Manning vs. Manning Peyton faces Eli at Giants Stadium. I know exactly what they are feeling. Well, at least I think I do. There is nothing like playing -- and beating your brothers. Dale and Duane are six and seven years older than me. Great at about every sport they try. At least able to make their presence known. I made it known too, but in a bad way. I couldn't stop a ball from rolling up hill. Nonetheless I'd still battle against them in everything from cards to football, baseball, basketball or whatever. And I'd always lose. ALWAYS. Even with the handicaps they'd attach. I couldn't touch them. I was big enough in grade school to big able to play with my brothers and their high school friends. They'd pass the ball my way. But I wasn't an impact player. I knew it. That was until about 1997 or 1998, I was all of 28 or 29 and I was bound and determined to make this my finest hour. It was church softball, Northpoint vs. North Scipio. Dean vs. Dale and Duane. I wasn't gonna let ANYTHING, and i mean ANYTHING stop me from years and years of frustration. I just had this discussion with my friend Joe, he was an outfield on those Northpoint teams. (Like anything I do a queer mix of competition and sillyness. We were like the Globetrotters of softball.) Joe said I turned it up a notch. I'd push for the extra base. I'd hustle just a little more and my eyes burnt with more fury then before. Well, i dont remember much about the game. I remember winning. I remember drilling a grounder past Duane, a pretty sure handed shortstop for a single maybe even a double. I dont remember the score. I do remember the relief of finally doing it. Not bad for little brother
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