Sports Notes - ELI MANNING LEADS GIANTS to 17-14 Super Bowl Win over Patriots - February 2008

2008 Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning - photo 2007 The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports 2007 Super Bowl MVP Peyton Manning - photo Cpl. Michelle M. Dickson

James Loving - National Radio Text Service - Friday February 8, 2008

Eli goes from a sow's ear to a silk purse after being the Giant's #1 pick their fans booed and chanted "Eli Sucks! WHO SUCKS NOW??? - Eli Manning joins Peyton to become NFL's first brothers to win back to back Super Bowls & MVP Awards - New England fail in effort for perfect season and a 19-0 record - - ALL Super Bowl Results

WHO SUCKS NOW???

The dynamics were there for Super Bowl XLII (42) as the Giants entered that game with a not so impressive 13-6 record against the 12-point favorite New England Patriots who were vying to be the NFL's first team with a perfect 19-0 season and a Super Bowl title to top the 1972 Miami Dolphins who recorded a 17-0 record including a 14-7 Super Bowl win over the Washington Redskins.

Entering the game the Patriots had won three of the previous six Super Bowls. The Giants had a turnaround season after losing their first two games only to then turn on the burners and romp to an NFL record an 11 straight wins on the road including 4 in the championship run post season for an overall 11-1 road record.

But what most football fans were focused on was if Eli Manning could duplicate his brother Peyton's Super Bowl winning effort last year in leading the Indianapolis Colts to a 29-17 win over the Chicago Bears. If Eli could pull that off it would be the first time that brothers quarterbacked their teams to back to back Super Bowl titles.

With older brother Peyton in attendance it was a storybook result when 27-year-old, 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Eli led the Giants to a come from behind 17-14 victory. With just 35 seconds remaining in the game Manning threw a 13-yard pass to the corner of the end zone to receiver Plaxico Burress for the win. The Giants victory is considered as one of the biggest upsets in Super Bowl history. They also are the first Wild Card team (A team that didn't have the best record in their division) to win the title.

The brothers helped ease the pain that their father Archie suffered through an NFL career that saw him failing to win with a New Orleans Saints team that was so bad the fans wore paper bags over their heads and called the team the Aint's rather than the Saints because they were so embarrassing in losing so many games. Then winning the Super Bowl title was out of the question the goal was just to have a winning season. Archie cm close but winning more games than losing never happened.

Examples of Archie's 10-year Saint career are:

In 1972, nine years before Eli's birth, Archie led the league in pass attempts and completions, and led the NFC in passing yards, though the team's record was only 2-13-1. In 1978, he was named the NFC Player Of The Year by UPI after leading the Saints to their first non-losing season. They finished 8-8. That same year, Archie was also named All-NFC by both the UPI and The Sporting News.

Like his father Eli was criticized by the media since the time that he signed with the Giants. Manning was drafted by the San Diego Chargers with the first overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft. However he said he didn't want to play for the Chargers and a draft-day trade sent Manning to the Giants in return for the fourth overall pick Philip Rivers, a third round selection in the 2004 NFL Draft and the Giants' first- and fifth-round picks in the 2005 NFL Draft.

Giant fans felt that he was not the person capable of taking the Giants to the promise land of a Super Bowl championship. The controversy put a damper on the NFL draft day celebration that normally goes with being the #1 pick, as the crowd booed and chanted "Eli Sucks!" when his name was announced. After four years in the league Eli matured and pulled it all together earning him the 2008 games MVP award as his brother did the previous year. Eli showed the world who sucks…. his critics and crow will be served.

ELI HAS THE SMARTS

Eli earned numerous academic honors while at The University of Mississippi (commonly referred to as "Ole Miss"). He made the Chancellor's Honor Roll in the Fall of 1999 and the Fall of 2002, the Dean's Honor Roll in the Spring and Fall of 2000. Additionally, Manning made the U.M.A.A. Honor Roll in the Spring of 2001, 2002, and 2003. He also made the 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003 SEC Academic Honor Roll.

He was also named to the 2001 and 2002 Verizon District VI All-Academic first team and the 2001 Verizon national All-Academic second team. He received the 2003 The Sporting News Radio Socrates Award, which recognizes a collegiate student-athlete who demonstrates excellence in academics, athletics, and citizenship.

Manning received the NCAA's Today's Top VIII Award (the highest honor given to student-athletes by the NCAA, which includes an $18,000 post-graduate scholarship). He was also a finalist for the Draddy Award, given to the top student-athlete in the nation. Manning received the 2003 Colonel Earl (Red) Blaik Leadership Award from The All-America Foundation, which included a scholarship to the University of Mississippi given in his name. While at the University of Mississippi, Manning graduated with a degree in Marketing and finished with a GPA of 3.44 In addition he was also elected to the Ole Miss Student Hall of Fame.

Manning was also on the 2006 President's Council on Physical Fitness & Sports

FATHER ARCHIE HAS THE HISTORY

Eli's father ARCHIE MANNING played for the Saints for ten full seasons, none of them winning. In 1972 he led the league in pass attempts and completions, and led the NFC in passing yards, though the team's record was only 2-13-1. In 1978, he was named the NFC Player Of The Year by UPI after leading the Saints to their first non-losing season. They finished 8-8.

That same year, Archie was also named All-NFC by both the UPI and The Sporting News. Manning was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1978 and 1979.

He went on to conclude his career with the Houston Oilers (1982-83) and the Minnesota Vikings (1983-84), where the teams posted a collective record of 6-35. He ended his 13-year career having completed 2011 of 3642 passes for 23,911 yards and 125 touchdowns, with 173 interceptions. He also rushed for 2197 yards and 18 touchdowns. His 2011 completions ranked 17th in NFL history upon his retirement.

RELATED STORY: The Family Manning

NOTES:

AMERICAN IDOL IN THE HOUSE

Former American Idol contestant Kellie Pickler became a reporter for Jay Leno's Tonight television Show. She attended the Super Bowl media day and showed her comedic skills when she interviewed the players. She even persuaded some of the players to try on her red high heel shoes. The girl has talent

Pickler (born June 28, 1986) finished sixth on the fifth season of American Idol. After Idol she signed with BNA Records as a recording artist. Her debut album Small Town Girl was released in late 2006. The album was certified gold in the United States for sales exceeding 500,000 copies, and it produced three singles on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs charts.

The 19-year-old Pickler auditioned for American Idol in the fall of 2005 in Greensboro, North Carolina. She sang both Kelly Clarkson's "Since U Been Gone" and Martina McBride's "A Broken Wing". The judges sent her to Hollywood. Pickler advanced through the semi-finalist rounds in February. On March 9, she reached the Top 12.

Pickler was among one of judge Simon Cowell's favorites. He once predicted Pickler would be in the final three, and said he preferred her over the previous season's winner, Carrie Underwood.

Recognized for her "quirky" personality and Southern charm, Pickler gained attention on the show by saying (for example) that she had hardly ever performed before real audiences, and mispronounced words. She is recognized for her "sweet Southern style and ditzy demeanor".

Super Bowl Game History Scores

Game *** Date *** Result

XLII Feb 3, 2008 NY Giants 17, New England Patriots 14

XLI Feb 4, 2007 Indianapolis Colts 29, Chicago Bears 17

XL Feb. 5, 2006 Pittsburgh 21, Seattle Seahawks 10

XXXIX Feb. 6, 2005 New England 24, Philadelphia 21

XXXVIII Feb. 1, 2004 New England 32, Carolina 29

XXXVII Jan. 26, 2003 Tampa Bay 48, Oakland 21

XXXVI Feb. 3, 2002 New England 20, St. Louis 17

XXXV Jan. 28, 2001 Baltimore 34, N.Y. Giants 7

XXXIV Jan. 30, 2000 St. Louis 23, Tennessee 16

XXXIII Jan. 31, 1999 Denver 34, Atlanta 19

XXXII Jan. 25, 1998 Denver 31, Green Bay 24

XXXI Jan. 26, 1997 Green Bay 35, New England 21

XXX Jan. 28, 1996 Dallas 27, Pittsburgh 17

XXIX Jan. 29, 1995 San Francisco 49, San Diego 26

XXVIII Jan. 30, 1994 Dallas 30, Buffalo 13

XXVII Jan. 31, 1993 Dallas 52, Buffalo 17

XXVI Jan. 26, 1992 Washington 37, Buffalo 24

XXV Jan. 27, 1991 N.Y. Giants 20, Buffalo 19

XXIV Jan. 28, 1990 San Francisco 55, Denver 10

XXIII Jan. 22, 1989 San Francisco 20, Cincinnati 16

XXII Jan. 31, 1988 Washington 42, Denver 10

XXI Jan. 25, 1987 N.Y. Giants 39, Denver 20

XX Jan. 26, 1986 Chicago 46, New England 10

XIX Jan. 20, 1985 San Francisco 38, Miami 16

XVIII Jan. 22, 1984 L.A. Raiders 38, Washington 9

XVII Jan. 30, 1983 Washington 27, Miami 17

XVI Jan. 24, 1982 San Francisco 26, Cincinnati 21

XV Jan. 25, 1981 Oakland 27, Philadelphia 10

XIV Jan. 20, 1980 Pittsburgh 31, L.A. Rams 19

XIII Jan. 21, 1979 Pittsburgh 35, Dallas 31

XII Jan. 15, 1978 Dallas 27, Denver 10

XI Jan. 9, 1977 Oakland 32, Minnesota 14

X Jan. 18, 1976 Pittsburgh 21, Dallas 17

IX Jan. 12, 1975 Pittsburgh 16, Minnesota 6

VIII Jan. 13, 1974 Miami 24, Minnesota 7

VII Jan. 14, 1973 Miami 14, Washington 7 - the only NFL perfect season and Super Bowl championship team

VI Jan. 16, 1972 Dallas 24, Miami 3

V Jan. 17, 1971 Baltimore 16, Dallas 13

IV Jan. 11, 1970 Kansas City 23, Minnesota 7

III Jan. 12, 1969 N.Y. Jets 16, Baltimore 7

II Jan. 14, 1968 Green Bay 33, Oakland 14

I Jan. 15, 1967 Green Bay 35, Kansas City 10

SUPER BOWL HISTORY