LIVES INTERTWINED

"With the fourth pick in the 2004 NFL Draft, the Giants select Philip Rivers, quarterback, North Carolina State." Those words never triggered a rush of excitement from Rivers and never prompted the Giants to envision Rivers wearing their uniform. The intricacies of a draft-day trade necessitated the Giants taking Rivers three picks after the Chargers made Eli Manning the No. 1 overall selection, even though Manning had already stated he wanted no part of playing in San Diego. It didn't take long from there for the details to get ironed out and for the Giants to send three draft picks to the Chargers as the two teams exchanged players they hoped would develop into franchise quarterbacks. It's worked out for both sides and Sunday at Giants Stadium the high-stakes trade becomes a high-stakes duel as Manning and Rivers, for the first time in their careers, start against each other. "Certainly we are intertwined somewhat based on that draft day trade and how that all unfolded," Rivers said. "I would like to think it has worked out for both of us. You are always going to be linked in some ways to guys in your draft class, maybe even more so because of how that went down." Technically, Rivers was a member of the Giants for 30 or so minutes after they selected him, but there was never any pretense about them keeping him. Watching the draft from his parents' house in Raleigh, N.C., Rivers never received the traditional, "Welcome to the team" call from the Giants and was told by his agent, Jimmy Sexton, "You may not be a Giant very long." He wasn't. "I had never spoken from one person from the Giants front office - still to this day," Rivers said. Manning's reluctance to play for the Chargers forced the trade and as a result he was treated as public enemy No. 1 when the Giants , 17 months later, were in San Diego in September 2005. Manning passed for 352 yards and played well, but his every move was jeered by a hostile crowd in a 45-23 loss. Drew Brees was the Chargers' starting quarterback and Rivers watched from the sideline. After throwing six interceptions in what has deteriorated into a three-game losing streak, Manning may hear it from his home crowd if he gets off to a tough start in this one. At 5-3, the Giants finally get their bye week after this game and it will not be pretty if they lose again. If Rivers cared to stir up ill will, he could view this in personal terms and try to stick it to the team that ultimately wanted Manning and not him. "I never felt a tie or a bond with the Giants in any way or that, 'I thought you wanted me and now you are trading me away,' " Rivers said. "There will be nothing - there is no hard feeling or anything from that manner." The Giants cashed in with Manning, who has already taken his team to the mountaintop and been named a Super Bowl MVP. Manning cashed in this past summer with a seven-year, $106.7 million contract that makes him the league's highest-paid player. Rivers in 2007 led the Chargers to the AFC Championship Game and last season compiled the NFL's highest passer rating. Prior to the season he signed a six-year, $92 million contract extension so he's not far off Manning's pace. "This is the Giants versus San Diego," Manning said. "It is about us getting back on track and getting that winning feeling again. That is my only concern. I think [the link with Rivers] is kind of in the past." Rivers, far more emotional and emotive than Manning, has never gone against the Giants or their quarterback. "Certainly any time you are going against a team led by a quarterback regardless of whether you are linked or not - but a guy the caliber of Eli, it is always fun," Rivers said. "It definitely adds to it." TALE OF THE TAPE Eli Manning Philip Rivers 28 Age 27 6'4" Height 6'5" 225 lbs Weight 228 lbs. Mississippi College North Carolina Stats No. 1 overall by Drafted No. 4 overall by Giants (traded to Chargers) in 2004 Chargers (traded to Giants ) in 2004 6 years, $106.7 million Contract 6 years, $92 million 16,478 Passing yards 12,733 111 Passing TDs 89 82 Interceptions 40 1 Super Bowl wins 0