Can Colts sustain two rock-star QBs?

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AP Photo/Frank Franklin IIThe Rolling Stones are an example of two egos that reached new heights.

I know we are all in the midst of thinking about the Super Bowl. But it can be assumed that most of us who aren't from Boston or New York are already thinking about what their team is going to do next season.

And more to that point, what is going to transpire in Indianapolis with Andrew Luck and Peyton Manning?

It is most likely, of course, that Luck, the Stanford quarterback phenom, is headed to the Indianapolis Colts, who have the first pick in this year's NFL draft. Nobody knows how Manning is going to heal and etcetera, but in the hopes that he is all good for next year, what is going to give here? And how will things play out between these two?

Being a starting quarterback has got to be a lot like being a lead singer for a successful rock band. You are the center of attention and sometimes even the shot-caller and smartest guy in the band (or on the team).

But what if you have two successful singers in one rock band? That rarely works. So you think of the next fiery combo; the singer/guitarist that are both vying for the spot of "top dog." The Rolling Stones quickly come to mind. Mick and Keith, anyone?

Luck could start for most NFL teams next season -- you may even assume that he would expect to start. He is a top-shelf competitor, and should be thinking in this manner. But if Manning has a modicum of a chance at regaining his health, of course he will expect to start, as he should.

But where are the egos going to land?

I've been privy to a few situations in rock and roll, where the ego war between two guys can be hell in the "locker room." But the tension can create enough friction that the end result is a better and more vicious live band. I'm not just talking about bands that I've been in. It seems to be a chemistry that has been around since Lennon/McCartney and Jagger/Richards. It can be combustible and break up a band, or magical as the band learns to harness and deal.

One of my brothers is a huge fan of Manning and the Colts. (Yes, we are from Seattle. And no, I don't know what the deal is with this brother of mine.) We watched the NFC and AFC championship games together last weekend, and began a conversation about this potential Manning/Luck situation.

Most people, like my brother, may think that Andrew Luck will have no problem sitting with a clipboard and learning from the master next season. I'd be inclined to agree. But I have also seen another side to this, and that side could perhaps cause drama in the locker room. It shouldn't, but it could.

The argument could be that Aaron Rodgers did very well under the tutelage of Brett Favre. Yes he did, but Rodgers wasn't Luck in college. Rodgers needed the extra time perhaps, and Luck doesn't seem to at all. And to add more intrigue to the mix, Indy will be introducing a new head coach into this potential drama.

These are two Type-A, center-stage guys vying for the same job. But Manning has proven himself to be a leader of men. We hope to see him healthy and taking charge again. We also hope to see emerging NFL greatness in Luck. These are all stories that add to the intrigue and drama of this game.

When you go see a Stones concert, you go firstly for the music, but there is also the pull of the drama and back story of Mick and Keef feuding and jockeying. It has made them better, and they have learned to deal. The "harnessing of the rub" can make for greatness.

Musician Duff McKagan -- who writes for Seattle Weekly, has written for Playboy.com and now has his autobiography out -- writes a weekly sports column for ESPN.com. To send him a note, click here and fill out the form.

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Michael "Duff" McKagan, a founding member of Guns N' Roses, writes a weekly column for Playbook Sounds and is a passionate sports fan. McKagan is currently playing in Loaded and Velvet Revolver, is a prolific writer, including an autobiography, "It's So Easy: And Other Lies."