Thanks to Jeff Janssen for forwarding this USA Today by Jim Corbett story on to me:Drew Brees is determined to defy skeptics who insist the Saints reveled in one long, "Lombardi Gras" celebration and will suffer the Super Bowl hangover only one team has avoided in the last 11 years.
Never mind becoming the first team since the 2004 New England Patriots to repeat. Brees is determined to leave lasting footprints.
"We have an opportunity to leave a legacy that's not just about one championship," Brees says. "It's how many can we win?
"Sustained success is the hardest thing in sports. It's human nature to relax and feel you've arrived. In reality, you have to sacrifice and dedicate yourself even more."
That dynasty urgency emanates from coach Sean Payton.
Payton's "Don't be one-hit wonders" mantra is straight from his coaching mentor, Miami Dolphins executive vice president of football operations Bill Parcells.
"You don't look at Bill Parcells and Sean Payton and say, 'Hey, I see the match.' But it's the closest match I've ever seen," says CBS analyst Phil Simms, Super Bowl XXI MVP for the Parcells-coached New York Giants.
"Sean smiles for the camera. And when you turn it off, he turns into this other guy."
Like Brees, Payton is relentlessly driven.
"Sean could win six Super Bowls, he's still going to have a chip on his shoulder," Simms says. "He's had to fight for everything, from being a player (1987 Arena and Canadian leagues and Chicago Bears strike replacement quarterback) to a coach. Nothing will put that fire out.
"The same thing for Drew Brees: grew up in Texas, had to go to Purdue to play quarterback, heard all the naysayers in San Diego (with the Chargers).
"He turns his career around. Then San Diego gets rid of him.
"You think the Super Bowl got rid of that chip for him? Don't think so."
Read the entire article: http://usat.ly/cqAhPI
