During Mardi Gras last year, the cacophony of spectators calling out for beaded necklaces along St. Charles Avenue suddenly evolved into rhythmic, orderly chants of M-V-P!
Drew Brees, wearing a tuxedo, beamed as he stood at the head of a float, tossing prized Carnival “throws” to the admiring crowd.
Brees was not the NFL’s MVP of that recently concluded season (it was San Diego running back LaDainian Tomlinson), but in New Orleans, fans wanted their quarterback to know what they thought only weeks after he’d led the Saints to their first NFC championship game appearance in franchise history.
Two seasons later, Brees very well may be on pace to become the actual MVP of his league, with more than a little help from a charismatic running back and punt returner whose exploits routinely inspire unified chants of “REG-GIE! REG-GIE!” in the Louisiana Superdome.
Brees, now in his eighth pro season, and Reggie Bush, in his third year, are simultaneously playing the best football of their careers, which makes the Saints’ offense extremely tough to stop.
Through six games, Brees has completed 71 percent of his passes for 1,993 yards and 12 touchdowns, putting him on pace to break Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino’s 1984 record of 5,084 yards passing in a single season.
“These first six games are probably the best stretch of six games I’ve played,” Brees said this week. “I just feel like with as much work and everything that we’ve put into this thing, it’s becoming automatic. And that’s when you know you’re getting somewhere and you know you’re kind of getting that level is when you’re not having to think about things anymore, it’s just happening.”
It would be one thing if Brees had all of the receiving threats at his disposal that he expected when the season began. He hasn’t, because Marques Colston, the team’s best receiver for the previous two seasons, tore ligaments in his thumb in Week 1 and missed the past five games. And former Pro Bowl tight end Jeremy Shockey (sports hernia) and veteran receiver David Patten (groin) each missed the past three games.
Carlos Alcaraz on Monday powered into the French Open second round with a resounding win to start his title defense, while world No. 1 Jannik Sinner and three-time defending women’s champion Iga Swiatek also progressed at Roland Garros. Four-time Grand Slam champion Alcaraz struck 31 winners in a 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Italian qualifier Giulio Zeppieri and is to face Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan in round two. Alcaraz is now on an eight-match winning streak at the French Open and also took Olympic silver at Roland Garros last year, losing the final to Novak Djokovic. “The first round is never
FRUSTRATION: Alcaraz made several unforced errors over four sets against Bosnian Damir Dzumhur, who had never made it past the third round in a major competition Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz reached the fourth round of the French Open after laboring past Damir Dzumhur 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in the Friday night session. The second-seeded Spaniard had never before played Dzumhur, a 33-year-old Bosnian who had never been past the third round at any major tournament. “I suffered quite a lot today,” Alcaraz said. “The first two sets was under control, then he started to play more deeply and more aggressively. It was really difficult for me.” Dzumhur hurt his left knee in a fall in the second round, and had treatment on Friday on his right leg during the
SSC Napoli coach Antonio Conte has dragged the team back from disaster and restored them to the top of Italian Serie A, but his future at the Scudetto winners is in doubt even after a triumphant season. The fiery 55-year-old has exceeded preseason expectations and bolstered his reputation as a serial winner by guiding Napoli to their fourth Scudetto, and second in three seasons. However, he might well be on his way in the summer after just one season at the helm as his charged relationship with Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis has simmered throughout the campaign. Conte has said
The horn sounded on Wednesday night to signal a third straight trip to the Stanley Cup Final, as the Florida Panthers celebrated merely by hopping over the boards and several heading over to congratulate goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. It was a subdued celebration seemingly more befitting a regular-season win for the reigning Cup champs. “I remember a few years ago, it felt like such an accomplishment from where we were at one point,” forward Matthew Tkachuk said, adding: “It’s all business and we’ve got a bigger goal in mind.” The Panthers closed out the Carolina Hurricanes in five games, with a 5-3 victory in
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