First I want to say thank you to all my Weplay friends for the fun props and nice words you left me regarding the MVP announcement.  I'm very humbled and grateful to be honored with this award, and I really feel like it is a reflection of our team.

Now, I'd like to take a minute to announce some news that I'm sure many of you Pop Warner players and cheerleaders are anxious to hear.   This fall I had the pleasure of  nominating a Pop Warner cheer, dance or football team or two as a Peyton's Pick each week.  18 groups were selected in total, but I sure could have named a few more.

Today, I'm excited to announce the five teams and squads who will receive a $500 team scholarship for their upcoming season.  Please help me in honoring these teams and squads for their efforts on the field and online with their Weplay group.  Send them a nice word, prop or just say hello.  Each one is a true example of a team working as one.

The five $500 scholarship winners are:

Congrats to Travis Nicholson and the Southeast Michigan Pop Warner Football League

Congrats to Lori Trexler and the  South Lake Eagles Mitey Mites

Congrats to Paulo Borba and the Gilroy Browns JPW

Congrats to Amy Dupuis and the Winchendon Pop Warner Pee Wee Cheerleaders

Congrats to John Presciutti  and the Ogden Bears Mitey Mite Orange

You're going to have wait just a bit longer to find out who the Grand Prize winner is.  For now it's top secret.  It was a pleasure getting to know some of the Weplay Pop Warner teams better and I assure you, the team or squad who wins the personal clinic with me is well-deserving.

Another round of answers to some of your questions.  Thanks for your continued support this season Weplay.  Still a long road to go. 

I'll announce the Peyton's Picks winners soon too. 

1.  What do I enjoy doing in the offseason?

Obviously, football takes up a lot of time, and I do a lot of training.  In the offseason, I play golf some with my friends when I get a chance.  Of course, I travel some, and we do a lot with our charity foundation, the Peyback Foundation, working with underprivileged youth.  What sport do I like to play besides football?  It would be golf.  I like playing with my friends and just like to have a good time.

2.  What it feels like to get hit by a big defensive lineman?

It's not a fun feeling.  It's not something that you enjoy.  I've always thought it's a little bit easier when they hit you from the back because you don't know that it's coming.  It's kind of quick and it gets over with quickly.  When they hit you coming right at you, when you see them coming, you know that it's going to hurt.  It's usually a worse feeling.  So I'd rather them hit me in the back, that way I don't have any time to react to it and can get it over with.

3.  Do I enjoy playing at home and on the road?

I like playing at home.  We have great fans here in Indianapolis.  We have a new stadium that's an awesome place to play.  The fans truly can be that 12th-man advantage.  They can make it really tough on the other team's offense, and our players feed off the crowd and get excited when the crowd is into it.  I always rather play at home.

10.  Do I enjoy listening to the Eagles?

I like the Eagles' music.  I've never been to a concert, but I certainly like some of their songs.  I've probably gotten to be more of a country music fan because I went to Tennessee in college, where country music is very popular.  But I do like some of the Eagles' songs.

11.  How I deal with the world of blogs

It is a different world with all the blogs and the internet websites.  I don't really get into it.  I don't blog (outside of Weplay) and do not have a MySpace or a Facebook or a Twitter account.  There are some people that have those that have been impostors of some other athletes like me and Eli.  But I don't have any of those.

I hope our Sunday night game vs the Patriots was a reminder to all of you that you should never give up on yourselves or the win.  I can't lie to you, I certainly got a little nervous, because nothing surprises me with New England.  But Reggie Wayne kept fighting through those last 20 seconds and made a great, extended catch.  We weathered the storm and it sure feels good to come out on top.

The last two teams to land on top of my nomination list for $500 scholarships or personal visit by me are:

The Brockton Junior Boxers from Brocton, MA.  This team has done an excellent job both on the field and online with their Weplay group page.  They've got 1051 videos and photos in their gallery...that takes some effort!  They're also linked up to all the teams in their organization, which there are a lot of. 

What I most enjoyed about this group was the full roster with minimal benchwarmers as well as their message posts.  There's so much positive energy coming out of this group.

Now the last Peyton's Picks of this season is well suited.  They are the Northlake Pop Warner Patriots from Hammond, Indiana.  This is a 15U football and cheerleading league group that has had a very successful season. The football players known as the "Tough Sixteen" have a great shot in their gallery with what looks to be the championship trophy.  Members are also posting their comments on the nearly 100 photos in their gallery.  I want to see more of that from other groups.

Congratulations to both of my picks today and to all the Pop Warner teams and squads on Weplay.  I hope you all take the time to connect and learn from each other.

Stay tuned, as I'll be posting my five $500 scholarship winners as well as the grand prize Peyton's Pick winner in the coming weeks.

1.  How I shake nerves playing in front of thousands of people:

Obviously in high school I never played in front of big crowds.  When I got to Tennessee as a freshman and played in that huge stadium every Saturday with 100,000-plus fans, it certainly does take some getting used to.  I remember my first time playing in college in Knoxville, I was nervous.  And it does take a while to get used to the crowd, especially when you play on the road you get used to the crowd noise.  I feel like I am used to it now, in my 12th year in the NFL, but it did take a lot of getting used to.  I think playing at Tennessee gave me great experience in dealing with crowds.

2.  Do I wish I had a sister?  If so, do I think she'd fit in? 

It's hard to answer that.  I've enjoyed having two brothers, obviously there was a lot of sports growing up in the house.  I feel lucky being the middle child.  I had an older brother to ask questions to, to look up to, and I had a younger brother that I could share some experiences with.  I feel very blessed.

3.  Do I play fantasy football and if so, who would I draft?

I don't play fantasy football.  If I did, I would probably draft Reggie Wayne or Dallas Clark first, but I do not play.

4.  Is my neck ok?

Yes, my neck is okay.  I had a scratch on it early in the season, so I had a patch on it.  That may be what you're talking about.  I had a patch, but yes, it's fine.

5.  What's my favorite food?

Steak, I like to eat steak.

More answers to come, but back to work for now.

Huge win for us Sunday.  We stayed in the game and it showed.  We didn't do things perfectly, but we did a great job of fighting and came away with win.  And man did my teammate Dallas Clark have a standout performance.  

As I was making my selections for this week's Peyton's Picks, I found two more "stand out" groups.

First up, the Oak Park Trojans from Oak Park Michigan.  This group, which encompasses tackle football, cheerleading and dance for kids 5-15, is full of life.  The organizers haven't been shy about posting relevant team messages or uploading game and event photos.    

The Trojans have been doing something right.  It looks like they have two squads advancing to the Mid-America Regional Cheer & Dance Championships in Illinois.  Good luck to each of you.  Remember, you've trained for this all season. Have fun and enjoy it.

The Argonaut Jr. Mustangs from Jackson, California are my second pick.  I guess green is the color this week.

First I want to recognize team organizer Krystal for giving her cheerleaders incentives.  She awards Spirit Winners each week. This is a great way to motivate and keep your team working hard.  Positive reinforcement can do wonders.  I also enjoyed watching the videos in their team gallery.  There are some talent young ladies on the squad.  Keep up the hard work.  

Next Monday will be the last week I post my "Picks".  So if your team hasn't been selected, there's still time.  At the end of the season, I'll award five of my "Picks" a $500 scholarship.  One team or squad will also win the grand prize, a personal visit by me visit by me.

We certainly had a tough Sunday, but we still got the win.  My teammates know how to face a challenge and they really pulled out the stops to take the game in the 2nd half.

You may not always get the cleanest win, but if you keep working, training and studying you'll get there.

I think the young ladies of the Kihei Dolphins Pee Wee Cheer Squad are doing just that.  They're my "Pick" this week.  Just click on their calendar and you'll notice not only games and events scheduled, but also weekly conditioning. 

You have to work hard in every aspect of your sport if you want to succeed, and cheerleading is no exception. It's a tough sport both mentally and physically.  The Dolphins know that if they want to meet their goal of a national championship appearance in Florida later this year, they have to challenge themselves. 

The girls are also linked up with their sister teams on Weplay and of course the Pop Warner group. You can't be picked by me if you're not linked up.  Keep working hard girls. I enjoyed learning more about your squad and your goals. I'm also glad to see a squad from Hawaii on the lead board! 

If your team wants to be selected as Peyton's Pick, check out my leader board.  There's just under a month left before we select the five, $500 scholarship winners and the grand prize, a personal clinic with me. 

We just closed out week 7 and our team improved to 6-0 with a strong road win vs. the Rams.  I can't speak highly enough about my teammates and our coaching staff out here in Indianapolis.  We kept our momentum going and played hard.  That's all I can ask for in a team.

I know Coach Pantier of the Gilroy Browns and Coach King of the Bolingbrook Trojans Jr. Midgets must be proud of their Pop Warner football teams too.  These two teams are my "Picks" this week.  Congrats to all of you.

I have to address the massive amount of photos uploaded by the Gilroy Browns. I haven't seen any other Pop Warner group come close to the 1766 images uploaded by the Browns.  I could spend all afternoon clicking through their game albums.  I know parents and family members must get a kick out of looking through them as well.  

The Bolingbrook Trojans may not have as many 2009 season photos in their gallery, but they have uploaded some quality videos from seasons past.  I know watching that film helps young and new players get on the right track.  Trojan team organizers are also doing a nice job of sending out important team messages. From snack schedules to practice changes, good communication is key.  Lastly, I think the Trojans have done probably the best job of linking up with relevant teams and groups in their league.  

If your Pop Warner team or squad wants to catch my eye, be sure and check out the leaderboard to see how you can become next week's Pick.

The Colts and me are taking advantage of our bye week.  We're gearing up for the Rams next Sunday.  I never take a game for granted. You can never be too prepared in this game.

It looks like the Girard Little Indians Football League from Ohio know a little bit about hard work.  There my "Pick" this week and will be considered for a $500 scholarship or personal visit by me early next year.

This league has had a strong season. I watched a few game clips in their gallery and was really impressed.   Video tells all. I saw some key tackles and a really nice run by Mosely for a TD.  Ya'll are working together as a team and that's the most important factor for success.

I also like that the entire Girard Pop Warner family sticks together.  From fundraisers, town parades to board meetings, the Indians are in sync with their organization.  The Girard Midgets even made it to the Super Bowl Championship. Good Luck out there. I know the Squiggs, Pee Wee and all the parents and fans from across the league will be out there supporting you.

If your team or squad wants to be selected as a Peyton Pick, get moving.  There's only one month left.  The contest ends November 20th.  I'm looking for groups with the most members, links to other Pop Warner groups and lots of photos and videos in their galleries.