![“[Building nerf blasters] became this outlet of creativity for me that hasn't been matched by anything else. The process [of] making a build complete to your desire is such a painstakingly difficult process, but I've had to learn from [the skills needed from] soldering to proper painting. There's so many different options for everything, if you think about it, it exists. The best part is [that] if it doesn't exist, you can build it yourself," Ishaan Parate said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/DSC_8149-900x604.jpg)
![“When I came into high school, I was ready to be a follower. But DECA was a game changer for me. It helped me overcome my fear of public speaking, and it's played such a major role in who I've become today. To be able to successfully lead a chapter of 150 students, an officer team and be one of the upperclassmen I once really admired is something I'm [really] proud of,” Anvitha Tummala ('21) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Screen-Shot-2021-07-25-at-9.50.05-AM-900x594.png)
![“I think getting up in the morning and having a sense of purpose [is exciting]. I think without a certain amount of drive, life is kind of obsolete and mundane, and I think having that every single day is what makes each day unique and kind of makes life exciting,” Neymika Jain (12) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Screen-Shot-2017-06-03-at-4.54.16-PM.png)
![“My slogan is ‘slow feet, don’t eat, and I’m hungry.’ You need to run fast to get where you are–you aren't going to get those championships if you aren't fast,” Angel Cervantes (12) said. “I want to do well in school on my tests and in track and win championships for my team. I live by that, [and] I can do that anywhere: in the classroom or on the field.”](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC5146-900x601.jpg)
![“[Volleyball has] taught me how to fall correctly, and another thing it taught is that you don’t have to be the best at something to be good at it. If you just hit the ball in a smart way, then it still scores points and you’re good at it. You could be a background player and still make a much bigger impact on the team than you would think,” Anya Gert (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AnnaGert_JinTuan_HoHPhotoEdited-600x900.jpeg)
![“I'm not nearly there yet, but [my confidence has] definitely been getting better since I was pretty shy and timid coming into Harker my freshman year. I know that there's a lot of people that are really confident in what they do, and I really admire them. Everyone's so driven and that has really pushed me to kind of try to find my own place in high school and be more confident,” Alyssa Huang (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AlyssaHuang_EmilyChen_HoHPhoto-900x749.jpeg)
Legendary playoff runs define careers.
Fans remember postseason moments and banners in stadiums over extraordinary statistics. Former New York Giants franchise quarterback Eli Manning exemplifies this theory. Manning etched his name in the annals of NFL history by defeating Tom Brady and the nigh-invincible Patriots twice in the Super Bowl. Now, Manning faces the toughest challenge of his career thus far: gaining first-ballot entry into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
A variety of factors go into being immortalized in the NFL’s museum in Canton, complicating matters for the former Giants star. Manning’s older brother, Peyton, is among the greatest quarterbacks of all time, having earned a number of impressive accolades, including his own first-ballot entry into the Hall of Fame in 2021. His career serves as an effective comparison to Eli’s, representing what a first-ballot Hall of Fame quarterback should be.
By contrast, Eli’s resume looks lackluster, with only four Pro Bowl appearances to Peyton’s 14 and zero first team All-Pro selections to Peyton’s seven. Peyton holds the league record for MVPs with five, an accolade his younger brother never accrued. Eli never led the league in a major statistical category, a fact that underscores his low peak in the regular season.
With all that said, Manning’s poor case for first-ballot Hall of Fame entry does not minimize his achievements. He remains a significant figure in NFL history and should make the Hall at some point. After all, he boasts incredible numbers, ranking 10th on the list for all-time passing yards and passing touchdowns. At the same time, one must take into account the era of inflated offense that he benefited from, a phenomenon that inflated the resume of many 2010s quarterbacks.
That spark, though, does not automatically qualify him for the Hall and quite possibly comes as a product of his opponents. Manning owes a large portion of his brand to Tom Brady. Having defeated Brady’s Patriots twice, Manning appears much greater to fans, exacerbating the controversy surrounding his entry into the Hall.
Since his retirement, Manning has remained a fan favorite, appearing in several popular football programs, often alongside his brother. Unfortunately for Manning, neither popularity nor his aforementioned postseason success grants him entry into the Hall. Before he reaches the mountaintop of personal achievement in the sport, he will have to wait.
