Coach, a Former High School QB, Wants QB Son, Rest of Team, to Perfect At-the-Line Basics with Manning

MANSFIELD, Mass. (June 1, 2006) -- The Indianapolis Colts -- the NFL's most explosive team in the air over the last two seasons -- have more than 100 pass plays in their playbook. Pop Warner's Mansfield (MA) Green Machine, who doesn't have a player over 100 pounds? Just two.

But the Mansfield Mighty Mite league's smallest squad will soon be adding some firepower to their passing attack as the winners of Upper Deck's Gridiron Trivia Battle. The prize: a once-in-a-lifetime skills clinic from Colts' QB Peyton Manning, who will give the team a sneak peak at his from-scrimmage secrets.

Like Peyton and his dad Archie -- a hall-of-famer for the New Orleans Saints -- the Green Machine team also shares a special father-son quarterback connection: head coach Scott Buchanan was an all-conference QB at Mansfield High in the '80s; his nine-year-old son Chris is the youth squad's starting signalcaller.

Aged nine through 11, the Green Machine beat out Pop Warner teams from 21 states, huddling up to answer the greatest number of trivia questions found on insert cards in exclusive NFL trading card packs. In addition to giving insight into his audibles, Manning will participate in a trivia battle with the team the day of the clinic, June 25 in Indianapolis.

This is the second year Upper Deck has teamed with Pop Warner to spur participation and connect kids with their on-field idols, the company has given free NFL trading cards to half-a-million Pop Warner players in the U.S.

Additional Green Machine, Manning Connection: In-the-Classroom Honors
When asked if there was one skill he wanted Manning to focus on during the clinic with his kids, coach Buchanan noted Manning's knowledge of getting his team to the line and getting them off on the right count.

"At this stage in their football lives, we're just trying to teach these kids the basics: line up in the correct position, remember the play, don't start too early," said Buchanan. "If Peyton can help us with the mental part of the game, maybe give us some intermediate tips he's learned from studying all that film, we'll be set for next season."

Unlike the Colts, who went undefeated for much of the season, the Green Machine did not. However, there was one off-the-field element in which the Green Machine went undefeated this season: their top-level test grades.

Every member of the squad achieved the league's all-scholastic scholar award based on their performance in the classroom -- believed to be the only team in the league to accomplish this perfect honors record. Pop Warner is the only youth sports organization that requires its members to meet academic standards in order to participate.

While at the University of Tennessee, Peyton Manning was a Phi Beta Kappa and an academic All-American, winning the National Football Foundation Burger King-Vincent dePaul Draddy Scholar-Athlete of the Year award.

About Pop Warner
Founded in 1959, Pop Warner is the largest national youth football and cheerleading organization in the U.S. and the only youth sports organization that requires scholastic fitness as a prerequisite to participation. Currently there are over 380,000 children in Pop Warner organizations in 37 states, Scotland, Germany, Russia, Japan and Mexico. For more information on Pop Warner and its programs, please visit www.popwarner.com.

About the Upper Deck Company
Founded in 1988, The Upper Deck Co. is a premier global sports and entertainment-publishing company that delivers a portfolio of relevant, innovative and multi-dimensional product experiences to collectors, sports and entertainment enthusiasts.

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