Brees, Saints Spoil Manning Coronation

Even the losers get lucky sometimes. -Tom Petty

New Orleans gambled on Drew Brees when his career was at a low point. Drew Brees gambled on New Orleans when the city seemed unsalvageable. What a jackpot it has turned out to be for each side. The fates of both the franchise and the quarterback collided on a grand stage in the center of Sun Life Stadium on Sunday night. Just moments earlier, the Saints had put the finishing touches on their stunning 31-17 victory over Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIII. Saints owner Tom Benson gave the Lombardi Trophy to head coach Sean Payton who, in turn, passed it along to Brees, the game's MVP.

Brees took a moment to stare at his reflection in the trophy - God knows what he was thinking - before thrusting it toward the heavens. It was as though he was performing the world's longest trophy handoff, extending the holy grail of the football world to Saints fans back in New Orleans.

Diehard football enthusiasts, along with those disinterested viewers paying more attention to the Doritos ad campaign than fourth-and-goal, couldn't help but appreciate the sight unfolding before them. Brees - with son Baylen in his hands, confetti in his hair and tears in his eyes - soaking it all in.

Brees tore the labrum in his throwing shoulder in the 2005 regular season finale while attempting to recover his own fumble. It would be his last play in a San Diego Chargers uniform. He entered the following offseason as a free agent - one who wouldn't be able to throw a football until April. San Diego offered him the chance to stick around SoCal as one of the league's highest paid backup QBs, but that was never really a feasible option. The former Purdue star had played well enough to warrant a starting job somewhere and it appeared that he had found one in Miami. Nick Saban and the Dolphins' brass hosted Brees in the early stages of free agency and it seemed to be a home run for both parties.

Long story short, Miami wasn't confident enough in Brees' surgically repaired right shoulder to lock him up to a long term contract. Brees left South Beach frustrated but wound up being wined and dined in New Orleans within a few days. Payton, in his first year as a head coach, was looking for a team leader at the quarterback position. Incumbent starter Aaron Brooks wasn't the answer. Brees fit the bill. Benson signed the contract and Mr. Brees became the face of a franchise coming off the season from hell (home games in San Antonio, hurricane refugees living in the Super Dome, rumors of relocation to Los Angeles).

Four years later, the script has been flipped. Mardi Gras started a week early, as the Saints paraded around town on what's become known as "Dat Tuesday". Guess Brees turned out to be a quick healer after all, eh Mr. Saban? Turns out, he had the ability to heal the citizens of New Orleans quicker than any congressman could. There is a long road ahead for the city but for one night at least, Brees and company made that dark cloud vanish. There was dancing in the streets, "Who Dat" chants echoing in the night and, rest assured, beads were earned by many.

While celebrations erupted in Miami and Louisiana, one of the Saints' formerly biggest fans was not in the mood for popping champagne. Peyton Manning walked off the field with his helmet on, visions of Tracy Porter sprinting in his head. Manning was supposed to tie the game at 24-24 in the final minutes, then find a way to win in the waning moments of the fourth quarter or in overtime. Everyone living outside of Who Dat Nation knew the inevitability of the situation: Manning leads comeback. Manning wins his second title. Manning adds to his growing legend and enters the "greatest quarterback ever" conversation. Oops.

Porter's 74-yard interception return guaranteed Indy would suffer its first legitimate loss of the season in the year's final game. Manning's solid JaMarcus Russell impression threw everything out of whack. There was the NFL's Golden Boy, knocked on his butt by a block during the return, wearing the same facial expression that had become so familiar when he could never win the big one. Somewhere, Tom Brady grinned, looked over at his supermodel wife and rubbed his three championship rings with the ferver of Gollum.

The Saints provided us with one of the most improbable and captivating Super Bowl runs ever. Is it just me, or was this refreshing to see as a sports fan? In a year that saw Kobe and the Lakers, along with Jeter and the Yankees return to the top of the mountain, it seemed apropos that Peyton Manning would join them there. It could have been the most predictable, status-quo sports year in recent memory. That's the beauty of what New Orleans was able to accomplish.

Over the past 20 years, how many professional athletes have changed the fortunes of a down-and-out franchise and city as swiftly and effectively as Drew Brees? Off the top of my head, I can only think of a few. Michael Jordan, John Elway, LeBron James, Peyton Manning, Wayne Gretzky, Tom Brady (with a hefty tip of the cap to Bill Belichick), Brett Favre and Sidney Crosby come to mind as the handful of players who have lifted their respective franchises from obscurity to grandeur. Feel free to add others to the list, it's a debatable subject.

What isn't debatable is that Drew Brees has these Saints front and center in the sports world. You might be wise to get used to them. Brees is in his prime and practically all of his weapons are in their mid-twenties. Sean Payton and general manager Mickey Loomis have proven to be fantastic roster builders. The team does face some uncertainty - Darren Sharper's impending free agency, Reggie Bush's value - but don't be shocked if this likable bunch develops into America's Team: Version 2.0. Many across the country already have one foot on the bandwagon.

Now we prepare to enter the topsy turvy NFL offseason. Get ready to hear a whole lot about Julius Peppers, Mike Vick, Donovan McNabb, Pete Carroll and - you guessed it - Brett Favre. The road to Super Bowl XLV in Dallas is underway. Will there be Who Dat Deja Vu? On Sunday, Drew Brees proved that anything is possible. So did Peyton Manning.