Capitalizing on a star

Manning's name commands attention

By TED GREEN
Assistant Sports Editor
Indianapolis Star

Story posted on Sept. 12, 2007

AP Peyton Manning (right) and Tony Dungy celebrated the Colts' win in Super Bowl XLI.

INDIANAPOLIS – When the Indianapolis Colts won the Super Bowl in February, it seemed like overnight doubts about whether Peyton Manning could ever "Win the Big One" were replaced by predictions that he'd one day be considered among the greatest quarterbacks ever – perhaps the greatest.

The Indianapolis Star decided to strike while its star was hot.

A team of editors at the Star set out to build a Web page dedicated exclusively to Manning, showing where he stood in the career rankings for touchdown passes, completions and passing yards, and projecting the exact game in which he'd pass those ahead of him. Then, compelled by the Star's new mandate for online databases, the team took it a step further.

Using the official play-by-play reports from each game since 1998, Manning's rookie year, the Star charted every available component of every pass the quarterback has thrown: year; opponent; receiver; down; distance; quarter; game-time temperature; and weather – 34 categories in all.

Nearly 100 data-entry hours later, the whole thing was put in the hands of graphic designer Chris Johnson, and after a month of building, testing and perfecting Johnson had completed a database with which readers could search Manning's passes in virtually any situation imaginable.

How has he done since Colts coach Tony Dungy arrived in 2002 on third down in the fourth quarter of road games? The answer: 65-for-96, 67.7 percent, 7 TDs, 5 INTs, 6.9 yards per attempt. Who did Manning hit for a higher percentage last postseason, Marvin Harrison or Reggie Wayne? The answer: Wayne, 58.6 percent to 45.5 for Harrison.

It's all available, along with much more, by clicking a few buttons.

Meanwhile, Star photographers culled their best shots of Manning over the years for a set of five themed photo galleries, and graphic designer Michael Campbell built a printable game with which kids and parents could chart each of Manning's attempts, completions and TDs in every game this season and add them to his career totals.

The site – IndyStar.com/manningmeter – went live two days before the Sept. 6 regular-season opener, and in the first week it exceeded 70,000 page views. In addition to updating with Manning's stats from each game, plans are to build on new features, such as a graphic breakdown of arguably Manning's greatest performance, the second half of last season's AFC title game vs. New England.

Remember, it's all based on the adage, stars sell. So, we'll see.

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