Buckley's Column: Talking Down To The Rubes.

[Gwedd]

Anyone else read this column?

http://www.bostonherald.com/comments/1064716071#disqus_thread

This is what I wrote about it:

Ya know, this was a great column, or at least a reasonable one, up until that "yokel" comment. I'm thinking that the author is one of those cheese-eating, wine-drinking, khaki & sweater wearing types that sits in the red seats or luxury boxes and uses their phone constantly. Can't be bothered to actually support the team from the stands. Wonders what all the hollering and applause is for, etc.

I'll miss the battles between Brady & Manning, between their teams. Almost like Ali-Frasier matchups. That good, and never disappointing. I give plenty of props to Manning for his football skills over the years. However, I will NOT miss his "me-first" attitude. Every time their was a loss it was never HIS fault. It was always "some liquored-up kicker" or the D-line, or the weather, or whatever. He was great at basking in the glory, and a lousy human being who threw his teammates and coaches under the bus whenever things went south.

The Broncos, if he leaves, will tank pretty much. They have too many players whose contracts are up, too many free agents, and it will hurt, but Elway and that crew knew this when they signed Peyton. They knew it was a pact with the Devil for a couple or three years. Win now, then bask in the reflected sunlight while rebuilding later. Now the bill is about to come due, and after last night's performance. Elway would be a fool for keeping Manning on the payroll.

The end of an era, sure, but we "yokels" know that, and are ready for the next great rivalry to start up. Besides, our time will come soon enough when we see Brady leave.

We're gonna wear the laundry, holler, and tailgate and argue and due everything that makes being a fan so much fun, rather than sit with all the "special snowflakes" in the luxury boxes and sip wine with Muffy, Buffy & Tiff. We're real fans, not posers.

 

[DarrylS]

Good response, but somewhat of an overreaction to the "yokel" part.. Buckley probably could have described it better, but it is always with ambivalence when someone likes Peyton ends his career. If he does end his career...

The whole premise of the article seems premature... as fans we can gloat all we want, but Peyton was a top 5 all time quarterback who played the game well.

 

[PATS16N0]

I'm thinking that the author is one of those cheese-eating, wine-drinking, khaki & sweater wearing types that sits in the red seats or luxury boxes and uses their phone constantly.

You had me at "Hello."

 

[MassPats38]

Bruschi went to Manning after the 2006 AFC Championship loss and said “Now go win your Super Bowl!”? I never heard that before, and couldn't find that on a search. Given the relationship (and unless that was more mocking in tone), that would seem a little odd.

I also found it odd that he was talking about parodies of the Nationwide commercial, as that was going on here (I didn't check to see if the jingles were actually ones from that thread).

I agree with the sentiment generally, that if Manning does retire it is the end of a Magic-Bird type rivalry and that will be said after all of the great games. Love or hate Manning, there have been reasons to love those games. For me, there are few games more satisfying than the divisional win against him in 2004, and his look after that game.

The 'yokels' thing is just pompous and arrogant, saying others don't appreciate the historical significance of it all. You can hate Manning for his scandal at Tennessee, or throwing teammates under the bus after losses, or the fact he has always played with top-tier receivers and tight ends from a dome when compared to Brady (other than his brief time with the Donkeys to date). I hate the media's relationship with him, if it appears it accepts without question this self-effacing, awwww shucks guy who breaks records. The author seems to have bought into the latter with halo vision. Manning is neither devil or angel, or maybe both (as, I suspect, are many professional athletes under the microscope). In the end, I won't miss the guy (probably won't have to as you will still see him on television), but I will miss the games.

 

[Fencer]

I don't think the "liquored-up kicker" line was Manning blaming anybody -- it was just him reacting to a guy saying stuff in the off-season that shouldn't be said outside the locker room.

 

[Oswlek]

Bruschi went to Manning after the 2006 AFC Championship loss and said “Now go win your Super Bowl!”? I never heard that before

FWIW, I heard that back then, though I don't recall the source.

 

[Jackson 2]

Steve Buckley views "yokels" the same way Dan Shaughnessy views "fanboys" and Michael Felger views "footie pajama wearers": those who love their teams and are some lower form of life than they are.

 

[shmessy]

Buckley drops one "yokel" comment and the reaction is this?

Have you ever heard of Dan Shaughnessy?

 

[MassPats38]

FWIW, I heard that back then, though I don't recall the source.

I didn't think Bruschi hated Manning, but as Bruschi and Harrison were two of the louder characters after beating the Colts in 2004, I would assume Bruschi would not take the loss well given the defensive collapse. I hated that loss to the Colts, but did continue to follow the stories. That one would have stuck if I heard it. It just surprised me, and I figured a quote like that would show up somewhere on the Internet articles. Not doubting your memory. Just surprised I missed it at the time.

 

[Gwedd]

Buckley drops one "yokel" comment and the reaction is this?

Have you ever heard of Dan Shaughnessy?

True dat. But it's early on Monday, and Buckley was right there trying to harsh my mellow, as it were.

 

[shmessy]

True dat. But it's early on Monday, and Buckley was right there trying to harsh my mellow, as it were.

LOL.

BTW, don't think for a second that Buckley didn't get the idea for his column from this thread started last night in the 4th quarter of the Den-Indy game.

http://www.patsfans.com/new-england...ot-new-nationwide-commercial-jingles.1114976/

 

[Rusty Coupe]

It's quite possible Buckley was waxing nostalgic about Peyton(and said yokel descriptions of him) in conjunction with his own mortality. During the span of Manning's career, the dead tree edition of Buckley's livelihood wen't the way of the dinosaurs, and is now fighting to somehow remain relevant online.

That would include now having to break bread with Squeaky and Douche, creating imagined controversies as they whore themselves to pay the mortgage and the heating bill, or a Yukon Denali.

Change can be a scary thing, some people resort to demonize others, and try to divide and conquer to justify their existence.

 

[DarrylS]

True dat. But it's early on Monday, and Buckley was right there trying to harsh my mellow, as it were.

I lost my "mellow" last night when I spent some time here amongst those were wailing and bytching about this loss for one reason or another.. if BB did this, or Josh did this or we need to replace our D coordinator.

I swear that this is becoming more and more of a parallel universe, quite different from my reality..

 

[pwes]

I saw parodies of the Nationwide jingle on several other messageboards. Even Broncos fans were doing it during their gameday thread. I think its universal how annoying that commercial is.

 

[Fencer]

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/...kley_pats_fans_will_miss_big_games_vs_manning might be a better link. And by the way, if Manning stays with Denver after all -- well, Denver is on the Pats' schedule next season.