by Waldo News

Created on: February 01, 2007   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

Manning vs Grossman: Battle of the Faces

To paraphrase John Madden, two teams are about to play a game of football and one of them, most certainly, will win. We're halfway through Super Bowl week, matchups are being analyzed, players scrutinized, the American Idol rejects have probably already been in more champagne rooms than they ever dreamed about, and we've learned, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Lovie Smith and Tony Dungy are both African-American (much like Barack Obama, they both seem to be clean and articulate as well, someone alert Sen. Biden).

But who is going to win?

If you ask me, it all comes down to one thing: Grimaces. Its the Grossman Choke vs the Manning Face to decide Super Bowl XLI. Can Grossman's "deer-in-the-headlights" and "maybe-if-i-throw-it-deep-over-the-middle-something- will-happen" faces stand up to "The Manning Face"? Who will flash their exasperation more on Sunday, and how will that affect the outcome of the game?

We all know that Lovie Smith has expressed his platonic love for his hetero-lifemate and quarterback Rex Grossman, but when it comes to choking, Grossman hasn't had nearly the experience of Peyton Manning. Grossman enjoyed mild success at Florida, and has spent most of his NFL career backing up Kyle Orton, or playing "eat the clock" while being outscored by the Bears vaunted defense. When he has choked, the Bears have lost, or been bailed out by their defense. If Grossman starts pushing the over on the "Grossman Face" meter, then a Bears loss is imminent.

On the other sideline, Peyton Manning has used his college and pro career to refine the choke into an art form almost as beautiful as his spirals to Marvin Harrison. The Manning Face is a look known around the globe as an expression of sheer bewilderment, resignation, and, up until last week's defeat of the Patriots, utter defeat. However, last week, after going down 21-3 to the Pats, and flashing the Manning Face no less than 4 times in the first half, Manning rallied the troops to defeat New England in one of the greatest playoff games in NFL history.

Manning established a 4 grimace buffer between himself and Grossman. If you ask me, that'll be enough to overcome the Bears. I say: Manning 4 - Grossman/Griese 3, and as far as the score...let's say Colts 31 - Bears 10 (Colts start slow, trail 0 - 7 after the first quarter. Manning gives 3 first quarter Manning Faces).

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