FSH: ON THE COVER

December 22nd, 2009 10:00pm PST

This Week on the Cover….

[Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images]

Carving His Name into the

History Books

While we watch with great awe and appreciation, do many of us casual fans or great enthusiast truly realize what we could be witnessing before us? Just like we have seen over the recent years Tiger Woods complete dominance over the PGA Tour, is that what we are now seeing with Peyton Manning against the NFL?

If Manning finishes the 2009 undefeated with a ring on his finger, where will that put him in the annals of history? He is already considered to be one of the best in today's game, but with another championship and perfection would that elevate him to the top?

All he has done in his twelve seasons is really redefine the position in today's game with complex defensive schemes to read, the endless adjustments he has to learn with his receivers, and the fact he pretty much calls his own game most of the time. Let's not forget the level of success he has achieved while accomplishing all this;

Peyton Manning's accomplishments...

10 Time Pro Bowl Selection

4 Time First Team All-Pro

3 Time AP NFL MVP

Pro Bowl MVP (2005)

Super Bowl MVP (XLI)

366 career touchdown passes

49,841 career yards passing

95.3 career passer rating

One Super Bowl Ring

Not many players in the league come close to what Peyton has accomplished and even in the 2009 season that still has two games remaining, the Colts field general has shown fans plenty. This season he has nine 300 yard passing games and has four games with four touchdowns and a total of seven with at least three.

Seven times this season Manning has also led his Colts team to a game winning score in the fourth quarter. There is a name for those kind of antics, it's called "clutch" and no one since the great John Elway has made quite an art of such great feats.

If Manning can accomplish the unthinkable and finish the 2009-2010 campaign without a blemish, many of those that follow the game better start thinking about him as being "the greatest ever", because he will have done something no one ever has. And yes, that is a big "IF."

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