Peyton Manning recently turned 37. This means Manning has teammates who weren't alive when he was in high school.
It's a classic generation gap, which Manning tries to bridge through his love of cinema.
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"The past few years, as I've reached my elder years as a quarterback in the NFL, I've kind of tried to get to know these rookies and try to get on the same page with them," Manning said during a call-in spot with 850 KOA in Denver. "But what I'm finding out is we don't speak the same language because we don't know the same favorite movies.
"In order to get on the same page with me, you need to watch these five movies so we can repeat lines and quotes."
So what are the movies that Manning assigns as homework to young teammates?
"I've changed it up over the years, but the main five are going to be "Vacation," "Fletch," "Stripes," "Caddyshack," and probably "The Jerk," Manning said, naming five comedies that star early cast members of "Saturday Night Live". "Most of these guys have never heard of these movies, and they really don't think they're funny because it's different kind of humor. It's '70s, '80s, '90s humor, but whatever you can do to get on the same list."
The discussion came about after Manning dropped a line from the baseball classic "Bull Durham" during a conversation with reporters on Wednesday. Manning is of the belief that the definitive football movie has yet to be made.
Which is absolutely correct. With all due respect to James Van Der Beek and the Billy Bob guy, NFL fans deserve a proper modern-day pigskin classic.
Follow Dan Hanzus on Twitter @DanHanzus.
