As camp nears, Drew Brees says the impact of his anthem comments ‘completely broke my heart'

08-01-2020, 02:04 PM

As camp nears, Drew Brees says the impact of his anthem comments ‘completely broke my heart'

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees was available to the local media on Saturday via a conference call in preparation for training camp.

Before Brees fielded questions, he delivered an opening statement addressing his comments made on June 3rd about the national anthem and his thoughts and views on social justice in this country.

Here is a transcript of Brees' address.

"I've always been someone who has felt compelled to serve. It's the main reason why Brittany and I came to New Orleans. That was a time when I really wasn't sure if I would ever play football again. But I knew that I had a chance to be a part of something much greater than myself. The last 15 years in New Orleans have been some of the proudest and most rewarding moments of our lives. And we tried to dedicate ourselves to creating a lasting legacy of hope, love and progress, especially in this city.

Going back to my comment on June 3, to think for a second that New Orleans or the state of Louisiana or the black community would think that I was not standing with them for social justice, that completely broke my heart. It was crushing. Never ever would I feel that way. I recognize that I missed an opportunity that day. I had an opportunity to talk about and emphasize the social injustices that exist for our black community and our need as a country to support them and to advocate for systemic change. And my lack of awareness in that moment hurt a lot of people.

Now there are three key things I want to make very clear.

No. 1, I will always stand for the flag because of what it means to me and to honor all those who have sacrificed, who have served and died for our country and all those who have struggled to move this country forward.

Second, I acknowledge and respect anyone who chooses to kneel or any other form of peaceful protest to bring attention to the social injustices and systemic racism that so many have endured and continue to endure in our country. I will always support and advocate for the black and brown communities in the fight for social injustices. Always.

Third, I'm the same person now that I've always been. I'm someone who cares deeply for people in my community, New Orleans, the state of Louisiana, people everywhere. I'm someone who will always address the inequities and disparities that exist. I'm someone who has great empathy for those who are hurting, struggling, or victims of injustice. And I'm someone who feels a great sense of responsibility to serve and to lead and to bring true equality to everyone."

AsylumGuido · 08-01-2020, 02:09 PM

I'm sorry, but the disrespect that Drew has received from some is totally uncalled for. Anyone so shallow that they have not come to understand the enduring impact of this incredible individual needs to be ignored. We have been absolutely blessed to have had him as the face of our franchise for the past 15 years and that has nothing to do with just his play on the field. We can only hope that he continues to be part of the New Orleans Saints on and off the field for years to come. In our lifetimes we may very well not see another on or off the field that is more valuable than he even remains today to the Saints and the entire New Orleans and Louisiana community.

Rugby Saint II · 08-02-2020, 11:43 AM

It broke my heart the way New Orleans turned on their savior drew Brees. Drew not only gives a lot of money to New Orleans but his valuable time, as well as anything else that he can think of. He is a tireless worker to make bad things better. I'm not willing to listen to someone who has a short memory or is willing to ignore the good things because they choose to forget when the time suits them. Back stabbers come in all colors.

SaintFanInATLHELL · 08-02-2020, 04:58 PM

People fall into logical fallacies all the time. Many people in the world are both not too terribly bright and are often led around by their emotions.

X=kneeling for the flag
Y=BLM,social injustice,systemic racism (take your pick)

Interviewer: Drew do you support X?
Drew: I cannot support X here's why...

Twitterverse: Drew doesn't support Y!

Logical fallacy. Drew's answer about X had nothing to do with Y. He got called on it because instead of the Twitterverse (including Jenkins) looking into what his answer about X was about, he didn't talk about Y.

This is why politicians don't actually answer questions that are asked to them. They simply deflect and give whatever talking point they are trying to get across. Being real and honest will get you slammed.

I'm happy to hear that Drew has no plans to kneel. One it's against his personal principles. And two X has nothing to do with Y.

SFIAH

AsylumGuido · 08-02-2020, 05:27 PM

Originally Posted by SaintFanInATLHELL

People fall into logical fallacies all the time. Many people in the world are both not too terribly bright and are often led around by their emotions.

X=kneeling for the flag
Y=BLM,social injustice,systemic racism (take your pick)

Interviewer: Drew do you support X?
Drew: I cannot support X here's why...

Twitterverse: Drew doesn't support Y!

Logical fallacy. Drew's answer about X had nothing to do with Y. He got called on it because instead of the Twitterverse (including Jenkins) looking into what his answer about X was about, he didn't talk about Y.

This is why politicians don't actually answer questions that are asked to them. They simply deflect and give whatever talking point they are trying to get across. Being real and honest will get you slammed.

I'm happy to hear that Drew has no plans to kneel. One it's against his personal principles. And two X has nothing to do with Y.

SFIAH

Exactly. This is why it is meaningless to judge anyone based totally upon anything you read on the internet. The mainstream media has morphed over the years from a information sharing source into a revenue generating source. Before you act upon anything search it out and see EVERY source of information and even at that take it with a grain of salt.

jeanpierre · 08-02-2020, 10:39 PM

Jenkins response via Twitter instead of calling his re-newed teammate is exactly the kind of BS I expected from him and why I was against bringing him back...

Thomas has definitely been effected by what some athletes in my generation referred to as the Big Mo...

While I didn't care for Drew's initial backdown and subsequent public declarations pledging of money, which is exactly what the #BLMShakedown is really about...

It's been refreshing to see him regroup and make the statement that he made...

No one should have to compromise their values to appease another group...

And you get respect when you give respect...

It'll be interesting to see if this season can survive the politics of so many external forces going on in the world right now...

But it'd sure make life a little better seeing Brees win another Superbowl despite so many things, and to win on his terms with his character and values firmly in place...

The Dude · 08-03-2020, 10:08 AM

Originally Posted by jeanpierre

Jenkins response via Twitter instead of calling his re-newed teammate is exactly the kind of BS I expected from him and why I was against bringing him back...

Thomas has definitely been effected by what some athletes in my generation referred to as the Big Mo...

While I didn't care for Drew's initial backdown and subsequent public declarations pledging of money, which is exactly what the #BLMShakedown is really about...

It's been refreshing to see him regroup and make the statement that he made...

No one should have to compromise their values to appease another group...

And you get respect when you give respect...

It'll be interesting to see if this season can survive the politics of so many external forces going on in the world right now...

But it'd sure make life a little better seeing Brees win another Superbowl despite so many things, and to win on his terms with his character and values firmly in place...

Seriously wouldn’t surprise me if Jenkins purposely tanks plays. He was already pissed at Payton for picking on him last year and shot him the bird like a baby. Now you have the Brees thing which was more about Jenkins getting payed when he’s done with football than anything else.

iceshack149 · 08-03-2020, 12:49 PM

Originally Posted by The Dude

Seriously wouldn’t surprise me if Jenkins purposely tanks plays. He was already pissed at Payton for picking on him last year and shot him the bird like a baby. Now you have the Brees thing which was more about Jenkins getting payed when he’s done with football than anything else.

It would surprise me if he stooped to that level honestly.
I think that Jenkins is a self-righteous narcissist. He'd be too proud to give up on plays to attempt to ruin a team. Not only that, he and Payton have stated that they have great respect for each other.

I like Drew's comments here. No, I love them. Drew Brees has shown to have a stellar character throughout his professional career. I mean really, what other player (a QB no less) would see the mess from the hurricane that Sean Payton showed him when he took the wrong turns in New Orleans and decide that he'd choose New Orleans over Miami? Just for the chance to bring hope to a region... That's awesome stuff! Super high character stuff.

I hated that he was treated so poorly by some of his teammates. And I didn't understand his response to accommodate them by backtracking on his support of the flag. His wife should've stayed out of the discussion but I understand that she wanted to support him.
Good job by Drew for providing clarification.

dizzle88 · 08-03-2020, 01:12 PM

Originally Posted by jeanpierre

Jenkins response via Twitter instead of calling his re-newed teammate is exactly the kind of BS I expected from him and why I was against bringing him back...

Thomas has definitely been effected by what some athletes in my generation referred to as the Big Mo...

While I didn't care for Drew's initial backdown and subsequent public declarations pledging of money, which is exactly what the #BLMShakedown is really about...

It's been refreshing to see him regroup and make the statement that he made...

No one should have to compromise their values to appease another group...

And you get respect when you give respect...

It'll be interesting to see if this season can survive the politics of so many external forces going on in the world right now...

But it'd sure make life a little better seeing Brees win another Superbowl despite so many things, and to win on his terms with his character and values firmly in place...

Payton let pro bowl caliber and young Vonn Bell get away for that clown too.

Makes me sick.

iceshack149 · 08-03-2020, 03:23 PM

Originally Posted by dizzle88

Payton let pro bowl caliber and young Vonn Bell get away for that clown too.

Makes me sick.

For less money as well. I completely agree with you.

08-01-2020, 02:04 PM	#1
Threaded by AsylumGuido 10000 POST CLUB Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Bossier City, LA Posts: 26,803 Rating: (0 votes - average) As camp nears, Drew Brees says the impact of his anthem comments ‘completely broke my heart' New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees was available to the local media on Saturday via a conference call in preparation for training camp. Before Brees fielded questions, he delivered an opening statement addressing his comments made on June 3rd about the national anthem and his thoughts and views on social justice in this country. Here is a transcript of Brees' address. "I've always been someone who has felt compelled to serve. It's the main reason why Brittany and I came to New Orleans. That was a time when I really wasn't sure if I would ever play football again. But I knew that I had a chance to be a part of something much greater than myself. The last 15 years in New Orleans have been some of the proudest and most rewarding moments of our lives. And we tried to dedicate ourselves to creating a lasting legacy of hope, love and progress, especially in this city. Going back to my comment on June 3, to think for a second that New Orleans or the state of Louisiana or the black community would think that I was not standing with them for social justice, that completely broke my heart. It was crushing. Never ever would I feel that way. I recognize that I missed an opportunity that day. I had an opportunity to talk about and emphasize the social injustices that exist for our black community and our need as a country to support them and to advocate for systemic change. And my lack of awareness in that moment hurt a lot of people. Now there are three key things I want to make very clear. No. 1, I will always stand for the flag because of what it means to me and to honor all those who have sacrificed, who have served and died for our country and all those who have struggled to move this country forward. Second, I acknowledge and respect anyone who chooses to kneel or any other form of peaceful protest to bring attention to the social injustices and systemic racism that so many have endured and continue to endure in our country. I will always support and advocate for the black and brown communities in the fight for social injustices. Always. Third, I'm the same person now that I've always been. I'm someone who cares deeply for people in my community, New Orleans, the state of Louisiana, people everywhere. I'm someone who will always address the inequities and disparities that exist. I'm someone who has great empathy for those who are hurting, struggling, or victims of injustice. And I'm someone who feels a great sense of responsibility to serve and to lead and to bring true equality to everyone." jeanpierre likes this.
Views: 2403

08-01-2020, 02:09 PM	#2
AsylumGuido 10000 POST CLUB Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Bossier City, LA Posts: 26,803	Re: As camp nears, Drew Brees says the impact of his anthem comments ‘completely broke my heart' I'm sorry, but the disrespect that Drew has received from some is totally uncalled for. Anyone so shallow that they have not come to understand the enduring impact of this incredible individual needs to be ignored. We have been absolutely blessed to have had him as the face of our franchise for the past 15 years and that has nothing to do with just his play on the field. We can only hope that he continues to be part of the New Orleans Saints on and off the field for years to come. In our lifetimes we may very well not see another on or off the field that is more valuable than he even remains today to the Saints and the entire New Orleans and Louisiana community. jeanpierre, jlouhill, Pete and 1 others like this.
	“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” — Winston Churchill

08-02-2020, 11:43 AM	#3
Rugby Saint II Bounty Money $$$ Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 5800 Airline Dr. Metairie, LA. Posts: 24,200	Re: As camp nears, Drew Brees says the impact of his anthem comments ‘completely broke my heart' It broke my heart the way New Orleans turned on their savior drew Brees. Drew not only gives a lot of money to New Orleans but his valuable time, as well as anything else that he can think of. He is a tireless worker to make bad things better. I'm not willing to listen to someone who has a short memory or is willing to ignore the good things because they choose to forget when the time suits them. Back stabbers come in all colors. jnormand, AsylumGuido and jeanpierre like this.

08-02-2020, 04:58 PM	#4
SaintFanInATLHELL The Professor Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Lithonia, GA Posts: 2,787	Re: As camp nears, Drew Brees says the impact of his anthem comments ‘completely broke my heart' People fall into logical fallacies all the time. Many people in the world are both not too terribly bright and are often led around by their emotions. X=kneeling for the flag Y=BLM,social injustice,systemic racism (take your pick) Interviewer: Drew do you support X? Drew: I cannot support X here's why... Twitterverse: Drew doesn't support Y! Logical fallacy. Drew's answer about X had nothing to do with Y. He got called on it because instead of the Twitterverse (including Jenkins) looking into what his answer about X was about, he didn't talk about Y. This is why politicians don't actually answer questions that are asked to them. They simply deflect and give whatever talking point they are trying to get across. Being real and honest will get you slammed. I'm happy to hear that Drew has no plans to kneel. One it's against his personal principles. And two X has nothing to do with Y. SFIAH saintfan, iceshack149, jnormand and 4 others like this.
	Super Bowl Championships: New Orleans Saints:1, Carolina:0, Atlanta Chokers: STILL ZERO Only Atlanta choked in an unchokable situation... Life is definitely good.

08-02-2020, 05:27 PM	#5
AsylumGuido 10000 POST CLUB Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Bossier City, LA Posts: 26,803	Re: As camp nears, Drew Brees says the impact of his anthem comments ‘completely broke my heart' Originally Posted by SaintFanInATLHELL People fall into logical fallacies all the time. Many people in the world are both not too terribly bright and are often led around by their emotions. X=kneeling for the flag Y=BLM,social injustice,systemic racism (take your pick) Interviewer: Drew do you support X? Drew: I cannot support X here's why... Twitterverse: Drew doesn't support Y! Logical fallacy. Drew's answer about X had nothing to do with Y. He got called on it because instead of the Twitterverse (including Jenkins) looking into what his answer about X was about, he didn't talk about Y. This is why politicians don't actually answer questions that are asked to them. They simply deflect and give whatever talking point they are trying to get across. Being real and honest will get you slammed. I'm happy to hear that Drew has no plans to kneel. One it's against his personal principles. And two X has nothing to do with Y. SFIAH Exactly. This is why it is meaningless to judge anyone based totally upon anything you read on the internet. The mainstream media has morphed over the years from a information sharing source into a revenue generating source. Before you act upon anything search it out and see EVERY source of information and even at that take it with a grain of salt. SaintFanInATLHELL and jeanpierre like this.

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08-02-2020, 10:39 PM	#6
jeanpierre Site Donor 2018 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Thibodaux Posts: 43,543 Blog Entries: 39	Re: As camp nears, Drew Brees says the impact of his anthem comments ‘completely broke my heart' Jenkins response via Twitter instead of calling his re-newed teammate is exactly the kind of BS I expected from him and why I was against bringing him back... Thomas has definitely been effected by what some athletes in my generation referred to as the Big Mo... While I didn't care for Drew's initial backdown and subsequent public declarations pledging of money, which is exactly what the #BLMShakedown is really about... It's been refreshing to see him regroup and make the statement that he made... No one should have to compromise their values to appease another group... And you get respect when you give respect... It'll be interesting to see if this season can survive the politics of so many external forces going on in the world right now... But it'd sure make life a little better seeing Brees win another Superbowl despite so many things, and to win on his terms with his character and values firmly in place... iceshack149, Rugby Saint II, dizzle88 and 1 others like this.
	It's not that my way is the right way, I just make the right way my way...

08-03-2020, 10:08 AM	#7
The Dude 5000 POSTS! + Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 9,066	Re: As camp nears, Drew Brees says the impact of his anthem comments ‘completely broke my heart' Originally Posted by jeanpierre Jenkins response via Twitter instead of calling his re-newed teammate is exactly the kind of BS I expected from him and why I was against bringing him back... Thomas has definitely been effected by what some athletes in my generation referred to as the Big Mo... While I didn't care for Drew's initial backdown and subsequent public declarations pledging of money, which is exactly what the #BLMShakedown is really about... It's been refreshing to see him regroup and make the statement that he made... No one should have to compromise their values to appease another group... And you get respect when you give respect... It'll be interesting to see if this season can survive the politics of so many external forces going on in the world right now... But it'd sure make life a little better seeing Brees win another Superbowl despite so many things, and to win on his terms with his character and values firmly in place... Seriously wouldn’t surprise me if Jenkins purposely tanks plays. He was already pissed at Payton for picking on him last year and shot him the bird like a baby. Now you have the Brees thing which was more about Jenkins getting payed when he’s done with football than anything else. Rugby Saint II and Beastmode like this.
The Dude 5000 POSTS! + Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 9,066

08-03-2020, 12:49 PM	#8
iceshack149 1000 Posts + Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Fairbanks, AK Posts: 4,443 Blog Entries: 1	Re: As camp nears, Drew Brees says the impact of his anthem comments ‘completely broke my heart' Originally Posted by The Dude Seriously wouldn’t surprise me if Jenkins purposely tanks plays. He was already pissed at Payton for picking on him last year and shot him the bird like a baby. Now you have the Brees thing which was more about Jenkins getting payed when he’s done with football than anything else. It would surprise me if he stooped to that level honestly. I think that Jenkins is a self-righteous narcissist. He'd be too proud to give up on plays to attempt to ruin a team. Not only that, he and Payton have stated that they have great respect for each other. I like Drew's comments here. No, I love them. Drew Brees has shown to have a stellar character throughout his professional career. I mean really, what other player (a QB no less) would see the mess from the hurricane that Sean Payton showed him when he took the wrong turns in New Orleans and decide that he'd choose New Orleans over Miami? Just for the chance to bring hope to a region... That's awesome stuff! Super high character stuff. I hated that he was treated so poorly by some of his teammates. And I didn't understand his response to accommodate them by backtracking on his support of the flag. His wife should've stayed out of the discussion but I understand that she wanted to support him. Good job by Drew for providing clarification. jnormand and jeanpierre like this.
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08-03-2020, 01:12 PM	#9
dizzle88 10000 POST CLUB Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 11,548	Re: As camp nears, Drew Brees says the impact of his anthem comments ‘completely broke my heart' Originally Posted by jeanpierre Jenkins response via Twitter instead of calling his re-newed teammate is exactly the kind of BS I expected from him and why I was against bringing him back... Thomas has definitely been effected by what some athletes in my generation referred to as the Big Mo... While I didn't care for Drew's initial backdown and subsequent public declarations pledging of money, which is exactly what the #BLMShakedown is really about... It's been refreshing to see him regroup and make the statement that he made... No one should have to compromise their values to appease another group... And you get respect when you give respect... It'll be interesting to see if this season can survive the politics of so many external forces going on in the world right now... But it'd sure make life a little better seeing Brees win another Superbowl despite so many things, and to win on his terms with his character and values firmly in place... Payton let pro bowl caliber and young Vonn Bell get away for that clown too. Makes me sick. jnormand, jeanpierre, RaginCajun83 and 1 others like this.

08-03-2020, 03:23 PM	#10
iceshack149 1000 Posts + Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Fairbanks, AK Posts: 4,443 Blog Entries: 1	Re: As camp nears, Drew Brees says the impact of his anthem comments ‘completely broke my heart' Originally Posted by dizzle88 Payton let pro bowl caliber and young Vonn Bell get away for that clown too. Makes me sick. For less money as well. I completely agree with you. jnormand, jeanpierre and RaginCajun83 like this.