Posted by ESPN on 5/7/2004, 11:42:51 Manning further suggested Bakersfield, home of Eli's brother Peyton, pass on the younger Manning. "I'd hate to see my boys competing for playing time. That's not good for either of their careers. It's like that Ken Burns movie about that war where it was brother against brother." During a live interview on SportsCenter, Manning made a few other suggestions to boost his baby boy's future. First let me just say that I appreciate the opportunity for my son to play in the BFL. I know its a huge privilege and an honor, and the last thing I would want to do is ruffle feathers or draw undue attention to him. "That said, I would like to request that any and all defensemen refrain from tackling my son. Hes young and fragile, and any kind of physical contact could really hurt his career. Again, I dont want to disrespect the game, but we really cant have Eli being tackled at this point. Im sure you all can understand. Manning said the decision to make the request came after days of deliberation, and was not intended to make a mockery of the league. It was designed solely to protect the well being of young Eli. This is completely out of character for our family, said Manning. We really hate to ask for special treatment because we know what a privilege it is to play football for a living. This was a very, very difficult decision to make and we did not approach it lightly. Simply put, my son must be able to pick his own team, set his own practice schedule, determine his own playing time, and cant be tackled. Look at him. Look at that pretty face. Do you want to be the one to damage that? I dont think so. So lets all pull together and make sure Eli doesnt get tackled. If we cant get everyone to agree to this, he will sit out the season. Manning hastened to add defensive backs should give Eli's receivers plenty of room to catch passes from the Ole Miss star. "And if for some reason it appears headed for you, bat it to the ground. Incompletions look bad, but interceptions this early in his career could really hurt the boy." Despite the criticism from around the league, Archie Manning said his son is willing to sit out the season to avoid being tackled. There are several options open to Eli, including the Canadian Football League and the Arena league, but Manning insisted that his son would much rather play in the BFL. The only stipulation is exemption from the tackling rule. Look, its very easy. Just dont tackle him, said Manning. Its simple. If you get into the backfield, simply stand in front of him and try to bat down the pass. But dont do it too hard. The ball could be batted back at Eli and poke him in the eye. It could also graze him, causing him to lose his balance and fall down, getting his uniform and hair dirty. If all the defensemen in the league could agree to this simple solution, Eli will be an BFL quarterback next year. As for Eli, hes been keeping a low profile since the draft, content to let his father do the talking. When reached for comment, the young quarterback downplayed his dads request. I understand that people are upset with me right now, but thats OK, he said. I know my dad really believes in me not getting tackled, and I dont blame him. You only get one career, one shot at this thing, and weve seen what injuries can do to a player. It wouldnt be fair for me to get injured and deprive America of my excellence, charisma, and beauty. People wouldnt stand for it. I just hope that we can reach some sort of an agreement on this thing so I dont have to go to the Arena league. I really cant deal with all that damn Bon Jovi music. Manning Sr. has attempted to make a compromise with the BFL regarding his sons safety. According to the commissioners office, he has already contacted the league and suggested Eli wear a flag or hankie in his back pocket so that defenders could attempt to capture it in lieu of actually tackling him. Have you ever played flag football? Its a lot of fun, said Manning. You get to chase the guy around and try to pull the flag out of his back pocket. If youve never played it, let me tell you: Its a blast. I think people like Ray Lewis, Brian Urlacher, and Javon Kearse would really enjoy trying to get that flag. Its harder than you think! When reached for comment, Lewis vowed to capture Mannings flag and use it to choke the life out of him. "People seem to forget I'm crazy like that," Lewis reminded. "Don't forget, I murdered someone a few years ago."
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With teams eyeing rookie-to-be QB Eli Manning, his father, Archie Manning sent out a warning to some potential suitors. "I just don't think playing in a place like Mayberry or Toledo or West Virginia is going to do my son's career much good."
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