"There may be only one name that goes in the record book, but it's all about you guys." Those were a few of the words spoken by Drew Brees, himself after he broke Dan Marino's 27-year old record for most passing yards in a season last night. He thanked everyone including the players, coaches, staff, owners and equipment managers. That alone shows the selflessness of the quarterback who made New Orleans a football town again with the Super Bowl victory in 2009. From watching his speech in the locker room, one gets the impression of Brees being someone who is a genuinely nice person, a guy who will give credit to everyone and try to take the spotlight off of himself. After all, how many guys would thank the equipment managers and staff workers after breaking a record many considered unbreakable once upon a time?
You could not have asked for a better stage to break the record: Monday Night Football, national TV audience and the hated rival in town with a chance to wrap up the NFC South title. It doesn't get much better than that, especially for Saints fans who suffered through so many lean years prior to just a few years ago when the team made the jump to perennial contender. Brees is a cult hero in New Orleans, one who played a huge role in that transition from an also-ran to a contender. How could one forget the priceless image of Brees holding his son, Baylen following the Super Bowl victory over the Colts? Those are the memories that last a lifetime, not just for Saints fans, but for fans of football in general. People love to hear the feel-good stories, such as the Super Bowl run in 2009 which brought New Orleans out of the sadness that occurred in the aftermath of the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The residents needed someone or something to be passionate about and something that would make them forget the devastation for at least 3 hours each and every Sunday. Drew Brees and the Saints fit that bill perfectly.
The record could not have been broken by a classier guy, someone who will give credit to others and someone who is not afraid to shoulder the blame after a tough loss. Drew Brees defines class in every sense of the word, a guy who loves his teammates like they are family, thanks everyone for giving him the opportunity to break such a record and above all, helps out with charities around the City of New Orleans.
I recommend everybody take a few minutes and watch the speech Brees gives in the locker room following last night's game. It will really show you how Drew Brees is a true class act.
Here is the link to the speech:
http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcsouth/post/_/id/29504/drew-brees-still-more-to-be-done.
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