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Why did Peyton Manning send investigators to Al Jazeera HGH source?

Eric Edholm

The Peyton Manning story is turning a bit odd close to what could be his final run in the NFL.

The Washington Post is reporting that two men hired by Manning’s lawyers were sent to talk to Charlie Sly, the main source of an Al Jazeera report that HGH was delivered to Manning’s wife, before the documentary aired.

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The aim of the two shamuses, it appears was to interview Sly, whose parents were concerned enough with them that they called 911. Five days later, the documentary aired that appeared to implicate Manning and other professional athletes in usage of HGH and other performance-enhancing drugs around the time Manning was rehabbing from four neck surgeries in 2011.

Sly since has recanted his entire story, which was recorded without his knowledge by Al Jazeera for its documentary, “The Dark Side: The Secret World of Sports Doping,” Manning has denied ever using or receiving HGH but hasn’t denied anything involving his wife, Ashley.

Ari Fleischer confirmed that the pre-emptive investigation occurred, saying that it was a “natural reaction” to questions and allegations before the story broke.

“When somebody accuses you of doing something you didn’t do — and Al Jazeera refused to tell us who it was — it’s only logical to say, ‘Who is it, and why are they doing this?’ ” Fleischer said. “That’s human nature.”

Manning and the Denver Broncos face the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50 on Sunday. He has spent most of the week leading up to the game — as well as the past several weeks — parrying questions about his possible retirement as well as questions about an NFL investigation into his involvement, if there is any, in the case.

Clearly Manning, or his lawyers, tried to get ahead of the story. We’re not saying they were there to do anything bad such as intimidate Sly or anyone in his family. They eventually identified themselves, per the Post report, as private investigators who easily could have been gathering information to try to discredit the story.

[Broadcaster? Quarterback? What will Peyton Manning do next season?]

But then again, we do fondly remember this Manning classic from "SNL."

The league’s investigation is expected to kick into a higher gear after the Super Bowl — a luxury Tom Brady was not afforded a year ago when the NFL went gung-ho after him and the New England Patriots in the wake of the deflate-gate allegations, even in the days leading up to the Super Bowl against the Seattle Seahawks.

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Eric Edholm is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at edholm@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter!