Brady and Manning is Not the Rivalry You Think It is

Maybe I'm wrong. I suppose it's possible. I've never heard Peyton Manning or Tom Brady say one bad thing about each other.

I've heard Brady defend Manning against HGH allegations. When given the chance to crucify Brady during the "DelfateGate" saga, Manning chose to sidestep the topic and not go after Brady or his legacy.

Tom Brady and Peyton Manning are both greats. They are all-timers. They've played each other a lot in their career. This AFC Championship will be the 17th time they've met.

Brady holds an 11-5 advantage. He has more wins. He has three more Super Bowl rings. Is he better than Manning? It's quite possible, and probable, that he is.

But they don't hate each other. That's not a rivalry. That's two guys who undoubtedly want to beat each other's teams, but there's no true, visible animosity.

I became incensed when I read this last night:

This is only a rivalry because the media and the television networks want us to think it is. Tom Brady can't "destroy" his rival in this game.

THEY DON'T MATCH UP WITH EACH OTHER. If the two play a 41-38 shootout with Brady coming out on top, did he really "destroy" him? If the two play a 6-3 dogfight with Brady coming on top, does he really "destroy" him?

The NBA allows for rivalries. You're going 1-1 with the other person. Pitchers and hitters can have rivalries. They go against each other.

Richard Sherman and Michael Crabtree? Sure. Odell Beckham and Josh Norman? OK.

Pac Man Jones and Vontaze Burfict vs. the Steelers? Yup.

Team rivalries exist. Individual ones do as noted in certain situations.

Not quarterbacks. Yes, they've played each other a lot. They've both been great. They'd love to beat each other. But there's no true rivalry when they don't play each other directly.