“Saint” Archie Manning Comes To Hartford

For 14-year-old Scott Skenyon, the Giants Eli Manning is okay and his Broncos brother Peyton Manning is alright too. But when it comes to those Manning football legends, the South Windsor teenager is a diehard Archie Manning fan.

“I love the Saints,” said Skenyon who was part of the crowd that turned out to hear the football legend and former Saints standout Manning patriarch speak at the Greater Hartford YMCA’s “YMCA Celebrates Champions” dinner at the Hartford Marriott Downtown Thursday.

Manning was charming and diplomatic, stating that being a good husband and father of three sons were his priorities and that if he were a champion, it was for those reasons, not his prowess on the field when he played ball.

“I don’t see my boys as players but still as little boys,” he said grinning.  “But they have grown up to be good men and good teammates. I am proud of them all.”

More than 300 people attended the dinner that benefited Read to Succeed and the Strong Kids Campaign.

But back to Manning. There is the question about which car he is driving these days given that Peyton is promoting Buick and Eli is promoting Toyota. How does Dad decide?

“Well, there aren’t a lot of Toyotas in the South,” said the Mississippi native who did a voiceovers in the Buick ads with his son.

Okay, Well, any Super Bowl predictions?

“Way too early,” he said. “Things heat up about December.”