NEW YORK -- Now that they've officially been drafted, the rivalry has officially begun.
Peyton Manning and Ryan Leaf. They went first and second, respectively, in Saturday's NFL Draft, and that's the way it should be.
Two quarterbacks with cannon arms, broad shoulders and endless potential.
They'll
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The rivalry between Ryan Leaf, left, and Peyton Manning will extend far beyond Saturday's NFL Draft. (AP)
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"We probably will be (linked forever). I hope so," Leaf said. "That's no problem with me. It just means I'm in some pretty good company."
Hopefully, for the sake of Leaf and Manning, this rivalry will be a little less one-sided than Drew Bledsoe vs. Rick Mirer. That was the last hot QB controversy on draft day, when the Patriots opted to take Bledsoe at No. 1 and the Seahawks settled for Mirer at No. 2.
Five years later, Bledsoe is a perennial All-Pro for the Patriots. Mirer, now in Chicago after being run out of Seattle, has been mired in mediocrity.
LEAF, WHO WENT TO THE same college (Washington State) as Bledsoe and had similar success, has no worries about being the next Mirer. Nor did he have any complaints about being picked second.
Truth be told, Leaf had a hard time hiding just how badly he didn't want to be an Indianapolis Colt.
"Nah, I was just being courteous. I told Peyton, 'You can go first.' I have no ill feelings about not being picked first. To me, he was 1A and I was 1B."
But there was no A and B in terms of where Leaf wanted to play. He wanted San Diego. Like John Elway back in 1983, he didn't want the Colts.
"My family had all Charger hats and shirts with them. They were prepared for San Diego," Leaf admitted. "I don't know what the response would have been if I was picked by Indianapolis."
SURELY, HE WOULDN'T HAVE HAD the same wide-eyed look he had when the Chargers picked him.
"I'm one of the luckiest QBs in the country to get a chance to play for these guys," Leaf said. "Coach Gilbride is an offensive mastermind."
Meanwhile, Manning once again gets the short end of the stick.
His senior season fell just short of its ultimate goals -- a Heisman Trophy and a national championship. Now, he starts his NFL career in a small media market where basketball is king, and his new head coach (Jim Mora) just happens to be a defensive guy.
But Manning wouldn't be special if he couldn't overcome such obstacles. Having played out his college career in full, he's a seasoned quarterback worthy of the hype.
A truly great athlete is one who doesn't whine about where he plays. The great ones know they will be great wherever they go.
But hockey's Eric Lindros is still remembered somewhat for shunning the Quebec Nordiques back in 1991.
EVEN THE LEGENDARY ELWAY begged the Colts not to select him, insulting an entire city and franchise in the process. That's something owner Jim Irsay would not lose sight of on a day that turned the direction of a franchise that hasn't really been taken seriously since abandoning Baltimore back in the early 1980s.
"John Elway didn't want to play for the Colts. Peyton Manning wanted to play in Indy, and we wanted to have him," Irsay said.
Manning would have played in Des Moines, Iowa, if he had to. This guy just wants to play football. He doesn't care where.
"I'm glad to finally know where I'm going," said the son of former NFL star QB Archie Manning. "I'm ready to go to work. I want to start right now. Where are the pads?"
IN FACT, THE MORE YOU LISTEN to Leaf and Manning, rivalries like Bird-Magic and Lemieux-Gretzky come to mind quicker than Bledsoe-Mirer.
Being a true superstar is so much more than just talent. So much of it is character, intelligence and the willingness to get better.
Even at this early stage, Manning and Leaf know what they are up against.
"I'm going to struggle my rookie year no matter what. But I'll struggle less because I went back (to Tennessee) for my senior year," said Manning. "I just want to learn everything quickly. It's like being a freshman all over again. The defenses will be so much more quicker and more complex."
Leaf, who chose not to hang out for his senior year, isn't quite as poised as Manning. In fact, he admittedly is a bit awe-struck.
"I'm going to be out there against John Elway, Warren Moon and Jeff George. I idolized those guys," Leaf said. "How can I go out there against John Elway and think I'm better?
"The defensives will be quicker and my window of opportunity on pass routes will be limited when I'm throwing at a defensive back like Deion Sanders."
THESE AREN'T YOUR TYPICAL HIGH-ROUND draft choices who think they can conquer the world. Manning and Leaf respect history. They respect each other. And they respect the competition.
That's why this rivalry will be something for the ages.
Nothing excites a football fan more than a great quarterback, and Leaf and Manning should create excitement for about the next decade and a half. Their respective employers are counting on it.
Animated as an owner could possibly be on draft day, Chargers boss Alex Spanos told Leaf -- in front of the massive media entourage, no less -- exactly what he expects.
"Where is Ryan?" Spanos said, looking in the corner of the room where Leaf was standing. "I hope he hears what I have to say. Ryan, boy, I tell you. I'm looking to you for the next 15 years."
And so, too, will football fans everywhere. The same goes for Manning.
Ian Browne is a sportswriter on CBS SportsLine's staff.
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