Forget Manning-Brady, we've got Luck-Griffin

Ok, maybe forgetting about Tom Brady and Peyton Manning while they attempt to add one more title to their legacy is a little extreme, but I truly believe that the NFL is about to enter a special era.

To me, Andrew Luck vs. Robert Griffin III could be the NFL's version of Bird vs. Magic. You've got the down to earth white guy with the less than impressive facial features and the apparent distaste of fame, and the larger than life black star with a skill set the game hasn't been before. And the central features that all four of them share are a unique understanding of their sport and a burning desire to be the very best.

Of course, Bird and Magic weren't in the same draft class. They were one year apart. Plus, what made their rivalry so special was that it came about during a time when the NBA was dying and desperate for a new face of the league. The NFL doesn't exactly need any more stars, and there's obviously much more parity than there was in the NBA in the late seventies, which allowed Bird and Magic to meet in the finals for almost the next decade. Still, like Magic was in the West and Bird the East, Luck will be in the AFC and Griffin the NFC. So Super Bowl battles could be in their future.

This is a lot of bold talk about two guys who haven't even been drafted yet, but I'm just convinced that both of these guys are sure-thing stars that will be two of the main faces of the league in no time. Here's to hoping that they can live up to the hype, so that one day we'll legitimate champions for Manning and Brady to pass the torch to.