Saint Searching: Aiming To Know the Real Drew Brees

I was fortunate enough to work for the Saints in the summer of 2008.  Getting to watch pros like Drew Brees every day was a blessing for a fan of my caliber. 

My most memorable moment from that summer came while we were at training camp at Millsaps College in Jackson, Miss.  While having dinner and watching Michael Phelps win his umpteenth gold medal in the player’s dorm, Brees grabbed the seat right next to mine. 

Since it was the hot topic, we talked mostly about the Olympics and the time he spent in China one year. 

As if the situation weren’t surreal enough, we both recognized out loud how much of a spectacular athlete Phelps is after watching replays of his most recent win. 

“Wow,” I thought to myself.  “How can a sportsman as great as Drew Brees be wowed by any other athlete on the face of this planet?” 

This is just one of the questions I would ask if I had another chance to get to know Brees.  Here are the rest:

• Who were your favorite athletes when you were young?
• How has that list changed as you’ve gotten older?
• As a youngster, what career path did you see yourself following outside of sports?
• What ventures would you like to pursue after you retire from the NFL?
• What other sport do you think you could have excelled in professionally besides football?
• What does your wife do for a living?
• Do you want your kids to play sports?
• Was Purdue your first choice of college to attend?  Were you there on scholarship?
• How many scholarships were you offered before deciding to enroll at Purdue?
• If a university didn’t offer you a scholarship, would you have even considered attending?
• Would you have rather played your college ball at a home state university?
• What do you regret about your college career?
• What are some of the charitable organizations you are affiliated with?
• What has opening your own charitable organization done for you and your family personally?
• Forgetting all things football, what do you think of Philip Rivers?
• Do you hold any grudges against the San Diego Chargers for cutting you?
• If you had to choose one NFL team to play for besides the Saints, which would it be?  Why?
• Not including the Chargers, which NFL team would you least like to play for?
• Which NFL defenders do you fear the most?
• Which NFL players do you like the least?
• How do you feel about Terrell Suggs after he dislocated your elbow in the 2007 Pro Bowl?
• Who do you wish was on the Saints roster?
• If you could pick any coach, past or present, to coach you, who would it be and why?
• Would you rather be successful on the gridiron or off it?
• How old were you when you first tried illegal drugs?
• When was the last time you used illegal drugs?
• Have you ever been arrested?  What for?
• What religion do you follow, if any?
• Democrat, Republican, or Independent?
• When was the last time you spoke to your mother?  What did you talk about?
• What led to the rift that exists between the two of you?
• How do your father and the rest of your family feel about the relationship you have with your mother?
• Have you ever tried using anabolic steroids at any point in your athletic career?
• If you won a Super Bowl, but then found out half of your teammates were on steroids, would you feel as though you didn’t deserve the victory?
• Would you tell anyone that you knew about your teammates’ use?
• Besides a Super Bowl victory, and membership in the NFL Hall of Fame, what do you hope to accomplish in the NFL?
• What athlete, past or present, would you like to meet the most?
• Who would make you star-struck if you met them?
• Do you care what people think about you?
• What do you want your legacy to be and what do you think it is now?