The Sports Truth

51 points.

That was the margin I enjoyed going into Sunday night’s much-anticipated Colts-Patriots battle, with my star receiver, Reggie Wayne, still to play and my opponent enjoying the services of both Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison. We were cautiously optimistic, but would need almost every one of those 51 points to hold on for a gut-wrenching, desperate fantasy football win.

Mr. Britney Spears, a team that may have to rename itself Britney’s Divorce Lawyers in light of recent events, wouldn’t have had that cushion to begin with were it not for a complete team effort in the 1:00 and 4:00 games.

There was no margin for error. The Boss Bombers, led by a general manager for whom The 40-Year-Old Virgin is not just a movie but an inevitability, somehow held a firm grasp on first place at 7-1. We came in at 4-4 and battling for our playoff lives. Everything had to click for us Sunday.

For the second straight week, giving Philip Rivers the start at QB over Drew Brees (the irony) proved inadvisable. But aside from that, it was smooth sailing right up until the night game. Larry Johnson ran for 172 yards and a touchdown, then offered this quote after the game to further motivate his teammates.

“I’m a little disappointed because I feel we did leave 200 yards of rushing on that field,” LJ said. “The way we were going out there and just pushing them backward and shakings things up, we should have done even more.”

That’s the kind of attitude we’d need if we were going to knock off the Bombers, and LJ’s teammates responded. Tony Gonzalez caught a pair of TD passes. Chester Taylor was able to grind out 96 yards rushing and catch eight passes out of the backfield for 14 points at the other running back spot. Mark Clayton got into the mix with eight catches of his own, while San Diego’s defense notched two turnovers — one a fumble returned for a score — against the beleaguered Browns.

But the game ball goes, without question, to Javon Walker (above). We drafted Javon high and had big expectations for him coming into the year, and while he’s played some good football, this served as his coming out party — and we’re not talking Neil Patrick Harris style.

With six receptions for 134 yards and two TDs, and a 72-yard reverse that also went for a touchdown, Walker established himself as a premiere threat in this league — and staked us to the 51-point edge we’d take into the Pats-Colts bloodbath. Little did we know how vital that would be.
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Overkill.

That sums up week one of the NFL season. Thankfully, with the Manning Bowl in the books, we can all return to our lives. As much as NBC would like you to believe that the meeting of Eli and Peyton Manning was a heart-wrenching experience for the family, and a landmark moment in sports history, it was merely a sloppy football game.

Let me tell you who doesn’t care one bit about the Manning family: Colts and Giants fans.

As a Giants fan, I adore Eli and have no problem with his big brother. But I was ticked off when I saw Colts-Giants on the opening day slate. I knew the spectacle surrounding this lovefest/sob story would be incalculable, but primarily, I dreaded the game because the Colts are good.

Peyton is a perennial MVP candidate leading a team considered to be Super Bowl-bound. That’s the extent to which I care. Giants fans are some of the NFL’s best, and I am confident speaking for most of New Jersey in saying it shared my sentiment. We’re coming off a division title and have high expectations. Eli Manning has to play well this year. Aside from our NFC East rivals, we really don’t care who the opposition is.

Colts fans feel similarly, I’m certain. Coming off another blown chance at an NFL crown last winter, anything less than a trip to Super Bowl XLI will be a bust for Tony Dungy & Co. These two teams squaring off is compelling enough without the bogus family drama. Come on, NBC. Do you think people really feel sorry for Olivia Manning watching her sons compete?

Given that Eli and Peyton both have mammoth contracts, and appeared on 95 percent of commercials aired Sunday night (not to mention those in print, such as the milk ad shown above), they will earn many U.S. dollars this year. They are good guys, to be sure, but they’re cashing in on the supposed “Manning Bowl” every step of the way. Both have an opportunity to own championships and private planes alike before their careers end. There is nothing to get all weepy about.

As near-royalty in the South, the Manning parents realize this. The media, however, does not. I actually feared for Eli’s physical well-being Sunday, and not because of Dwight Freeney’s pass-rushing ability. The throng of photographers enveloping him after the final gun was staggering. Images of the bulls running in Pamplona raced through my decaying brain. Luckily for the Giants, he was not trampled and will likely start this week against the Eagles.

NOTE TO MAJOR MEDIA OUTLETS: There are football games being played this week. Cover them. Enough with the overblown human interest crap. If you’re desperate for real news, or parents with real concerns, profile parents of our servicemen and women in Iraq. Or even the families of the two patients on Grey’s Anatomy who were impaled on that metal pole! The doctors had to choose which one survived! Now that’s drama.

P.S. Eli played well and Big Blue had its chances, but Peyton (above) ultimately led the Colts to a tough 26-21 victory.