my to hug my nephews, joke around with them, & let them know that their uncle will always be there for them no matter what. Why? Because I saw firsthand what a strict father who never told his son that he was proud of him & loves him does to a person.  I also respect that Archie Manning gave Peyton & Eli the freedom to choose their colleges without any undue influence or guilt trips. 

 

What hit me hardest was when Cooper Manning could no longer pursue his dream of playing college football due to a spinal issue & his brother Peyton took his high school football number 18 & told Cooper in a letter "You will live football through me now." And then you see tears well up in Cooper's eyes...Jesus, that would be like if someone told me that I could no longer play percussion anymore or I was going deaf & I could no longer listen to music or my favorite bands or musicians anymore. I would be crushed, demoralized, & devastated. 

 

I am really proud of Archie Manning because not enough men in this world get enough credit for raising well adjusted children & for being an exceptional father. So many men are absent in their children's lives. Not Archie he wants his sons to be loving, kind, responsible, & giving individuals...Bravo Archie Bravo! Trophies mean nothing next to family & letting your children & siblings know that they are respected, admired, & loved for who they are above all else. 

The whole family...and I mean whole family are first class people all the way. I know Archie got a lot of flack for pushing to have Eli get traded but I think he wanted him to go to a first class organization (Giants) instead of SD who had lots of issues. But the love and reverence they show their father tells me all I need to know about the men Peyton and his brothers are and the father Archie is.

 

I've read about all that stuff before but witnessing them tell it was a lot more powerful...especially that part about Cooper. You don't get the emotion from a book the way he told it in person. What he felt about his dream being taken away and what it meant for Peyton to write him a letter telling him his dream will live on through him. I've read that story before but hearing it in their own words you truely feel the weight of it. Think about that letter for a second.....the pressure Peyton has placed on his shoulders not only to achieve his own dreams but to live a life...or career to honor your brother...that is no small feat. I believe it could be a little why he is the way he is and possibly why sometimes he has failed...trying too hard..or putting too much pressure on himself. Its easy to dismiss but this isn't like winning one for someone passed on...this is about winning for a brother who you looked up to...that you are extremely close to and who you talk to everyday.

 

Also it is clear that Peyton learned to start writing letters at a very early age. We all have marveled at how he writes them to teammates or people whose careers he has admired and goes to show he pours a lot of himself into those.

 

I fully understand why people don't cheer for him...especially when we are playing him...but it is hard to root against or dislike a "man" of that character. I know we have plenty of people with outstanding character on our team but players like that...I take a special interest in. Thats why Peyton was more than a Colt to me he was an example of a good role model I liked to share with others that I mentor. There are lots of others out there on different teams and no longer playing that I would root for because I knew their character...whether it was a Kurt Warner or Tim Tebow I held a special place for those guys.

 

If anyone has some stories or links to some others players with these characteristics on and off the field please feel free to share them. I love using them when speaking to children and giving them good role models....on and off the field.