saintz08

Hopefully , he will play the position the original player scout had Brooks positioned to play , Wide Receiver .....

I will be around well into the grandchild entering into the draft ....

saintz08

CHARGERS STUCK WITH NO. 1?

Word out of New York as of Thursday evening is that no discussions are occurring between the Chargers and the Giants regarding a trade of the No. 1 overall pick, and there\'s a growing feeling that the Chargers won\'t be able to get a deal done with anyone before Saturday.

Contrary to our initial conclusion that the Manning maneuver would drive down the Chargers\' asking price for the No. 1 slot, San Diego now must get even more than they initially wanted in order to create the appearance that they made the trade not because Eli Manning and agent Tom Condon put a gun to their head, but because it was a good trade.

In 2001, then-Chargers coach Mike Riley described the trade that gave Atlanta the No. 1 overall pick (with which they took quarterback Mike Vick) as a deal that was \"too good to pass up,\" and it\'ll take a similar package now to justify a trade, since everyone\'s reaction otherwise will be that the Chargers caved in.

In 2001, the Chargers got the fifth overall pick along with Atlanta\'s third-round choice in 2001, second-round choice in 2002, and receiver Tim Dwight. The thinking is, then, that the Chargers would need to finagle something in that same ballpark this time around.

The problem is that it likely won\'t happen.

After all, when the price tag for flip-flopping first-rounders was only a second-round pick, the Chargers could find no takers. Now that they\'re seemingly more desperate to make the move, teams never will cough up even more to make it happen.

At least one league insider believes that the Chargers ultimately will have to use the pick -- and draft Manning -- despite threats by Eli to sit out the entire season. As a worst-case scenario, the Chargers would hold his rights through the 2004 season and trade him to another team next spring, a la the Texans and Drew Henson.

For agent Tom Condon, the effort to force the Chargers not to take Manning could blow up in his face. For starters, current Chargers quarterback Drew Brees likely will fire Condon shortly after Manning\'s name is called on Saturday by the Chargers. Then, with Manning on the shelf for a full year, Condon won\'t get three percent of Manning\'s eight-figure signing bonus -- which translates to at least $300,000 out of Condon\'s pocket in 2004.

Also, the entire episode could make teams shy away from Condon clients in the future, pursuant to what we\'ll call the \"Poston effect.\"

As to Eli Manning, league insiders are questioning his reputation for having a high degree of character. If he really is one of the few NFL good guys, wouldn\'t he welcome the challenge to transform a moribund franchise, just like big brother Peyton did in Indy after being drafted No. 1 overall in 1998?

\"The kid is coming across like everything his brother isn\'t,\" one source told us.

Some league insiders also think that Archie Manning got involved because the success of his offspring has caused many fans to forget that Archie was the original Manning. Peyton and Eli are no longer \"Archie Manning\'s kids\"; instead, Archie is becoming \"Peyton and Eli Manning\'s dad\" -- and that\'s a serious blow to the ego of any former high-level jock.

\"Americans play to win at all times. I wouldn\'t give a hoot in hell for a man who lost and laughed.\" - George S. Patton
On another note, I\'ll take a bite of that crow 08. - Saintfan
Brooks is a moron!! - Halo

FrenzyFan

This whole thing hasn\'t made me think one iota less of Eli or Archie. These negotiations go on every year, most especially involving the first overall pick. What doesn\'t happen every year are these negotiations becoming public. When they do, the player always takes the heat for wanting to play in a particular location. In this case, it wasn\'t Eli ranting to the press about how he was gonna sit out if the Chargers picked him (a la Elway) it was the Chargers leaking the negotiations.

Trying to say this kid is afraid to take on a struggling franchise is ridiculous. If that were the case, why the heck did he choose to play for Ole Miss? As for his ability, didn\'t Ole Miss almost knock LSU out?

This is what NFL players do, no matter who they are. They try to make the best business decisions and manuever to place themselves in the best position for their future success. The balancing act is between those two factors. Was I fooled into thinking the Mannings were somehow above it all because the press liked to say so? C\'mon!

\"The AB brand of TP will hurt your O-ring.\" - BlackandBlue

http://www.darrylbercegeay.com/wsmith1.jpg

saintfan

He doesn\'t appear to be afraid of anything...he appears to be a punk. Turning down 13 million isn\'t exactly a smart business decision. It seems to me that Eli, regardless of who leaked what, is far more concerned about his status than he is about anything else. I realize things are always different when you\'re on the outside looking in, but I can\'t have any sympathy for the guy and I can\'t find a way to cut him any slack. The system is what it is, and it\'s a good system as far as I\'m concerned. If he doesn\'t like the rules then he can go play for Edmunton for all I care. If poor little Eli wasn\'t a priveledged kid to begin with he wouldn\'t give a frogs fat, flyin\' green azz who drafted him. He\'d be thankful for the oppurtunity. I have no respect for this little punk -- and I\'m losing it for Archie too. It\'s just bad Karma.

C'mon Man...

SaintsReporter

The Chargers are a struggling team, no doubt about it. The coach might not be there too much longer. The O-line stinks. They haven\'t been to the playoffs in 8-years. Yep, the Chargers suck.

Hell, if I were a QB about to get drafted, I could think of many other teams I\'d like to go to than the Chargers. After all, Eli owes the Chargers nothing. As a matter of fact, he doesn\'t owe the entire National Football League a damn thing, or it\'s FANS.

Eli only owes it to himself and his family to make sure he becomes the pro-bowl QB that everyone expects, and as quickly as possible. The hell with the Chargers. Let some other idiot play QB in San Diego.

Boy, San Diego reminds me of a team I follow. You know the one I\'m talking about. The one that was the laughing stock of the league for so long. No, not Tampa Bay. I\'m talking about the Saints. Let\'s hope we never have some kid that thinks he\'s beyond helping a stuggling franchise out and only puts HIS best intrest at heart. Or, we might never get that elite player like Eli Manning.

whowatches

Well said. I\'m very disappointed as a fan of the Manning family. No player is bigger than the system, especially one that hasn\'t even taken a snap in the league.

You think AB should send Eli a thank-you note?

Cadillac

Hey guys, it\'s been a while, but I thought I\'d put my 2 cents in to this Eli fiasco.

Basically it makes me sick. Eli was born with the talent and the pedigree that gives him the opportunity to live out half the men in North America\'s dream. But is Eli counting his blessings and being grateful that he was so fortunate?

No. Because Eli\'s daddy was a QB, and because his brothers a big star, Eli has come to the conclusion that he shouldn\'t be thankful just to play anywhere. He feels he deserves better than the Chargers.

It\'s obvious the kid has been spoiled because of the marquee of his brother and dad. Luckily, I guarentee that players of the league aren\'t going to forget Eli\'s arrogance. Personally I can\'t wait to see a DE blindside him this preseason.

\'They want to give me $6 million. What do I do? - Fred Thomas

saintfan

Funny thing is he\'s not necessarilly even the best QB in the draft.

saintz08

Here comes the Eli Conspiracy theory ....

Archie wants Eli in New York .

Archie thought the drafting of Peyton in Indy was a good thing .

The answer is simple :

The common point in both these teams that makes Archie feel better is the Saints ....

Indy - Mora and Polian both did time within the Saints organization and Archie must have felt comfortable with them .

N.Y. Giants - Head Coach is Coughlin and he was hired by Benson to consult during the off season last year . Archie must have gotten comfortable with him during his time in New Orleans .

Eli is not a punk , Archie knows how hard it is playing at the pro level and want someone to coach his son who is familiar with the Mannings ....

The Eli Manning conspiracy theory by 08.....

\"Americans play to win at all times. I wouldn\'t give a hoot in hell for a man who lost and laughed.\" - George S. Patton
On another note, I\'ll take a bite of that crow 08. - Saintfan
Brooks is a moron!! - Halo

saintz08

CONDON PULLS OFF POWER PLAY

Though the final payoff didn\'t come before the Chargers took Eli Manning with the first overall pick in the draft, agent Tom Condon finally completed a major power play when Manning got his wish: A trade from San Diego to the New York Giants.

League insiders are calling it just that -- a move engineered by Condon to fulfill several of his own objectives, after he persuaded Manning and his family that it was in Eli\'s interests not to play for the Chargers and to pursue a career in New York.

As a result, Condon places a high-profile signal-caller in the world\'s biggest TV market, he proves to the NFL universe that he\'s capable of pulling the league\'s strings, and he puts himself in position to reel in 20 percent of Eli\'s Broadway-based marketing revenue, which isn\'t a bad complement to the three-percent cap on his fee from Manning\'s football salary.

The only potential downside for Condon is that he still might be fired by Chargers quarterback Drew Brees, who\'ll presumably lose his starting gig (if not his place on the roster) since Condon\'s maneuverings resulted in quarterback Philip Rivers being added to the Chargers as the fourth overall selection.

But Brees\' eventual decision might hinge on whether the Bolts hand the ball to Rivers from the outset of his rookie season. If Brees keeps his starting job, Brees might not make a change.

Our prediction, however, is that coach Marty Schottenheimer will make Rivers his week one starter, if for no reason other than to finagle up to two more years as the team\'s taskmaster. Although Marty is supposed to be on the hot seat in 2004, it\'s harder to justify firing him in January 2005 (or sooner) if he installs Rivers from day one.

Condon\'s plan also left some tarnish on the Manning family name. Eli was booed mercilessly whenever his name was mentioned during the draft coverage, and league insiders have expressed to us their disapproval of Manning\'s refusal to play for the Chargers.

Eli\'s behavior also prompted some league execs to raise questions regarding whether there are more similarities than differences between the brothers Manning. There is lingering criticism in league circles regarding Peyton\'s monstrous signing bonus and contract -- and more than a few folks firmly believe that Peyton eventually will experience due to his greed the same problems that guys like Troy Aikman, Jake Plummer, Drew Bledsoe, and Steve Young faced after the fallout from their huge contracts resulted in a diminished supporting case on offense, which resulted in them taking too many hits -- and which as to Aikman and Young resulted in a premature conclusion to their careers.

\"Americans play to win at all times. I wouldn\'t give a hoot in hell for a man who lost and laughed.\" - George S. Patton
On another note, I\'ll take a bite of that crow 08. - Saintfan
Brooks is a moron!! - Halo