ABC26 News July 13, 2012
NEW ORLEANS?
Friday afternoon, it wasn't hard to find people at restaurant tables around the city toasting the new contract of Saints star quarterback Drew Brees."We are celebrating Drew. And thank you, Mr. Benson," Iris Farrar said while sitting with a group of her friends at Walk On's on Poydras Street, nearly in the shadow of the Superdome.
The group was thrilled that Brees would make $100 million over the next five years, bringing an end to a nail biter off season negotiation between the QB and the team.
"It's been nerve racking, knowing that he deserves it," said Stephanie Shepherd while sitting at a table at the business next door, Happy's.
But here's the part of the contract that some fans don't like to think about. Brees is guaranteed $60 million. So if he gets seriously hurt, the team would still be on the hook for gobs of money.
"But we're talking if. And we know in New Orleans, if 'if' was a fifth, I would be drunk right now," joked Prentiss Tate.
"You can't really worry about that. It's sports. It's athletics. People blow out knees walking across the street," added Vic Suane.
Perhaps the biggest lesson for sports fans in general in the city is still sinking in. With the Saints enjoying their most success and popularity ever, and with the Hornets recently drafting two of the highest profile players in the NBA draft, sports fans could have many years of nail-biter off seasons ahead. It's just part of what happens in big sports towns.
"It's something we're going to have to get used to as a city. We are becoming a big sports market in my opinion with the Saints and the Hornets," said Suane.
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