Monkey Business

So, nine million articles have been written about Peyton Manning getting the “monkey” off his back by beating the Patriots and finally getting to the Super Bowl. Yeah, that phrase isn't completely worn out by now. It may be true, but let’s not start over celebrating this guy until he gets all the way over the hump. So much has been made over the fact that Manning has never gotten to the Promised Land, we’re forgetting that there is still a game to play. But that won’t stop the Manning love fest that we’ll be forced to endure for two nauseating weeks. By this time next Sunday every man woman and child in America will have a Nextel phone, DirecTV, and a case of Gatorade…all purchased with a MasterCard. And God help us if he wins the damn thing, we’ll never get away from him. And I haven’t forgotten the fact that I went with Brady and the Pats last week, and I’ll do it again next time. 12-2 in the playoffs is still better than pretty good. I’d still take Brady over Manning in a come from behind situation, even though Peyton did pull off the largest comeback in championship game history. Yeah, he’s pretty damn good. There I said it. The inset photo has nothing to do with this post; I just like seeing the poster boy for milk hanging with Tommy Lee.

Raiders hire Lane Kiffin

ESPN reported today that after an exhaustive search for candidates who will work for next to nothing, the Oakland Raiders have hired Lane Kiffin as their head coach. After being turned down by everyone he called, Al Davis finally found a taker in the 31-year-old offensive coordinator from USC. “I’m extremely ready for this opportunity,” Kiffin told the Minneapolis Star Tribune. “The last six years have prepared me for this. I’m extremely excited to have the chance to restore this program back to where it’s been before.” Kiffin then folded the sheet with his quotes on it, and mailed it back to Al Davis. We’ll see how ready Kiffin is when Davis orders him to employ Oakland’s new look nine-step-drop offense. And we’ll see how excited he is after next season, when he realizes he still has four years left on his contract.