Denver Broncos Wes Welker can't pick between Peyton Manning, New England Patriots Tom

[Donger]

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/spor...iots-tom-brady

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. - He traded Picasso for Michelangelo. Or maybe it was the other way around.

While John Elway famously said he had no Plan B when he signed Peyton Manning in 2012, Wes Welker certainly had one when the New England Patriots low-balled him on a contract offer last winter.

Welker jumped at the chance to team up with Manning in Denver, where he signed a two-year deal for $12 million, $1 million more per year than the Patriots had offered.

After spending six seasons as Tom Brady's top target in New England, Welker was Manning's leading receiver before missing the final month of the season with a concussion.

He still finished with 73 receptions for 778 yards and a career-best 10 TDs and added another in Denver's 24-17 win over San Diego in the AFC divisional round.

After an unhappy homecoming at Foxborough in November, when his blunder on a punt in the wind led to a 34-31 loss to New England, Welker gets another chance to stick it to his old team Sunday when the Broncos and Patriots square off with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line.

Welker has been asked ever since his arrival in Denver to compare the two QBs with Hall of Fame credentials, something he finds harder to do than to go across the middle with a menacing middle linebacker bearing down on him.

"It's like comparing Picasso and Michelangelo," he said. "It's hard to compare the two."

Welker isn't sure if he's a Michelangelo guy or a Picasso guy, either.

"I couldn't even tell you," Welker confessed, revealing he's less an art aficionado than he is a connoisseur of quarterbacks. "Somebody threw those names at me one time and I thought it sounded pretty good."

What sounded good to Manning was having Welker in the slot this season to team with Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker on the outside and emerging tight end Julius Thomas to ensure one of them would always be single-covered — or even wide open.

Along with rejuvenated running back Knowshon Moreno, all four caught 60 or more passes and reached the end zone at least 10 times apiece.

While Brady's done a masterful job of getting the Patriots to a third straight AFC title game despite having a new cast of ball-catchers, Patriots safety Steve Gregory said the Broncos' embarrassment of riches at receiver is evident when, at times, Welker becomes Manning's fourth or even fifth option.

"Yeah, it's impressive. You know, Decker, Thomas — the two Thomases — and then Wes. We know what Wes is. Wes is a great receiver. He does a heck of a job in the slot and they have spots they move him around to. So, we're going to have to be on top of our 'A 'game."

Welker, of course, was asked again this week about the differences between Brady and Manning, admittedly the only other quarterback he wanted to play for after being spoiled by all those spirals from 2007-2012.

"I'll try and answer this and be as indifferent as possible," he said. "There aren't too many differences. They are great quarterbacks. They do a great job of keeping guys accountable, and their leadership skills and everything else. They are two guys you want quarterbacking your team. It's a toss-up between those two."

The Broncos are sure glad they'll have Welker on their side Sunday.

"He's tough, because he's talented," cornerback Champ Bailey said. "He's quick. He's fast. He's aggressive. He blocks well. I mean, there's not a part of his game that he's weak at. I'm very, very aware of that playing him over the years."

The meticulous Manning, known for his grinding work ethic, found a kindred spirit in Welker.

"I always assumed that he was an extremely competitive guy that loved football and a guy that loved to work, he loved to practice, the way he played — I saw him many a time play Colts vs. the Patriots — so to have him become a Bronco, all those things checked out," Manning said.

"He's a gym rat. He loves the game, loves to work after practice, loves to talk in meetings about routes that he thinks might have a chance to get open. He's very knowledgeable of defenses and how teams have played him in the past, whether they've double-covered him or whatever it may be.

"So he's been a fun guy to play with, I'll say that."

[Jimmya]

Make a decision & quit being a pu***!

[Mav]

Brady made you.

[Mr_Tomahawk]

If the Broncos when the SB, it will be Manning. If they don't, it will be Brady.

[Rausch]

You're a Donk now.

You can save my mother's life and pull 40 kittens from a burning barn.

Won't matter...

[rico]

I'm admittedly not the artsy-fartsy type, but even if I were, I still don't think I'd be able to comprehend why Picasso's paintings were considered anything extraordinary.

[listopencil]

Originally Posted by rico

I'm admittedly not the artsy-fartsy type, but even if I were, I still don't think I'd be able to comprehend why Picasso's paintings were considered anything extraordinary.

I won't say Picasso is crap because art is subjective, but I can't imagine why anyone would pick him over Michelangelo.

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by listopencil

I won't say Picasso is crap because art is subjective, but I can't imagine why anyone would pick him over Michelangelo.

Drugs...

[listopencil]

Originally Posted by Rausch

Drugs...

Hmm. You may be onto something.

[saphojunkie]

Picasso was a ****ing genius. Not a good artist. Not a good painter. A ****ing genius.

Picasso's genius was built on the foundation of Michelangelo's. Those "weird" paintings are actually of one subject from multiple perspectives. Think about a woman's face. Okay, you got it in your head, right?

How far away are you standing?

Are you looking directly at her?

Is she in profile?

Is she well-lit?

Is she smiling?

Is she crying?

Is she awake? Making love to you? Screaming in agony? Giving birth?

Picasso wanted to be able to explore the complexity of the world, the transience of existence and substance. So, instead of painting just a woman's face from one angle at one time, he found multiple perspectives and combined them all in one painting.

What you have to understand is that, for centuries, painting had been about representing the real. The great masters learned to painstakingly recreate what we saw in the real world.

Then photography was invented. And painters suddenly weren't tasked with recreating the real world on canvas. That's the photographer's job - to capture a single moment. Painting then became about touching on something beyond the temporal confinement of your subject. From Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, the futurists (who you can thank for us knowing how to draw people in MOTION), cubism, dadaism, surrealism, contemporary, post modern and beyond - all trying to explore our existence by stretching the scope of paint on canvas.

What you have to realize is that Picasso was a MASTER of classical painting by 20. He studied the great masters and was technically as sound as any man who came before him, save perhaps Da Vinci.

But he quested for something beyond what painting was. He delved into pure ****ing invention of art, creating ideas that permeate virtually every facet of visual arts today.

[Donger]

And no one ever called him an asshole.

[saphojunkie]

How about this?

Here is Picasso's Old Guitarist...




And yet, you won't notice this unless you see it in person (it's in Chicago). What is that above his head? Is that... another face?



Why, yes it is! In fact, there is a completely second LEVEL of paint. It's really 3 dimensional. It is of a woman breastfeeding a young child.

Some think this was an older painting that he painted over. But look at it... the form of the woman is still outlined. Lots of artists painted over old canvasses and you'd never know. If he just wanted to cover the old artwork, then why have her face be a different color than the rest of the background?

Picasso WANTED you to see this. He wanted you to know what this old man was thinking of as he played his guitar.

Was it his mother? An idyllic childhood before a life of poverty and hardship? Or was this a young bride and child that are long since gone?

Whatever it is, Picasso wanted this ghost painting to be a part of the new one.

[Mav]

So, essentially.

Welker is having to compare a Lambo, and a Ferrari,

Whether he likes Chocolate, or Vanilla Ice Cream,

Or if he would prefer to be with Kate Hudson, or Jennifer Lawrence.

Man has a rough life let me tell ya.

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by listopencil

Michelangelo.

Yes.

This.

The end.

I don't have a link, it's called a ****ing education...

[Jimmya]

Education. ...I like it!