The most popular and most watched sporting event will take place Sunday in Northern California.
The Denver Broncos will look for another Super Bowl title against the Carolina Panthers, and the quarterbacks of each team could not be more different.
Denver’s Peyton Manning goes about his business in an old-school manner, deflecting all accolades to his teammates. He doesn’t like to talk about himself, and he rarely talks down opponents.
Carolina’s Cam Newton is not any of those things. He is brash, arrogant and always has a gigantic smile on his face. Take it or leave it, you know what you are getting from Newton, and he doesn’t hide it.
Manning may have only one shot left to win a Super Bowl. This could be his last season. I think only Peyton knows at this point, but if Denver wins Sunday, he should announce at the MVP presentation that he’s done.
Manning can’t do anymore in his career. A win Sunday would be two Super Bowl rings, and he already has an unprecedented five regular season Most Valuable Player awards.
I have always been a fan of Manning. I don’t root for the Broncos. I am a San Francisco 49ers fan. Manning has always been someone I admired as a player. He does things the right way and is the kind of guy I would love to see my daughter marry someday — in about 30 years when I finally allow her to date.
I rooted for the Colts as a second team when he was in Indianapolis because my favorite player at the time was former Iowa tight end Dallas Clark. There’s no doubt Manning helped Clark become an All-Pro.
When Manning was looking for another team after he parted ways with the Colts, the Niners were on his short list. He chose Denver, but I am convinced San Francisco wins a Super Bowl if Manning is on one of those five Jim Harbaugh teams.
I hope Manning goes out on top. His legacy as a top-five quarterback of all-time is already in stone, but a win Sunday could catapult Manning into top-three status. I’d still take Joe Montana over anyone, but Manning isn’t very far behind.
Newton should get another chance at a ring. So my hope is he plays his worst game against one of the best defenses of the Super Bowl era, and Denver finds a way to win.
The Broncos have been finding ways to win all year, but I am not sure they have one more left in them.
Newton will win his first league MVP when the award is announced.
Carolina’s defense isn’t too bad either.
Manning will have to make a few plays if the Broncos want to win. I hope he does.