*PEYTON MANNING *
Conference Call
(4 pages, not the entire call)
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Q: What are you plans this week? Just go through when you are going to get down there and where you plan to watch the game and all of that.
A: I don't know that I will give all of details of that. But I will definitely be there on Sunday. I was not there at the game against Green Bay mainly because I just needed a little time to get away. It has been a long season for us. And I think most players will tell you, after they finish their season, especially being in the playoffs, all players and coaches need a little time to get away. And not many people want to go see a game – another football game right away. But I promise you I was watching every step of the way against Green Bay and watched that unbelievable game, unbelievable win by the Giants. And just couldn't have been prouder and happier for Eli. He deserves every bit of this because of how hard he has worked and he has really earned this opportunity. But I will definitely be there on Sunday for the Super Bowl. Eli called me and told me that he wanted me to be there. I wouldn't miss it for the world.
Q: Is this a week where you actually try to see Eli or do you give him a lot of space at this point?
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A: Oh sure, Eli needs all of the time and space to focus on the task at hand. I think that is the one good thing – the same thing we had last year at the Super Bowl – is to have this bye week before where you can take care of all of your ticket requests and family, hotels, what not, during this bye week early on. Now the Giants are already into their preparation. So I talked to Eli a couple of times during the week. Obviously I talked to him right after the Green Bay game. I called him and he called me back and we talked for awhile that night. And you could just feel the excitement in his voice. I certainly know that feeling. It is pretty fresh in my mind from last year. I was just so happy that he got to experience that same feeling of winning an NFC Championship and going to the Super Bowl. The couple of times we have talked this week, to tell you the truth, it has been – I have been kind of helping him get some tickets. As you know every NFL player gets two tickets. And so I called all of my Colts teammates, as many as I could get, ones that hadn't given them away already, and helped collect some for Eli. And so I have been working for him a little bit. But I have been glad to do it because obviously a lot of his friends and a lot of our family all want to go to the game. It looks like we are going to give everybody a chance to go.
Q: What is the one characteristic that Eli has, more than anything else, that will help him the most in the Super Bowl?
A: Well, I think Eli has learned a lot in his four years as a starting quarterback. And he has seen a lot of different situations. I think experience is your best teacher. And the more you can draw on your previous experiences for two minute drills, or red zone situations or third-down, fourth-down conversions, knowing that you have done it before, I think you can draw on that. And what he has been able to do in these last three playoff games in as high pressure situations as you could get, on the road playing against some extremely tough opponents in Tampa, Dallas, and of course, Green Bay, facing those kind of weather conditions, I think that is just a real confidence booster for him and their team knowing that he has done it before and he can certainly do it again.
