When thinking back on the past year in sports, it is unfortunate that the first things that leap to mind are scandals, steroids, and asterisks.
The dark side of sports should never be the highlight of any year. For me, the shining accomplishment of 2007 was Peyton Manning getting the monkey off his back and finally winning a Super Bowl.
Manning had endured a world of weight on his shoulders for not winning a championship, from his days at Tennessee through a string of NFL playoff loses. As 2006 unfolded, the Indianapolis Colts rolled through the regular season at 12-4. But once the calendar turned to 2007, the pundits all started heaping their doubts on Manning's ability to win the "big one."
The postseason road to Miami started with an home game against the Kansas City Chiefs, which Manning easily controlled, as the Colts rolled, 23-8.
The Colts then traveled to Baltimore and a date with the Ravens for the divisional playoffs.
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In Manning’s least impressive performance of the postseason, Adam Vinatieri lifted the Colts to victory with five field goals in a 15-6 win that has to be the most frustrating playoff game to watch of all time.
If the weight of the sports world was not pressing down on Manning enough before the victory in Baltimore, the upcoming AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots added even more weight. All week before the game, the sports world asked: Could Manning get the monkey off his back? That monkey was named Tom Brady.
Outside, three-and-a-half inches of fresh snowfall blanketed Indianapolis, but conditions were perfect inside the RCA Dome. Early in the game, the Patriots offensive linemen Logan Mankins recovered a fumble for a touchdown. Later, Colts center Jeff Saturday would even the score by recovering a fumble for a touchdown.
Finally, with one minute left in the game and the Colts trailing New England 34-31, Joseph Addai bulled three yards into the end zone, and punched the Colts golden ticket for the trip to Miami.
This Super Bowl was ripe with headlines for the media: Could Manning win the big one? For the first time, two African American head coaches were in a Super Bowl. It also was not overlooked that Tony Dungy was still getting over the 2005 suicide of his son James.
After a record-breaking opening kickoff return, and consistent play early from Chicago's Rex Grossman and the Bears it didn’t look good for the Colts during the first quarter in a rain-soaked Miami. However, in the second quarter Manning got his footing down and directed the Colts to a 16-14 halftime lead.
As Prince wailed on his guitar, the Colts made adjustments in the locker room, and came out to dominate the second half. As the final moments of the game ticked off the clock, it was clear that Peyton Manning had overcame the scrutiny and pressure to show that he is not only a premier NFL Quarterback, but also one that will be no stranger to Super Bowl wins.
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10 months ago
Don't get me wrong, I like Peyton and he's definitely one of the best QB's ever, but he was just plain lucky last year. I remember it was 3rd and 4 for the Pats with a little less than 3 minutes to go in the game. Brady stepped back, the receiver (I don't remember who, I'm not a Pats fan) ran the wrong route and it was incomplete. That would've sealed the game, as the Colts had one or no timeouts left. It was miscommunication on the Pats part. But that's sports, a win is a win. In the end, I'm happy for Peyton. As long as he believes in his head that it wasn't luck last year, that it was him that got them the title and that he can do it, I do agree that he will be no stranger to more Super Bowls.
10 months ago
The Colts came back after the half from 18 points down to win the game - I guess that was lucky too.
10 months ago
Any team lead by a strong quarterback that can come back in the playoffs and beat the Patriots, any Patriot team since 2000, had a good year. Period. My whole point was I was asked to write about what I believed was the best sports story of 2007. Since I dislike the hyping of scandals I looked for something positive. I am a motorsport writer usually, but nothing in motorsports was especially heart warming or special this year. I picked this, it is more opinion than fact. Treat it as such.
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