Football fans who dislike baseball, the Yankees, or Alex Rodriguez, had an unwelcome surprise when they tuned into the finale of NFL Network’s Top 100 Players list. None other than A-Rod was involved in the production, presenting Peyton Manning for second on the list.
Of all the complaints about the list (was it a lifetime list or based on last year’s performance?), the biggest complaint I have was allowing a disliked baseball player to present football commentary on an important list. Admittedly, I like to see as little of A-Rod as I need to just because there’s so much about him that bothers me, but why was he involved with the show?
As A-Rod began to present Manning for No. 2 on the list, the answer was clear: the parallels between the two players’ careers are similar. Both players have won multiple regular season MVP awards but have failed repeatedly in the postseason. They’re the chokers stat geeks love to own in fantasy leagues and the players true fans love to rip for their playoff shortcomings.
“Anytime Peyton Manning is on TV you want to sit on your couch, get some popcorn, get a nice pop and watch him for three hours because it’s really a treat to watch,” Rodriguez said about Manning. “I think his preparation shows out there on the field every Sunday on how much better prepared he is than everybody else.”
“Anytime you play a long career and you play for some great teams and you’ve been close to winning a championship and you don’t win the championship, it’s something that I dreaded even thinking about when I retired. I’m sure he had the same type of thoughts,” A-Rod offered up in his commentary.
“I think for Peyton Manning, winning that Super Bowl, it’s one of the most important Super Bowls that any individual has ever won. And I know that for him and I both, our careers have resembled each other in some ways, and the fact that we both won I’m happy for the both of us.”
“What makes Peyton Manning so great is he’s so consistent year-in and year-out. Once someone like Peyton Manning spoils all of us and throws for — seems like [300], 400 yards every week, people start almost taking you for granted. And I think it’s happened with Peyton. People don’t realize how great he is. Although he makes it look so easy, how difficult and challenging it is to be perhaps when it’s all said and done, the greatest quarterback of all time.”
Some of A-Rod’s commentary was fine, but when you have current and coaches players offering praise and insight on the other players from the list, it means a lot more. I want to hear what a player’s peers have to say about him, not what an admirer from another sport thinks.
Though the show was entertaining, having A-Rod invade it was one notable shortcoming.
