CNNSI: Early Evaluation

[RedskinLifer]

The writer of the article sees the quarterback positions as worlds apart. Manning is viewed as a future superstar. Redskins quarterbacks are viewed as two liabilities and one unknown.

I would agree that potentially, Eli Manning is a star. But if his name was Eli Miller, and not Manning, and he didn't have an older brother who is the best quarterback in football, or a Daddy that was a good quarterback in his own right, would he still get this kind of praise? He has yet to really earn the type of accolades that he has received.

In fact, if my math is correct, he's only 3-9 as a starter, counting the two wins this season. I'll grant that he's yet to play the equivalent of a full season, but in Ramsey's first 12 games, he went 5-7. Eli is most likely going to be a better NFL quarterback than is Ramsey, but Eli has yet to show it, at least to the degree to which he is given credit.

[RedskinLifer]

no team is unbeatable. I am amused to see analyses made where the Redskins are given no chance to win certain games, as if the team need not show up to play those Sundays.

the Patriots have lost. the Eagles have lost.

the Redskins could win 5 games or they could win 10 games. no one knows how these contests are going to come out in the age of parity

the Raiders? geez, I saw some predictions late in the preseason where that game for the Skins was written off as a certain loss! Anybody want to dial back those predictions based on what we have seen from the Raiders so far?

Very true. Not to mention that most predictions are based on 2004 team performances, which aren't necessarily a good indicator, or on a reactionary whim related to a week 1 or 2 performance. Neither is a very solid basis on which to make such a prediction.

The Packers are another game that I'll bet most "experts" thought we should just mail in. That game is viewed somewhat differently now as well.

[D'Pablo]

Do you have to take a class in Redskins hatery before being allowed to write for Sports Illustrated?

[MidwayMonster31]

I really don't think he saw how many winnable games are on the schedule

Oct. 2 Seattle- can be won

Oct. 9 @ Denver- could get lucky

Oct. 16 @ KC- tough one

Oct. 23 SF- should win

Oct. 30 @ NYG- can win

Nov. 6 Philly- tough one

Nov. 13 @ TB- tough one

Nov. 20 Oakland- can win

Nov. 27 San Diego- could be tough

Dec. 4 @ St. louis- could be tough

Dec. 11 @ Arizona- can be won

Dec. 18 Dallas- can win

Dec. 24 NYG- can win

Jan. 1 @ Philly- they might not try

There are 8 games that Washington has a realistic shot at, plus I might have overrated some of those other games, all they have to do is win 7 to get into the playoffs and 5 to shut this guy up.

[Tom [Giants fan]]

I would agree that potentially, Eli Manning is a star. But if his name was Eli Miller, and not Manning, and he didn't have an older brother who is the best quarterback in football, or a Daddy that was a good quarterback in his own right, would he still get this kind of praise? He has yet to really earn the type of accolades that he has received.

In fact, if my math is correct, he's only 3-9 as a starter, counting the two wins this season. I'll grant that he's yet to play the equivalent of a full season, but in Ramsey's first 12 games, he went 5-7. Eli is most likely going to be a better NFL quarterback than is Ramsey, but Eli has yet to show it, at least to the degree to which he is given credit.[/Quote]

Didn't you inherit anything from your parents? A trait they have? Of course he is getting all this attention because his last name is Manning. Being a QB is obviously in their blood. If his last name was anything else, he probably wouldn't have grown up in a QB family. But his name is Manning and playing QB is what a Manning does. It is definitely too early to say how good Eli will be but I'll tell you this, he looked a lot better in week 2 than in week 1. And if he continues to improve, by the end of this year he will be a very good QB. Great? Not until next year or even the year after that. But with what the Giants have, good to very good could be enough for them next year.

[RedskinLifer]

']Didn't you inherit anything from your parents? A trait they have? Of course he is getting all this attention because his last name is Manning. Being a QB is obviously in their blood. If his last name was anything else' date=' he probably wouldn't have grown up in a QB family. But his name is Manning and playing QB is what a Manning does. It is definitely too early to say how good Eli will be but I'll tell you this, he looked a lot better in week 2 than in week 1. And if he continues to improve, by the end of this year he will be a very good QB. Great? Not until next year or even the year after that. But with what the Giants have, good to very good could be enough for them next year.[/quote']

Their brother Cooper didn't play quarterback; he was a wide receiver. Growing up in a family where the father is a famous quarterback is certainly an advantage if that is what the child wants to do, as is obvious with Peyton, but that isn't necessarily a predictor of great things. Jarret Payton is having a tough time making a roster. Anthony Dorsett was never the caliber player his father was. Ted Williams' son and Pete Rose, Jr. were career minor leaguers.

My point was and is simply that Eli has yet to display the kind of potential that the media has given him, and that a possible reason for that is his heritage. Maybe he will, maybe he won't, but he hasn't yet.

[SoCalRedskinFan]

Their brother Cooper didn't play quarterback; he was a wide receiver. Growing up in a family where the father is a famous quarterback is certainly an advantage if that is what the child wants to do, as is obvious with Peyton, but that isn't necessarily a predictor of great things. Jarret Payton is having a tough time making a roster. Anthony Dorsett was never the caliber player his father was. Ted Williams' son and Pete Rose, Jr. were career minor leaguers.

My point was and is simply that Eli has yet to display the kind of potential that the media has given him, and that a possible reason for that is his heritage. Maybe he will, maybe he won't, but he hasn't yet.

I am tired of this seeming feel of entitelment from the Mannings. I mean it goes so far as for Eli to decide which team he wanted to be drafted to?

Spoiled little punk in my book. Yeah I know Elway did the same damn thing, and I resent the guy for it too.

You think Eli could have gotten away with that if he wasnt a Manning? Did he come out of the draft with the same Rep Elway had? I dont think so. Can't wait for Washington to put a hurt on that punk!

[BORICUASKIN]

Early evaluation

What we've learned two weeks into the NFL season

By: Bill Syken

Posted: Thursday September 22, 2005 3:59PM; Updated: Thursday September 22, 2005 3:59PM

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/bill_syken/09/22/scorecard.daily/index.html

Ten ups and 10 downs from the NFL season so far:

Ups

1. Panthers beat the Patriots. Because in the era of the Belichick machine, it's nice to think other teams have a chance.

2. Giants' run defense. Plus they have Shockey, Tiki and Plaxico. Is Tom Coughlin actually building a usurper to the Eagles' NFC East dominance? You heard it here first: Giants will play in Super Bowl XLI.

3. The Colts. Two weeks is too small a sample size, but I feel like it's their year.

4. The Steelers. Or their year.

5. Cadillac Williams. Rookie of the opening stanza. If Chicago has this guy, they're a lock for the NFC North.

6. Panthers cornerback Ken Lucas. Free-agent pickup of the opening stanza.

7. Joe Gibbs. For being smart enough to celebrate while he has the chance. The Redskins are 2-0, but I'll go on record right now: if this team wins more than 7 games, I'll eat a McDonald's value meal.

8. Buffalo Bills. Love the throwback uniforms. Good luck with that Losman kid.

9. Nick Saban. Last week, looking forward to the Jets game, Saban remarked something to the effect of "the Jets aren't as bad as they played last week, and we're not that good." Get the guy a 1-900 line.

10 Eagles rookie DT Mike Patterson. Looks like they won't miss Corey Simon too much.

Downs

1. Vikings without Randy Moss. Equals Lakers without Shaq. Lesson: teams that wear purple and gold uniforms should never trade its superstars. And the Lakers used to play in Minneapolis. Coincidence or conspiracy?

2. Oakland Raiders. Raiders + Moss, however, does not equal Heat + Shaq.

3. Cincinnati Bengals. Who cares if they're 2-0? Those uniforms are awful. Use one of those sideline telephones to call Vera Wang. It's an emergency.

4. Donovan McNabb and Terrell Owens. Nice feud. I'm starting to suspect the football media made too much out of the offseason ranting's of a temperamental egomaniac.

5. Jake Delhomme. Two games, one TD, three INTs, and a good reason to doubt the Panthers can fulfill their Super Bowl aspirations. The way Delhomme looked the last couple weeks, it's hard to imagine him facing three or four playoff defenses in a row and not giving a game away.

6. NFC North. Or as they call it in baseball, the NL West. Don't know who will win the division, but their record will be 7-9.

7. Cardinals rookie running back J.J. Arrington. Apparently Jeff Tedford's quarterbacks aren't the only ones who struggle in the NFL.

8. The ESPN Sunday Night Football crew interviewing former President George Bush during the Saints-Giants game. No one expects Joe Theisman or Mike Patrick to be Tim Russert, but you would think television professionals would sound less flummoxed while conducting a softball interview about hurricane relief

9. 49ers-Cowboys. This matchup was a lot sexier last decade.

10. My survivor pool picks. Not that I'm actually in a survivor pool, but had I been, I would have been knocked out in week one, after Minnesota-Tampa Bay. Had it been a double-elimination pool, I would have been done after week two, with Cowboys-Redskins. Let's go for three. I like Indianapolis against Cleveland.

how mr smarty pants is feeling now? :laugh:

Because of the eight and possibly 9 or 10 wins he should super size it.

[Skins24]

:laugh:

Great bump

[Om]

Here's what we do.

If the Skins finish 8-8 or better, every one of us on ES---all 40,000---mail him a McCoupon.

Postage due.

Who's in?

[Fifty Gut]

Here's what we do.

If the Skins finish 8-8 or better, every one of us on ES---all 40,000---mail him a McCoupon.

Postage due.

we're need an address

[70th Week]

he must eat lunch with sean salisbury.or maybe he is sean salisbury!

[dreamingwolf]

I wonder if he made good on it

[Xameil]

Who's in?

do we have an address?

[iheartskins]

I'm in.

I'll send him an extra Big Mac for ever additional win we have over 7.

[PCRoughrider]

SI.com doesn't even list an email address for this wad.

Somebody has to get him a message about how he deeply Redskin Nation.

...and McDonalds!!!

[Heidenreich]

For some reason I was mailed a $1 mcdonalds gift card. I'll certainly forward this over to him.

Great Bump!

[FightForOldDC21]

this dude is weird

[Om]

Can't find an e-mail or hard address. Not surprising, really ... were I he, I'm not sure I'd want to give people a chance to comment on my work either.

Too bad.

Might have been fun to make use of this:

[CGSKINS]

We need to get in contact with him A.S.A.P so we can get him a value meal.

[TheGreek1973]

Hey Bill....You got JACKED UP :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

[China]

According the the Sports Illustrated website we should be able to get messages to him by e-mailing to cnnsi@cnnsi.com:

How can I write the on-air personalities at CNN/Sports Illustrated, including the magazine writers who appear as CNN/Sports Illustrated insiders?

You can write to the staff at cnnsi@cnnsi.com, and we will be happy to forward the e-mail to the reporter of your choice.

Unfortunately, I tried that e-mail address and just got a bounce-back. BTW, here was the message I sent:

Dear Bill,

I just wanted to let you know that your readers in Redskinland remember your September 22, 2005 Column entitled "Early Evaluation." Specifically, we recall the following:

"7. Joe Gibbs. For being smart enough to celebrate while he has the chance. The Redskins are 2-0, but I'll go on record right now: if this team wins more than 7 games, I'll eat a McDonald's value meal."

Fortunately for you, your address is not publicly available otherwise I imagine you would be inundated with thousands of McDonald's value meals. I can't imagine that would smell to nice in your mailbox after a week in transit.

In lieu of sending you a McDonald's value meal I offer you the following:

I hope you are a man of your word and will eat the McDonald's value meal as promised. Unfortunately, they don't offer a McCrow sandwhich that I'm aware of. We look forward to hearing in a future column how much you enjoyed your meal.

They do list the mailing address for SI as:

What is Sports Illustrated's mailing address?

The Editor

Sports Illustrated

Time & Life Building

New York, N.Y. 10020-1393

or fax it to (212) 467-4049

I'm sure the editor would love a few Big Macs in the mail to the attention of Bill Syken.

[Om]

Good work, China.

By your leave, I do believe I'd like to print that out and send it on its merry way.

[riggins44]

I'd contribute so we can flood SI with McDonalds value meal coupons or

gift certificates.

:munchout:

[GSF]

Great email China!!

Somebody needs to dig up this guy's email address.