Brees sings during seventh-inning stretch

By Keith Thomas
Summer Editor

Purdue quarterback Drew Brees is used to performing under pressure in front of thousands of people — usually on a football field rather than in a baseball park and the applause he is accustomed to hearing from Ross-Ade fans is because of his passing, not his singing.

Brees teamed with Hall of Fame quarterback Roger Staubach Wednesday to sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" during the seventh-inning stretch at the Chicago Cubs game at Wrigley Field.

Brees was scheduled to sing the song at Thursday’s game but had a scheduling conflict and had to back out. However, he did attend Wednesday’s game, where he met Staubach, the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback who was scheduled to lead Cubs fans in the song made famous by the late Chicago broadcaster Harry Caray. Once Brees and Staubach met, the five-time NFC passing leader asked Brees to sing with him.

Brees, who was shocked that Staubach wanted his assistance, said yes without hesitation.

"I didn’t know if he was just asking me to include me," said Brees. "But Staubach was all excited about it, saying stuff like ‘yeah, it’s going to be the old and the new’ and he was hyped up about it."

Brees said Staubach wasn’t as hyped when it was almost time to sing. Staubach was nervous.

"His friends were saying, ‘you saved him; he was looking for some backup and you helped him out,’" Brees said.

Staubach wasn’t the only one who was nervous, according to the Heisman Trophy candidate.

"When you’re out there on the football field, you’re confident you can throw the football, but we weren’t necessarily confident that we could sing.

"So, yeah, I was a little nervous."

Jake Nott, the starting quarterback at Wabash College who was at the game with Brees, said the Purdue quarterback was nervous enough that he required some rehearsal in preparing for the song — which was sung in the broadcast booth along side analysts Steve Stone and Chip Caray, Harry’s grandson.

Nott said he had to continually remind the Austin, Tex., native to say "root, root, root for the Cubbies," which is the Wrigley Field tradition, rather than using the original words, "home team."

Nervous or not, the Texas quarterback duo sang and received a lot of cheers from the Wrigley Field faithful, according to Jose Rios, Chicago’s special events and entertainment coordinator.

"We think it was great," said Rios. "They really pulled it off."

Rios may have been the third nervous party for Wednesday’s rendition as the joint singing was a last minute thing and this was the first time the song has ever been sung at Wrigley as a college/professional duet.

"They did fairly well," said a relieved Rios.

Brees is becoming a nationally recognized sports figure and according to Knot, his appearance at the Cubs game was no exception.

"When Drew and Roger were walking along the mezzanine, you could hear people saying, ‘go Roger’ and then hear some saying, ‘go Boilers; get ’em Brees,’" said Nott. "It was a really great reception."

Brees said, however, that there were some Illinois fans in the crowd shouting, "you can’t beat the Illini," but that just made him laugh.

Nott said Brees, whose face is consumed with a smile talking about the experience, handled the whole production like a pro.

"I gave him a little grief because he had a big smile on and was doing some fist pumping," said Nott.

Brees said this was one of the most enjoyable experiences of his life. "What made it so great, was that we went there just expecting to watch the Cubs game," said Brees, who was visiting the ivy-covered ballpark for the first time and witnessed a ninth inning comeback win by the Cubs, a 5-4 victory over Philadelphia.

"And, we got a lot more than that — not only just to watch the game from good seats, which were seven rows behind home plate; not only that, but we got to meet Roger Staubach; not only that, but we got to sit in his (luxury) box; and we got to sing during the seventh inning stretch; and Sammy Sosa hit a home run and the Cubs won the game in the ninth inning," he said. "You can’t ask for anything more than that."