I have been blogging since 2006. One of the things I have covered in these ten years has been the Indianapolis Colts, Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos.In this post, I'll share with you some of the highs and lows of Peyton Manning's career via the posts that I published as all these things were going down.
The Indianapolis Colts Era
This post, titled 'Stung' covered the Indianapolis Colts' loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the playoff loss during the 2005 season. I can still remember that game. I had a bet on it as well - can't remember that, but knowing me, I wouldn't be surprised!
In the post titled 'The Wait Is Over', I looked forward to the upcoming 2006 season. I wrote about how the Colts had become my favourite team during what I know regard as the renaissance years of being a fan of the sport. I ended the post with this:
'..I may be called a glory supporter but they haven't won the Super Bowl.
Yet.'
If you had taken my word on that very day, you would have enjoyed the few months that followed. Spoiler alert, by the way.
In 'Colts Charge', I write 'I really do think they can do it' when it comes to winning that year's Super Bowl that was three months away.
The post 'Dodging Spoilers' explains the lengths I went to in order to avoid the result of the Colts' game against the Philadelphia Eagles. It ended with 'They're going to the Super Bowl - I'm telling you!'
In 'Written Off', I show my disgust that the Colts were the betting underdogs against the Baltimore Ravens. I wouldn't have been so angry these days. I would have taken the points and bet on them.
In 'A Game Of Two Halves', I write about the Colts' AFC Championship win over the New England Patriots. This is the famous game where the team came back from nowhere and booked their place into that year's Super Bowl.
I wrote 'Super Bowl Sunday' on the morning of the big game against Chicago. The Colts went on to win it.
It may look like I hadn't written about the Colts in two years, but that isn't accurate. There were a number of posts sandwiched in between February 4th 2007 and here that were more gambling-themed. The post titled 'Last Night's Game' covered one of the legendary Colts versus Patriots meetings. I vowed to 'burn this one to disc'.
In 'Gutted', I write about how annoyed I was not to see the Minnesota Vikings defeat the New Orleans Saints in order to make it to that year's Super Bowl. I wanted to see Peyton Manning and Brett Favre compete for the Vince Lombardi Trophy that year.
Another Super Bowl Sunday. Another Colts post where I write about looking forward to them winning. Unfortunately, it didn't end the way I hoped. The post ends with me writing '..I'm still going to enjoy it.' thus proving hindsight and foresight are two different animals.
Above is an example of a'gambling-themed post'. This one is a short post where I had bet on Indianapolis to cover the spread by three and they won by two.
In 'The Colts Are Out', I write about the team losing to the New York Jets in the playoffs. I had a feeling they would lose this one but it still didn't make me any less irked.
The post '227 and Out' was written when I learned that Peyton Manning was going to miss his first start in 227 games. This was a result of the neck surgeries he had to undergo. It was the beginning of the end to the Indianapolis era.
In 'Going, Going..' I react to the news that Peyton Manning's time at Indianapolis was up. One sentence struck me - 'I've been a fan of Manning and the Colts ever since and I'll continue following both'. I stuck to that.
The Free Agent
In '1st and Tenn', I wrote about Manning having travelled to meet with all the teams that were in competition for his services. At the time I wrote the post, there were two teams still in with a chance - Denver (Manning's first meeting) and Tennessee. You'll love this one: 'I think a move to Tennessee makes the most sense'. I could argue that we can't prove whether I was right or wrong on that one, but my gut is telling me I dropped the ball.
The Denver Broncos Era
In 'The Colt Becomes A Bronco' I write about Manning picking the Denver Broncos over the other potential suitors.
In '#18', I write about watching Manning's first official press conference as a Bronco. They also unveiled his shirt at this event. The team had to request the number 18 shirt be reinstalled after it had been retired in 1963. I write a little bit about it in the post.
In 'Vintage Manning', I covered Manning's return to football with a win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. I finish the post off with a calculation about how much the Denver Broncos would improve with Manning in charge. Well, I'd like to call it a calculation. Some may call it orange-tinted specs.
This one is funny. 'Tuesday Morning Football' was written at 3:10am when the Broncos were losing 24-0 to the San Diego Chargers. I finish off with 'I hope things improve in the second half.'
I follow up the previous day's post with, 'Tuesday Morning Football : The 2nd Half'. The Broncos did in fact manage to turn things around as I had hoped. They scored thirty-five points in half number two.
Friday April 19th 2013
In 'One Hour From Now', I predicted that Denver would play the Baltimore Ravens in the season opener of the 2013 season. It was an hour before the schedules were released. The prediction was spot on.
Monday July 1st 2013
In 'No. 18 Is #2' I noted that Peyton Manning was voted number 2 in the 'Top 100 Players in the 2012 Season'.
Thursday October 17th 2013
In 'Peyton's Returns To Indy', I write about Manning bringing his new team to play his old team - the Colts.
Friday April 19th 2013
In 'One Hour From Now', I predicted that Denver would play the Baltimore Ravens in the season opener of the 2013 season. It was an hour before the schedules were released. The prediction was spot on.
Monday July 1st 2013
In 'No. 18 Is #2' I noted that Peyton Manning was voted number 2 in the 'Top 100 Players in the 2012 Season'.
Thursday October 17th 2013
In 'Peyton's Returns To Indy', I write about Manning bringing his new team to play his old team - the Colts.
Tuesday October 22nd 2013
In '33-39', I react to the score of Denver @ Indianapolis.
Saturday January 18th 2014
In this post, I look forward to the fifteenth meeting between Peyton Manning and New England's Tom Brady. The pair were thorns in each others' sides during their careers.
Sunday February 2nd 2014
In 'Super Bowl Sunday 2014', I look forward to the Denver Broncos taking on the Seattle Seahawks for all the marbles. I had a nightmare to come, didn't I?
Monday February 3rd 2014
It was 2:53am when I published 'Well Done To Seattle'. They routed the Broncos, I must say.
Sunday March 16th 2014
One of my favourite posts ever. It's called 'The Autograph Hunter' and covers the moment when I received a signed autograph from Peyton Manning. Great stuff indeed.
In '33-39', I react to the score of Denver @ Indianapolis.
Saturday January 18th 2014
In this post, I look forward to the fifteenth meeting between Peyton Manning and New England's Tom Brady. The pair were thorns in each others' sides during their careers.
Sunday February 2nd 2014
In 'Super Bowl Sunday 2014', I look forward to the Denver Broncos taking on the Seattle Seahawks for all the marbles. I had a nightmare to come, didn't I?
Monday February 3rd 2014
It was 2:53am when I published 'Well Done To Seattle'. They routed the Broncos, I must say.
Sunday March 16th 2014
One of my favourite posts ever. It's called 'The Autograph Hunter' and covers the moment when I received a signed autograph from Peyton Manning. Great stuff indeed.
Sunday September 7th 2014
In 'Luck/Manning II', I look ahead at another meeting between Peyton Manning and his former team.
Thursday October 23rd 2014
In the post titled 'Manning's Record', I write about Manning breaking the record for most passing touchdowns in the NFL. He broke the number held by Brett Favre.
Sunday January 11th 2015
Another meeting between Manning's Broncos and the Indianapolis Colts is covered in 'Manning/Luck III'.
Sunday February 15th 2015
In the post titled 'The Good & Bad Of Manning Returning For 2015' I question whether the Broncos' new coaching staff would want to keep him.
Friday March 6th 2015
In 'Manning Is Returning', I write about how I am glad that the player was returning for the 2015 season. He had to restructure his contract. All the details are in this post.
Tuesday November 3rd 2015
In 'The Game Of The Week', I look forward to another Indianapolis versus Denver game. I note that it could be Manning's swansong season but wasn't counting out that that would be the final time the teams would play. I was predicting a playoff meeting. It didn't happen.
Tuesday January 19th 2016
'The Old Enemy' was the final post I published where I looked forward to Manning taking on the New England Patriots. This was because the Denver Broncos were due to face the Pats in the AFC Championship game.
Sunday January 24th 2016
I once again look forward to the Conference Championship game. I was determined not to bet against the Denver Broncos.
Monday January 25th 2016
In 'Denver Make It!' I react to the Broncos' defeating the New England Patriots to book their place in the Super Bowl.
Monday February 1st 2016
It's 'Super Bowl Week' and you can tell by the way I write that I am anxious about how this will end up.
Friday February 5th 2016
In 'Colt Or Bronco', published a couple of days before the Super Bowl, I ponder how Peyton Manning would retire. Would it be as a Bronco or a Colt?
Saturday February 6th 2016
I write about the Broncos' chances of winning the Super Bowl after reading the words of 'experts'. The confidence meter is extremely low in this post.
Monday February 8th 2016
It's the 'Annual Post-Super Bowl Ramble' and I sure do ramble. This was written just after 4am that morning - minutes after the Super Bowl finished.
Monday March 7th 2016
Written on a Saturday, but published on the Monday following the news that Manning was due to retire. The entire post was obsolete by the time it went live. However, I decided to keep it from the delete switch.
Tuesday March 8th 2016
The end. This post was written shortly after Manning officially retired. I note that he's the 'Last Sports Hero' I have and try to explain what I mean by that term.
There's surely going to be more Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos posts as the years go by. However, what I have collected above are posts that can be viewed as highlights (if you will) of his playing career during the years that I have maintained my blog.
It was fun to look back and see how it all played out through my very own words.
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