Drew Brees exercised his right to freedom of speech yesterday. And, immediate reactions and overreactions poured in from around the sports world. Woke Nation told everyone who tags, follows, trends, hastags, Snaps, or Instagrams that Saints Nation was ablaze because of it.
The BBR staff sat around a Zoom happy hour last evening. Dixie beers straight from NOLA were aplenty. Rather than fret about the short term, we asked “what does this mean long term for Brees’ legacy in New Orleans?”
Our conclusion? We think that Drew Brees will be the mayor of predominantly black New Orleans the very first time that he runs for the post. And, we think that he should. We’ve long thought that he would. And, we think that eventually, he will. He has always wanted to make a difference outside of the hash marks.
When you boil it down, Brees said that he stands with his teammates and many others seeking racial equality and justice, but that he would not kneel during the presentation of the flag during the National Anthem that honors many who protected us and fought for our freedom along the way.
Woke Nation was outraged because it’s always important to be immediately outraged. You cannot break through the massive clutter of social media and stay there unless your take is edgy, passionate, immediate, and progressive.
Former ESPN talking head Jemele Hill tweeted, “Drew Brees is why people shouldn’t assume that just because someone white is around black people that they understand black issues.” 
Jemele Hill is why people who have no idea what Brees does off of the field say that they understand Brees. Do you know what Brees and his Brees Foundation did for many minority families and causes post-Katrina? No, you don’t. He wants it that way. And, his list of charitable efforts and contributions is quite long.
LeBron James tweeted that Brees was still ignorant as to why Kaepernick took a knee and said it had zero to do with the flag. Thankfully we’ve heard little from LeBron since he told Daryl Morey that he was ignorant about the Chinese (communist) culture and that his words could be so hurtful. That was just after they occupied Hong Kong, but before their China virus broke out, was covered up, was lied about, was contained but wasn’t, and interrupted his NBA season. We wonder if LeBron is ignorant to the fact that Brees donated about $250k to build a state of the art special needs playground smack dab in the middle of a park in the city last year.
Aaron Rodgers stated, “It has NEVER been about an anthem or a flag. Not then. Not now. Listen with an open heart, let’s educate ourselves, and then turn word and thought into action.” It sounds like good advice. Maybe he should listen to what Brees is saying. Per Packer sources, Rodgers has a difficult time listening with an open head, much less a heart, to his teammates and coaches. The Green Bay brass like his leadership so much that they traded up, reached, and drafted what they hope will be his replacement with Rodgers still in his prime.
We could go on. But, what does the three of Jemele, LeBron, and Aaron have in common? They don’t know Brees. His family, friends, business associates, teammates, civic leaders, and coaches do. Ninety-nine percent of them hold him in the very highest regard on and off of the field.
Star receiver Michael Thomas tweeted, “He don’t know no better.”
The nation known as America protects free speech even when it contains double negatives. It used to embrace it. The nation known as Woke only embraces it when you speak their language.
Maybe they don’t know no better.