Leading the Saints into the promised land: Drew Brees says he understands why some might see it as sacrilegious to print T-shirts referring to him as “Breesus.” The Saints quarterback prefers to think of it as heartfelt affection from fans looking for a football fan’s version of salvation after four decades of mostly losing seasons. Around New Orleans, people are wearing Breesus T-shirts. Brees says he’s had a few of the shirts tossed inside the window of his car by fans welcoming the team back from road games outside Louis Armstrong International Airport. Brees has been stellar ever since he joined the Saints as a free agent in 2006, leading an offense that has ranked first in the NFL in two of the last three seasons, and ranks first again so far this season. The Saints, who are 13-0, play host to the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday night. The game, which kicks off at 7:20 p.m., will be aired on the NFL Network. The league shot down an exemption to move the game from the digital channel to a Baton Rouge broadcast network.
From the field to the owner’s box: Warrick Dunn, the former Atlanta Falcons running back, has bought a minority share of the team, according to published reports. Details of the transaction were not released, but Arthur Blank would continue to own 90% of the Falcons and there are four other minority investors, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Dunn, who starred at Catholic High and played in the NFL for 12 seasons, told the newspaper he was pleased to be back with the Falcons. “This opportunity fulfills one of my professional goals to expand my knowledge and experience in the area of NFL team management, branding and operations,” Dunn told the AJC.
Saintly: For years, the Dallas Cowboys have billed themselves as “America’s Team.” But the New Orleans Saints may have a claim to that title now, says ESPN.com writer Wright Thompson. “All told, this is a city with the opposite calculus of Dallas: It is decayed on the outside, but inside there is life. Here is a citizenry that believes in the power of the underdog. New Orleanians fell first and see something the rest of America is blind to right now: a way back into the light,” says Thompson, who covered LSU and the Saints for the Times-Picayune. Read his story here.
