Eli

A Manning is going to the Super Bowl and it ain't Peyton.

If anyone had said to me at the beginning of this season that Peyton's baby brother would be going to the Super Bowl while Peyton watched, I would not have believed it. Eli has been in the shadow of his big brother all his young life. The name Manning may open doors, but it brings an awful lot of pressure as well.

Eli's daddy is Ole Miss legend Archie Manning. It is hard to explain to anyone not from around here what "Archiemania" was like in those days. Even those of us who did not root for Ole Miss had a soft spot for the polite, soft spoken young man from Drew, Mississippi. We were happy when he was drafted by the New Orleans Saints, who were the closest thing Mississippians had to a "home" team.

But, New Orleans was never able to build a decent team around Archie and he played almost his entire career being the only good player on a team so bad that fans wore paper bags over their heads to the games. He tried to play a couple of other places, but by that time his oft sacked and weary body just wasn't up to it anymore. He left the pro game, never realizing his potential.

When the draft threatened to put Eli in the same position his daddy had been in years before, Archie stepped in to try to keep that from happening. It might not have been the smartest move, but it was certainly motivated by concern for his son's future. I think Eli's behavior on draft day had more to do with Archie than Eli himself.

Since then, I think Eli has shown that he is willing to do what it takes to grow into his name and family legacy. Even if he does not win the Super Bowl, (and I am by no means counting him out) I think he has shown the football world that he too has the talent and heart to take his rightful place in Manning history.

I wish him the best.