Something has been bothering me this season, acting as a buzzkill in what is turning out to be a very good season for the Saints. I'm sure I am not alone when I say I have been baffled and frustrated by Drew Brees' contract situation. It has been the 800 pound gorilla in the room. In a year when Brees breaks Dan Marino's single season passing yardage record, his own record for single season completion percentage, the record for most offensive points scored by a team in a single year, sets a career high in touchdowns, and now has more leverage over the Saints than any other player has ever had over an organization in NFL history, why in the hell was Brees' contract not extended after the '10 season?

After the 2010 season, he Saint's had just been bounced from the playoffs in arguably the biggest upset in NFL history. Brees set a career high for interceptions. They had to figure there would not be a better time to extend his contract. They had to know they had the most leverage they could possibly get after that miserable loss. They couldn't have been so stupid as to play hardball with the best QB the Saints have ever had, the XLIV MVP, a future Hall of Fame QB?!?! Now, they have to negotiate with the new single season passing yardage leader, after his best statistical year ever, possibly after winning ANOTHER Superbowl!!!! What the hell is the problem Mickey? Rita? You can't be that stupid...

Then it hit me. Mickey, you evil bastard. You evil, genius bastard. You were HOPING this would happen!!! You KNEW this would happen!!!! You were going to make Drew the highest paid player in the NFL anyway, so you had nothing to lose by playing hardball, and everything to gain! It's the only thing that makes a shred of sense. You know exactly what contract to beat (Manning/Brady) to be the best, and you don't have to go one dollar more. You'll make him the highest paid player. Period. It would be a P.R. nightmare for Brees to turn that contract down. You knew you would do it the whole time, but Brees didn't. It's f'n ballsy, and bloody brilliant. How the hell do you motivate Drew Brees, the King of New Orleans, the man who has everything, a man whose nickname rhymes with Jesus?? That's how. Well played sir. Well played.

At least, that better be what the hell your plan is, because anything less is asinine.