I was talking to a Patriots-loving friend of mine the other day and I asked if the whole Spygate silliness had soured him on his hometown team. Before I could get the sentence out of my mouth he cut me off: "already forgotten." I then asked if he was upset that Tom Brady wouldn't be winning any Father of the Year awards in the near future. Again, he seemed unfazed.
And just about every NFL head coach agrees, apparently. Hashmarks conducted a wide-ranging survey recently and in addition to finding out stuff most of us just assumed to be true, there's also this:
Twenty-two coaches said they thought Brady would be the first player selected [if there was a supplemental-style draft]. Six head coaches went with Peyton Manning. One head coach apparently wasn't taking the survey as seriously. Either that or he's a huge Jason Taylor fan. Taylor received one of the 29 votes.Word on the street is that Matt Millen instructed Rod Marinelli to vote for Jason Taylor because "Millen loved him in 'Gridiron Gang.'"
I suppose the findings are surprising in that the votes weren't more evenly distributed, but then again, Brady has three Super Bowl rings and a pretty impressive postseason record. Manning was well on his way to being the latest incarnation of Dan Marino before the Colts won the Super Bowl in February 2007.
For as good as I think Manning is, and for all the fun I like to have at Brady's expense, if I'm starting a team and I have the first pick, there's a pretty good chance I'm taking Jason Taylor. And if Tommy Terrific's still on the board a round later, he's definitely my guy.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
7-07-2008 @ 3:08PM
mj said...
I can't agree. Manning has faced the Patriots' D multiple times and Brady never has.
I'm sure all these coaches think they're as good as Belicheck so Brady must be winning all those games. But that just isn't the case.
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7-07-2008 @ 3:15PM
April said...
Why does nobody look at schedules? Last year, the Patriots played one of the softest schedules in the league. Puhleez...Miami? Hmm. In addition, lets not forget that Tommy terrific was dropped into a good team, while Peyton has been solid while waiting for his team to be developed. I'll take Peyton any day of the week and twice on Sundays, thanks. And I AM biased...and I'm ok with that.
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7-07-2008 @ 4:36PM
LesCiels said...
An opinion, or opinions, can never be oficial. Plus, i agree that the Pats ALWAYS for some reason get a very comfortable schedule. I'll take Peyton over Brady any time. Peyton has a football mind.
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7-07-2008 @ 5:45PM
Ripsawz said...
Peyton over Tom any time! Peyton is a player, Tom has a better team. Switch teams, Colts are dead.
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7-07-2008 @ 6:05PM
al coholic said...
Those twenty two coaches must have missed the Super Bowl (non) performance by Brady. As others have said, Peyton has done a lot more with a lot less.
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7-07-2008 @ 6:59PM
Wayne said...
I'm sure Brady wouldn't agree that Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, and Dallas Clark count as a "lot less".
Please. Peyton is a choker, plain and simple. He won his Super Bowl because the Chargers gave the Patriots the flu.
Brady has never had anything close to the offensive weapons Manning is surrounded with. Randy Moss alone doesn't equate to Harrison/Wayne/Clark and James or Addai.
Half of you would be hating on Manning if he had won three Super Bowls. It's tough being on top.
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7-20-2008 @ 8:14PM
Jill said...
I totally agree with you!! Everyone wants to sit there and say Brady always had this great team and manning never did until last season Manning had the offense and Brady worked with what he had and still came out on top!
7-07-2008 @ 7:29PM
Rick Vogt said...
Wayne...a reality check. NE hasn't won in 4 years. They are not on top. They are a contender. The flu???? Even your fellow Patriot fans should take you out back and slap you till you pee your pants for that pile of feces.
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7-07-2008 @ 8:40PM
T said...
Some of you are delusional. The Colts have been getting easy schedules and help from the refs. Even sports commentators have referred to their schedules as "soft", so lets be real. Peyton plays every game without breaking a sweat or his ass. Why? because they've had their fair share of playing bum ass teams too.
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7-07-2008 @ 10:39PM
Tommy said...
Im a Hoosier and I love my Colts. Peyton has build a franchise from nothing.
Have some respect.
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7-07-2008 @ 11:51PM
claytor said...
T, youre a retard, plain and simple.
How the HELL can you justify having to play the Jags twice every year with that evil Del Rio defense soft? Oh, and we play the Chargers every year, too.
Youre really trying too hard to justify playing in the AFC (L)east, arent you? The Pats played their first five games against teams that collectively were like 4-19 or something, while the Colts play in a division that featured three playoff teams.
This years schedule is even more of a laugher. Truth is Mannings never had the Pro Bowler at every position defense Bradys had the luxury of getting bailed out by. And we ALL know Brady cant finish big games with a touchdown, so...
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7-08-2008 @ 3:17AM
mw said...
Man I'm so sick of hearing how Brady didn't have the caliber of players that Peyton had in the past, that's bull Brady like Peyton help make those players what they are and Brady did have pro bowlers around him during his SB games they just weren't named as of yet and wasn't as well known so stop the crap.
It means very little any way after this coming season Peyton will put Brady where he belongs in the has been file.Brady has shown all he can do time for PEYTON to show every team what a GREAT QB can do and put turf boy Brady in his dust.
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7-08-2008 @ 3:30AM
mw said...
#6 Wayne
Chargers gave the Pats the flu,you know what they say about a stupid comment like that,excuses are like A-holes and it seems like the Pats have them all.
By the way what were the Pats doing trying to get that friendly with the Chargers to catch the flu?Maybe it's true with some of those rumors about certain members of the Pats team lol
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7-08-2008 @ 3:48PM
Jovon said...
For the record i hate the pats and the colts, but Tom Brady is who i'd want more. Peyton Manning is probably the best regular season qb, but i want Brady in the playoffs, you know why because too many times the colts have choked in the playoffs with manning as qb. 2004 playoffs they have supposedly the greatest offense of all time and only score three points against New england. In 2005 They lost to the steelers in a game the refs tried everything to keep them in with Troy's interception. In 2007 they lost to the chargers even when the refs were with the colts the whole game. despite having two chances late in the 4th to win the game Peyton couldn't get it done. Now you tell me that if Tom brady has two chances to drive down the field and win a playoff game at home that he won't get it done.
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7-08-2008 @ 6:37PM
James said...
Brady took over a team that was 5-11 the year before and 0-2 before he took over and lead them to a superbowl win. And that was with Bledsoe as the QB! So a team that went 5-13 with Bledsoe as their QB in their last 18 games was a "great team"? Gimme a break, Brady has never had the weapons Manning has had, like Harrison, Wayne, James, Addai, etc. He took a team with 2 nothings, Caldwell and Gaffney, to the brink of the superbowl!
Face it, he is better than Manning, end of story.
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7-08-2008 @ 6:55PM
lk said...
Brady was dropped into a great team? Huh? Didn't the Pats lose almost every game the year before Tom took over? I think Manning might have a better arm, but I would rather have Brady. I know they lost the SB last time, but the idea that people still thought he might pull it out with 30 seconds remaining, just shows you how many times he has come through under pressure. That is worth alot and likely why most coaches would take Brady over Manning.
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7-09-2008 @ 1:31PM
Jen said...
Wayne- wow. You must be a Patriots fan. Talk about CHOKE!!! Don't worry, I won't tell anyone about your crush on Tom Brady. Tom Brady is so over-rated. Without Randy Moss, he wouldn't have had 1/2 those touchdowns. You want to talk about someone who has always been, and will always be the #1- it's Peyton. Check out your stats....wait a few years....and i'm guessing he's only going to get better. And yes, he will out win brady with superbowl wins...you just wait and see...
T- You are an IDIOT!!!! help from the refs? easy schedule? are you kidding me!?!? sounds to me like you don't know very much about football. you need to look back and check that again. Also, you need a great quarterback, and a great offense to help them out. Brady has been lucky on that offense, more so than any talent he might have. Peyton was born with talent, born into a football family....brady is lucky to even be in the NFL. what a loser. we're talking new stadium, healthy players, and peyton manning......that = kicking the patriots A**!!!!
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7-10-2008 @ 8:13AM
lk said...
Well Jen I guess the NFL coaches disagree with you on Brady being over-rated. Somehow I think they are more knowledgeable about football than you are, and guess what, they would pick Brady over Peyton....sorry to burst your bubble. I'd like to also point out that Peyton is never even in the discussions of greatest qb's of all time and Brady is generally considered, doesn't always make the list but is at least in the conversation. So if you want to argue that Brady is not any better than Peyton that is one thing, but when you make the arguement that Brady sucks and is not even in the same realm as Peyton, well then that just sounds ridiculous.
7-10-2008 @ 5:27PM
joe said...
HAHAHAHAHA...
this is pathetic. both are great quarterbacks, but speculating on the remainder of their careers is ignorant. Brady has 3 rings and 4 SB appearances, Manning 1 ring. Brady has always, always had less around him on offense. Everyone knows that. Brady may have less talent than manning, but the truth is, Manning has been choking since college. Brady didnt choke in the Superbowl, he got smashed by a D line that was amazing. Give the Giants some credit. Brady has the intangibles that Manning has never had. Mannings only Superbowl win came inspite of his lack of play, not because of it (see Colts D 06). Take off the goggles. There both great, but if your starting a team, you go with Brady, obviously the NFL coaches opinions mean something right. Fools.
7-09-2008 @ 8:06PM
Ilanin said...
From this we learn that 29 NFL head coaches are morons or, more likely, are lying.
Manning is 32. Brady will be 31 by the team the next season starts. Both are great quarterbacks, but I'm going to get what, six, seven years out of them at best? You're telling me they'd be drafted first in a league-wide supplemental?
Come off it. A 25/6 year old QB like Cutler or Roethlisberger has maybe twice as much play left in him, or maybe go for an LT like Joe Thomas who might lock down the left side of your OL for fifteen years.
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