The NFL: a Personal History: Eli Manning

Yesterday New York Giants' quarterback Eli Manning announced his retirement. The press conference will be tomorrow.

Mike Francesa has Eli Manning's measure, we think.

Eli Manning played sixteen seasons, threw for 57K + yards, 366 touchdown passes and, oh by the way was the victor and MVP of two super bowls.

Here's his greatest play. Here's his other greatest play.

When the Giants drafted Manning in 2004, we wished they drafted lineman Robert Gallery instead and stuck with current stating QB Kerry Collins.

Manning was an iron man, he was never hurt and started 2010 consecutive games. He was a fearless gun slinger as shown by the players above. And he was utterly unflappable.

People who think Eli Manning isn't a hall of fame quarterback don't understand football and should find something else to watch, like spelling bees. 

He won me two super bowls.

1980's Television...Wut you talkin' About?

After our post on 1970's TV hell, we wondered what 1980's TV hell would look like. Via Wikipedia here are the top 10 TV shows for 1985-86*:

Rank	Program	Network	Rating
1	The Cosby Show	NBC	33.7
2	Family Ties		30.0
3	Murder, She Wrote	CBS	25.3
4	60 Minutes		23.9
5	Cheers	NBC	23.7
6	Dallas	CBS	21.9
7	Dynasty	ABC	21.8
	The Golden Girls	NBC
9	Miami Vice		21.3
10	Who's the Boss?	ABC	21.1

Operating under the theory that a decades cultural trends reach their zenith in the 8 year, here's the top ten TV shows of 1988-89:

Rank	Program	Network	Rating
1	The Cosby Show	NBC	25.6
2	Roseanne	ABC	23.8
3	A Different World	NBC	23.0
4	Cheers		22.3
5	60 Minutes	CBS	21.7
6	The Golden Girls	NBC	21.4
7	Who's the Boss?	ABC	20.8
8	Murder, She Wrote	CBS	19.9
9	Empty Nest	NBC	19.2
10	Anything but Love	ABC	19.0

First the ratings are stunning. Nothing today will even approach a 25.

Second, for a decade remembered for everything being cool, 1980's television seems pretty lame. Miami Vice** for certain, maybe A Different World. But remember folks, that's a spinoff of the Cosby Show and lead in right after. A Different World was part of the Cosby juggernaut. 

Four of these TV shows are about old people and a fourth, 60 Minutes is for old people. Cheers is about a bunch of losers sitting around a bar which ruins everyone with whom it comes in contact, Diane, Rebecca, even Robin Colcord.

*For foreign readers, American television seasons start in the autumn and end in late spring.
**Visionary NBC programing chief Brandon Tartacoff called the show 'MTV Cops'.