So this is a little more self-indulgent than I would normally do, but since Tan brought it up I figured why not – and it didn’t turn out how I expected. For those who have been in the league since they were too young to rent a car, you might remember that a running gag in the early years was how often I lost to Peyton Manning, usually rostered by McLeod.
As I went back through the records, I found my overall record against the Hall of Famer was better than it has any right to be – the bigger issue is the quality games. The total record is 8-11 in Manning’s favor, but that doesn’t tell the whole story.
If you limit it to only games where McLeod was starting Peyton, which is the era that inspired this piece – Team Kronner went 3-6. During this run, I twice (2005 & 2008) encountered Timbo on what – to my benefit – was the Colts’ Bye Week. In those games, I went 2-0 against McLeod’s squads.
Against other managers my luck was more of a mixed bag; 1-0 vs Burns & Dave, 2-1 vs Trigger, 1-2 vs Jones, and 0-1 vs Matt and Byrd.
Team Kronner has faced Peyton 4 times in the Playoffs, going 1-3 in those games.
- 2004 – Timmo & Manning eliminate The Rat Pack in the 2nd round, en route to McLeod’s first Championship.
- 2006 – Kronner eliminates Peyton and the InTIMidators in the 2nd round, en route to Kronner’s second Championship.
- 2013 – Kronner falls to Peyton and the Skippers in the Bronze game.
- 2014 – Kronner falls to Peyton and the Flying Dutchmen en route to Trigger’s first Championship.
So three times I was bounced from the playoffs by Peyton – the most interesting of these 4 games however was that 2006 match, in which Peyton outscored my started (Joey Harrington) 402 to -73. Stephen Jackson and my defense made up for my poor coaching.
Additionally, the three times I faced Peyton while he was a member of the Dutchmen, I claimed 2 narrow regular-season victories (2010 & 2014), and the lone playoff matchup (2014) was an absolute slaughter in favor of Trigger.
I also faced Jones three separate times while he had Manning – all in 2013. We split the regular season series before he dismantled me 2819-1435 in the Bronze game. In that game, Peyton outscored my starter, Matthew Stafford, by a score of 510-129.
So to recap;
- Regular Season: 7-8
- Playoffs: 1-3
- vs. Current Managers: 7-10
- vs. Retired Managers: 1-1
- on Peyton’s BYE; 2-0
Additionally. my 2015 to Peyton and Byrd, which was the final season for each of them, cost me a spot in the playoffs. Had my team (Rivers, Davante Adams, Matt Forte, Travis Kelce, Roddy White) pulled of that game, then I would have had Byrd’s spot in the playoff, just couldn’t get past Peyton.
SC League Forever 