The Pats are Back

Did you hear the nationwide "thump" this past weekend as pro football fans across the country jumped off the previously overcrowded Indianapolis Colts bandwagon after their home loss to the Chargers? Granted, Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison, Edgerrin James, Tony Dungy, etc. lead an undeniably talented team and they're probably still a favorite to win it all. However, the Colts are also the most overhyped team in sports today. And now for a personal commentary: While I like his Visa ad (the one in which he asks a supermarket stock boy to sign his loaf of bread) and he seems like a solid citizen off the football field, frankly I'm growing a little sick of Manning's body language on the field. He constantly looks at teammates as if to say: "Hey, I did my job. It's not my fault. We didn't complete that play because you suck." In other words, he's no Tom Brady, who always places the collective performance of the team above his own contribution. Because of his gaudy stats, Manning is a darling of fantasy football team owners and is always in the discussion of league MVPs because of his numbers. Brady? Well, he just wins. It's become a cliche but it's true; Brady really is Joe Montana to Manning's Dan Marino. And despite all of the GQ covers and references in the Herald's "Inside Track" gossip column, amazingly Brady remains an underrated QB. And Belichick isn't even a candidate for coach of the year? That's a travesty when one considers how well this team has done in spite of its litany of injuries. Well, this fan is back on the bandwagon and I'm ready for an exciting playoff ride. Once again, I like our chances.