Peyton returns fire
 

Manning calls Vanderjagt an 'idiot kicker'

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Associated Press


HONOLULU -- Peyton Manning called teammate Mike Vanderjagt an "idiot kicker'' at the Pro Bowl on Sunday, three days after Vanderjagt apologized for making disparaging remarks about the Indianapolis Colts quarterback.

Manning made the comment during a live interview on ABC. He also claimed Vanderjagt was "liquored up'' at the time of the Canadian cable TV interview earlier this week in which he said Manning should show more emotion.

Vanderjagt also criticized Colts coach Tony Dungy in the interview with The Score, a Toronto-based cable sports network.

"I'm not a real big Colts fan right now, unfortunately. I just don't see us getting better,'' Vanderjagt said during the interview.

"Coach Dungy, he's just a mild-mannered guy. He doesn't get too excited, he doesn't get too down and I don't think that works, either. ... I think you need a motivator, I think you need a guy that is going to get in somebody's face when they're not performing well enough.''

Vanderjagt, the most accurate field-goal kicker in NFL history, apologized Thursday to Dungy, Manning and the rest of his teammates. He signed a $7.75 million, five-year contract extension with the Colts in November 2000 -- at the time making him the league's highest-paid kicker.

This could get rather interesting .

Peyton returns fire
 

I think he called him an \'idiot\' about 4 times in 30 seconds. It\'s safe to say Peyton wasn\'t thrilled but those comments. Nice.

Peyton returns fire
 

You know, I\'m probably going to catch a ton of crap on this, BUT...

I think Vanderjagt had a point. I\'m not so sure that he didn\'t go a little too far, but is he all wrong? I think Manning and Dungy do lack emotion. Neither is very fiery or outspoken. I don\'t really see either of them being great leaders either. I mean, what does it say about a coach that, for six years was it, couldn\'t ever put together an offense good enough to give one of the greatest sustained defenses in league history a chance to play in the big dance? Gruden got the offensive talent they needed for ages together in one year.

Now look at what Dungy is doing in Indy. Different team, same story. The roles are just reversed. Now he has a great offense, with a porous D... yet, when they get to the playoffs their O can\'t even score a point, and their defense allows 41. If Manning is that great of a QB, why couldn\'t he find a way to get ANY points on the board the entire game? Not even in the 4th quarter during scrub time? I don\'t think Vanderjagt was all wrong. The fact that he is a kicker is irrelevant. If Marvin Harrison said the same thing would it make the statement any more or less true?

Peyton returns fire
 

I think you\'re probably both right on this one. I think what got into Peyton\'s craw was not so much what he said but that he put it out to the world instead of keeping it on the team leval. One of the first things I learned in management training was, you keep your problems in the house.

Peyton returns fire
 

I agree gator. They won\'t keep him around and Jake knew better.