Greatness comes in more than one flavor

Which flavor is the best? I’m not sure that question is even answerable because of the variety of flavors and the breadth of human preference. Of course, it’s absurd to pick just one. You can like sweet and savory and sour and all degrees of spicy because one is not inherently better than the others. In fact, each one can complement and highlight another.

On Sunday we get to see the sports equivalent of “which flavor is the best?” in Super Bowl 50. Cam Newton’s Carolina Panthers will take on Peyton Manning’s Denver Broncos, and the two quarterbacks could hardly be more different. Each is a flavor of greatness.

Manning is the quintessential pocket-passer, poised and efficient, traditional. Newton is no slouch throwing the ball, but he tosses traditional quarterback play right out the window. Manning is surgical and precise. Newton is a running, passing incendiary device ready to explode on any play. Manning reads defenses and finds their flaws and fissures. Newton creates his own flaws in the defense by overwhelming them with power, speed, and athleticism. Manning is slow as molasses. Newton is quick as lightning. Manning is gawky and balding. Newton looks like he’s cut from a block of granite.

Even their personas are different. Manning is viewed as equal parts aw-shucks-good-ol’-boy and cerebral football savant. Newton is “Superman,” a larger-than-life personality who talks big, plays big, and celebrates big. Manning is at the end of a storied career, with this possibly being his last game. Newton is a few years into what promises to be a career like no other we’ve seen previously.

The two have almost nothing in common. They represent dramatically different flavors of football. Sports fans love to debate whether one player is better than another. We dig for criteria and fight for our side, and we could easily do the same in this case. Which flavor do we prefer?

But we cannot forget that differing flavors can complement each other. Dramatically different ones make us appreciate both of them more. Too much sweet and we get sick. Too much savory and our mouths go numb. Too much spicy and our insides are on fire. But if one can balance out the other, we can enjoy them both even more, and we will see something similar in Sunday’s Super Bowl.

Instead of debating which we enjoy more or which is better, we should appreciate the drastic differences between Peyton Manning and Cam Newton. We should revel in the fact that two men who have seemingly nothing in common have led their teams to the brink of a championship. We should acknowledge that both are truly transcendent, instead of downplaying one to favor the other. Greatness comes in many flavors, and we don’t need to choose a favorite. We can let our palates savor the contrast and take pleasure in it.