Three big differences between Fouts' comments and Brooks'. First, Fouts didn't put down any other QB in saying that he himself could be a Pro Bowl QB with some help. Second, he actually needed the help - unlike Brooks who is surrounded by Pro Bowl-quality players. Third, he never said he was a great QB when he wasn't playing like one, just that he thought he could be one.
There is another, major difference.I think Brooks has just about had it with the fans and situation down here. People who don't live down here and see all the stuff that goes on really don't have any idea how bad it has gotten.
Call me an apologist or whatever, but Brooks hasn't deserved nearly half the criticism he has received over the last three years. And I would imagine he's just sick and damn tired of having to listen to people blame him for every single little thing that goes wrong with his team. And I wouldn't fault him for that, because I get pretty aggravated about it too. I could only imagine what it must be like to not even walk into a restaurant or a Hornets game without some jackass booing you.
And for the people who wil say it's no different in any other NFL city, you're wrong. It's WAY different here. All you have to do is look at 38 years of complete futility to know that. You can criticize Brooks for his comments (and rightly so, in this particular instance), but you have to realize all of the circumstances that have led up to something like this.
I could go into all the sordid particulars of the situation down here, but the bottom line is, playing for the New Orleans Saints has a way of bringing out the worst in people.