Don't hate the player. Hate the game

Q. Why do I hate Peyton Manning so much? I don't even know him. And hate is so self-defeating.

A. I always root for the underdog. And he's just so good. Rooting for him is like rooting for a foregone conclusion. There's no fun in it.

Q. But wasn't he the underdog until last night, when he won the Super Bowl, because he'd always struggled in the playoffs?

A. Yeah I guess so. Maybe I root against him because he's the perfect foil to Tom Brady and the Patriots. There's something nice about having your team's rival be the best quarterback of his generation.

Q. But now he's the winner and Tom's the loser. Does that mean you root against Tom next season?

A. Don't be silly. One win does not a hero make. It's all so flukish anyway. Brady was one tuck rule away from not winning that first Super Bowl, not being Mr. Clutch.

Q. Is there a bright side?

A. Maybe we can stop talking about Peyton Manning now. And if sportscasters and columnists stop talking about him, maybe I can stop rooting against him.

Q. That's the bright side?

A. Well, I did win my squares game last night, so I got that going for me.