How Peyton Manning's Free Agency Differs from LeBron James'

There is one thing we can all count on: ESPN will not be hosting an hour-long special in which Peyton Manning reveals where he is taking his talents.

Even LeBron James acknowledges that he probably could have better handled the announcement of his decision to sign with the Miami Heat.

Still, there has been comparisons made in recent days about how the Manning free-agent circus is reminiscent of the way James conducted his job search.

And if you monitor sports talk radio nationally, it appears that some callers and hosts are wondering why the media has not been critical of Manning as it largely was of James.

We are learning that Manning has a substantial ego as you might expect. He comes across as personable and sometimes self-deprecating in TV commercials, but public persona aside, this is an accomplished and driven athlete who pretty much has run his own offense in Indianapolis. 

If he never calls another play at the line of scrimmage, he has already punched his ticket to Canton and the football Hall of Fame.

The primary difference between Manning and James is the way they left their respective teams.

Peyton was released by the Colts whose owner Jim Irsay decided it was time to turn the page only a year after giving Manning a record contract.

James, on the other hand, left the Cleveland Cavaliers of his own accord.

Dan Gilbert, the Cavaliers owner, wanted him back.

Manning has also been willing to meet with his suitors on their turf or a neutral site. And he has auditioned for them to demonstrate that he is almost fully recovered from four neck surgeries that sidelined him last season.

James, of course, did not have injury issues, but he did have interested teams come to him.

If Manning is asking teams on his list to upgrade during free agency and to target specific players in the draft, then we're not hearing much about it.

We heard how Reggie Wayne and perhaps Pierre Garcon, two of his favorite targets in Indianapolis, might be joining forces with Manning as part of his free-agent negotiations.

Wayne, however, is staying with the Colts and Garcon signed with the Washington Redskins.

If the San Francisco 49ers signed Randy Moss and Mario Manningham to help lure Manning, no one is advertising it.

Now consider how James openly collaborated with Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade to become teammates in Miami. Right or wrong, it just rubbed people the wrong way.

We might also weigh the fact that Manning has a Super Bowl ring while James has not yet been on a championship team.

The word is that Manning may be making a decision in a day or two. He understands that this will be his last stop, which may account for the procrastination. But it is not like being released by the Colts was a shock either.

All we ask is that he issues a statement and holds a news conference.

Let's keep the theatrics out of it.