Being a "good teammate"

[Spider-Dan]

Of all the negative things you can say about Manning (choker, overrated, circus act at the line, etc.), what he did yesterday was simply deplorable.

For him to say "I'm trying to be a good teammate" right before he does THE EXACT OPPOSITE tells me that he's aware of what he's doing.  This is like Daniell Harper saying "I'm trying to be a good wife" right as she stabs Nick Harper in the knee.

I used to have respect for Peyton, even if only as the lovable loser that can't get over the hump.  But what he did yesterday was a punk move.  It was classless.

[jtex316]

What did he do yesterday, can you explain?  Did he throw Vanderjagt under the bus?

[gocowboys31]

A person's true character comes out when the chips are down. Anyone can be honky dory when everything is on cruise control. This is why i call him a frontrunner. wHEN ADVERSITY strikes he finds fault with others. AT least a-rod stood up after his 2-17 performance and put the blame of the yankess losing the series on his shoulders.


Again you can trace it back to his days at the university of tenn, when the gators got on him he folded, just like he did yesterday. And its because of his contract that wont allow the colts to add more pieces, instead the colts will continue to lose pieces year after year. I agree totally classless.

[Thundergod]

Trying to argue over Peyton is basically worthless here w/ all the haters.  But one thing I'm sure of,  HE WAS RIGHT.  (he only made the mistake of saying it on TV)

[Sunstroke]

Trying to argue over Peyton is basically worthless here w/ all the haters.  But one thing I'm sure of,  HE WAS RIGHT.  (he only made the mistake of saying it on TV)

ding, ding, ding...we have a winner!

[JVides]

So, you have this group project due for your work, and you're the elected representative.  Your group prepares a great speech; the prospective client will be thrilled.  You each go through your parts, and then one guy in your team (We'll call him Steve) gets the yips, stammers and stumbles through his part, even mispronounces the prospective client's name.

So...your boss calls you into his office and asks:  "What happened out there?  Why did you not land this account?  Why was the prospective client unhappy?"

Would any of you holier-than-thou people be "the good teammate" and say "Sorry, boss, as the group leader, I am culpable for losing the account" or would you tell your boss "Steve screwed it up"?  I'd wager the lot of you would TELL THE TRUTH; Stevie-boy screwed the pooch, and the client was unimpressed.

Well, guess what, fellas?  Peyton Manning was getting his ass kicked out there all day because his offensive line, backs, and tight ends were NOT picking up the blitz.  He spoke the truth.  Blocking was an issue.  When he had time to throw, Manning was (as always) LETHAL.  The blocking was substandard.  The media knew this to be true, HENCE the relentless barrage of "what happened to the O-Line, Peyton?", and  "Where was the blocking, Peyton?", and "Why was Pittsburgh's blitz so effective, Peyton?".

Would you rather the same old "one game at a time, we didn't execute, they wanted it more, we gave it 110%" cliches that pass for interviews these days?  Peyton sent a signal to his coach and team...GET ME A LEFT TACKLE!!

[Dave Gray]

So, you have this group project due for your work, and you're the elected representative.  Your group prepares a great speech; the prospective client will be thrilled.  You each go through your parts, and then one guy in your team (We'll call him Steve) gets the yips, stammers and stumbles through his part, even mispronounces the prospective client's name.

So...your boss calls you into his office and asks:  "What happened out there?  Why did you not land this account?  Why was the prospective client unhappy?"

Would any of you holier-than-thou people be "the good teammate" and say "Sorry, boss, as the group leader, I am culpable for losing the account" or would you tell your boss "Steve screwed it up"?  I'd wager the lot of you would TELL THE TRUTH; Stevie-boy screwed the pooch, and the client was unimpressed.

Your example deals with a private setting -- the boss calling the employee into his office.  Sure, there is accountability, but to the right sources.

In your same scenerio, if someone from a company went on TV and blamed their bottom line on another individual in the company, it would be comparable.

...not a private meeting in the office.

Peyton was a shmuck about how the Colts lost.

[bsfins]

Well,Jvides basicly said what I was thinking in a round about way....

I don't see Peyton did anything "Wrong" in stating,We had protection problems....

It's not like saying Our idiot kicker couldn't make a 46 yrd field goal,INDOORS with no wind to put us into Overtime.

Or My Wr dropped the damn TD pass in the endzone to win the damn game,even though it hit his hands twice befor he dropped it....

[Phishfan]

B raises a very good point. If Manning wanted to be a complete ass, as many people probably already thought he was for the comments he did make, he would have taken his return shot back at that idiot kicker who called him out once before.

[Dave Gray]

Part of the job of a franchise quarterback is being a figure-head.  It's not just playing well...it's being a leader and keeping the team as one.

Even if Peyton is correct (which I'm sure he is), the correct response is something like: "We just fell short.  Pittsburgh is a great team, and played well."

...even if it's bullshit.
...even if you have to bite your tongue.

Because at the end of the day, you lost either way -- and now you risk losing the respect of your teammates.  Peyton, be a class act, unlike anyone else in your family.

[YoFuggedaboutit]

 Peyton, be a class act, unlike anyone else in your family.

This proves the apples don't fall far from the tree.  First Eli pulls his whiny stunt in the draft last year, and now this.  

[JVides]

Your example deals with a private setting -- the boss calling the employee into his office.  Sure, there is accountability, but to the right sources.

This is true, my example deals with a private matter.  Who must Peyton Manning answer to, though?  His coach, yes.  His GM, yes.  The owner, check.
The Public...ah, yes.  If you answer to the public, how, pray tell, do you air your grievances?  In public, of course.  Would it have suited you better if you'd read that Peyton Manning bitched out his O-line in the locker room and an "unnamed source within the team" relayed the news to Len Pasquarelli?  It's the same thing; the message remains the same.  The offensive line was not up to snuff.  

[dolfan13]

it definitely wasn't the smartest thing to do. in case you haven't noticed peyton, those guys out there are trying to save you ass. coming out on tv like that and throwing them under the bus, aint gonna get other guys to come out and want to protect your ass any better. in fact, jabbing them when they are down, while you are collecting a fat paycheck, may want to make some of them start to do more "ole" moves on defensive linement as payback your ass. what a terrible leader...

[Spider-Dan]

What did he do yesterday, can you explain?  Did he throw Vanderjagt under the bus?

During a postgame interview, he was asked what happened (or something to that effect), and he said... "Well... I'm trying to be a good teammate here... but we had protection problems.  We definitely had some protection problems." (paraphrased)

The scenario of the boss calling you into his office is completely and totally irrelevant.  If Tony Dungy or Bill Polian called Peyton into their office and asked him the same question, I would expect Peyton to berate his OL, and that's OK.  You see, those gentlemen are in a position to actually do something about the problem.

But saying that to the media is just classless.  What would you say if the media asked Willie McGinest what happened on Saturday, and he said "The QB didn't do his job today"?  It is not your place to comment on the performance of your teammates to the media.

Case in point:  the idiot kicker.  When Vanderjagt criticized his QB's attitude, Manning certainly didn't like that.  So why is he turning around and doing the same thing?

[Spider-Dan]

This is true, my example deals with a private matter.  Who must Peyton Manning answer to, though?  His coach, yes.  His GM, yes.  The owner, check.
The Public...ah, yes.

Peyton Manning doesn't answer to the public.  His bosses might, but he doesn't.  The public has no control over the Colts' roster, at all.

If you answer to the public, how, pray tell, do you air your grievances?  In public, of course.  Would it have suited you better if you'd read that Peyton Manning bitched out his O-line in the locker room and an "unnamed source within the team" relayed the news to Len Pasquarelli?  It's the same thing; the message remains the same.  The offensive line was not up to snuff.  

It's not the same thing.  Making that statement to the public serves exactly one purpose; it (ostensibly) protects his image, and shifts the blame away from him to the OL.  This is exactly what made it a cowardly, punk statement; rather than accept his role in the defeat, he tries to pass the blame to his OL.

Even if his statement was true (hell, especially if it was true), it is not his place to call out his teammates.  If Tony Dungy didn't feel it necessary to publicly bash the OL, Manning doesn't have any business whatsoever opening his mouth about it.