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NEW YORK -- Maybe the award should be renamed Most Valuable Peyton. Peyton Manning became the first player to win The Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player honor four times. The Indianapolis Colts' sensational quarterback romped to the award Saturday in balloting by 50 sports writers and broadcasters who cover the league. He received 39½ votes to 7½ for Drew Brees of New Orleans. Only four players -- all quarterbacks -- earned votes. The other two were Philip Rivers of San Diego (2) and Brett Favre of Minnesota (1). Manning also won in 2003, 2004 and 2008, breaking a tie...

Number 4 is at again...putting up big numbers today for the Vikes...BRETT FAVRE PASSED FOR A SEASON-HIGH 392 YARDS AND THREE TOUCHDOWNS, AND THE VIKINGS INTERCEPTED JAY CUTLERTWICE IN A 36-10 VICTORY OVER THE BEARS ON SUNDAY.FAVRE WENT 32 FOR 48 WITHOUT A TURNOVER AND WAS 10 YARDS OFF HIS CAREER BEST,Favre may have fallen short, but he wasn't the only one looking at the record book..Erick Lind will have all the highlights of today's spectacular game coming up later in sports...

With every team either already at the midway point of the season or arriving there this weekend, here are your leaders for some individual awards, both real and manufactured: Most valuable player — Brett Favre, Minnesota. At some point he probably will throw an inexplicable interception that will cost the Vikings dearly, but his play has far exceeded expectations. His 32-yard touchdown pass to Greg Lewis that beat the 49ers probably will stand as the play of the year. Offensive player of the year — Peyton Manning, Indianapolis.

A step down from the Nobel, but just as deserving.

Larry Fitzgerald was just named ProBowl's MVP. Well deserved!

INDIANAPOLIS – He overcame injury, odds and adversity. Five months ago, he was recovering from knee surgery, and just two months ago, his team was under .500 and he had just one more touchdown pass than interceptions. Now, Peyton Manning is something else, something historic. Now, he is the NFL’s Most Valuable Player. Again.

So, Freepers, now that the regular season is over, who deserves to be named the NFL's Most Valuable Player...?

NEW YORK -- Add Most Valuable Player to all the other accolades Tom Brady has been collecting.The New England Patriots' record-setting quarterback drew all but one vote Saturday in romping to The Associated Press 2007 NFL MVP Award in the same manner his team romped through its schedule, going 16-0. On the way to the first unbeaten regular season since Miami went 14-0 in 1972, Brady put on a performance for the ages.The eight-year veteran, who already has won three Super Bowls, helped the Patriots tear through the record books by throwing for 50 touchdowns. He beat Peyton Manning's league...

MIAMI — Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning completed his professional resume Sunday night at Dolphin Stadium. The same quarterback once criticized for his inability to win the big game won the biggest game of all. And he did it on an awful day for quarterbacks. It wasn’t all Manning, who was named Super Bowl MVP. It was all Colts in a 29-17 victory over the Chicago Bears in a rainy Super Bowl XLI. The Colts were more physical, made fewer mistakes and finished stronger in winning their first Super Bowl in 36 years. But if you’re going to single out...

MINNEAPOLIS -- Justin Morneau had some stiff competition when it came to earning American League Most Valuable Player honors, and that was just on his team. But while the Twins had multiple candidates for the league's award, Morneau came out on top Tuesday as he was announced as this year's American League MVP. Despite many people expecting Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter to win the award, Morneau's breakout season earned him the honor bestowed by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. All Morneau did in 2006 was to put together one of the best offensive seasons in Twins history. The first...

PHILADELPHIA -- The sheer force of Ryan Howard's gargantuan home runs cannot accurately be measured in speed or total distance, only by the gasps from those watching such a spectacle. The Baseball Writers Association of America collectively gasped, then stood and applauded on Monday, selecting the Phillies first baseman as the National League's Most Valuable Player. With 20 first-place votes and 12 second-place votes, Howard defeated last year's NL MVP, the Cardinals' Albert Pujols, by a total of 388 to 347. The Astros' Lance Berkman (230) and the Mets' Carlos Beltran (211) finished third and fourth, respectively. Howard becomes the...

David Ortiz, the American League leader in home runs and RBI, says Boston's fall from the American League playoff race should not disqualify him from the race for the AL's Most Valuable Player award. David Ortiz Designated Httr Boston Red Sox Profile 2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM HR RBI R OBP AVG 133 48 127 103 .402 .288 But Ortiz told reporters after the Red Sox's 9-3 win over the Royals on Sunday that he thinks that's what's going to happen. "I'll tell you one thing," Ortiz said. "If I get 50 home runs and 10 more RBI [which would give...

Former Steeler great could ride team victory all the way to the Governor's office As Jerome Bettis and the Pittsburgh Steelers closed the book on a storybook season at Super Bowl XL in Detroit Sunday, the season of another Steelers legend was just kicking into high gear. Lynn Swann, the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player 30 years ago, is hoping to capture the Republican Party's official endorsement this Saturday in the Pennsylvania governor's race—an endorsement that has traditionally locked up the Republican primary election, which will be held in May of this year. And judging by the overwhelming support for...

Detroit -- Joe Montana, the only three-time Super Bowl Most Valuable Player, was one of only three Super Bowl MVPs who turned down the NFL's invitation to take part in pregame ceremonies for Super Bowl XL. Montana also declined the league's invitation for a news conference with all the MVPs after Commissioner Paul Tagliabue's Friday news conference. "We were disappointed we weren't able to work it out with him," said Greg Aiello, the NFL's vice president of public relations. The former MVPs were guaranteed $1,000 for incidental expenses while in Detroit. The NFL also provided each former Super Bowl MVP...

NEW YORK (AP) -- Albert Pujols won his first National League MVP award, beating Andruw Jones in a close vote Tuesday. The St. Louis Cardinals first baseman ended Barry Bonds' four-year winning streak, receiving 18 first-place votes and 14 seconds for 378 points in balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Jones, the Atlanta Braves center fielder, got 13 first-place votes, 17 seconds and two thirds for 351 points.

November 14, 2005 A-Rod named MVP By Boston.com and Globe Staff Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez was named the American League MVP today, beating out Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz to win the award for the second time in three years. A-Rod received 16 first-place votes and Ortiz got 11 first-place votes. Rodriguez got 11 second-place votes and Ortiz garnered 17 second-place votes. The final rally was 331-307 in favor of A-Rod.

Good Sunday evening to you, fellow Freeper baseball fanatics. Great week just past, and an unreal last week to the season upon us..I wanted to get the thread up now, since I may not have a chance to do so tomorrow..The races are wilder, and tighter, than ever..

Instead of pitchers and catchers, the opening of baseball's spring training seemed preoccupied by syringes and steroids. One day after stores began selling former American League MVP Jose Canseco's book of doping allegations, the New York Yankees, Washington Nationals, and Cincinnati Reds opened their training camps. In his first press conference, Yankees manager Joe Torre faced a torrent of questions about the proliferation of performance-enhancing drugs in America's pastime, with the subject taking the first half-hour of the 45-minute session: "It doesn't go away, unfortunately." In light of the quick sales of Mr. Canseco's new book, Juiced: Wild Times, Rampant...

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Feb. 3, 2005) -- Emmitt Smith, the NFL's career rushing leader, is retiring after 15 years, according to two sources within the NFL. Smith, who starred for the Dallas Cowboys for 13 seasons and spent the last two years with Arizona, will make the announcement at 4 p.m. in Jacksonville. He is expected to sign a one-day contract with Dallas so he can retire as a Cowboy. Dallas owner Jerry Jones will be present at the ceremony. The 35-year-old Smith ran for 18,355 yards and 164 touchdowns in his career, both NFL records. He rushed for 937 yards...

By BARRY WILNER AP Football Writer INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Peyton Manning's phenomenal season earned him his second straight Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player Award. He was nearly a unanimous choice. The Indianapolis Colts' star quarterback, who surpassed Dan Marino and Steve Young with his passing prowess in 2004, earned all but one of 48 votes from a national panel of sports writers and broadcasters who cover pro football. Manning tied with Steve McNair for the award last season, but this time only Atlanta quarterback Michael Vick drew a vote. Manning joined the likes of Joe Montana, John Unitas, Steve...