MIAMI GARDENS, Fla -
The sad thing is, he might not remember a thing.
Sitting on the podium at the middle of Sun Life Stadium, a one year-old boy was shown with headphones affixed to his ears, while his eyes and his mouth were wide open as the confetti fluttered in the lights high above.
"Bailen Robert Brees, it's been a crazy year for that little boy," said his doting father Drew on Sunday.
Its his arms which the child sat during the Vince Lombardi trophy presentation, as he stared around at the people and the cameras that gathered below.
"I don't know how it gets any better, I don't know if it does," said Brees, but he does know what it is for things to be worse.
When Bailen grows old, that will be the story he'll ask his father to tell, long after the glow of Super Bowl XLIV has worn off.
"85 percent of the city was under water. People were evacuating to places all over the country," said Brees, referring to the devastation left behind by Hurricane Katrina in August and September of 2005.
Brees arrived in New Orleans a few months later after failing to come to a contract agreement with San Diego and after suffering a serious season-ending shoulder injury in his final game with the Chargers.
The quarterback had reached a crossroads in its career, while a city and a team didn't know if it was literally coming or going.
Read: Peyton Manning, Colts Not "All Dat" Against The Saints
"Thats probably a good comparison, a good parallel," said Brees when asked about the similarities between his situation and that of the city which he now represents.
It was true in the worst of times. Sunday it was affirmed in the best.
Brees completed a four-year rebuilding of the Saints with a 31-17 victory over the Colts in Super Bowl XLIV Sunday night in Miami Gardens. Brees' completed 32 of his 39 throws, gained 288 yards two touchdowns to give New Orleans its first professional football championship.
To that city, however, the the feeling is reciprocal.
"We're here because of their strength and everything they fought through here the last few years," said Brees of New Orleans. "They've given us so much support, and so we owe it all to our fans."
As they celebrated with their black and gold beads, shirts and streamers in the famed French Quarter, the quarterback was more reflective on what the past four years meant to he and family. It started in 2006 when a the quarterback, who was let go in favor of Philip Rivers in San Diego, took his wife Brittany and moved to city on the gulf as he looked to start a new chapter of his football career.
Coincidentally, the city which he went to was doing the same-on a much grander scale.
Read: Colts Fall To Saints In Super Bowl XLIV
"Things that happen in your life you just kinda wonder 'Why is this happening to me? Why has god put me in this position,'" said Brees of his arrival in New Orleans, but he had a quick answer. "It's to make you stronger."
While Brees did that quickly, recovering from a shoulder injury to throw for 4,416 yards and 26 touchdowns in leading the Saints to the NFC Championship Game, he managed to find a way to do that within the city to which he lives.
His Drew and Brittany Brees Dream Foundation has been hailed for its rebuilding efforts for schools and athletic facilities that were either heavily damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Sports Illustrated did an article this past month featuring his exploits in the New Orleans community for which the quarterback said his organization has raised $3 million dollars.
Some in southern Louisiana have even given him the nickname "Breesus."
"Coming to New Orleans was a calling for me, it's given me an opportunity to take my game to the next level, but also to really help me grow as a person," said Brees. "It helped mold me into who I am, and what we've been able to do from a foundation standpoint in New Orleans."
For a franchise standpoint, a Super Bowl championship further cements the Saints in the city which they nearly left for the heat of San Antonio after the 2005 season. As with many schools and athletic facilities around New Orleans, Brees found a way to get the team back on its feet and onto the pedestal for the first time.
Of course, an infant as well.
Read: Colts' Silva's Pre Game Pre: Hair Cut
"It's given you an opportunity you didn't realize that you would have," said Brees, whose helped to restore a franchise and a city at the same time. "It's just been special all around. New Orleans is home."
"I belong in New Orleans, I belong as a Saint."
After all, for now, its all Bailen knows.
Sitting on the podium at the middle of Sun Life Stadium, a one year-old boy was shown with headphones affixed to his ears, while his eyes and his mouth were wide open as the confetti fluttered in the lights high above.
"Bailen Robert Brees, it's been a crazy year for that little boy," said his doting father Drew on Sunday.
Its his arms which the child sat during the Vince Lombardi trophy presentation, as he stared around at the people and the cameras that gathered below.
"I don't know how it gets any better, I don't know if it does," said Brees, but he does know what it is for things to be worse.
When Bailen grows old, that will be the story he'll ask his father to tell, long after the glow of Super Bowl XLIV has worn off.
"85 percent of the city was under water. People were evacuating to places all over the country," said Brees, referring to the devastation left behind by Hurricane Katrina in August and September of 2005.
Brees arrived in New Orleans a few months later after failing to come to a contract agreement with San Diego and after suffering a serious season-ending shoulder injury in his final game with the Chargers.
The quarterback had reached a crossroads in its career, while a city and a team didn't know if it was literally coming or going.
Read: Peyton Manning, Colts Not "All Dat" Against The Saints
"Thats probably a good comparison, a good parallel," said Brees when asked about the similarities between his situation and that of the city which he now represents.
It was true in the worst of times. Sunday it was affirmed in the best.
Brees completed a four-year rebuilding of the Saints with a 31-17 victory over the Colts in Super Bowl XLIV Sunday night in Miami Gardens. Brees' completed 32 of his 39 throws, gained 288 yards two touchdowns to give New Orleans its first professional football championship.
To that city, however, the the feeling is reciprocal.
"We're here because of their strength and everything they fought through here the last few years," said Brees of New Orleans. "They've given us so much support, and so we owe it all to our fans."
As they celebrated with their black and gold beads, shirts and streamers in the famed French Quarter, the quarterback was more reflective on what the past four years meant to he and family. It started in 2006 when a the quarterback, who was let go in favor of Philip Rivers in San Diego, took his wife Brittany and moved to city on the gulf as he looked to start a new chapter of his football career.
Coincidentally, the city which he went to was doing the same-on a much grander scale.
Read: Colts Fall To Saints In Super Bowl XLIV
"Things that happen in your life you just kinda wonder 'Why is this happening to me? Why has god put me in this position,'" said Brees of his arrival in New Orleans, but he had a quick answer. "It's to make you stronger."
While Brees did that quickly, recovering from a shoulder injury to throw for 4,416 yards and 26 touchdowns in leading the Saints to the NFC Championship Game, he managed to find a way to do that within the city to which he lives.
His Drew and Brittany Brees Dream Foundation has been hailed for its rebuilding efforts for schools and athletic facilities that were either heavily damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Sports Illustrated did an article this past month featuring his exploits in the New Orleans community for which the quarterback said his organization has raised $3 million dollars.
Some in southern Louisiana have even given him the nickname "Breesus."
"Coming to New Orleans was a calling for me, it's given me an opportunity to take my game to the next level, but also to really help me grow as a person," said Brees. "It helped mold me into who I am, and what we've been able to do from a foundation standpoint in New Orleans."
For a franchise standpoint, a Super Bowl championship further cements the Saints in the city which they nearly left for the heat of San Antonio after the 2005 season. As with many schools and athletic facilities around New Orleans, Brees found a way to get the team back on its feet and onto the pedestal for the first time.
Of course, an infant as well.
Read: Colts' Silva's Pre Game Pre: Hair Cut
"It's given you an opportunity you didn't realize that you would have," said Brees, whose helped to restore a franchise and a city at the same time. "It's just been special all around. New Orleans is home."
"I belong in New Orleans, I belong as a Saint."
After all, for now, its all Bailen knows.
