Brees still humble, hungry for 2010-11

Drew Brees said his plans for the 2010-11 football season call for staying humble and hungry.

“My attitude is to never be satisfied where we are,” the 2010 Super Bowl MVP said.

“It’s been a very busy three months, it’s been a blast,” Brees said. “The opportunities that come after you win the Super Bowl are pretty unique, but all good things and unique opportunities to highlight our great city of ours, and talk about it.”

One of the perks Brees may have been referring to was the coveted cover of Madden 11, which he was chosen for last week.

On winning the Madden cover, Brees said, “It is an honor to even be considered for Madden, and I will try to squash the Madden curse.”

The Madden cover is part of Madden NFL, a video game series developed by Electronic Arts Tiburon for EA Sports. The game is named after Pro Football Hall of Famer and television sports color analyst John Madden.

The game was launched in 1989, and prior to 1999, every annual installment of the Madden NFL series, featured John Madden on its cover.

However, in 1999, Electronic Arts selected Garrison Hearst, the former NFL running back of the 49ers, to appear on the cover, and has since featured one of the league’s top players on every annual installment.

Since making that move, certain players who appeared on Madden video game box art have experienced a decline in performance, usually due to an injury. That has caused some to believe there is a jinx or a curse involved with being featured by the game.

But Brees doesn’t belive that will be the case with him.

“It’s an honor to be even considered for the Madden cover,” Brees said. “And I am going to squash the curse.”

The champion quarterback said the last thing he wants for himself and the Saints is to be a one-hit wonder.

“We’re currently identifying the things that made us good and therefore, will do so for us in the future, while focusing on all the other little details.”

The NFL also released the team’s 2010-11 schedule during the week and the Saints are one of the teams featured most on prime-time TV.

“When people want to watch you, you take it as a compliment,” he said. “People want to see you play and they want to see you play in big games. That gives us confidence. That gives us strength.”

Brees has formed his own acronym for the word faith, derived from the words Fortitude, Attitude, Integrity, Trust and Humility.

“My faith means everything to me,” he said. “It’s what gives me the confidence every day to go about my job as a football player, as a community leader, as a husband, as a father, as a Christian, just trying to be the best person I can be.

“My faith is trying to utilize the talents and abilities that God has given me to make a positive impact and, to touch the lives of a lot of people,” he said.

“It’s just understanding that I have a purpose and coming to New Orleans was a calling for me. And I just try to represent myself in the best way that I can, each and every day,” Brees continued.

The New Orleans quarterback was speaking to reporters last week, to launch another campaign for The Brees Dream Foundation.

He has teamed up New Orleans artist and poster guru Michael Hunt, who painted a lithograph that captures the quarterback’s rise, the Saints’ 2010 World Champion status, and the rebirth of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.

The print is signed by Brees, Hunt and New Orleans Saints head coach, Sean Payton.

Proceeds from sales will benefit the American Cancer Society, who will earmark the funds for their Hope Lodge, which offers complimentary housing for patients and their families who are dealing with cancer.

The project is nationwide.

One location is at 2609 River Road in New Orleans, and is named after former oil industrialist and philanthropist Patrick Taylor.

“When I can, I try to make an impact in the community, in a positive way. This is a one of a kind lithograph, and it is the only piece Sean and I have done like this. It commemorates a sign of hope, everything the city has been through, while commemorating the Saints’ season,” Brees said.

Brees said that to date, his foundation, which he also chairs with his wife Brittany, has raised and committed more than $3 million to projects, mostly those earmarked to children, such as mentoring, schools, and parks.

Recently, it won the Pepsi “Super Bowl Refresh Challenge,” winning $100,000, which Brees also gave to Hope Lodge.

“This was more than a football game,” Brees said. “And this lithograph shows it. I did not want it to be about me.”

There are 2,010 copies of the limited edition print autographed by both Brees and Hunt, and 500 Special MVP Edition Artist Proofs autographed by Brees, Hunt and Coach Sean Payton.

The prints are available exclusively at Nola Fine Art, and can be ordered online at www.NolaFineArt.com or by calling 800-620-9112.

For more information on The Brees Dream Foundation, visit www.drewbrees.com.