This isn't even my best reasonLast night Drew Brees led the New Orleans Saints to a Super Bowl win. During the game, there were plenty of conflicted people at Purdue, which is dominated by annoying Colts fans. I don't remember exactly why I hate the Colts and their fans so much...I feel like something happened a few years ago, but I can't remember what it was....oh well.
Anyways, Brees had a ridiculous performance, going 32-39 and tying the Super Bowl record for most completions in a game. He only tied this mark because for some reason two point conversions don't count for official statistics, so one of the key plays of the game wasn't allowed to help Saint Brees beat out dumbass Brady. Brees also outplayed the media's favorite QB, Peyton Manning, who threw one giant pick to Brees' none.
On a side note, a lot was made before the game of where Manning ranks among the all time great QB's. After this loss he is 9-9 in the post season with one title. Brees is 5-1 with one title and a pretty remarkable set of regular season statistics as well. I know Brees is still a few years from the debate of all time QB's, but I'm not sure why this hasn't at least been mentioned in the hours of post game coverage I've watched since the game ended.
More than a few of my friends have wondered why Drew Brees is such an icon to Purdue fans. So much so that die hard Colts' fans were sort of ok with losing because it was to him. This goes beyond just that he's a talented Purdue alum, and in the immortal words of Will Smith, "I'd like to take a minute just to sit right here and tell you," why Drew Brees is pretty amazing.
Reason 1: Love for the under-appreciated
In Indiana, we're not big fans of the "powerhouse" colleges. The Texas schools and Florida schools annoy us. Drew Brees is from Texas. He was 28-0-1 in his high school career. The Texas schools, however, didn't want Drew Brees. He was too small (only 6' 0") and had hurt his knee towards the end of his senior year. Having been scorned by those schools, he looked north to the state of Indiana and Joe Tiller. Within only a few years he would prove everyone in Texas wrong by being a Heisman finalist and leading the once downtrodden Purdue football program to the Rose Bowl.
Reason 2: He gives back to Purdue like crazy
After four years of being Purdue's favorite athlete, Drew Brees was drafted by the San Diego Chargers. To people in Indiana, this is about as far away as you can get. People at Purdue go muddin' and assume everyone in California is Paris Hilton or some such person. Brees, however, defied the stereotypes and never forgot Purdue as the place that gave him a chance when others were passing on him. He still showed up in local commercials and PEFCU commercials. Still made appearances on gamedays when he could, and always talked about Purdue with pride in his interviews.
When he first went to the Saints, he gave $2 million to Purdue to create the Drew and Brittany Brees Student-Athlete Academic Center. As much as I'm not a fan of buildings that I'm not allowed to go into, it's still pretty cool that he would give that much money and also that he knows education is a priority because, let's face it, not many members of Purdue's football team will be playing on Sundays.
Even right up to the Super Bowl, Drew helped his school. Knowing that Media Day was also National College Signing Day and that he was in Purdue's most coveted recruiting state, Drew sent a little sales pitch to all of those prospective college athletes. Even though it was on signing day, so it probably had little real impact on that day's decisions, it was still pretty freaking cool of him.
Reason 3: He's just a real good guy
The only part of the Super Bowl coverage that ESPN and company got right was following the impact of Drew Brees, not just on the city of New Orleans, but on individuals that he has met. In 2003, Brees set up the Brees Dream Foundation, which pretty much donates time and effort to every cause possible. He has worked for cancer research, rebuilding New Orleans, and charitable causes in both San Diego and West Lafayette. According to their website, they have raised and donated over $4.5 million. I know that most celebrities and athletes do some charity work throughout their careers, but Brees has always been heavily involved in these efforts. On a more personal level, watch this video about Brees with cancer patient Micah Roshell. When this was shown on NFL Live before the game, I guarantee you that every testosterone fueled man pretended like he had something in his eye. Stupid ESPN.
Finally think of all the controversy and scandal in the sports world these days. Tiger Woods is a sex addict, Michael Vick dog fighting, Plaxico Burress carrying a loaded gun in his sweat pants. If you google "Drew Brees controversy", you get results like "no QB controversy in New Orleans". When the game ended, all thoughts were on partying in New Orleans and drunken debauchery. Then came the single best image from that game:
Yeah...can't really argue with that.
Reason 2: He gives back to Purdue like crazy
After four years of being Purdue's favorite athlete, Drew Brees was drafted by the San Diego Chargers. To people in Indiana, this is about as far away as you can get. People at Purdue go muddin' and assume everyone in California is Paris Hilton or some such person. Brees, however, defied the stereotypes and never forgot Purdue as the place that gave him a chance when others were passing on him. He still showed up in local commercials and PEFCU commercials. Still made appearances on gamedays when he could, and always talked about Purdue with pride in his interviews.
When he first went to the Saints, he gave $2 million to Purdue to create the Drew and Brittany Brees Student-Athlete Academic Center. As much as I'm not a fan of buildings that I'm not allowed to go into, it's still pretty cool that he would give that much money and also that he knows education is a priority because, let's face it, not many members of Purdue's football team will be playing on Sundays.
Even right up to the Super Bowl, Drew helped his school. Knowing that Media Day was also National College Signing Day and that he was in Purdue's most coveted recruiting state, Drew sent a little sales pitch to all of those prospective college athletes. Even though it was on signing day, so it probably had little real impact on that day's decisions, it was still pretty freaking cool of him.
Reason 3: He's just a real good guy
The only part of the Super Bowl coverage that ESPN and company got right was following the impact of Drew Brees, not just on the city of New Orleans, but on individuals that he has met. In 2003, Brees set up the Brees Dream Foundation, which pretty much donates time and effort to every cause possible. He has worked for cancer research, rebuilding New Orleans, and charitable causes in both San Diego and West Lafayette. According to their website, they have raised and donated over $4.5 million. I know that most celebrities and athletes do some charity work throughout their careers, but Brees has always been heavily involved in these efforts. On a more personal level, watch this video about Brees with cancer patient Micah Roshell. When this was shown on NFL Live before the game, I guarantee you that every testosterone fueled man pretended like he had something in his eye. Stupid ESPN.
Finally think of all the controversy and scandal in the sports world these days. Tiger Woods is a sex addict, Michael Vick dog fighting, Plaxico Burress carrying a loaded gun in his sweat pants. If you google "Drew Brees controversy", you get results like "no QB controversy in New Orleans". When the game ended, all thoughts were on partying in New Orleans and drunken debauchery. Then came the single best image from that game:
Yeah...can't really argue with that.
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ReplyDeleteI basically agree with everything you say. One thing I have to say...how come there was only one shot of Archie Manning in the box...all I heard all week was about who Archie was going to cheer for, and hell, Vegas was putting odds on it. Anyway, keep righting
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