NEW ORLEANS — One favorite son surpassed another here Monday night as Saints quarterback Drew Brees set the all-time mark for passing touchdowns at 541, breaking the prior record of 539 held by the legendary Peyton Manning, a native of New Orleans. As Brees’s Saints were putting a 34-7 beating on Manning’s former team, the Indianapolis Colts, the crowd was rocking and celebrating as only New Orleanians can.
That it happened on national Monday Night Football made it an even bigger occasion, as did the multiple other fun coincidences of time and place. Of course, Manning’s father, Archie Manning, played more than a decade for the Saints, and the Manning family remains beloved in the Crescent City. This was, therefore, not an “our guy beat your guy” kind of feeling. Brees will always be first in Big Easy hearts, and the ebullient fans let him know it, but there is also pride in Peyton.
That Brees and all the Mannings are among the NFL’s ultimate “class acts” adds even more to the joy. Their on-field leadership, their famous sportsmanship, and their near-legendary civic engagement are all models for children to emulate.
Meanwhile, New Orleans fans are known not just for enthusiasm but, usually, a generous spirit (except toward referees). In some other cities, visiting fans suffer aggressive abuse all game long. Here, though, visitors might be teased and jawed at good-naturedly, but we might just buy you a beer or a Sazerac cocktail if you accept your defeat with grace. Overheard from one Colts fan to another as they left with nine minutes remaining and the score 34-0: “I just hope when we get back to the hotel, we’ll find we’ve scored at least once.” To which came the reply: “By the time I get back to the hotel from the French Quarter, I don’t think I’ll care!”
It was more than 14 years ago now that Hurricane Katrina nearly washed away the whole city. Within three days, Peyton and brother Eli Manning arrived in Baton Rouge with a private jet full of supplies for New Orleans refugees. Just five months later, with the city still a wreck, Brees signed a free agent contract to join the team whose fans still didn’t have houses to return to. Now, Brees and Peyton are the two top touchdown passers in history, and Eli is seventh. Karma is good for good people.
