ESPN just reported that Manning will sit out 2004 season....

[crow]

To quote Bum Phillips on the draft process:

"If you ain't lyin', you ain't tryin'!"

The whole pro draft is an excercise in gamesmanship that is based on deception and manuevering. The Chargers did exactly that! They manipulated the system to get what they need...multiple picks. They manipulated an honest man, Archie Manning, into doing their dirty work for them. Then by making their negotiations with the Mannings public, the home crowd hates the Mannings and loves them for getting the best deal they could get; they get multiple picks plus a first round quarterback; and Archie and Eli take the fall.

Archie, to be a long time pro, showed a bit of naivete in not recognizing a classic shell game. Hate it for them and hope it all works out for Eli.

Only in America!

[RedEyed Duck]

Archie, to be a long time pro, showed a bit of naivete in not recognizing a classic shell game

Thats what I'm saying!

[dukdawgn]

so eli spoke up about which team he wanted to play for? heck man, wasn't a sole there that didn't have their preference, just most afraid to come forth with it. look at kellan winslow jr. He speaks up bout how Gibbs didn't draft him, now everybody says "poor baby". same junk they woulda said bout eli, had he waited until afterward, except then it woulda taken a pounding like they set Ryan Leaf or Drew Brees up for before anyone woulda known any different. Any team that ruins 2 top draft QB's in 3 years and ultimately has to revert back to 2 40+ year old backups has definitely got the gears all screw'd up in the program. Only reason doug flutie is still alive after this year is that no body can catch his shrimp-arse. i'd have done the exact same thing if i was eli. no sense in getting the hell knocked out of you for a situation you don't even want to be in, just so you can please the world's critics. there will always be the critics for the mannings. maybe if they were a group of DUI, gun wielding, rape-artists, well then maybe the world would get off their case. sure works for most of the others you see on TV on a day to day basis....

[Canton_Coot_Killer]

If Manning had gone to the Chargers, a few years down the road all State fans would be saying how overrated he was coming out of the draft because he wouldn't have the stats and big numbers... Why?

Because he would be in San Diego playing Marty Ball.... Run run run run run run run run run pass...

The system didn't fit, I wouldn't have went to that crap team either...The coach sucks as bad as the team.....
Now when you're not picked #1, people don't expect that much out of you, but with being picked #1, you have that pressure to perform.

Hopefully, Coughlin will turn him loose and we'll see if he flops or performs....