Peyton has his number

PEYTON MANNING is having a great week.

Not only does he sign a 5-year, $96 million contract to make his NFL return with the Denver Broncos, he's also managed to overshadow Tebowmania and have a Broncos legend willingly hand over his retired number.

After talking to former Broncos quarterback Frank Tripucka personally last week, Manning will wear his trademark No. 18 jersey - a number retired by Denver in 1963.

Tripucka, who was drafted by the Eagles as the No. 9 overall pick in 1949 but quickly traded to Detroit, has no problem with Manning taking his number.

"It's perfectly OK for him to go ahead and use it," Tripucka told the Denver Post. "I would be honored to have him wear it.''

Though quarterbacks were judged much differently in the past, by today's standards Tripucka's stats hardly seemed worthy of the half-cenutry enshrinement. In four seasons with the Broncos (1960-63), Tripucka's teams went 13-23-1. Credit him for 51 touchdown passes in that span - but he also hurled 85 interceptions.

Nevertheless, Tripucka was one of three Broncos (Floyd Little's No. 44 and John Elway's No. 7) who have their number retired, causing quite the debate in the Mile High City.

A comment posted under the online report from "Derek Medina" offered this sentiment: "Mr. Tripucka is pure class to offer, but it's not his to offer. He didn't retire his own jersey, so he can't unretire it. The Broncos as an organization should honor their history. It's easy to deny the number to no-name rookies, but the true test of the honor is when there is something at risk."

Longtime Philadelphia sportscaster Jack Whitaker will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Sports Emmys during an April 30 ceremony at the Lincoln Center.

Whitaker, a local legend who grew up in Germantown, attended North Catholic and Saint Joseph's, began his craft in 1950 on Channel 10. Over an extensive career, Whitaker has covered everything from Secretariat's win at Belmont to the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo.