When one of the wildest NFL games in recent history was complete, two future Hall of Famers, one from each team, quietly met in the victors' locker room.
The picture of the Denver Broncos' Peyton Manning and the Baltimore Ravens' Ray Lewis is worth
more than 300 wins, two Super Bowl titles and the possibility of more to come.
more than 300 wins, two Super Bowl titles and the possibility of more to come.
Robert Klemko of USA TODAY Sports wrote about the postgame summit:
They met in the empty visitors locker room a little more than an hour later -- Lewis in a grey three-piece suit, wearing gold-rimmed glasses; Manning in a darker jacket and slacks, standing a few inches taller than his rival.
They talked about an epic of a football game that served as a goodbye -- but Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis, and not Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning, will play next week.
Manning got flak for not talking to CBS commentators after the game. He was similarly criticized for walking off the field after a loss in Super Bowl XLIV to the New Orleans Saints without shaking hands with his opponents. To some, these acts signify a lack of sportsmanship, as if perfunctory words in the first moments of defeat make Manning a better man.
A photo like this is the measure of both athletes. Two of the all-time greats – one on one of the highest highs of his career, another on one of his lowest lows – just talking football.
-------------------------
Manning and Lewis exchanged postgame words on the field too. Lewis was giving a scripture-spouting interview to CBS (he makes Kevin Garnett sound introverted) when Manning approached and congratulated him. The linebacker appeared sincerely touched by the gesture and let Manning know it by giving him a slap on the helmet, although Lewis was really hyped so instead of a tender, "good job, bro" slap it became a vicious Harbaugh-on-Schwartz type of congratulations. Manning didn't appear to mind, bad neck and all.
0 التعليقات:
إرسال تعليق