If there's anyone fans of the Indianapolis Colts hate, it's Tom Brady. The New England Patriots quarterback is often heralded as the GOAT, when - as every Colts fan knows - that honor should really go to Peyton Manning. Brady's team may have more victories, but how much of that can be attributed to Brady himself, and not the brains behind the operation (Bill Belichick)? It also seemed that the Patriots, and Brady, had a hard time winning without cheating, something Manning never got accused of.
And as several legendary defenders have pointed out, it was Peyton Manning they were afraid to go up against - not Tom Brady. But sure, whatever. Brady's the best there ever was... everywhere except Indianapolis.
So it's no surprise that when Brady made an appearance in Indy, it didn't go over that well.
Brady was at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend to ride alongside Jimmie Johnson for a lap, leading the field onto the track. Before his lap, Brady and Johnson came out for a pre-race ceremony, and when Brady's name was announced, boos could audibly be heard from the crowd.
Brady led the Patriots to a 12-3 record over the Colts, including during the 2014 AFC Championships... where, you know, they were caught with Deflategate.
But, to be fair, the actual GOAT seems to have put it all behind him, with Manning making an appearance at Brady's Patriots Hall of Fame induction, and hosting Brady on his show, Peyton's Places. Brady has also acknowledged that Manning and the Colts who played with him - legends like Dwight Freeney, Tony Dungy, Marvin Harrison, Dallas Clark, Jeff Saturday, and Reggie Wayne - were incredible, writing that they still "give him nightmares."
Yet for Colts fans, they will always know the truth: Peyton Manning was the better QB, plain and simple. As Ray Lewis explained of Manning, "I would say from a quarterback... from a student level of the game, he made me alter my game. He made me watch more film and that's what I call the greatest quarterback, to me, me and his battle. Brady, of course, rings, but when you talk about just walking out there and seeing a man knowing that whoo, here we go again, Peyton Manning was rough."
Brady may have the rest of the country fooled, but in Indianapolis, Manning will always rein supreme.