Eli Manning, Literally a Marked Man

It’s amazing how quickly we forget disgraceful opening acts.   Celebrate those whose arrogance knew no bounds on day one.  Cherish those who entered professional sports too scared to play anywhere, and too adrift to look in the mirror. 

But for those like Eli Manning who refused to play fair on draft day, I say it’s time to hand down a fair sentence. 

It’s time to emblazon them with scarlet letters. 

A “DD” patch for draft dodger to be worn on their jerseys in perpetuity.

A more hopeful and exciting day than the draft never existed in professional sports.  It’s a day where past hardship pays off.  Where the worst of the worst get first shot at getting better.  A day designed to ensure parity by getting the best young talent into the hands of those less fortunate.

But from time to time the opportunity for unbelievable riches and excitement isn’t enough for a young athlete.  Faced with an opportunity to show great character, the athlete falls on the sword of cowardice instead by refusing to sign with teams eligible to draft him.    

And so I say, mark him.    

Tattoo his jersey with letters befitting his conduct. 

Force him to wear a scarlet patch. 

Emblazon him with a “DD.”  Recognize him as a draft dodger.

To describe Ely Manning, J.D. Drew, and John Elway once without mention of their original sin is blameworthy.  To let them enjoy lengthy careers without remembering is tragic. 

Elway is a two-time Super Bowl cover-boy, remembered now as a hall of famer and good guy.  But he screwed NFL parity by dodging the draft with selfish indignation. 

J.D. Drew is a former all-star who has reaped millions playing baseball for many major league clubs.  But he and agent Scott Boras knifed the Phillies in the back when the team refused to pay the exorbitant sum Boras demanded.

And then there’s Eli Manning.

The NFL promotes Eli non-stop.  Fans celebrate him as a Super Bowl champ.  And the media—it falls all over itself praising Manning’s guts and grit. 

But he was a draft dodger too.  The worst of all time.  His dad and the New York Giants helping him to orchestrate the most deplorable self-promoting attack on the draft ever seen. 

Nice guys off the field, Manning, Elway and Drew should be booed on it. 

Con-artists who refused to follow their sport’s greatest tradition, these athletes dishonored the games they professed to love by cowardly hiding from sport’s competitive equalizer.

An act that more deserved punishment never existed, and a patch hits the right note.

A complete ban would be too severe.  Suspensions or fines too easy to move on from. 

But a patch—it creates all the right incentives to discourage this kind of thing in the future. 

Simplicity would be the patch’s greatest virtue.  It wouldn’t restrict play, inhibit performance, or in any way deprive the player of an opportunity to succeed on the field.  It would be fair in that respect.

But it couldn’t be hidden either. 

Photos, advertisements, and video highlights would henceforth tell the story.  The whole story.

And in leagues with more uniform restrictions then catholic grade-schools, the simple patch would serve as a stark reminder of what not to do.  A reminder of what’s expected from those with the great fortune of playing. 

The jersey’s scar would also let fans judge its importance based on their own tastes and beliefs.  A New York Giants fan might use Eli Manning’s patch as a driver to teach contract negotiations.  A San Diego Chargers or San Francisco 49ers fan might use it to teach character and honor.

In either case it would be taught.  Explained.  Discussed.

The problem with the current state of affairs is that leagues and television networks have an incentive to celebrate and promote stars for money’s sake.  And that’s understandable. 

But it too often means forced ignorance of past misconduct. Re-writing of history.  Rebranding of players from year to year based on charitable donations and book readings at local children’s hospitals.

None of that is bad, mind you, and I don’t begrudge a player the right to remake his image.  You want to donate to children’s hospitals, go do it.  That’s great.

But certain offenses can’t be remedied so easily.  And one is draft dodging.  It’s effects linger for decades.

And so while we can forgive a draft dodger and let him play, we should never forget him.  Forget what he did.  Forget what he stood for on the first day of his professional career. 

It’s only fair.  And it’s only a patch.