Welcome back, everyone!

Welcome back, everyone! I would like to thank all of you who have encouraged me to come back to writing this blog. It's been a long time since I have written, so pardon the rust that might fall off as I try to shake it off. Here we go!

This past Sunday, on NBC's SNF coverage, Drew Brees broke a record that was once thought of as not only unreachable, but one of the most prolific records in all of football; Johnny Unitas' consecutive touchdown record. Brees' broke Johnny U's mark with deep pass to a wide open Devery Henderson. Saints fans, both in and out of the Dome rejoiced in what has been called the play that will turn the Saints' abysmal season around. In a season marred by controversy, suspensions, injuries, defensive ineptitude and uncertainty going forward, Drew Brees put the Saints on his back once again and did something that Saints fans of old would have thought to be a joke. Some have blamed Drew Brees for demanding so much money in the offseason, holding out for as long as he did and calling plays in his favor, but the truth is, HE DESERVES TO. Brees has been one of, if not the best quarterbacks in the NFL since he joined the Saints in 2006. He has set the single season completion record (71.6%), most yards passed for in a season (5,476 yards), most completions to start a game (22) and now 48 straight games with a passing TD. Tell me how he doesn't deserve $100,000,000. Tell me why he should have signed earlier. Tell me why he wouldn't call pass plays over the run. The fact of the matter is, his resume merits $100 million, the "Payton factor" (see below) and the Saints win when Drew Brees passes the ball. Drew Brees has won a Super Bowl, revived a city, make a once miserable team into a dominante contender and set records that won't be broken for quite some time. Who cares that he held out! Who cares that he got what he did! The fact is, all New Orlineans owe a lot to Drew. Good on you, Breezy. Keep it up.

Now onto the aforementioned "Payton Factor." We are all familiar with "Bountygate." I won't get into it here, as Roger Goodell has just resuspended all players involved, but lets give the Saints Head Coach Sean Payton suspension and Drew Brees' contract talks a glance. We all know why Payton was suspended, and we all know that it took what seemed like a millenium for Drew Brees to sign. Here's why. Drew Brees, the true offensive coordinator of the Saints, was not under contract with the team and therefore was the only player on the offense who could talk to Sean Payton. Brees and Payton were able to meet, talk about the team and work up an offensive game plan. Sean Payton gave the keys to the Saints' offensive machine to Brees so it would function with out him. Simple as that. Now it makes sense that Brees waited so long to sign. It made GM Mickey Loomis and Tom Benson the scapegoats, but do you think they care? Didn't think so.

Now let's switch gears to a more calm, non-contact kind of topic. The 2012 Ryder Cup, or as I like to call it, "The Muck-up at Medinah." The 2012 Ryder Cup was supposed to be the most evenly matched event in the Cup's history. The Europeans had dominated the early part of the season led by young superstar Rory McIlroy, but it was the American squad that was deep and very talented. The U.S. team boasted an impressive 22 majors and 11 season wins, plus the FedEx Cup (Brandt Snedeker). The Euros won only 4 times in 2012 on the PGA Tour. Now granted, Sergio Garcia was the only European player to play full time on the PGA Tour this year, but still... Having a 10-6 lead going into Sunday's singles matches, coupled with Jim Furyk, Steve Stricker and Tiger Woods' inability to win seemingly any match until then was nothing short of impressive. However, look back to 1999 at Brookline. The Euros had the same lead going into Sunday only to let it slip away. Blame whomever you want and there will be some truth to it. Davis Love III's failure to pick Hunter Mahan after he lost the Cup in Ireland in 2010 will certainly be a hit topic, but the real blame lies with the best player on the team, Tiger Woods. After losing his opening matches with Steve Stricker, Love benched Woods for the morning matches on Saturday, Woods lost his Saturday afternoon match with Stricker again! He salvaged a half point in the Sunday singles match, but watched from the 18th fairway as the Euros sealed it before his 1/2 point could matter. The U.S. team is to blame for their individual failures on Sunday, but the Euros did what they needed to do to win. Kudos to them. Ole, Ole, Ole, Ole. Until 2014...

Again, welcome back, you guys. Drop by again next week.

WHO DAT

-Mo