Eli

[Poobah]

I'm just wondering if that many people have the same feeling about John Elway today. This prima donna attitude is nothing new. I must admit I'm not feeling too happy about Eli either. However, in the long run I think he did the Chargers good.

Rivers
that PK Kaeding (?)
a 2005 #1 that could easily be a top 10
a 2005 #5

Chargers fans may be quite happy with Manning sometime soon... saw a great theory in here that if Mike Williams and Maurice Clarett go supplemental, then SD has the pick to burn now. Anyway, just my 1/50 of a dollar....

[9er Fan]

I know that if I could influence where I was going to live and work, and how much money I was going to earn over the next 10 years, I would do my damnest to give myself the best opportunity.

Not to mention that now he has Toomer, Hillard and Shockey to throw to instead of .... well instead of whoever the Charger's have to throw the ball to.

[AF]

The reason I don't like it at all is because it's not like he would have had it too bad in S.D. If they would have drafted him there is nothing that says he would have had to sign a contract for more then 2 years or so and still made $10 million dollars. He could have proven himself in S.D. then moved on to something better if would have liked. And in addition the biggest factor of all was he was being this selfish and whiney after the tribute to Pat Tillman. We all got to see within 10 or 15mins both ends of the spectrum. Tillman was extreamly thankful he even got a shot to play in the NFL and here's this brat Eli who thinks he's God's gift before he even takes a snap in the league. Granted Tillman wasn't even a first round pick but at least he was down to earth and was greatful for his gift from God not thinking he was God's gift to the masses. If you take a closer look at my list you will see that all those players have something in common. They are all extremely selfish, that is not a quality that I like in my atheletes. I know you're better then me and most other people on this planet at the sport you play, I don't need you telling me how great you are every day though.

[TheRawDAWG]

The reason I don't like it at all is because it's not like he would have had it too bad in S.D. If they would have drafted him there is nothing that says he would have had to sign a contract for more then 2 years or so and still made $10 million dollars. He could have proven himself in S.D. then moved on to something better if would have liked. And in addition the biggest factor of all was he was being this selfish and whiney after the tribute to Pat Tillman. We all got to see within 10 or 15mins both ends of the spectrum. Tillman was extreamly thankful he even got a shot to play in the NFL and here's this brat Eli who thinks he's God's gift before he even takes a snap in the league. Granted Tillman wasn't even a first round pick but at least he was down to earth and was greatful for his gift from God not thinking he was God's gift to the masses. If you take a closer look at my list you will see that all those players have something in common. They are all extremely selfish, that is not a quality that I like in my atheletes. I know you're better then me and most other people on this planet at the sport you play, I don't need you telling me how great you are every day though.

Well said!!One thing I'd like to add, even though all those other players are selfish babies most of the time. Even they didn't think highly enough of themselves to refuse to play for the team that drated them. Eli set a new standard of selfishness.

[SeaWolf]

The reason I don't like it at all is because it's not like he would have had it too bad in S.D. If they would have drafted him there is nothing that says he would have had to sign a contract for more then 2 years or so and still made $10 million dollars. He could have proven himself in S.D. then moved on to something better if would have liked. And in addition the biggest factor of all was he was being this selfish and whiney after the tribute to Pat Tillman. We all got to see within 10 or 15mins both ends of the spectrum. Tillman was extreamly thankful he even got a shot to play in the NFL and here's this brat Eli who thinks he's God's gift before he even takes a snap in the league. Granted Tillman wasn't even a first round pick but at least he was down to earth and was greatful for his gift from God not thinking he was God's gift to the masses. If you take a closer look at my list you will see that all those players have something in common. They are all extremely selfish, that is not a quality that I like in my atheletes. I know you're better then me and most other people on this planet at the sport you play, I don't need you telling me how great you are every day though.

Well said!!One thing I'd like to add, even though all those other players are selfish babies most of the time. Even they didn't think highly enough of themselves to refuse to play for the team that drated them. Eli set a new standard of selfishness.

Eli didn't set the standard. Elway did, just nobody remembers it.

[AF]

I would have remembered Elway, but I was 2 when he was drafted.

[TheRawDAWG]

The reason I don't like it at all is because it's not like he would have had it too bad in S.D. If they would have drafted him there is nothing that says he would have had to sign a contract for more then 2 years or so and still made $10 million dollars. He could have proven himself in S.D. then moved on to something better if would have liked. And in addition the biggest factor of all was he was being this selfish and whiney after the tribute to Pat Tillman. We all got to see within 10 or 15mins both ends of the spectrum. Tillman was extreamly thankful he even got a shot to play in the NFL and here's this brat Eli who thinks he's God's gift before he even takes a snap in the league. Granted Tillman wasn't even a first round pick but at least he was down to earth and was greatful for his gift from God not thinking he was God's gift to the masses. If you take a closer look at my list you will see that all those players have something in common. They are all extremely selfish, that is not a quality that I like in my atheletes. I know you're better then me and most other people on this planet at the sport you play, I don't need you telling me how great you are every day though.

Well said!!One thing I'd like to add, even though all those other players are selfish babies most of the time. Even they didn't think highly enough of themselves to refuse to play for the team that drated them. Eli set a new standard of selfishness.

Eli didn't set the standard. Elway did, just nobody remembers it.

People remember it. It's been talked about all week. But that was over 20 years ago. I'm sure Elway got roasted for it at that time as well.

[moochman]

The diff between Elway and Eli is the Elway could've made money playing minor league baseball and more importantly HE said he wouldn't play for the Colts(?) I don't hear them talking about how his daddy said it for him. I don't know why Eli doesn't want to paly in the wunshine, against the weakest secondaries in the league, with a stud in the making TE and probably Williams at WR. He will outlast Schotendumass and be a star. Now the Giants look like they are going to throw him to the wolves.

[mig28]

I saw an interesting round table discussion yesterday on ESPN with Mariucci, Billick, Denny Green, and John Fox. They all agreed that one crucial aspect of thier jobs was convincing their players to "buy what they are selling". Now, consider this; did coaches like Lombardi or Shula have to do any convincing, cajoling, or any other such mollycoddling with their players?

Of course not.

Free agency, collective bargaining, ever inflating player salaries, corporate sponsorship, and product demand have put marquee NFL players more and more in the driver's seat concerning franchise decisions. You need look no further than this past offseason, or this past weekend, for proof.

Eli Manning did not create the atmosphere which allowed him to dictate his agenda to the NFL. He merely took advantage of the climate of the league, and his relative value in that climate.

Personally, I would love to see more of the kind of balls that Gruden and the Bucs showed they had when they cut MeShawn loose; sadly, that is the exception.

Incidentally, Jevon Kearse will be the guy to FUBAR E-cry Manning.

[aussieboy]

I think its been said before but id like to just re-interate the point. The main problem with what Eli pulled was that he blatantly disrespected the process of allowing the worst teams to improve the fastest. The draft is a crucial element of the game that aims to ensure as even a playing field that can possibly occur, tampering with this process will simply ensure that the worst teams wont get better. I realise that SD got a great deal for him, but Eli has set a poor standard and i would not be surprised to see some top 10 pick next yr try and pull the same stunt, and that's the most disappointing thing.