http://www.nypost.com/sports/giants/giants.htm<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>September 6, 2005 -- There are always challenges and the one that Eli Manning confronts today will be unlike any he's faced before. As the Giants take the field for their first practice with the gameplan in place for Sunday's regular-season opener against the Cardinals, Manning must be sound of body. That means he needs to show that his sprained right elbow has healed and he can carry a full load. That might be the easy part. Ensuring that his mind is in the right place could prove to be even more difficult than the physical demands. "It won't be hard, I'll be focused on what I have to do," he promised. Clearing his thoughts of his experience the past few days will take some doing. A native of New Orleans, Manning sat glued to the television as the horrors of Hurricane Katrina unfolded before his eyes. His parents escaped to the safety of Oxford, Miss., home of Eli's oldest brother, Cooper, and there are reports from friends that the family home in the exclusive Garden District was not flooded. There might be something left standing to return to. Wanting to do something more, Eli and famous older brother Peyton of the Colts last Saturday traveled to Baton Rouge, La., where they helped unload provisions and met with refugees living in various shelters. The sadness and the stories were etched on Manning's face yesterday as he recounted the tales of woe. "A guy said about three or four in the morning he heard this loud boom and it was a levee breaking," Manning said. "He said within two minutes there was water running into his house, he's outside on the roof, he's trying to pull up his wife who was in the water, the next thing he knows he's just holding her shirt, she's gone. He laid there for two days, waiting to die pretty much. Finally someone came by and convinced him to get on a raft and saved him. "Just emotional, a lot of sad stories, not knowing where their loved ones went, seeing their wives and children drown right in front of them, seeing their house in ruins. Shows how fortunate I am for having my family, they're safe and out of there, we know where everybody is. These people, they're in the shelters, they say they're being treated well, their spirits, I thought, were somewhat high considering everything that happened to them." The Manning boys signed autographs, lent an ear when needed and talked football when asked. "If I could have lifted their spirits for a little bit, get their minds off things or get a smile out of some people who probably haven't smiled or laughed in a while, it makes me feel better that I'm helping somebody out," he said. The past few days, Manning has ceased studying the devastation with endless TV viewing, trying hard to sharpen his mind for the task at hand. He has not played since straining his right elbow Aug. 20 on a sideswipe by Carolina's Julius Peppers but had been throwing for nearly a week. He tossed 75 passes this past Sunday, took yesterday off and plans on going full-tilt today in his first practice in more than two weeks. Coach Tom Coughlin said Manning's throws will be monitored to make sure he doesn't exceed a certain limit. The hope is Manning will be able to endure four consecutive days of regular work. "I might be a little rusty, but it shouldn't last more than a day or two," Manning said. "I'm pretty positive I'll be ready for opening day."</div>
After doing any that did he even donate money?Hopefully he can be back at %100 though becuse the Giants need him to do well this seson and I think he might be ready to take that on him now.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (GreasedLightning @ Sep 6 2005, 01:04 PM)</div><div class='quotemain'>After doing any that did he even donate money?Hopefully he can be back at %100 though becuse the Giants need him to do well this seson and I think he might be ready to take that on him now.</div> Im sure he donated something if he took the effort to go cross country to visit them. He probably just chose not to disclose how much of a donation it was.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (GreasedLightning @ Sep 6 2005, 01:04 PM)</div><div class='quotemain'>After doing any that did he even donate money?</div> what's it matter? he took a lot of time out of his life to hand out that stuff, then him and peyton spent time talking to people in a shelter. I'm sure him and Peyton did donate money, but even if they didn't, it's not as if they absolutely have too.
