We have heard a great deal about the dichotomy of the quarterbacks in today's Super Bowl.
There's Peyton Manning, the venerable veteran who will have to use his cagey Jedi mind tricks to keep the Denver Broncos moving and clicking.
There's Cam Newton, the boisterous, fun-loving, first-down-dancing, soon-to-be league MVP who is trying to land the Carolina Panthers' first title as he prepares to take his place as the face of the NFL. On Saturday, he won the Associated Press' most valuable player and offensive player of the year honors.
The quarterback matchup has been broken down by race and age and athleticism. It has been viewed through the prism of sportsmanship and legacy and enthusiasm. Hey, it's the Super Bowl, and as much attention as the quarterbacks get on a daily basis throughout the regular season, it makes sense that a matchup this super would generate a super discussion about quarterbacks.
That said, there's another turn to this coin.
For a second, forget race and college hijinks (Cam's well-publicized taking of a laptop; Peyton's much-less-publicized locker room antics, and let's remember that each of these quarterbacks are excellent dudes by almost every measure.
Can you name a coach or a teammate who has uttered anything but high praise for Manning or Newton? We know a great deal about the many philanthropic avenues Manning has traveled - be it scholarships for the University of Tennessee, charitable donations to children's groups or his multitude of work with the tragedy here that put real fundraising strength in the Chattanooga Strong efforts.
Simply put, he is an amazing dude.
But in between dance steps and news-conference fashion shows, Newton also has a softer side, especially when dealing with kids. When he arrived at Auburn, he spent one day a week reading to students at a local elementary school and started mentoring a few of the "tougher to reach" youngsters. He started this at the beginning of 2010, back when he barely had hold of the Tigers' starting quarterback job and long before he grabbed hold of a Heisman Trophy.
With the Panthers, he has made giving footballs to kids the Carolina version of the Lambeau Leap, and it's cool.
As for the Cam Newton Foundation (its motto is "Every 1 Matters," playing off his uniform number; please note that despite all the discussion of race around Newton, it says "Every 1 Matters," not this group or that color matters), well, know this - as deserving as Newton is of the MVP, he and Manning both would have been worthy finalists for the NFL Man of the Year Award, too.
The details of what Newton has done in the last year in Charlotte is eye-popping. He hosts star-studded black-tie galas to raise money for children in the area. He has celebrity kickball games and FanFest events throughout the year. He annually hosts a Thanksgiving Jam, and this year they fed 800 underprivileged kids.
So as he is putting a fox tail on his hip to meet the media or pulling his imaginary shirt open to reveal a figurative Superman logo, remember this.
Peyton and Cam may be polar opposites on the field, from style to method to you name it.
But away from the spotlight, the two are more alike than most know.
Contact Jay Greeson at jgreeson@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6343. Follow him on Twitter @jgreesontfp.