Eli Manning should never have to apologize for throwing double birds on live TV
This is the Morning Win, by Andy Nesbitt.
Peyton and Eli Manning have become TV stars with their new "MNF" broadcast on ESPN2 and it has taken them all of three weeks to do so.
I honestly don't know how anyone watches the regular broadcast when these two legends are doing their thing on Monday nights.
The fun continued last night during the Eagles-Cowboys game, which became a blowout but remained entertaining because of the Mannings.
The best moment of the night came in the fourth quarter when Eli was telling a story about a 9-year-old Eagles fan throwing him double birds as Eli made his way out onto the field one time in Philadelphia. Eli flipped both middle fingers on live TV to help tell his story and said in the moment that hopefully ESPN could blur them out while he was doing it.
ESPN couldn't blur them out and the world got to laugh as Eli sat there with both middle fingers extended into the air.
It was a great moment that showed everyone watching the show just how fun this broadcast can be and how refreshingly different this thing is from normal broadcasts that we've been watching for our entire lives.
Eli later apologized for throwing the double birds and I'm sure someone at ESPN requested him to do so. Thankfully his apology wasn't all that genuine because it didn't need to be - is anyone in the year 2021 really offended by middle fingers being extended into the air? If you are then you need to chill out and enjoy life a little more. It's really no big deal at all. Plus, it's ESPN2 late at night, double birds should be encouraged, not shamed!
I mean, Eli's fake apology was just perfect:
"Alright, sorry. Earlier I gave the double bird, I guess that's frowned upon so I apologize if I offended anybody. That's what a 9 year old did to me, I thought I could do it back."
The. Best.
Eli, at least for me, has become the star of this show and is the better Manning. Peyton is good, don't get me wrong. He's great at steering the show and telling stories and breaking down plays and having fun with his brother but Eli's dry sense of humor and willingness to not give many you-know-whats makes me laugh each week.
ESPN has a very good thing on its hands here and seems for the most part to be willing to let the Mannings do what they want with the show, which is great.
The apology for the double birds, though, wasn't necessary at all.
But I can't be too mad at it because the Mannings have saved MNF.
Let 'em fly, Eli!
Quick hits: Dak becomes a meme… NFL fans roast Mike McCarthy… Dustin Johnson's tremendous answer about partying… And more.
- Cowboys QB Dak Prescott's reaction to the refs ruling he was just short of the end zone on a QB sneak quickly became a meme during last night's game.
- Peyton Manning and lots of NFL fans roasted Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy over his time management skills at the end of the first half last night.
- Dustin Johnson's hilarious answer to how hard he could party was the perfect end to the Ryder Cup.
- Golden State Warriors big man Nemanja Bjelica told teammate Andrew Wiggins to get vaccinated after a brutal press conference.
- Charles Curtis has eight players, including Panthers RB Chuba Hubbard, that you should be looking at on your fantasy football waiver wires this week.