It seems former Southeastern Conference quarterbacks can inspire viral-like devotions.
Whether it was Denver Broncos fans starting a (ultimately successful) crusade and buying up billboards to try and get ex-Florida Gator Tim Tebow promoted to the starting job or now a nascent movement out of Nashville to cajole the Tennessee Titans to sign one of the most popular (and at present unavailable) Tennessee Vols of all time, the publicity campaign seems to be a contagion these days.
The object of Titans fans' (as well as media members') affection is, of course, the Indianapolis Colts' Peyton Manning, who seems to be receiving more attention this week than the Super Bowl that will be played in his city on Sunday between the New York Giants and New England Patriots.
The dilemma by now is well known: Whether the Colts, who have the rights to the league's first overall draft pick in April, should pick top prospect Andrew Luck out of Stanford and part ways with one of the all-time greats in Manning or keep him, pay him a $28-million roster bonus next month while not knowing if he will be healthy enough to play next season.
The story has football fans -- especially those in cities, like Nashville, who covet Manning -- salivating. Among those carrying the banner is Nashville sports radio host, former Deadspin editor and author Clay Travis. A ComeHomePeyton.com Web site is soliciting donations for the purpose of the, dare we say it, Tebow-like billboards.
The goal is to raise $8,000 for eight digital billboards in Indianapolis designed to welcome Manning "home."
Beyond all of the hysteria, let's take a look at this from a football perspective. Yes, it has been put forth that if indeed Manning hits the free agent market, it could inspire the greatest frenzy in the history of NFL free agency.
It just doesn't seem like a move that the Titans would make. A team like the New York Jets, who, until this season, had gone to two straight AFC Championship Games on the strength of their defense, would seem to make sense. Or the Washington Redskins, who have had horrid quarterback play, an owner quick to spend big bucks and a veteran coach used to dealing with an all-time great quarterback who wants to win now. Miami, with similar conditions to Washington and a much better defense, or Arizona, who also has been to the Super Bowl recently on the strength of great quarterback play and that has a coach who has proven he can handle an elite level quarterback, also would make more sense.
The quick fix -- or desperate leap -- just doesn't seem to be the way the Titans are going about things as head coach Mike Munchak enters his second season. The Titans seem to be patiently building, finishing just one win removed from a playoff berth this season.
Defensively last season, the team had three rookie starters and three other starters who had at most three years' of NFL experience. That's young. One of their best and most veteran defenders, Cortland Finnegan, has publicly expressed pessimism that the team will re-sign him.
On offense, the top wide receiver, Kenny Britt, is coming off season-ending ACL surgery, which, in football, normally requires two full seasons before a player returns to 100 percent of where he was before he got injured. (This stands as a warning for all of you who might think about selecting Adrian Peterson high in the first round of your fantasy football league next year.) Munchak, the team's former offensive line coach, also is promising an evaluation and likely changes to the composition of the offensive line.
Then there is the quarterback question. It has been reported that Manning does not want to be in a situation where his heir apparent is right behind him. Would he want to come to the Titans when Jake Locker, a high first-round pick in 2011 who played well at times as a rookie, arguably could be the starter next season in Manning's absence?
Finally, there is the Manning question itself. Despite his public avowals on Tuesday that he does not want to retire and that he is making progress in his rehab, a great deal of reporting exists to support the idea that he might not be able to play next season. Or ever.
It's hardly the kind of drama and uncertainty a team like the Titans needs. Yes, owner Bud Adams has seemed to intervene in the past in the drafting of Vince Young, but if he did in this case it might be the kind of action that could send Munchak howling to see if the Penn State job is still open.
In this case, despite the emotional pull, steady and incremental progress -- when the team isn't that far from competing for a playoff spot -- would seem the more logical way to go.
