Archie Manning - A Second Act Hero

One of the things I know for sure is we are all gifted and talented - every single one of us.  But we live in a world where it's all about whose at the top of the gifted and talented hierarchy.    The Top Gun, the winner of American Idol, the Heisman Trophy winner, the Home Coming Queen, the CEO of a fortune 500 company, the Top Banana, the Alpha Dog , King of the Hill,  you name it we have a phrase for it - mostly we call these people winners.  But what about everyone else - if you are not on top, does that mean you are a loser and your life will be meaningless - well, of course not.  Archie Manning never won a single season - he won some games of course, we all do, but he never had a winning season, he didn't go to the Super Bowl and left the league after 13 years a kind of also ran.  But his second act would tell a different story.  Stay tuned.

His Name Rings a Bell 

I'm not a big football fan, but of course over the years, I've watched my share of football games, so last night while channel surfing I came across a show about the Manning brothers, I decided to watch.  Since Payton Manning is the new quarterback for the Denver Broncos, I was interested in finding out about his family.  It was called The Book of Manning and was about the Manning family, those Titans of football - Payton, and Eli but also about their big brother Cooper and their father Archie.  Now, as I said I am not a big football fan, and so I'm sure that some of you, maybe even most of you, already know this story of the Manning brothers but I didn't.  Anyway, as I am watching it they begin to talk about Archie Manning, the father - I think to myself - that name sounds familiar.  So I pay closer attention.  As I am watching it I see that Archie Manning was also a pro football player back in the 70's and  80's.  Of course I was married then and my husband was a big fan and being the good wife I watched along with him.  So when they began talking about Archie Manning and his football career, I remembered him.

Never a Winning Season But A Second Act Hero 

He played for the New Orleans Saints and two other NFL teams.  Although Archie won several football honors, and played outstanding ball for Old Miss, his pro career was fraught with all kinds of troubles.  He played for ten years with the Saints and a few more unexciting years with those other teams, but he never had a winning season and retired after 13 years in the NFL.  What I would have called before I saw this show, a ne'er do well forgotten football player.  Boy was I wrong! But not about football - about who he was as a person.

The Mistakes and Loses of the Father's Made Right by the Sons

Archie's father was a distant and not very available father, who, when Archie was in his freshmen year at Old Miss, committed suicide and when Archie came home to visit he found his dad dead of a gunshot to the head.  This left a mark on Archie and when he and his wife had three sons, Archie began to use his gifts of attention, love and his skill as a football player to teach his boys all about how football,  teamwork and winning at life go together..  I believe that Archie Manning's true gifts and talents and the content of his character are about being there as a father.  He always put his family first and he taught his own sons to do the same.  He mentored his own children and other young people as well and continues to do so today.  He was an exemplary football player, but not a winning one, but as a father he is an all time winner. I believe Archie Manning's second act was and is his most soulful and important one.  He uses his gifts, his talents and his character to be the man his own father never was  When I looked into his face last night watching him on television, I saw a man who was happy and satisfied with his life.  I see him as an inspiration.  I hope you will too.

The Legacy Continues 

So if you are looking for inspiration and how to live the second act of your life with passion, purpose and possibilities, then look no further than Archie Manning and his sons Cooper, Eli and Payton - Cooper played football as well and was quite talented but was diagnosed with spinal stenosis, a condition that prevented him from continuing to play football - but he made a success out of himself in other ways and is like his father Archie, he sees his family as primary.

Let's Watch Some Football 

You can tune in to see Payton and Eli play football on Sunday's and on Monday Night Football and you can catch the ESPN special again on the dates below.

Blessings, Lorraine 

Friday Sept 27, 6:30 PM ESPNU -Friday 10:00 PM ESPN Classic -Saturday Sept 28, 1:00 AM -SPN Classic -Saturday 2:30 AM ESPNU - Saturday 7:00 AM ESPNU -Saturday 7:00 PM ESPN Classic - Saturday 10:00 PM ESPN Classic - Sunday Sept 29, 1:00 AM ESPN Classic - Sunday 7:00 PM ESPNU - Sunday 8:30 PM ESPN Classic -Sunday 11:30 PM ESPN Classic