Tulsa World: Q&A with Henry P. Iba

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Q&A with Henry P. Iba
Citizen Athlete Award honoree and New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees

PATRON SAINT
Drew Brees: Has led the Saints' Katrina recovery efforts.

By GUERIN EMIG World Sports Writer
Published: 6/14/2009 2:29 AM
Last Modified: 6/14/2009 6:14 AM

Drew Brees should be lauded for taking the once-laughable New Orleans Saints and making them formidable. For quarterbacking them to within a game of the 2007 Super Bowl, and rewriting their passing record book ever since.

You could even recognize Brees for a shortcoming — he came within 15 yards of breaking Dan Marino's NFL single-season passing yardage record last year, en route to winning league offensive MVP honors.

But that's not why the ninth-year veteran is making his first trip to Tulsa on Monday to accept the Henry P. Iba Citizen Athlete Award. This recognition has much more to do with what Brees has done outside of football.

Brees has spearheaded the Saints' efforts to help their city recover post-Hurricane Katrina. He has hosted golf tournaments and "Cocktails for Katrina" fundraisers. He has donated labor and money to city schools, in some cases rebuilding football facilities. He has renovated vans for Children's Hospital and given away turkeys for Thanksgiving.

At the base of all this philanthropy is the Brees Dream Foundation, a venture launched by Drew and his wife, Brittany, in 2003. According to the foundation's Web site, over $4.5 million has been raised "to help advance cancer research, care for cancer patients, and help rebuild schools, parks, playgrounds and athletic fields in New Orleans, San Diego (where Brees began his NFL career) and Purdue (his alma mater) communities."

Brees took a few minutes to speak with the Tulsa World last week, while breaking from the minicamp known as Organized Team Activities.

TW: Is your desire to give back to your community something that is inherent? Or did you develop your sense of responsibility over the course of your career?

Brees: I loved sports as a kid, and I remember how much I looked up to athletes. I'd go to all these different sports camps where athletes ran the camps and you looked up to them. I lived on every one of their words and actions. As I have grown up and played in college and the NFL, it was easy for me to realize the influence you have as a pro athlete. That's why I try to do what I do in the community. I realized early the impact you can have as someone who does what I do.

Some wish other athletes with your influence felt that pull more often. Do you think all of the charity you have done has had an effect on teammates, or even others around the league?

Am I some kind of an example? I hope so. I'd say this about our team that's really unique: We have so many guys that want to do things in the community. Our organization has a wonderful community relations department where they identify programs and provide an avenue for guys on the team to connect with children or causes in the community. It's awesome. But it still takes the will to want to go out and do those things. That's the main reason we have such a great relationship with our fans.

Can you give an update on the Katrina rebuilding?

We just completed funding on a $1.8 million campaign. We committed to it exactly two years ago, raising $1.8 million to fund 12 projects. All involve kids, whether with schools, fields, playgrounds, athletic programs, mentoring programs, internships... A couple schools have been able to pay for a couple more teachers added to their staffs. We were able to complete the funding for that. Then you actually go into the schools and see the difference it makes for these kids and the impact... It's awesome. It's such a rewarding feeling. You see it making a difference right there. And we have zero overhead. Nobody gets paid.

How does the Brees Dream Foundation fit into everything?

That is our foundation that does everything. We started it in San Diego in 2003. Initially our mission was to provide care of cancer patients, especially kids, and to advance research projects and improve the quality of life for cancer patients. Well, when we got to New Orleans, there was such a broader need in so many areas, so we broadened the scope of the foundation as well. We still do a lot with Children's Hospital, but we have also turned our attention to rebuilding efforts around the city.

A quick football question concerning one of Tulsa's own. There's talk Robert Meachem could be a big factor in your offense next season. What do you think?

Robert has been doing great here in camp. He's continuing to improve every day and has been awesome. He works extremely hard. He's quiet and humble in how he goes about his business, but I know there is a lot of inner fire and drive there as well. He deserves to be successful because of the way he works. Robert is an exciting young player. The possibilities for him are endless.

I imagine you think a great deal of Jammal Brown for how he protects you on Sundays. Did you hear he came back to Oklahoma to pick up his degree recently?

Oh man, I was so happy for him. I thought that was a big deal. For any guy, especially to be out of college for a few years... It's harder and harder to go back. You have a tendency to lose the motivation when you're making the money you do in the NFL, going to Pro Bowls, that sort of thing. You're like, 'What's the degree going to do for me now?' But obviously that showed his priorities were in check. By GUERIN EMIG World Sports Writer

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a disciple, Glenpool (6/14/2009 5:03:58 AM)

I always like the stories about the Iba Citizen Athlete awards. Drew Brees has been a model of the responsible athlete.

I would like for the committee to consider inolving Tony Dungy, Sherry Coale, and David Robinson in their awards program at some point in the future.

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