DRAFT DREW?
Jennie Rees of the Courier-Journal makes the case to bring Drew Brees, Super Bowl Champion and MVP for the New Orleans Saints, to Louisville for the Kentucky Derby. She rightly states that he would be a perfect grand marshall for the Kentucky Derby Festival’s Pegasus Parade and smart addition for the Barnstable Brown party.
Owning a piece of racehorse Daddy Forty Niner, Brees has proven himself a fan of the sport and would make headlines across the country for being so heavily involved in racing’s biggest day. It’s a strong play and the type of pop culture melding our industry desperately needs.
Read it at the Courier-Journal
Then come back to the Paulick Report and let us know what you think
Tags: Barnstable Brown, bradford cummings, Courier-Journal, Daddy Forty Niner, Drew Brees, Jennie Rees, kentucky derby, Louisville, New Orleans Saints, Paulick Report, Pegasus Parade, super bowl
March 4th, 2010 at 8:42 am
You gotta love Drew Brees but does racing need another celebrity that doesn’t know much about racing making comments that are then disseminated to the public as gospel.
We already have Bo Derek in California. Nice Lady but stop the insanity already.
Racing needs people with viable solutions not photo ops from celebrities.
March 4th, 2010 at 8:50 am
What about Tom Brady? I think he is a partner with Little Red Feather.
March 4th, 2010 at 9:25 am
aren’t most celebs that come to the Barbstable Brown/Derby stuff paid to appear. Kind of strange when you think about it.. Horses have to pay to start in the derby and celebs get paid to come to the derby
March 4th, 2010 at 10:11 am
There’s no downside to this idea. Drew Brees - owner, fan, sports hero - could be the perfect spokesman-promoter for a sport desperately in need of positive publicity.
Intelligent and articulate, he brings much more than the usual, boring, athlete-speak to interviews.
His presence and involvement would definitely lend racing some much-needed charisma and “cool”.
March 4th, 2010 at 10:37 am
We need Bill Gates.
March 4th, 2010 at 11:09 am
I hope Brady has more sense than that.
March 4th, 2010 at 11:11 am
Drew Brees would be an excellent choice. He’s been involved with Last Mango Racing Stables for at least three years, has an excellent trainer in Tom Amoss, an enthusiastic syndicate leader in Saints V.P. Greg Bensel and has been a fan of the sport from his San Diego/Del Mar days.
Why not?
March 4th, 2010 at 11:27 am
Jr,
Why what’s the word on Little Red Feather? At the 2009 TOBA new owners seminar LRF was a guess speaker.
March 4th, 2010 at 11:37 am
I’ve never known anybody to watch a horse race to see a celebrity or because a celebrity endorsed the sport. Even my teenagers leave the room to get snacks when the Kentucky Derby pre-race trots out the celebrities.
March 4th, 2010 at 12:08 pm
Ah, I see that the nattering nabobs of negativity that horse racing thrives upon are gathering to heap scorn upon anyone foolish enough to use an NFL star as a spokesperson (or whatever) for horse racing. Of course he shouldn’t appear or endorse anything, why, that might actually show people that even NFL types can have fun owning horses and participating in horse racing. Wouldn’t want word to get out that people enjoy this sport when we can expend a whole bunch of column inches complaining, backbiting and bitching about everything. This is a serious business that we are trying to kill.
Remind me, since I forgot, who are we supposed to hate today?
March 4th, 2010 at 12:10 pm
Having him as grand marshall for the festival would be perfectly fine. However the parade and the assorted weeklong festivities have zero impact with the actual racing or its profile on a national level. The KY Derby will continue to get its coverage in what’s left of the dying newspaper business and NBC is bound and determined to elevate racing this year.
Beyond ceremonial events I rarely see high profile athletes - or celebs - boosting the sport’s profile on a sustained basis. Not too many years ago Joe Pesci was seen at the track with his runner ‘Pesci’ and I doubt that drew too many extra curious fans. Connections with celebs will always continue, like Giacomo being named for Sting’s son, which does bump up some of the mainstream visibility but those types of stories cannot be manufactured.
One disappointment with NFL players (and other pro athletes) who own horses is that you would’ve hoped they’d speak up when racing gets disparaged by loudmouth sportscasters. Frankly having Drew call out some idiot behind a mic saying its not a sport would be the best boost our sport could receive.
March 4th, 2010 at 12:14 pm
Zoltar,
Very well said.
March 4th, 2010 at 12:19 pm
I’m with Zoltar. Brees is cool. Can’t you wet rags get some therapy for your problems?
March 4th, 2010 at 1:10 pm
I was so wrong in my previous post stating that people don’t watch horse racing for celebrities. I apologize for being such a nattering nabob of negativity but I’ve seen the light now.
The Kentucky Derby simply must have an NFL star or other celebrity to endorse it. It has such a low profile that nobody will watch otherwise. Now I realize the millions who tuned in last year were just a fluke. They’re all breathlessly awaiting the grand marshal announcement before they’ll commit to watch again this year.
Mr Brees, you are my hero. Please, please save the Kentucky Derby.
March 4th, 2010 at 2:18 pm
Mine That Bird would make the perfect grand marshall.
March 4th, 2010 at 6:10 pm
Zoltar, sorry you didn’t get the memo..Today we be hating Rosie O’Donnell..Carry on and Nanu Nanu.
March 4th, 2010 at 6:49 pm
Vic,
You are missing the point. What about the ad campaign “I wanna be like Mike”? I think anything that has a positive spin for our sport - well, my sport - should be used. People enjoy seeing celebrities. If there is a chance a celebrity or two might show up at the track maybe, just maybe they will attract a group of folks who have never attended the races. Hey if you have some ideas that can help the sport by all means let us know. We must stop the negativity from within in order to help the game.
March 5th, 2010 at 7:42 am
Drew Brees has been a breath of fresh air for all sports where athletes tend to get more ink for nightclub brawls and marital indiscretions. He happens to be one of the few pros who can actually be called a role model for today`s youth. I think it would be a wise move.