Unitas vs. Manning, and a Flacco funny

**psuasskicker** · 07-08-2011, 05:14 PM

Mike Tanier is my favorite sports writer. Part of it is because I think he's incredibly smart and a terrific football analyst. The other part of it is because his sense of humor meshes quite well with mine. I find that every time I read something of his, I am entertained and I learn something I didn't know before. That's a combo I don't get a lot of in life.

So I'd like to present this article Tanier recently wrote which seems particularly relevant to the people on this board. It starts out with IMO a very amusing exchange between Rays about what to get Flacco for his wedding. And then it delves into a deep discussion of where he ranks Peyton Manning against Johnny Unitas in terms of best Colts QBs ever.

Understanding the idea of such a think is offensive to some, the reality is that the Colts franchise has as much tenure and as many Superbowl wins in Indi as it does in Baltimore. I will always hate the franchise and Irsay for ripping our guts out. But at the same time, I respect and admire what they're doing right now as a football operation.

Others will be annoyed at Tanier's conclusion, ranking Manning slightly ahead of Unitas. But, while I agree with his assessment, I also agree with his point here: "There are many reasons to pick Unitas over Peyton, and I would not go to war with someone who wants to make that choice." Both QBs were excellent in their own way and in their own time, and I think there are valid arguments on both sides.

Anyway, given how Baltimore-centric the article is, and how it could incite some interesting discussion, I thought I'd post it.

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**The Excellector** · 07-08-2011, 05:19 PM

Sacrilege.

**psuasskicker** · 07-08-2011, 05:30 PM

Pure homerism isn't worth discussing IMO.

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**The Excellector** · 07-08-2011, 05:36 PM

Pure sacrilege isn't worth posting. Unitas vs. Montana is worth the debate. Not Unitas vs. Mr. Pick six in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl.

**ed from Bel Air** · 07-08-2011, 06:01 PM

This is not a discussion worth having. Anyone who curls up in the fetal position rather than trying to avoid a sack is not worth mentioning in the same sentence as Unitas.

**psuasskicker** · 07-08-2011, 09:56 PM

What rational arguments. I can totally understand your points!

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**ed from Bel Air** · 07-09-2011, 03:25 AM

Originally Posted by psuasskicker

What rational arguments. I can totally understand your points!

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Dear AK

It is just not a discussion worth having. They played 2 different games. Dick Butkus, Deacon Jones and many others have said they tried to knock Unitas out of every game they played.

It was their game plan.

The head slaps, shots to the face after the whistles, broken rib shots -- Defensive players in his day got away with much more than what players can do today.

The tougher rules on pass defenders make it much easier for receivers to get open.

Football in the 50's and 60's was a different game than today.

I also do not buy the one Super Bowl argument. I am not sure about this but I heard they actually played championship games before the Super Bowl (although I know our friends in Pittsburgh do not recognize this either).

**psuasskicker** · 07-09-2011, 09:43 AM

Back then they played a championship game between the two best teams. There was no playoffs because it was the best two, not too much unlike college football.

Yes, the game was different. No, it's not impossible to compare players across decades. You just can't do it from a pure statistics standpoint.

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**Teavo** · 07-09-2011, 11:08 AM

Perhaps it's not impossible to compare players from greatly different areas but it's awfully hard. The stats don't translate across long periods of time, so it all comes down to pure opinion and there's rarely agreement.

**psuasskicker** · 07-09-2011, 12:51 PM

That doesn't mean there can't be meaningful discussion around it. I mean, one of the best things about this message board is that the the ratio of intelligent posters to trashy wannabees is higher than on most other fan message boards that I've seen. But occasionally one touches on a subject that causes everyone to completely shut down their brains? Seems counter-intuitive...

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**alienrace** · 07-09-2011, 01:50 PM

How anyone even mentions Manning in the same breath after his umpteenth choke job against the Saints, with Unitas, is beyond me.

Manning was a choker in college, and he's always been a choker, save for one year, in the pros. He's not even close to Unitas.

**Beau Petard** · 07-09-2011, 01:51 PM

psu--
Nice article, thanks for the link. And IMHO, the "two Rays picking a Flacco wedding gift" is funny to any Ravens fan, as long as they have a sence of humor.

My problem with stuff like, Who's a better QB (or player)?, generally is with the idea of what "better" means? If it's quantified, then obviously a case can be made one way or another, but then you also get into the issue of who defines the lot of metrics to be used (for defining "better").

I've had the opportunity and privilege to watch both Unitas (during his years as a BALTIMORE Colt in the 60's and early 70's before being unceremoniously sent packing to San Diego) and Manning, and seeing them both live and on TV. I hardly qualify as an expert, but my gut reactions and opinions are --

--they're both great QBs
--it's silly to "not consider Peyton Manning one of the ten best quarterbacks of all time"
--Unitas had his warts as far as his performances during his career
--today's NFL is not what yesterday's NFL was
--I'd still take Johnny U. as my QB over Peyton, my homerism notwithstanding