This is it. The annual game of the year between the Pats and Colts. Fans from both cities enter this week a little nervous, excited and straining with anticipation. The debate rages. Who is better, Manning or Brady? Clearly they are both great QB's, maybe two of the best to ever play the game.
For the rest of the country the debate never ends. Who is more annoying? Is it Brady with his dimpled chin, good looks, modeling shoots and wayward children, or Manning with his clean-cut persona, goofy charm, and his endless commercials?
Strong cases can be made for both.
The onslaught which is the "Manning commercial machine" has Peyton in our living rooms constantly. It literally never ends. Whether it's Peyton trying to stuff Oreos down our throats, or pimping NFL Sunday Ticket he simply never goes away. I find myself wondering how Peyton ever gets to practice. Of course, every time one watches a Colts game we are reminded about the rout-tree he and his chosen receivers run before every game. We are reminded that the almighty Manning has to invite said receivers to the pre-game tree. No loser third string nobody is going to throw off Peyton's pre-game warm up ritual. We are also reminded incessantly of Peyton's legendary work ethic and attention to detail. The adoration and adulation of the commentators on a weekly basis with regards to said super-QB makes anyone watching feel inferior and lucky to be in the same room, even if he's on our TV. (Editor's note:This is called "The Tim Tebowing of America")
Tom Brady and his supermodel wife remind us all every day of how great it is to be Tom-Terrific and how not great it is to be us schlepping to work every day, hoping we can pay the bills at the end of each month and hoping that our significant others might actually hit the gym at some point. Tom's GQ shoots, or even worse his Stetson ads are revolting. Quarterbacks should be tough and focused. Tom is in focus, but when we see pictures of Tommy carrying Gisele's bags and wearing a Yankee hat while he prances around Greenwich Village, it's very, very difficult to associate toughness with him. Tom has three rings. Tom is a winner. Tom is cool under fire and always comes up big in big games. Tom has a kid in LA he never sees. I don't know if it's the combination of clutch greatness, modeling shoots and the willingness of the media and public at large that chooses to ignore all of Tom's fairly dramatic off field faults that makes him so annoying, but that seems to hit it on the head.
Both of these guys are better than us. We are constantly reminded that they work harder, are better looking and are more successful than we could ever hope to be. They are both perfect in every way and have the love and adoration of their fans. Either could win the Governorship of Massachusetts and Indiana respectively. Brady has said he wants to be a politician when he retires (God help us, it makes me sick to think of having to look at Brady long after he's gone from the gridiron). Manning will probably keep making commercials until he's eighty years old. I guess the question really becomes which one of these two great QB's can sustain their annoyance level the longest. This is a very high standard they have set, but I am confident they can both live up to this standard for many, many years to come. I think in the end, it's a tie.(Editor's note:Which means fans of teams not named the Colts and Pats all lose) Oh, by the way....Pats 38 Colts 35 this Sunday.
Javier Gorriti, UMaine Black Bear from 1994-1998, is a frequent contributor to the CMSB and the co-host of the PM JAB with Chris Sedenka. He is the president of Mermaid Seafoods in Portland ME. and has been working and living in Maine over the past 5 years. He can be reached at javier_gorriti at hotmail.com. Scientists credit him with slowing down global-warming single-handedly, simply because "He's so cool".
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