Would Dan Marino Secretly Root Against Peyton Manning?

I read this article (which is about absolutely nothing) that mentioned the great ~~champion~~ glove salesman Dan Marino watching Peyton Manning's practice today ... I couldn't help but wonder if maybe some deep, dark part of Dan Marino hopes that Peyton Manning never wins a Super Bowl.

Marino, as you're aware, is one of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time, but never won a Super Bowl. I'm sure this time of year is miserable for him. The pity-filled looks from strangers, the mocking he suspects going on behind his back ... Dan Marino probably spends much of late January very unhappy.

And misery loves company. I think Marino is probably a class guy and wishes Peyton the best ... but you know, it wouldn't take much spitefulness for Marino to hope that Peyton joins him in his sorrowful club, or even takes his place. Hell, I'd do it.

Anyway, check out this clip. I think it's relevant to the question here.

Marino quickly interjects the "what?" and then tries to laugh it off ... and Shannon Sharpe puts a comforting hand on his shoulder. Even Sharpe knew that what Esiason just did was messed up. And credit Marino for trying to laugh it off ... but check out the poison-dipped ninja stars shooting from his eyeballs at the very end of that clip.

And I love Gumbel through the whole thing. At first, he looks on emotionlessly, like, "God, I hope they don't start fighting," and then, feeling Marino's hatred, quickly moves the conversation in another direction.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

2-02-2007 @ 12:08AM

George B Vieto said...

Peyton will either win the Super Bowl this year and erase his college football misery of never beating University of Florida and getting thumped in the National Championship game versus Nebraska or win the game and the King of the Mardi Gras.

2-02-2007 @ 3:25PM

Marc said...

You've got to be kidding. I've met Marino and he couldn't have been a nicer guy. He is personally friends with Peyton Manning, among other active QB's. He is not spiteful enough to wish bad things for Manning.

Dan Marino, and anyone else with any knowledge of pro football and the quarterback position, knows that he is the greatest to ever play the game. It takes more than one man to win a Super Bowl. Marino never had the running game or the defense that is needed to win the big one. He should be given enough credit for taking what little talent he had around him to a Super Bowl to begin with.

Of course, if you think that you need a ring to be the best then you must believe that QB's like Doug Williams, Trent Dilfer and Jim McMahon (all have rings) are better than Marino. We all know that is just rediculous. You'd also have to eliminate guys like Barry Sanders from your "greatest running back" lists since he never won a Super Bowl.

If Marino had been on the 49'ers all those years instead of Montana then he'd have twice the rings. Montana, as an athlete and QB, was barely above average. He and many other Super Bowl-winning QB's couldn't carry Marino's jock when it comes to pure talent, ability and greatness at the quarterback position.

This article is completely pointless, pure speculation and it casts completely false negativity on a great quarterback (greatest ever) and a great man.

2-02-2007 @ 1:40AM

Steve Stevens said...

I guess I should want Chicago to win the Super Bowl because they are in my division.(I am a Minnesota Vikings Fan) But, Tony Dungy should have gotten the head coaching job at Minnesota and I feel bad that he didn't. He was my hero when he played for the Gophers. I respect both Lovie and Tony and I think it will be a great Super Bowl Game. To me? Black head coach or white head coach makes no difference. They both deserve to be in the Super Bowl and may the best team win.

2-02-2007 @ 2:06AM

As far as Dan Marino is concerned, he was one of the all time best quarterbacks of the game. I don't think (And I Hope) he doesn't harbour any Ill Will towards Peytan. Hey!! I've been waiting for the Vikings to win a Super Bowl all my life. Hey Dan!! Your one of my all time favorites, but think how Fran Tarkinton must feel.

2-02-2007 @ 3:36AM

J.P. said...

Somebody remind me,which Super Bowl was it that
Boomer Esiason won?Oh,that's right he didn't win one
either did he?Like Ernie Banks in baseball,Dan
Marino is one of the all time greats who never won
the big one,it doesn't diminish his career at all in
my mind.Football is the ultimate team sport,Marino
never had enough talent around him to win the
championship.I see this as more of a reflection on
Don Shula for not finding a running game to go with
one of the most potent passing attacks in the history
of professional football.As for Boomer what can you
say,in the world of professional football he was an
adequate QB and nothing more.

2-02-2007 @ 3:37AM

Jerry said...

You clowns can prefer to believe whatever you choose, but anyone who honestly thinks that it's somehow inconceivable that Marino might actually harbor such negative thoughts plain and simply doesn't understand basic human nature. Yeah, it's very possible that Marino is secretly rooting for the Bears to win and for Manning to have a subpar performance and that his motivation for doing so is less than noble. I have nothing against Marino personally and never have, but what folks say and what they think are often, if not usually, two very different things.

2-02-2007 @ 12:24PM

JAMES BARASH said...

DAN MARINO IS A CLASS ACT. WHERE I DON'T BELIEVE ANY QUARTERBACK CAN FOLLOW. I AM A GIANT'S FAN, SO BELIEVE ME I WISH WE HAD HIM ON OUR SIDE.

DAN WON'T BELITTLE PEYTON ONLY HOPE THE BEST FOR THE MAN. IT IS NOT IN HIS BLOOD TO DO THAT. HE IS A SPOKES PERSON FOR THE COMPANY I WORK FOR AND MET HIM AT OUR ANNUAL BREAKFAST. CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT DAN.

DAN MARINO, DON'T LET ANYONE STATE THAT YOUR SECOND RATE BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T WIN THE SUPERBOWL,YOU CAN SAY YOU WERE THERE NOT LIKE DICK BUTKUS THERE IS THE BEST MLB IN THE GAME AND NEVER MADE IT TO THE PLAYOFFS.

GOOD LUCK TO PAYTON, HOPE HE DOES WIN THE BOWL, CAN'T SAY I ROOT FOR CHICAGO, BEING A GIANT FAN THAT WOULD GO AGAINST MY GRAIN.

DAN MARINO IS THE BEST OF THE BEST.

2-02-2007 @ 12:33PM

Emily said...

How Dan went the entire season without punching Boomer in the face is beyond me.

2-02-2007 @ 7:53PM

You sound rather naive, Marc, but I'm guessing there's good reason for that. Marino is certainly amongst the greatest QBs ever, if not the best (people spend way too much time historically comparing things anyway, symptom of our society I suppose), but you need to distance yourself from the idea that he's indisputably the best ever because it isn't that simple nor will it ever be. Pointing to records is just as skewed and narrow as those who would say he can't be the greatest without a title. The point is all of that is open for debate, pretending is isn't just makes you look stupid. As far as it being impossible that he could ever harbor any ill-will towards Manning goes, like I said, you fail to grasp basic human nature. You met him and there couldn't be a nicer guy? lol What a joke, you sound like some starstruck teenage girl after a Boy Band concert as what you actually know about the inner workings of the man's mind equals absolutely nothing, regardless of how well he likely pretended to care about your existence that day (celebrities get used to having to do that kind of thing and tend to become very adept at it after awhile). Again, the point is that his being sour on some level about Manning possibly obtaining what he never did IS indeed possible, completely. Only he knows for sure (doesn't matter how he would answer the question publicly), and yeah, it really doesn't matter much either way in the end. I'll say this much, if Manning and the Colts win Sunday he sure as hell won't be receiving any apolgies. Have fun, I won't be returning to this blog.

2-02-2007 @ 7:58PM

Bears Rule said...

Peyton and Dan will star in comercials together and be known as the two QBs who never won a superbowl.

2-02-2007 @ 8:30PM

Jim said...

Marc,

Yes Marino was a great QB. I do believe Montana destroyed him in the Super Bowl!

2-02-2007 @ 8:51PM

Barbara Landas said...

What about Jim Kelly? He went to the Super Bowl four years in a row and we lost each time. That is extremely painful for a competitor like him. I think that they should start a club for Pro Bowl-Hall of Fame players who don't have the Super Bowl ring.

2-02-2007 @ 9:17PM

Tony suszko said...

They have two things in common. They both sell
TV sets, and both made it to the superbowl and lost.

Go Bears !!!!!

Tony

2-02-2007 @ 10:34PM

Landon said...

Who the heck is this 'Jerry' guy??? Next thing you know, he'll be telling everybody that Mother Theresa was overwelmed with thoughts of "ill will" toward others. "Human nature" is determined in the earliest stages of ones life - by how they were raised as a child. It seems this 'Jerry' guy questions his "human nature" and assumes everyone else in the world is just like him. So he wants to put someone down for complementing someone (they had met) whom he hasn't even met himself. Glad he's not coming back to this blog - he's too 'genius' for me!

2-03-2007 @ 12:34AM

paulie said...

IF big --ck Dan Marino would have let Jimmy Johnson build a team around the running game like he did in Dallas, as opposed to Marino's arm, then Mr. Isotoner Ego might have won a Superbowl or atleast had another chance..Instead, Dan wanted to call all the shots and Johnson was not able to do his job since Dan was the face of the Dolphins. His loss to Joe Montana in the Superbowl shows that talent is not always superior over leadership and brains. As for Peyton Manning, I hope he wins just so he is not in the same class of Marino, which would be sad because Manning is more of a team player and less egotistical

2-03-2007 @ 6:19AM

Brian said...

Marino was a great QB and has nothing to hang his head about. There is only one Super Bowl a year and only one QB can win,lots of good QB's have never even played in a Bowl. BTW Colts by 20.

2-03-2007 @ 10:07AM

Greg said...

Boomer has been wrong more than he's been right in his analysis just as in this case. For him to call out Marino in this fashion is inexcusable, I am surprised he did it to Dan's face. Marino is undoubtedly one of the great Quarterbacks in NFL history as is Peyton and to try and put the "Cant win the big one" tag on Peyton before his career is even close to being over shows how ignorant and shallow Boomer is. By the way nice call Boomer when you wore the New England sweatshirt and called New England in the AFC championship game. What a dumbass.

2-03-2007 @ 10:47AM

Lewis said...

The arms that throw the ball also need Linemen and running backs to go the distance. You are not going to win the big game if the DEFENSE allows more points than you can score. Great Quarterbacks like Fran, Dan, and Boomer, lost the super bowels they played in because the Defenses let the other team score more points! Boomers Super Bowl lost was in the final 40 seconds, of one of the closest super bowl games ever played. Montana drove 60 yards to score the winning touch down in the final seconds. Boomers, Defense could not stop Montana. Montana's defense stopped Marino. Jim Kelly Lost 4 or was it 5 super bowels. The First lost came at the end of the Game. A Guy named Norwood shank the sure game winning field goal known As I believe " WIDE right""!!! Great Quarter backs are just what they will always be, Great Guys who played for teams that came up short in one small area of the Super bowl game. All the Quarterbacks you have mentioned would be welcomed to play on any NFL team. My self I would have a Hard time passing up Joe Montana for Dan Marino. Or Passing up Marino for Kelly! But If I had the perfect well balanced Football team. They would all win the Big Game every year! I look at Payton Manning and Brady of New England, I see a little of Joe Montana, Dan Marino, Boomer, Jim Kelly. I see a lot of good things in each player today from those who played great in the past! Not every one can be the hero every game. Tom Brady has been there and done it and still came up a little short this year. Will I count him out next year? No way! My bet is he will win another 2 super bowls! And some one will lose those two games also! Things that Make NFL football great!