ESPN.com article link
When Peyton Manning stepped onto the Tennessee campus it was not just a cameo appearance. It was not just one of many stops on the often confusing and complicated path young men face between earning that starting job on a high school football team, gaining region wide, statewide or even nationwide recognition, choosing between transferring to another school with a higher profile football program or maintaining loyalty to not only the teammates and coaches that helped get you to where you are today, and in a position to have to make those decisions but also the school district that will only benefit more and more as your reputation grows.
Manning was a high profile recruit for Tennessee and looking back I'd say that everyone involved got their "moneys worth". Peyton ended up being drafted #1 by the Indianapolis Colts after entering the draft once he finished up 4 solid seasons at the University of Tennessee. While he never brought a national title to the Volunteer faithful and coach Fulmer, he was the leader of a team that competed year after year in the tough SEC and piled up wins with regularity.
Since leaving for the NFL Peyton has still managed to show his allegiance to the Volunteers with a combination of donations of money, time and even passing on his knowledge of the game to young players. In his most recent showing of support and love for the state of Tennessee, Manning has opted to become part of an ownership group that made a proposal to purchase the Memphis Grizzlies, an up and coming NBA franchise.
Per NFL rules players are not allowed to own any part of teams in the league so as a professional with such a drive and love for competition that is nearing the end of his own playing career, this could be the next best thing....a la Michael Jordan(similar but different obviously as he didn't purchase his stake in the Bobcats till after his playing days)
When Peyton Manning stepped onto the Tennessee campus it was not just a cameo appearance. It was not just one of many stops on the often confusing and complicated path young men face between earning that starting job on a high school football team, gaining region wide, statewide or even nationwide recognition, choosing between transferring to another school with a higher profile football program or maintaining loyalty to not only the teammates and coaches that helped get you to where you are today, and in a position to have to make those decisions but also the school district that will only benefit more and more as your reputation grows.
Manning was a high profile recruit for Tennessee and looking back I'd say that everyone involved got their "moneys worth". Peyton ended up being drafted #1 by the Indianapolis Colts after entering the draft once he finished up 4 solid seasons at the University of Tennessee. While he never brought a national title to the Volunteer faithful and coach Fulmer, he was the leader of a team that competed year after year in the tough SEC and piled up wins with regularity.
Since leaving for the NFL Peyton has still managed to show his allegiance to the Volunteers with a combination of donations of money, time and even passing on his knowledge of the game to young players. In his most recent showing of support and love for the state of Tennessee, Manning has opted to become part of an ownership group that made a proposal to purchase the Memphis Grizzlies, an up and coming NBA franchise.
Per NFL rules players are not allowed to own any part of teams in the league so as a professional with such a drive and love for competition that is nearing the end of his own playing career, this could be the next best thing....a la Michael Jordan(similar but different obviously as he didn't purchase his stake in the Bobcats till after his playing days)
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