Randy Smith: Peyton Manning - Still Great, Still Classy

  • Tuesday, October 21, 2014
  • Randy Smith
Randy Smith
Randy Smith
There have been a lot of great quarterbacks in the long history of the National Football League. Anytime you feel like being involved in a long, healthy debate just start a conversation about who is the best quarterback of all time. Everyone has their own choice and when I was much younger, I always chose Johnny Unitas as the best to ever play the game. Most NFL fans agreed with me because Johnny U. was named the NFL's best quarterback for the first fifty years of the league's existence. His name is still listed in most of the NFL record books, though the name Unitas no longer appears at the top of those lists.
He retired in 1973, and passed away a few years ago.
 
In 2007, just after the Indianapolis Colts won the Super Bowl, I started thinking that I may have to reconsider my choice as the greatest ever. I began to think that Peyton Manning of the Colts just might be a bit better than Johnny U. After all, he had already broken most of Unitas' team passing records with the Colts, and was at that time among the top three or four on every career passing list. Seven seasons later and the name Peyton Manning appears on many more career record lists, including most touchdown passes thrown in a career; 510 and counting. He broke the record previously held by Brett Favre Sunday night in the Denver Broncos 42-17 win over the Forty-Niners. Peyton went into the game needing two TD passes to tie Favre's record of 508. He tossed four TD passes and broke Favre's record with his third of the evening.
 
Does that record breaking night alone make Manning the greatest ever? No it doesn't, but the humble way that he accepted the accolades for breaking the record certainly goes a long way. You see, rather than brag to anyone that he was the best that ever lived, (Richard Sherman) he chose to give equal credit to everyone who has ever played a part in making him a great NFL quarterback. He thanked his coaches, his teammates, and he even thanked the front office people that have contributed to his success. He gave his parents Archie and Olivia credit as well, and he also thanked his many fans. Peyton said on Sunday night this record was to be shared with all these people, because it wasn't just his record.
 
It was just three seasons ago in 2011 that Peyton would miss the entire season with the Colts due to a serious neck injury. Doctors said if he didn't respond well to the several surgeries he had in 2011, that he would be unable to play football anymore. That poor prognosis led the Colts to release him from his contract and he eventually signed with the Denver Broncos. Just before he signed with Denver, he was unable to throw a football more than thirty yards, and he had no zip on the ball at all. It may be time for him to give it up. He had nothing left to prove, because he had played in a pair of Super Bowls and won one of them. He would be a sure bet to be a first ballot Hall of Famer, and he was filthy rich so he didn't need the money.
 
Somehow pride took over. He worked as hard as he ever had and despite all the negative reports on his health, he not only regained his old form, in some ways, he surpassed it, In 2013, he set a new NFL standard with 55 touchdown passes. He led the Broncos to the Super Bowl, where they were embarrassed by the Seattle Seahawks. Yet, here he is again, setting new records almost every week and leading the Broncos to another great season at 5-1.
 
Where we go from here is anybody's guess. He will still be dogged by fans who say he can't win the "big one." Yet he won the "big one" in 2006 with the Colts. One thing for sure; no matter how many games Manning wins or championships he secures for the Broncos, he is the greatest of all time. Hands down. Not just for the records he sets or TD passes he throws, but for the humble way he accepts his honors and the classy way he allows criticism to bounce off him. Thanks Peyton....for being who you are. 

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Randy Smith has been covering sports on radio, television and print for the past 45 years. After leaving WRCB-TV in 2009, he has written two books, and has continued to free-lance as a play-by-play announcer. He is currently teaching Broadcasting at Coahulla Creek High School near Dalton, Ga.

His career has included a 17-year stretch as host of the Kickoff Call In Show on the University of Tennessee’s prestigious Vol Network. He has been a member of the Vol Network staff for thirty years.

He has done play-by-play on ESPN, ESPN II, CSS, and Fox SportSouth, totaling more than 500 games, and served as a well-known sports anchor on Chattanooga Television for more than a quarter-century.

In 2003, he became the first television broadcaster to be inducted into the Greater Chattanooga Area Sports Hall of Fame. Randy and his wife Shelia reside in Hixson. They have two married children, (Christi and Chris Perry; Davey and Alison Smith.) They have four grandchildren, Coleman, Boone, DellaMae and CoraLee.

To contact Randy: rsmithsports@epbfi.com

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