Peyton Manning’s squeaky-clean image was built on lies
February 13, 2016 4:17 PM Subscribe
"Peyton, you messed up. I still don't know why you dropped your drawers. Maybe it was a mistake, maybe not. But it was definitely inappropriate. Please take some personal responsibility here and own up to what you did. I never understood why you didn't admit to it...."Peyton Manning’s squeaky-clean image was built on lies, as detailed in explosive court documents showing ugly smear campaign against his alleged sex assault victim by Shaun King
I am shocked, SHOCKED!, that a respected member of the NFL would prove to be morally questionable!
Why, next you'll tell me that politicians may not have my best interest at heart!
posted by evilDoug at 4:58 PM on February 13, 2016 [5 favorites]
Why, next you'll tell me that politicians may not have my best interest at heart!
posted by evilDoug at 4:58 PM on February 13, 2016 [5 favorites]
What a sickening story. What an asshole.
posted by y2karl at 5:02 PM on February 13, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by y2karl at 5:02 PM on February 13, 2016 [4 favorites]
Manning is easily the most protected football player in the past decade or so. He berates a lineman for failing to protect him or a receiver for dropping a ball? He's a leader. He leads a receiver into a three-man high-speed collision? Bad drop, the receiver has to get that. He chokes at the playoffs? It's a team game, really, can't pin this one on him. He wins at the playoffs? GOAT. Defense carries him to 2nd Superbowl ring? Yeah, without his leadership they'd be toast. Illegal substance abuse? Silly Iraqians, he's like Captain America, the fuck he needs something injected on his body.
Watch this go away again without a hitch, burried between the "is Cam Newton a punk?" storylines.
posted by lmfsilva at 5:05 PM on February 13, 2016 [36 favorites]
Watch this go away again without a hitch, burried between the "is Cam Newton a punk?" storylines.
posted by lmfsilva at 5:05 PM on February 13, 2016 [36 favorites]
Unsurprisingly, the only people in the world willing to touch this story with a 100 foot extension ladder were Shaun King and the New York Daily News. It appears these documents were public all along, making it even more surprising this is the first most of us have heard of this. There's also not even a "declined to comment" from Naughright, whom I suspect is about to suffer a phenomenal amount of embarrassment and inconvenience.
The real question is who else comes out of the woodwork now.
posted by zachlipton at 5:06 PM on February 13, 2016 [10 favorites]
The real question is who else comes out of the woodwork now.
posted by zachlipton at 5:06 PM on February 13, 2016 [10 favorites]
I read this, thinking, Yeah, the sexual assault has been public knowledge forever. Why does King think this is-- oh. Oh, holy shit. What the fuck, people.
posted by Etrigan at 5:25 PM on February 13, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by Etrigan at 5:25 PM on February 13, 2016 [3 favorites]
The silver lining to this story is how many people aren't willing to lie or harm themselves to protect Manning. The Kafka-esque aspect of this is how little the sports media were willing to even bother with this story for who knows what reason? But in every respect, inside a courtroom, the Manning's schemes got thoroughly dismantled.
posted by fatbird at 5:28 PM on February 13, 2016 [6 favorites]
posted by fatbird at 5:28 PM on February 13, 2016 [6 favorites]
Others have covered the story recently. People that don't want to believe this story are coming across as Bill Cosby apologists, IMO. This is an ancient story for anyone that follows football. It was not created for Super Bowl 50.
While we're here, lets not forget that Michael Strahan took hidden camera photos of his sister in law. No one remembers. Fucking took over for Regis and now America loves him on Live! with Kelly and Michael.
posted by The Hamms Bear at 5:29 PM on February 13, 2016 [2 favorites]
While we're here, lets not forget that Michael Strahan took hidden camera photos of his sister in law. No one remembers. Fucking took over for Regis and now America loves him on Live! with Kelly and Michael.
posted by The Hamms Bear at 5:29 PM on February 13, 2016 [2 favorites]
I want to take every single penny Peyton Manning has away from him and give it to Dr. Jamie Naughright. To start.
posted by orange swan at 5:35 PM on February 13, 2016 [8 favorites]
posted by orange swan at 5:35 PM on February 13, 2016 [8 favorites]
Huh, I deleted the end of my line of thinking.
The "image" of a athlete is a construct of the media. He who controls the narrative, can also control the image of a player. While there are unquestionable shitbags in the league, the hate some players get is mostly directed at them because they didn't have a "get out of jail" card. Look at how nobody mentions why 2014 was a paid vacation year for AP (Costas hinted, and I still think that was a FU to NFL directives), yet I still read shit about how Cutler is a terrible guy and whatever.
Archie Manning probably saved both his boys careers, first by making this go away, then for the media not calling out Eli for refusing to play for the Chargers.
posted by lmfsilva at 5:37 PM on February 13, 2016 [1 favorite]
The "image" of a athlete is a construct of the media. He who controls the narrative, can also control the image of a player. While there are unquestionable shitbags in the league, the hate some players get is mostly directed at them because they didn't have a "get out of jail" card. Look at how nobody mentions why 2014 was a paid vacation year for AP (Costas hinted, and I still think that was a FU to NFL directives), yet I still read shit about how Cutler is a terrible guy and whatever.
Archie Manning probably saved both his boys careers, first by making this go away, then for the media not calling out Eli for refusing to play for the Chargers.
posted by lmfsilva at 5:37 PM on February 13, 2016 [1 favorite]
The silver lining to this story is how many people aren't willing to lie or harm themselves to protect Manning.
All, what, four of them? The most depressing part of this story was how few such people there are, apparently.
posted by Behemoth at 5:58 PM on February 13, 2016
All, what, four of them? The most depressing part of this story was how few such people there are, apparently.
posted by Behemoth at 5:58 PM on February 13, 2016
Endorsing Papa Johns should have been enough. Papa John's is pure evil.
posted by T.D. Strange at 6:11 PM on February 13, 2016 [8 favorites]
posted by T.D. Strange at 6:11 PM on February 13, 2016 [8 favorites]
All, what, four of them?
Basically everyone who got called to the stand by the Manning defense team. They lost in court because they couldn't find anyone to corroborate their smear campaign. The complicit party here is the sports media, who bought into the Manning's gaslighting without even rudimentary checking.
Contrast this with Penn State, where various university staff bent over backwards to lie publicly about Paterno's actions wrt to Sandusky.
posted by fatbird at 6:13 PM on February 13, 2016 [3 favorites]
Basically everyone who got called to the stand by the Manning defense team. They lost in court because they couldn't find anyone to corroborate their smear campaign. The complicit party here is the sports media, who bought into the Manning's gaslighting without even rudimentary checking.
Contrast this with Penn State, where various university staff bent over backwards to lie publicly about Paterno's actions wrt to Sandusky.
posted by fatbird at 6:13 PM on February 13, 2016 [3 favorites]
From Manning's memoir:
But as luck would have it, this particular trainer had been accumulating a list of complaints against the university that she intended to take action on … alleged sexist acts that, when her lawyer finally put it together, resulted in a lawsuit charging thirty-five counts of sexual harassment. In the end, the university settled with her for a good bit of money. My "involvement" made headlines.
It sure was a stroke of bad luck she accumulated so many complaints -- if only people hadn't had the bad luck to keep sexually harassing her, they wouldn't have been named in a lawsuit, which, as luck would have it, they lost!
posted by escabeche at 6:40 PM on February 13, 2016 [13 favorites]
But as luck would have it, this particular trainer had been accumulating a list of complaints against the university that she intended to take action on … alleged sexist acts that, when her lawyer finally put it together, resulted in a lawsuit charging thirty-five counts of sexual harassment. In the end, the university settled with her for a good bit of money. My "involvement" made headlines.
It sure was a stroke of bad luck she accumulated so many complaints -- if only people hadn't had the bad luck to keep sexually harassing her, they wouldn't have been named in a lawsuit, which, as luck would have it, they lost!
posted by escabeche at 6:40 PM on February 13, 2016 [13 favorites]
Fuck this guy. Fuck him and his dad. That this guy is a huge star is proof that pro sports is bullshit. He ruined this woman's life twice! It's only fitting that this horrible shitheel will live in pain for the rest of his life as the cost of worshiping at the altar of ambition.
posted by ivanthenotsoterrible at 6:50 PM on February 13, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by ivanthenotsoterrible at 6:50 PM on February 13, 2016 [2 favorites]
What a piece of shit.
posted by Pope Guilty at 6:54 PM on February 13, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Pope Guilty at 6:54 PM on February 13, 2016 [1 favorite]
He also walked off the field in 2010 after losing the Super Bowl without shaking any opposing team members' hands. But hey, he's just stoic in defeat unlike that punk Cam Newton.
posted by aydeejones at 7:00 PM on February 13, 2016 [24 favorites]
posted by aydeejones at 7:00 PM on February 13, 2016 [24 favorites]
Jesus fucking christ.
I wish that instead of feeling defensive of their heroes, and angry at the people their heroes have victimized, fans would instead become angry for being lied to for so long.
But then they'd have to admit to being duped -- the same shame as admitting that you've been taken in by a con, maybe.
I watched the Super Bowl and had no idea about any of this. My friends probably didn't either. I'm going to have to reconsider watching the Super Bowl again next time. I've never been a big sports fan, but I've gone in order to be social -- but if I wanted to be fed bullshit I'd watch a political debate or reality TV.
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 7:08 PM on February 13, 2016 [4 favorites]
I wish that instead of feeling defensive of their heroes, and angry at the people their heroes have victimized, fans would instead become angry for being lied to for so long.
But then they'd have to admit to being duped -- the same shame as admitting that you've been taken in by a con, maybe.
I watched the Super Bowl and had no idea about any of this. My friends probably didn't either. I'm going to have to reconsider watching the Super Bowl again next time. I've never been a big sports fan, but I've gone in order to be social -- but if I wanted to be fed bullshit I'd watch a political debate or reality TV.
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 7:08 PM on February 13, 2016 [4 favorites]
♫ those dumb fucks all think I'm sweet ♫
posted by davelog at 7:08 PM on February 13, 2016 [13 favorites]
posted by davelog at 7:08 PM on February 13, 2016 [13 favorites]
Sickening. Very difficult to read. Shaun King also wrote this piece this week:
The racial double standard between Cam Newton and Peyton Manning is on full display after Super Bowl 50
posted by mlis at 7:26 PM on February 13, 2016 [5 favorites]
The racial double standard between Cam Newton and Peyton Manning is on full display after Super Bowl 50
posted by mlis at 7:26 PM on February 13, 2016 [5 favorites]
Tom Brady, is, as ever, the counter to Peyton Manning. He is not the breadwinner in his family. His wife is a businesswoman of rare acumen, and her fortune is incalculable. Every Monday after a game, as I am driving into work, he is contractually forced to conduct a phone interview on sports-talk radio with an outright racist and a guy who's clueless enough to not realize he's co-hosting with a racist. Tom very deftly avoids their dumb soap-opera questions, and answers their technical football questions with eagerness and enthusiasm. He has two kids, Ben and Vivian, and if they come into the room while he is being asked stupid questions at Oh-Dark-Hundred on a Monday morning, he will be sorry-not-sorry, but the interview is over.
Peyton Manning has a very clear and defined public persona that is carefully calculated to be an everyman. Tom Brady wears Uggs and a weird coat his wife picked out while hanging out in the park with his kids on an electronic scooter.
It's not football. Assholes are everywhere. Cool, nerdy people you'd like to chill with are there, too.
posted by Slap*Happy at 7:41 PM on February 13, 2016 [28 favorites]
Peyton Manning has a very clear and defined public persona that is carefully calculated to be an everyman. Tom Brady wears Uggs and a weird coat his wife picked out while hanging out in the park with his kids on an electronic scooter.
It's not football. Assholes are everywhere. Cool, nerdy people you'd like to chill with are there, too.
posted by Slap*Happy at 7:41 PM on February 13, 2016 [28 favorites]
Don't forget the overwhelming evidence Manning used HGH to pad his stats.
posted by humanfont at 7:42 PM on February 13, 2016
posted by humanfont at 7:42 PM on February 13, 2016
Cool, nerdy people you'd like to chill with are there, too.
Wait are you referring to Tom Brady here??
posted by vogon_poet at 7:45 PM on February 13, 2016 [21 favorites]
Wait are you referring to Tom Brady here??
posted by vogon_poet at 7:45 PM on February 13, 2016 [21 favorites]
I had to Google his name to see if Shaun King the journalist is the same person as Shaun King the activist. He is.
I was surprised to read that. Advocacy is inconsistent with the objectivity required to be a journalist. He could not work for NPR or NYT for example.
I wish David Carr was around to write about this.
posted by mlis at 7:46 PM on February 13, 2016 [1 favorite]
I was surprised to read that. Advocacy is inconsistent with the objectivity required to be a journalist. He could not work for NPR or NYT for example.
I wish David Carr was around to write about this.
posted by mlis at 7:46 PM on February 13, 2016 [1 favorite]
I was surprised to read that. Advocacy is inconsistent with the objectivity required to be a journalist.Who Is An Objective Journalist?: To his credit, Carr elicited Greenwald’s response to the counterposing of activism and journalism, and this was Greenwald’s response: "It is not a matter of being an activist or a journalist; it's a false dichotomy. It is a matter of being honest or dishonest. All activists are not journalists, but all real journalists are activists."
posted by ArmandoAkimbo at 8:06 PM on February 13, 2016 [30 favorites]
As a born and bred New Englander, I recently came out in favor of Peyton. It's an unpopular opinion to have here. But I started watching football in earnest in 2001 and I was pity-rooting for the Colts in their awful season. I deeply regret that now. One of my friends rightly responded with this story. So, yeah, say what you will about Tom Brady, but Slap*Happy said no lies.
posted by Ruki at 8:11 PM on February 13, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Ruki at 8:11 PM on February 13, 2016 [1 favorite]
Tom Brady has had plenty of controversy surrounding him. How can you say with confidence that no lies applies to him?
Fyi, I am not defending manning at all.
posted by futz at 8:18 PM on February 13, 2016
Fyi, I am not defending manning at all.
posted by futz at 8:18 PM on February 13, 2016
Is there anything about Amerikan football that isn't pernicious and vile?
Check out the institutions that the authors of this recent paper in spectral graph theory work for.
posted by vogon_poet at 8:23 PM on February 13, 2016 [2 favorites]
Check out the institutions that the authors of this recent paper in spectral graph theory work for.
posted by vogon_poet at 8:23 PM on February 13, 2016 [2 favorites]
The most disappointing thing for me about this, is that it came out after the Super Bowl. Coincidence? Probably not. So as much as this is an indictment of Manning, somehow the news still waited.
posted by Belle O'Cosity at 8:23 PM on February 13, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by Belle O'Cosity at 8:23 PM on February 13, 2016 [4 favorites]
Just a reminder that fan is short for fanatic.
posted by notreally at 8:38 PM on February 13, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by notreally at 8:38 PM on February 13, 2016 [2 favorites]
Odd that this comes after the game is done and the player is likely retiring and stinking rich.
God bless the football industrial complex and pity anything that stands in the way. My guess is that Peyton Manning pissed off someone in the league office.
In other news, all male cults are sometimes guilty of engaging in and covering up sexual misdeeds.
posted by thebestusernameever at 8:54 PM on February 13, 2016 [2 favorites]
God bless the football industrial complex and pity anything that stands in the way. My guess is that Peyton Manning pissed off someone in the league office.
In other news, all male cults are sometimes guilty of engaging in and covering up sexual misdeeds.
posted by thebestusernameever at 8:54 PM on February 13, 2016 [2 favorites]
To be fair, I didn't say no lies applied to Tom Brady. I said a MeFite didn't lie in his description of him. DeflateGate should really be a non-issue, considering the facts, but I'll cop to video taping calls. The NFL is extremely problematic, but if comes down to cheating, which is certainly not limited to my team, or sexual assault... I'd rather my QB be accused of cheating. I mean, we had Aaron Hernandez, so I'm not at all saying the Patriots are paragons of virtue.
posted by Ruki at 9:00 PM on February 13, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by Ruki at 9:00 PM on February 13, 2016 [2 favorites]
Tom Brady has had plenty of controversy surrounding him. How can you say with confidence that no lies applies to him?
I understand highschool physics?
Where are the pressure readings taken all season, as promised by Goodell? I wonder?
Oh I see. Secret. Destroyed, they don't even have them anymore. For Reasons.
posted by Slap*Happy at 9:01 PM on February 13, 2016 [3 favorites]
I understand highschool physics?
Where are the pressure readings taken all season, as promised by Goodell? I wonder?
Oh I see. Secret. Destroyed, they don't even have them anymore. For Reasons.
posted by Slap*Happy at 9:01 PM on February 13, 2016 [3 favorites]
Metafilter: Huh, I deleted the end of my line of thinking.
posted by Joseph Gurl at 9:27 PM on February 13, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by Joseph Gurl at 9:27 PM on February 13, 2016 [3 favorites]
In case you're hoping the University of Tennessee has gotten better about handling sexual assault cases involving football players since Manning: sad to say, I'd argue this recent story is even worse than Manning's.
posted by scaryblackdeath at 9:55 PM on February 13, 2016
posted by scaryblackdeath at 9:55 PM on February 13, 2016
I've always had an irrational dislike of all things Manning. What an asshole.
Hey now, don't drag Chelsea into all of this, she's pretty awesome.
posted by el io at 10:36 PM on February 13, 2016 [5 favorites]
Hey now, don't drag Chelsea into all of this, she's pretty awesome.
posted by el io at 10:36 PM on February 13, 2016 [5 favorites]
Look, I've coped pretty well finding out thjs guy I previously thought was a lovably boring everyman QB was in fact a despicable raging arsehole. But help me god I'm not ready to accept Tom Brady as a lovable nerd. Give me time for that.
posted by ominous_paws at 2:54 AM on February 14, 2016 [8 favorites]
posted by ominous_paws at 2:54 AM on February 14, 2016 [8 favorites]
Tom Brady has had plenty of controversy surrounding him. How can you say with confidence that no lies applies to him?
The only real conspiracy around Tom Brady is the conspiracy to not give him a high five.
posted by srboisvert at 4:36 AM on February 14, 2016 [6 favorites]
The only real conspiracy around Tom Brady is the conspiracy to not give him a high five.
posted by srboisvert at 4:36 AM on February 14, 2016 [6 favorites]
I would bet real serious money that Tom Brady as well as nearly any other truly great professional athlete is an absolute searing asshole. They might hide it in Public but their co-workers are a different story.
They almost have to be. The nice guys in pro sports are folks like Rasheed Wallace who never get everything out of truly extraordinary physical and mental skills because they are actual real people.
posted by JPD at 4:44 AM on February 14, 2016 [2 favorites]
They almost have to be. The nice guys in pro sports are folks like Rasheed Wallace who never get everything out of truly extraordinary physical and mental skills because they are actual real people.
posted by JPD at 4:44 AM on February 14, 2016 [2 favorites]
Mod note: Comment deleted. If there is some documentation that shows that the court documents included in the article are incorrect, please go ahead and explain and link to that material rather than just making what seems to be a vague drive-by insult about Shaun King and people who believe the article.
posted by taz (staff) at 5:06 AM on February 14, 2016 [5 favorites]
posted by taz (staff) at 5:06 AM on February 14, 2016 [5 favorites]
I'm a huge Tom Brady fan, a Patriots fan all my life, and I agree that Brady appears to be one of the more decent people in pro sports. That said, in the All Your Faves Are Problematic Department, Brady is "friends" with Donald Trump (whatever that means) and his close business partner is an extremely slimy snake-oil salesman.
I had heard about the sexual assault charges against Peyton, but had no idea about the deeply shitty behavior surrounding it. What a scumbag.
posted by Rock Steady at 5:31 AM on February 14, 2016 [1 favorite]
I had heard about the sexual assault charges against Peyton, but had no idea about the deeply shitty behavior surrounding it. What a scumbag.
posted by Rock Steady at 5:31 AM on February 14, 2016 [1 favorite]
Those Chris Kluwe tweets are a thing of beauty.
posted by Superplin at 6:18 AM on February 14, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by Superplin at 6:18 AM on February 14, 2016 [4 favorites]
Advocacy is inconsistent with the objectivity required to be a journalist.
I knew David Carr and grew up on The Reader when he was its editor. If you don't think Carr was an activist, you're out of your mind.
posted by maxsparber at 7:25 AM on February 14, 2016 [7 favorites]
I knew David Carr and grew up on The Reader when he was its editor. If you don't think Carr was an activist, you're out of your mind.
posted by maxsparber at 7:25 AM on February 14, 2016 [7 favorites]
"Fuck you with an Ebola covered gardening fork" may become my new stock greeting.
posted by telepanda at 7:44 AM on February 14, 2016 [5 favorites]
posted by telepanda at 7:44 AM on February 14, 2016 [5 favorites]
I hope this keeps Peyton out of the HOF. Even better: strip Archie of his HOF honors as a co-conspirator too.
posted by carmicha at 7:45 AM on February 14, 2016
posted by carmicha at 7:45 AM on February 14, 2016
He chokes at the playoffs? It's a team game, really, can't pin this one on him. He wins at the playoffs? GOAT. Defense carries him to 2nd Superbowl ring? Yeah, without his leadership they'd be toast.
I don't know who you've heard say these things, but I think most people who have paid attention to football and Manning over the past 15 years would describe him as something of a choke artist as far as the payoffs are concerned - rather than making excuses for his post season record. Everyone acknowledges he's a shadow of his former self, and there was debate about whether or not to make him a starter again when he returned from injury during this playoff run. And really, who have you heard say it was anything other that Denver's defense that won the superbowl? I've listened to plenty of sportstalk radio and haven't heard that opinion from even the most brain-dead callers.
posted by crank at 8:07 AM on February 14, 2016 [1 favorite]
I don't know who you've heard say these things, but I think most people who have paid attention to football and Manning over the past 15 years would describe him as something of a choke artist as far as the payoffs are concerned - rather than making excuses for his post season record. Everyone acknowledges he's a shadow of his former self, and there was debate about whether or not to make him a starter again when he returned from injury during this playoff run. And really, who have you heard say it was anything other that Denver's defense that won the superbowl? I've listened to plenty of sportstalk radio and haven't heard that opinion from even the most brain-dead callers.
posted by crank at 8:07 AM on February 14, 2016 [1 favorite]
carmicha: "I hope this keeps Peyton out of the HOF. Even better: strip Archie of his HOF honors as a co-conspirator too."
Archie Manning is not in the Hall of Fame. Unless you mean the College Football Hall of Fame.
posted by savetheclocktower at 8:35 AM on February 14, 2016 [1 favorite]
Archie Manning is not in the Hall of Fame. Unless you mean the College Football Hall of Fame.
posted by savetheclocktower at 8:35 AM on February 14, 2016 [1 favorite]
The whole problem when it comes to holding athletes and their organizations accountable for crimes, is that the people who care about doing that are primarily the same people who don't waste a lot of mental bandwidth thinking about sports.
posted by Strange Interlude at 8:48 AM on February 14, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by Strange Interlude at 8:48 AM on February 14, 2016 [2 favorites]
I pretty much managed to quit watching football this past year; I did dip in a bit again during the playoffs.
I read this yesterday night and I think I might finally be done with it.
posted by nubs at 8:50 AM on February 14, 2016
I read this yesterday night and I think I might finally be done with it.
posted by nubs at 8:50 AM on February 14, 2016
I think most people who have paid attention to football
Who are far from the majority of people who discuss football, even on network/ESPN. While there was nobody thinking he was any factor in the SB (as Dave from DrawPlay said, he "Trent Dilfered his way to a super bowl"), I've seen a few comments here and there that without his leadership the offense would have been dominated etc.
Manning has a well-oiled PR machine where it's almost impossible to say anything negative about him before someone else comes with an excuse and moving on to another subject. Grain of salt and all, but wouldn't surprise me.
posted by lmfsilva at 9:07 AM on February 14, 2016 [1 favorite]
Who are far from the majority of people who discuss football, even on network/ESPN. While there was nobody thinking he was any factor in the SB (as Dave from DrawPlay said, he "Trent Dilfered his way to a super bowl"), I've seen a few comments here and there that without his leadership the offense would have been dominated etc.
Manning has a well-oiled PR machine where it's almost impossible to say anything negative about him before someone else comes with an excuse and moving on to another subject. Grain of salt and all, but wouldn't surprise me.
posted by lmfsilva at 9:07 AM on February 14, 2016 [1 favorite]
When you add up all the media, legal and NFL manipulations by the Manning family over the years it really paints an interesting picture. There are so many backroom deals and stuff that wouldn't fly for anyone else, such as Eli Manning CHOOSING to not to go to the Chargers in the draft... who else could get away with that? I just read that an ESPN anchor got a memo that ordered him not to talk about this latest Manning report at all. Why do the Mannings have such firm control of the media? The threat of lawsuits? Or good ol' boy networking? It boggles my mind that this charade has persisted so long, even in the age of the Internet. Hopefully between this story and the story of his almost certain HGH use will allow a truer picture to finally emerge.
posted by lubujackson at 10:00 AM on February 14, 2016
posted by lubujackson at 10:00 AM on February 14, 2016
I watched the last ten minutes of the Super Bowl, as light entertainment after a long work week, and now having read this story I feel absolutely gross about contributing even a tiny increment to Manning's bottom line. The part about trying to frame a black athlete to cover up Manning's behavior makes me want to vomit. Thank goodness Naughright is a woman of integrity and refused to go along with it.
I was never more than a casual football fan, but like nubs, I think I may be done.
posted by creepygirl at 10:23 AM on February 14, 2016 [1 favorite]
I was never more than a casual football fan, but like nubs, I think I may be done.
posted by creepygirl at 10:23 AM on February 14, 2016 [1 favorite]
There are so many backroom deals and stuff that wouldn't fly for anyone else, such as Eli Manning CHOOSING to not to go to the Chargers in the draft... who else could get away with that?
John Elway?
posted by srboisvert at 10:24 AM on February 14, 2016 [5 favorites]
John Elway?
posted by srboisvert at 10:24 AM on February 14, 2016 [5 favorites]
I just read that an ESPN anchor got a memo that ordered him not to talk about this latest Manning report at all. Why do the Mannings have such firm control of the media?
My guess would be that this has to do with ESPN being in bed with the NFL to the tune of billions of dollars in TV contracts instead of originating within the Manning camp. ESPN doesn't cover the NFL, they cheerlead for it, so they can't blow up one of its biggest stars.
posted by crank at 10:48 AM on February 14, 2016 [1 favorite]
My guess would be that this has to do with ESPN being in bed with the NFL to the tune of billions of dollars in TV contracts instead of originating within the Manning camp. ESPN doesn't cover the NFL, they cheerlead for it, so they can't blow up one of its biggest stars.
posted by crank at 10:48 AM on February 14, 2016 [1 favorite]
I watched a bit of SportsCenter this morning. (By a bit I mean a few hours; it's common background TV in my household.) They spent like 10 or 15 minutes on a story and a comedy bit about proposals at sporting events.
An anchor did announce a "developing story" about the NY Daily News Manning article. He said at most a couple sentences, taking about 90 seconds out of the hours of supposed sports news programming I saw.
posted by misskaz at 10:50 AM on February 14, 2016
An anchor did announce a "developing story" about the NY Daily News Manning article. He said at most a couple sentences, taking about 90 seconds out of the hours of supposed sports news programming I saw.
posted by misskaz at 10:50 AM on February 14, 2016
There are so many backroom deals and stuff that wouldn't fly for anyone else, such as Eli Manning CHOOSING to not to go to the Chargers in the draft... who else could get away with that?
John Elway?
Jim Kelly tried it with the Bills in that same draft as Elway, playing 2 seasons with the USFL rather than go to Buffalo. Although his dedication to the city once he finally did end up there has made him a (deserved, I think/hope) Buffalo hero.
posted by misskaz at 10:53 AM on February 14, 2016 [1 favorite]
John Elway?
Jim Kelly tried it with the Bills in that same draft as Elway, playing 2 seasons with the USFL rather than go to Buffalo. Although his dedication to the city once he finally did end up there has made him a (deserved, I think/hope) Buffalo hero.
posted by misskaz at 10:53 AM on February 14, 2016 [1 favorite]
"I hope this keeps Peyton out of the HOF. Even better: strip Archie of his HOF honors as a co-conspirator too."
Peter King has said time and time again that what a player does off the field has no bearing on his votes for the HOF.
posted by 922257033c4a0f3cecdbd819a46d626999d1af4a at 12:04 PM on February 14, 2016
Peter King has said time and time again that what a player does off the field has no bearing on his votes for the HOF.
posted by 922257033c4a0f3cecdbd819a46d626999d1af4a at 12:04 PM on February 14, 2016
I had to Google his name to see if Shaun King the journalist is the same person as Shaun King the activist. He is.
Which makes the headline rather ironic.
posted by MikeMc at 12:07 PM on February 14, 2016
Which makes the headline rather ironic.
posted by MikeMc at 12:07 PM on February 14, 2016
Jason Whitlock seems to think this is all a ploy to shift the attention away from Cam Newton.
posted by 922257033c4a0f3cecdbd819a46d626999d1af4a at 12:15 PM on February 14, 2016
posted by 922257033c4a0f3cecdbd819a46d626999d1af4a at 12:15 PM on February 14, 2016
Peter King is shieldball. He's not the worst goodell shill but he's damn close.
posted by JPD at 12:51 PM on February 14, 2016
posted by JPD at 12:51 PM on February 14, 2016
A Title IX suit has been filed against the University of Tennessee that cites Manning as part of a pattern of allowing sexual harassment. So that explains why this is coming out / being pushed now.
posted by Etrigan at 3:24 PM on February 14, 2016
posted by Etrigan at 3:24 PM on February 14, 2016
Basically everyone who got called to the stand by the Manning defense team. They lost in court because they couldn't find anyone to corroborate their smear campaign.
I feel like this itself says a lot about the Mannings. Like, how much of a douchebag are you when your family is chock-full of national football heroes and you're still unable to find somebody to lie on the stand for you? Any dumbass JV player in Podunkville, Iowa could get a false witness. Shit, Sandusky is a literal child rapist and people lied for him and Paterno. But Peyton Manning can't? Damn.
posted by Anonymous at 3:30 PM on February 14, 2016
I feel like this itself says a lot about the Mannings. Like, how much of a douchebag are you when your family is chock-full of national football heroes and you're still unable to find somebody to lie on the stand for you? Any dumbass JV player in Podunkville, Iowa could get a false witness. Shit, Sandusky is a literal child rapist and people lied for him and Paterno. But Peyton Manning can't? Damn.
posted by Anonymous at 3:30 PM on February 14, 2016
Just a reminder that fan is short for fanatic.
posted by notreally at 9:38 PM on February 13
Now this...etymologists will tell you this is eponysterical.
posted by Trochanter at 5:00 PM on February 14, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by notreally at 9:38 PM on February 13
Now this...etymologists will tell you this is eponysterical.
posted by Trochanter at 5:00 PM on February 14, 2016 [2 favorites]
I should clarify. I'm pretty sure that when I was hanging around wordorigins.org "fan" was one of those words where there is only speculation as to the origin. Nothing solid. Might be a shortening of "fanatic" or of "fancier" but there is nothing on record to substantiate either.
No offense meant to notreally.
posted by Trochanter at 5:17 PM on February 14, 2016
No offense meant to notreally.
posted by Trochanter at 5:17 PM on February 14, 2016
Tom Brady actually has three children. His oldest, John, was by Bridget Moynahan. They broke up riiiiight around the time Moynahan became pregnant. He began dating Giselle that same month. Just sayin'!
posted by kimberussell at 6:08 PM on February 14, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by kimberussell at 6:08 PM on February 14, 2016 [2 favorites]
Football is really a big soap opera. Tom Brady has clearly been cast in a villain role, despite the fact that, by all reports, he's a good father to all his children and maintains an amicable relationship with his oldest son's mother. Peyton Manning is a hero, and let's be honest, these revelations about his character will not ultimately hurt him. The narrative is already written. See also: Cam Newton, who despite his gracious congratulations, will forever be branded a sore loser (and also a thug, because racism). In a game where the reputation of a team rests largely on the QB narrative, it's frustrating as a fan when the play and deeds of the rest of the team become irrelevant. Chris Kluwe, for example, seems to be a magnificent human being. Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski live in the same neighborhood as one of my co-workers and they personally hand out full size candy bars on Halloween if they're home. But that doesn't make for a good story (although if Tom and Gisele handed out toothbrushes and flax seeds for Halloween, it would make news for them being horrible people who hate Halloween!). But really, if you're not an absolute scumbag (Michael Vick, Aaron Hernandez, to put it mildly) and you put up good stats for my fantasy teams, that's all I really care about. The media narrative is irrelevant. I previously liked Peyton Manning, I bought into the narrative, and now I don't. And it's made me pay closer attention to facts, so I guess that's good.
posted by Ruki at 8:33 PM on February 14, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by Ruki at 8:33 PM on February 14, 2016 [2 favorites]
Who knows if this Deadspin story is true. If it is, then Manning was upset with Dr. Naughright after she tried to have him disciplined for cheating. The course was pass/fail and the grade was entirely attendance based so he would have been cheating in an already rigged class.
posted by rdr at 7:23 PM on February 20, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by rdr at 7:23 PM on February 20, 2016 [1 favorite]
Rumor is here in NE that Kraft is going to ask for two first rounders this draft - the first because Brady never actually deflated anything, as proven by officially destroyed but still remembered by officials pressure readings, and the second because of the whole deflategate thing being bullshit, but really, to emphasize that Bill did not cheat in the way the early-season SI and ESPN hitpieces said he did. He had a camera on the sidelines rather than in a camera booth. That's it. Not worth a draft pick.
The leverage? Boycott of the post-season. By more than one perennial playoff team owner.
All the ad revenue, gone. Only a giant infographic that says "CONCEEDED" - unless two of the teams who agreed to boycott the post-season play each other, and I don't even know what that infographic would look like. Maybe the underside of a tarantula with all the mouth bits zoomed up into?
I'd say, "What would this mean in cases like Ray Rice or Adrian Peterson?" - the answer would be "Jack shit. The league isn't serious about keeping women and athletes safe, only about keeping big franchises happy and dodging lawsuits."
Goodell will cave. The pats will have their first rounder, as they'll negotiate down from two.
posted by Slap*Happy at 10:49 PM on February 20, 2016
The leverage? Boycott of the post-season. By more than one perennial playoff team owner.
All the ad revenue, gone. Only a giant infographic that says "CONCEEDED" - unless two of the teams who agreed to boycott the post-season play each other, and I don't even know what that infographic would look like. Maybe the underside of a tarantula with all the mouth bits zoomed up into?
I'd say, "What would this mean in cases like Ray Rice or Adrian Peterson?" - the answer would be "Jack shit. The league isn't serious about keeping women and athletes safe, only about keeping big franchises happy and dodging lawsuits."
Goodell will cave. The pats will have their first rounder, as they'll negotiate down from two.
posted by Slap*Happy at 10:49 PM on February 20, 2016
All the ad revenue, gone. Only a giant infographic that says "CONCEEDED
How much ad revenue is really needed to license software with a functional spell-checker, though?
posted by Joseph Gurl at 1:44 AM on February 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
How much ad revenue is really needed to license software with a functional spell-checker, though?
posted by Joseph Gurl at 1:44 AM on February 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
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