Archie Manning didn't mean it. Really.
Really?
Never mind that he told Fox Sports Radio on Tuesday that he didn't think it would be good for either his son, Peyton, or potential Indianapolis Colts No. 1 draft pick Andrew Luck to be on the same team.
He may have said, "I don't necessarily think it would be great for either one."
But by Wednesday Archie was backtracking, telling the media, "I'm sure they could [coexist]. Andrew is a great young man ... He and Peyton have a friendship."
So that clears that up, huh? Or does it? And should it?
If the Dolts keep trolling along losing every game they play, losing 16 in all, to overwhelmingly earn the No. 1 overall pick, how can they not take Stanford's Luck, who is arguably the most polished quarterback to enter the draft since Manning in 1998.
In fact, he may actually be the second coming of Green Bay's Rodgers, who's slightly more athletic than Manning, and arguably a better pure passer.
And that's the point, the whole point and nothing but the point. Great as Manning's been, great as he may yet be for another two or three years if his neck heals, he's far nearer the end of his career than the beginning.
He may already be at the end and not yet know it. Necks are funny things. Fragile things. Dangerous things.
Nor is this only about Peyton getting back to being Peyton on the football field, which he understandably wants to do.
He's a father of twins now, which means this isn't only about his marriage, or his legacy, or whether or not he'll still be able to drive it 300 yards down the 17th fairway at The Honors Course.
This is about whether he risks not being able to ride his children on his back while playing "horsey", or teach them to swim, or even toss the football in the backyard. This is about the life you lead after your football life ends, and for a lot of guys who stay one surgery too long, that life can swiftly become a pain-peppered nightmare.
This isn't to say Peyton absolutely, positively shouldn't come back. If his doctors give him the green light, then perhaps Perfect Peyton should slip on that blue Colts No. 18 jersey one more time and make an inspired run toward a second Super Bowl ring.
But Manning's Sept. 8 spinal fusion was also his third neck surgery in 19 months. I don't know about you, but spinal fusion doesn't sound like something I'd want jeopardized by an NFL pass rush.
There was also this from Archie during his Wednesday backtrack interview on ESPN, something that sounded more like his original thought than his retraction.
"That's been a big run in Indianapolis," said Papa Manning, "and you just don't up and leave -- they kind of changed the culture in Indianapolis, won a Super Bowl, got a stadium built. ... The only point I'm making is that I think if Peyton gets healthy, he'll be good enough to play this next year, and Andrew Luck's good enough to play next year. So, something's gotta give."
Call me silly, but doesn't "something's gotta give" sound a whole lot like "I don't necessarily think it would be great for either one?"
Call me silly, but doesn't Archie sound like a protective father attempting to influence what would be best for his son rather than the Colts franchise?
The irony here is that the Lucks and Mannings have been friends for nearly 30 years, ever since Andrew's father, Oliver, and Archie were teammates on the Houston Oilers. Young Luck has often attended the Manning family football camps. He even called Peyton for advice about coming back to college this season.
But none of this should influence the Colts one way or the other. If the Colts can, they need to at least threaten to draft Luck regardless of Peyton, if only to make a blockbuster deal for Luck or the draft pick down the road.
One more thing for Peyton to think about concerning his probable return. NFL Magazine, a league publication, is making Manning its 2011 MVP without him playing a snap. When you can win an MVP award from anybody without playing a snap, it might be the perfect time to trade your playbook for Dr. Seuss' "Green Eggs and Ham."