Life’s a Brees
by Michael E Lawrence
22/10/2008
Saints and former Chargers quarterback Drew Brees spent some time talking with media types such as ourselves after practice, and had plenty to say on his former team, coming to London and the Saints without Reggie B.
On facing his former team:
 Ever since I signed with New Orleans I knew the day would come when I played San Diego, so I guess I was waiting for it in a way, but now that it’s here I’m still preparing the same as I would for any opponent. Certainly I know a lot of those guys on the Chargers and there will be a little extra motivation to win and to perform well, but really I’m trying to approach it as just another game.
On whether he thought he’d be play his whole career with the Chargers:
I really did think I’d spend my whole career there when I was first drafted, and I think any quarterback dreams of that when they first get drafted, but so few guys have been able to do that guys like Elway and Marino. Even guys like Joe Montana and Johnny Unitas end up finishing their career in another place. I guess that was part of the initial shock when I realised during the off-season in 2006 that I wasn’t going to be coming back to San Diego.
On the impact of Philip Rivers’ arrival as a draft pick:
I think it made me better on a personal level but I push myself hard regardless and I don’t need somebody behind me to make me work at that level. Obviously he was coming in as the future of that franchise but I wasn’t ready for that to happen yet and I started the next two years before the shoulder injury that propelled me into free agency.”
On what it means to be a New Orleans Saint:
Getting my release from the Chargers and coming to New Orleans is one of the best things that’s ever happened to me. At the time it was very difficult because I dislocated my shoulder in the final game of the season and I was suddenly without a contract and without a team. Now I look back and with all I’ve accomplished here it’s been incredible.
On facing old Purdue teammate Shaun Philips, now a linebacker for San Diego:
Shaun and I have known each other for a long time he was a redshirt freshman my senior year at Purdue. We’ve had some battles back and forth even from those days when he was on the scout team. But he loves to talk doesn’t he!
 On putting week seven’s loss to Carolina behind him:
We want to put that one behind us as quickly as possible. We had to jump on the plane here immediately after the game, and so I watched the film on the journey over to figure out what went wrong and make the corrections mentally.
On losing a home game for New Orleans but getting a chance to showcase the city on a global scale:
This is a great opportunity for our city and our organisation, and for New Orleans itself, because post-Katrina a lot of people have kind of forgotten about it or think that there’s still so much damage there that it’s not worth going. In a lot of ways New Orleans has come back better than ever, and just like London is one of those spots that everybody feels like they need to visit when they come to Europe, New Orleans is one of those spots that if you’re European and you go to the States you have to visit because the culture is unlike any other and we want to share that with the world.
On LT’s toe injury:
I hope he’s healthy for his sake because I think he’s a phenomenal player and he’s going to go down as one of the best that ever played the game.
 On the absence of Reggie Bush:
Of course we’re gonna miss Reggie because he’s a big part of this offense, but just as we’ve done all season with Marques Colston being out for five weeks and Jeremy Shockey down for three or four, others guys will step in and do a great job so I’m confident that Deuce and Pierre and Aaron will pick up the slack and will do just fine.
On the Diner’s suggestion that the Wembley game could be a catalyst to the Super Bowl as it was for Jeremy Shockey and the Saints in 2007:
I hope it is a catalyst I know the Giants went on a roll after this game and ended up Super Bowl champs so we would love for that to happen and that’s definitely our mindset.
When asked by the Diner if there was any Charger defender he’d rather NOT face come Sunday:
You know what I think there’s a lot of them I’d rather not face! They’ve got a lot of good players, some I’ve played with and some I haven’t. But I want all of them to show up and I want their best effort just like I know they’re going to want our best effort. It should be an exciting game.
Further Diner Coverage of Wembley 2008:
Notes and titbits from Saints practice
Sean Payton Press Conference
Saints Practise Gallery
Antonio Gates Interview
Legedu Naanee Interview
Antonio Cromartie Interview
Notes and titbits from Chargers Practice
Chargers Practise Gallery
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