Eli Manning retires this week after a storied NFL career. It seems like just yesterday he and pop Archie were pulling the somewhat douchey "Eli should be able to decide where he plays" a la Joe and Jack Elway. Ah, the time, she does fly.Like John Elway, Eli Manning played in the NFL for 16 seasons. Like Elway, he stayed with the same team for his entire career. (As well they both should have.)
Like Elway, he quarterbacked teams to a pair of Super Bowl victories. He bettered Elway with not one but two Super Bowl MVP trophies. Giants fans will always have a soft spot in their hearts and their heads for Eli's improbable wins.
Elway: 51,475 yards, 300 TD passes, 226 interceptions, 79.9 QBR
Manning: 57,023 yards, 366 TD passes, 244 interceptions, 84.1 QBR
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| Eli "Lester" Whitney |
How does Manning measure up against other people in history named Eli?
Well, there's industrialist Eli Lilly, actor Eli Roth, and university benefactor "Dancing with" Elihu Yale. There are many others, listed here for your convenience.
The one you know best of all from days of old is Eli Whitney. Mr. Cotton Gin. The reason I get called "Eli" now and again by clever, clever sorts.
There are many ways to judge a man. You certainly have yours.
But here's how I gauge Eli Manning's ultimate standing in history. One of the dumber, goofier sketches on SNL in the last decade, and Eli performing sans hubris like an idiot in a clip that always tickles my funny bone:
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32 comments:
lies, damn lies, and statistics.
speaking of statistics, nathan knight leads the entire nation in double-doubles with 15. he and the tribe host jmu this evening. tribe are 9-point favorites over the dukes. i'll never get used to the tribe being 9-point favorites over anyone.
How do we judge Eli Whitney? As the man who gave slavery new life with the cotton gin, or as the man who killed slavery by introducing machined parts to the north creating their industrial muscle?
Eli Yale was a slave trader. It's definitely a bit complicated to judge people of centuries ago.
https://web.archive.org/web/20141108031612/http://histi3.commons.yale.edu/2014/11/01/elihu-yale-was-a-slave-trader/
Especially because he could not perform on SNL. They're Harvard people, as we know.
Both Manning brothers annoy the hell out of me, perhaps irrationally. I still have a ton of respect for their football careers. I’m always baffled when people debate whether Eli belongs in the HOF. Seems like a lock to me.
seems like the opposite of a lock to me. pretty middle of the road stats in a pass-heavy era, .500 overall record. two super bowl wins are obviously impressive. not enough for me. he'll get in because people like him and he seems to be a really decent dude.
After my kid’s basketball game last night, there was a 4th grade girls travel game at the same gym. Our town’s parents were excited b/c there was a rumor Eli would be there. His 4th grade daughter plays for the other town (Summit). He is seen all over the place all the time and is super friendly and approachable. I too get annoyed that he gets special positive treatment all the time like he’s a Special Olympian. But he is at least a decent person.
Like clockwork, I got a text from a masshole buddy carping about talk radio shilling for Eli in the hall. He is 7th all time in passing yards, completions and TD. The job of a QB is to complete passes for yards and TD and he did that more than all but 6 people ever. He's 11th in wins too with 117. All the retired QBs with more than 100 wins are in.
http://pfref.com/tiny/piSX0
He's 10th in game-winning drives and 13th in comebacks. 7th in total offense. And he never got hurt.
He's also 2nd in losses behind Vinny and right ahead of Favre, Brees and Tarkenton. That doesn't help.
12th in INTs, 9th in Pick-Sixes, 6th in fumbles. 6th in pass attempts.
I don't know, he seems pretty Hall-worthy to me. Just to confuse, pro-football-reference has similar QB's for a career listed as:
Ben Roethlisberger, Warren Moon*, Terry Bradshaw*, John Hadl, Bob Griese*, Drew Bledsoe, Donovan McNabb, Joe Montana*, Carson Palmer, Jim Kelly*
Keep in mind that Canton ain't Cooperstown in reverence or guarded exclusion. Those gold jackets flow freely.
he played every game in his team's season for a long time in an era where quarterbacks put up insane numbers in comparison to previous eras. he was bound to pile up counting stats. he was a good quarterback. he wasn't great.
How many QB with 2 SB MVPs aren't in the hall? I don't know the answer.
Eli will eventually get into the HoF
Eli is not a HoFer
Both of these statements can be true
He's the Frank Gore of quarterbacks?
he's the frank gore of quarterbacks!
I’m with TJ. Eli is definitely getting in the HOF. I don’t think he’s at the level of a HOF QB. He’s definitely a compiler stat wise but, imo, that’s not what gets him in. It’s the two SB wins. Especially taking down what would’ve been the greatest team in NFL history.
Eli was good. Occasionally he was great. That’s why he’s not a HOFer in my eyes. But he’s getting in.
In other news of greatness, I replaced my 3 TV living room made up of one 55” and two 32” TVs with a two TV living room made up of one 70” TV and a 55” TV. Major upgrade in aesthetics and viewing experience.
Mark’s living room > my living room
Pls stop the Eli talk here. My ear balls are already fatigued with sports radio and papers opining on it non-stop.
I came here for more Eli talk. Eli Whitney talk!
Seriously, folks... the cotton gin. Hands up, who likes cotton??
I know river raft guide types don’t, as our friend Chris Young Old used to encourage alternative materials for wearing with the adage “Cotton Kills.”
But the rest of you do. And those that don’t love cotton love gin.
Anyway, Eli Whitney is a first ballot Hall of Famer for the American Inventor HoF.
dude introduces us to polyps and perineum sunning but his delicate sensibilities can’t handle a little eli talk. gtfoh.
Alright, alright. I take it back.
Name the movie.
Tom Cotton?
Drexel thumped W&M, right? They're down 49-17 at half to Northeasten. Yiddit.
Northeastern's in some high cotton.
i don't really cotton to this line of comedy
Tribe goes up 28 in the 2nd half, coasts, wins by 13. Easy peasy. Cottony.
The Brooklyn Nets concrete grey court is really cool
Movie was Fast Times. Thanks for playing.
Relax, alright? My old man is a television repairman, he's got this ultimate set of tools. I can fix it.
W&M now ranking at 70 and 71 in two different RPI rankings out this week. Impressive.
Can we debate Joe Namath as a HOF qb? His stats are not good.
He gets in because of a guaranteeing a win in a game that helped legitimize the AFL, the fact that he played in NYC, and by being a first ballot HOF stickman.
This site agrees with Marls. Although it has more of a bone to pick with the induction of Jim Kelly.
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/hof/hofm_QB.htm
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