Legendary quarterback Peyton Manning has a lot to think about in the near future as the Indianapolis Colts have declared that they’re going to take quarterback Andrew Luck with the 1st pick of the 2012 NFL Draft.

The Colts were so inept without Peyton Manning this season that bets were actually accepted for the prop of “NFL MVP for 2011-2012″ with Peyton Manning as a candidate without playing a down. Would he be in your NFL picks? The Colts have been a double digit win team every season for over a decade with Manning and without him they were a mere 2-14!

Super Bowl XLVI: A time to celebrate?

Don’t let anyone fool you, for Peyton Manning this is a lose, lose proposition. On one side you have his arch enemy Tom Brady and the New England Patriots who have 3 Super Bowl Championships and are favored by 3 points in the NFL odds and on the opposite end of the spectrum, there’s Eli Manning, Peyton’s kid brother, who could surpass Peyton with 2 Super Bowl Championships if the Giants are victorious.

Peyton is clearly a far superior quarterback than Eli Manning but the public is proposing questions of “If Eli wins the Super Bowl is he better than Peyton?” Folks a question like that is unthinkable. Eli could possibly be a more clutch quarterback, but Peyton Manning is one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history.

Peyton is a standup guy and I’m sure that he’s rooting for Eli but the other part of Peyton is anticipating questions after the game and Manning desperately wants to get back on the field. It’s Tom Brady 4, Peyton Manning 1 or Eli Manning 2, Peyton Manning 1.

Where will Peyton Manning play in 2012?

That’s a tough question to answer at this point as he’ll turn 36 in March, has endured 2 neck surgeries this past season and has had some conflict with Colts owner Jim Irsay. Irsay didn’t appreciate Manning answering questions about the future after Coach Chuck Pagano was hired. Irsay called Manning a politician and accused of making a public campaign? Irsay also attempted to escape the subject of Manning’s $28 million roster bonus.

My take on this is that the Colts are really doing Manning a disservice for all of the wins, blood, sweat, and tears that he’s given this organization. The man is a coach on the field, respected by everyone. He’s the model of what an NFL player should be and Mr. Irsay has the nerve to publicly announce that Andrew Luck will be chosen as the 1st pick and is also publicly expressing his displeasure with Peyton’s comments. Indianapolis owes Peyton Manning and management doesn’t seem to be giving him the respect that he rightly deserves.

Possible destinations

Many teams have been howling for the services of Manning as he could change an entire franchise around. If he doesn’t stay with the Colts, which I think he won’t, look for Peyton to seek a warm climate area (or dome) due to the injuries that he’s endured over the years.

Reporters have pointed out 3 specific destinations that he could possibly play at in Miami, Arizona, or possibly San Francisco.

Think of Peyton Manning as a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers and their top notch defense. This would be an instant contender for the Super Bowl. The Problem is that Alex Smith has finally established himself as a starting quarterback and this would be a big move. In my opinion, it would get Peyton that 2nd ring that he desires and solidify his career even that much more.

Arizona would be great on the body but don’t expect Manning to play there. Too much work needs to be done and although the Cardinals have wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, it wouldn’t be enough to allure Manning.

The Miami Dolphins have also been another place talked about for this “southern boy” to possibly move to. The Dolphins seem more appealing than the Cardinals with Reggie Bush and Brandon Marshall but this is a team that isn’t ready to win right away. Best case scenario is that Manning would make the Dolphins a 10-6 or 11-5 (at best) Wild Card team.

Staying with the Colts would be the best situation for Manning. The players respect him and if you remember the last season that he played with them, the team was consumed with injuries and he still managed to get them in the playoffs at 10-6. Peyton could be a mentor to Andrew Luck. It seems like the right thing to do for a football legend but things don’t always work out the way we plan them to. I’m sure Joe Montana expected to play with the 49ers for his entire career but Steve Young was waiting and Montana was shipped to Kansas City.

Hopefully for a class act like Manning, he’ll find a team that want’s him and he’ll at least get another crack at the Super Bowl. The Jets could use a quarterback but I don’t think that there’s enough room for 2 Manning’s in the same town.

What to bet on?

Currently, we’ll just have to stay focused on the Super Bowl and the various sports betting options that game affords us. If indeed a prop comes up for Peyton Manning’s destination in 2012, I would select Miami, San Francisco, and Indianapolis for my picks (spread evenly). Indy would probably be the favorite and maybe there’s money to be made as most think that he’s going elsewhere.