or one who if fairly neutral about the NFL, except for her irrational hatred of the Colts?

(she’s an NFL widow about 8 weeks a year, and for 3 hours at a shot. It’s not like I’m a home town fan who spends fours tail-gating, three hours at the game, a couple more hours weaving home, wasted, on the interstate every week…. at least I can understand being a Pats fan. They’re actually a good team. And if you’re from there, you get a pass. But hating the Colts because your husband watches a few games, and, oh, obsesses about them 24/7 even in March… wanted to name your eldest son Marvin… I just don’t get it.)

I suppose the Pats fan spouse is worse. I just felt like bitching.

No need to insult.

it was an honest question directed to Marima.

And who are you, again?

I’m about to read it and still hope that my honest desire to learn about the man is apparent.

I agree about the talking heads and media-types. They’ve all got something to sell.

Your suggestion to refer to people who actually know Bill makes good sense. At some point, however, it’s all ‘He said… She said’ for the average football fan with no inroads to the truth. I’ve heard some Pats players rave about Bill. I’ve heard others say what they’re supposed to say (and i’ve heard Colts do that too, and it’s pretty obvious when they do).

I like the Payton story; never heard it before. Gotta appreciate someone who’s willing to pass on what they know to help someone else.

Hand shakes? hmm… that, i’m not so inclined to believe. That’s one thing i have seen. I’ve watched all manner of coaches meet Peyton, Dungy, and now Caldwell at mid-field after losing to the Colts spend 15 secs or so and appear to offer a meaningful congratulations and maybe a personal comment or two. Not Bill. Don’t see him often, obviously, but i do find myself watching him specifically to see how he greets the opposing coach simply because i HAVE seen him give the curt (but required) nod and phony handshake.

Just saying what i’ve seen, Marima. I admit i haven’t seen much, but what i have seen seems to support the comments i made above.

Glad to hear there’s another side i haven’t seen.

Again, thanks for your well thought-out response.

as well as being amoral, Earl Morrall, a boost for morale, and a fancier of morells.

a-holes can be married or single, can put themselves in harm’s way, or know their foibles and put safety precautions in place to prevent slippage into the pit.

Once again in this thread I’ll bring up Mark Chmura, the holier-than-thou former Packers pro bowl TE who got his kids’ teenaged sitter drunk at a party and made passes at her. If marriage represents one level of committment, parenthood expands that by multiples. HIs very public scorching of a philandering president raised his expectations even higher, so that when he fell, well… petty, bitter, small-minded (but big-memoried) folks like me still get mileage out of his arrest.

You will find pond scum in many places and many forms. Married guys don’t get a pass (no pun intended, but you hafta admit, it’s pretty good) just because of a ring. People with character earn the pass by being people of character. They don’t take the easy road, they say no to temptation, or avoid it altogether.

/off high horse.

“You cannot be accused of sexual assault or other crimes if you do not put yourself in position to get in trouble.”

This was my point.

I was just merely making the observation that the three aforementioned gentlemen were married.