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SPORTS ZONE 2: Manning Chosen #1, Then Traded

As expected, Mississippi quarterback Eli Manning was the first choice overall in this past week's NFL draft. Manning was drafted by the San Diego Chargers, who were told vehemently by Eli and his father Archie, who is a former NFLer himself, not to draft his son because he did not want to play for them.

The Chargers, however, ignored his wishes and chose him anyway. When Manning went up to the podium to shake hands with the Chargers ownership he looked less than pleased. He barely smiled while posing for pictures in his new team's uniform.

An hour later he was mulling through a press conference when someone ran in the room to tell him that he had been traded to the New York Giants in exchange for Philip Rivers, who the Giants had just drafted fourth overall.

"I'm a lot happier now than I was 10 minutes ago," Manning said, jumping back on the podium.

The trade also all but guaranteed that quarterback Kerry Collins' career with the Giants will end either in the very near future or after the 2004 season at the latest.

Now Eli will need to prove to the Giants that the move was worth it.

--Written by Cris Sigovitch

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Read SPORTS ZONE 1: Yankees Off to Shaky Start