Score One For New Orleans
HOLMES: Saints, Colts -- everybody has their eye on the game this evening, but a lot of people are going to have their eyes on the commercials as well. There was always a big deal. There was a really big one last year you may remember, but you may have missed it if you blinked. It's the one-second Miller High Life ad. Get ready. Keep your eyes on the screen. There it is.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: High Life!</s>HOLMES: And that was it. It was a hit with the creativity. The guy in that ad and guy in all the Miller High Life ads you've been seeing is with us now, Windell. My man...</s>WINDELL MIDDLEBROOK, MILLER HIGH LIFE PITCH GUY: Hey.</s>HOLMES: Windell Middlebrooks, who got bumped for the president yesterday. We're supposed to talk to you yesterday. We didn't want to have to talk about beer on Sunday, but everybody is going to be drinking and stuff for the game, and I say, we might as well. Good to see you, again. How are you doing in Miami?</s>MIDDLEBROOKS: I'm good, man. Good to see you. Thank you all for having me back.</s>HOLMES: Now, can you believe what this turned into for you? You are the face of Miller High Life. Probably -- your mama probably never thought she raised you to be that. But, you're the face. This thing has really taken off. Did you ever imagine it would become what is it now?</s>MIDDLEBROOKS: Man, I'll tell you what, when we started with the first High Life commercial, we just, you know, we were getting the campaign started and we had no idea that we would start this common sense movement that we started. So, I'll tell you what, it has been a fun ride and we are enjoying every minute of it.</s>HOLMES: Now, how much do you enjoy the fact that it's so timely now? It seems like you've been doing it for a couple of years. I'm not exactly sure when it started, but it's been a couple of years, and now, with the tough turn in the economy, a lot of people suffering, your message -- I mean, through beer, really resonates.</s>MIDDLEBROOKS: Man, I'll tell you what, it -- like you said -- it is so important right now with everything that's going on in the economy. And, I mean, just everything in society in general, this could be -- I don't even know how to explain it, because, you know, it's something that we're very passionate about. This is so timely. You know, we have so many people that we got to come together and help, man, and bring up in this economy.</s>HOLMES: Now, a little bit about you here, just your background. A lot of people may not know what were you up to. I mean, you're in L.A. now, but just of what is your background.</s>MIDDLEBROOKS: I was out of school for a year and a half. I got a master's from U.C. Irvine in acting, I just graduated and been out of school about a year and a half and doing guest stars on TV and stuff when I went in for this High Life commercial. And so, that was around fall of '06. And so, that's when it kind of really just kicked off, because, you know, this has really opened many doors for me. And so, it has just turned into something -- it's just, man, I can't even explain in words.</s>HOLMES: Well, I want to get to the ad you all are doing this year. Again, you are sticking with the High Life theme essentially, of being every man's beer kind of a thing, that blue color beer, and you have the one-second commercial last year showing fiscal responsibility, if you will, not spending all that money on a 30- second ad. But this year...</s>MIDDLEBROOKS: Yes.</s>HOLMES: ... a longer ad but you're highlighting small businesses.</s>MIDDLEBROOKS: Yes. You know, we didn't need 30 seconds last year to tell our story. That's why you saw the one-second commercial, High Life. And guess what? We don't need 30 seconds this year, man, but I'll tell you, there are a lot of small businesses around the country that could use this to help them thrive. You know, and so, what -- being what the High Life is, we've decided that we're going to take our 30 seconds and give it to four small businesses around the country and introduce them to the world. And we got Loretta Pralines in New Orleans. You know, she made it through Katrina, has two locations. So, why not help her to take it to the next level? Del's Barber Shop in Escondido. I'll you one thing that really stood out about them is what they do. They are in a big military area.</s>HOLMES: Yes.</s>MIDDLEBROOKS: So, what they do, the last hair cut before deployment and the first one when they return for soldiers is free.</s>HOLMES: Very cool.</s>MIDDLEBROOKS: So, that's what the High Life is about. So, why not show the world that we have -- I mean, tons of people out there living the High Life and who believe that it's time that we make a difference.</s>HOLMES: You know, is it -- is it not amazing to you that a beer company was ahead of the curve in a lot of ways on this particular time, but you hear so many people now and it's other companies talking about getting back to basics, it's not about -- I mean, there are some insurance commercials talking about, it's not what we drive, but it's about the journey. I mean, just going back to that every man principle. Is it amazing that a beer commercial -- beer -- has -- was kind of ahead of the curve on this thing?</s>MIDDLEBROOKS: Well, you know what? What I think is amazing that everybody is surprised by that, but if you look at where MillerCoors started, man, High Life was the only brand when they started, back in 1903. You know what I mean? So, it wasn't the big company that it is now. And now, thank God for the success of it, but they started somewhere as a smaller business. So, that's why they understand what it's like to need the push or to help pull people along. And so, we were ahead of the curve with taking back the High Life, but now, we want to do something with it. You know, we're going to take on that responsibility. Now that we've taken it back and got people back to a common sense way of thinking, now let's see what the next step is. And what that is, is we're going to giving back.</s>HOLMES: Windell, that is -- it is amazing. Miller High Life. People are such a fan of those commercials. Congratulations to you and all the success that has come your way. But, really, it's a great thing and putting that common sense into peoples' heads. Are you a beer drinker even, in general?</s>MIDDLEBROOKS: I am beer drinker, man. I'll tell you what, that makes my job a lot of fun, living the high life.</s>HOLMES: Well, enjoy the high life down there in Miami. I know you've been there all week and have a good time. And they're shuffling you all around. So, Windell, good to see you. I hope to see you down the road.</s>MIDDLEBROOKS: Thank you, T.J. And good to see you all, too, man.</s>HOLMES: Thanks so much, man.</s>BALDWIN: What a great interview. Four seconds last year, and now, look at that -- beer ahead of the curve. And maybe, some people will jump onboard. I mean, good for the small businesses.</s>HOLMES: Awesome.</s>BALDWIN: They need their help.</s>HOLMES: Also, they're giving small businesses...</s>BALDWIN: What a platform, huh?</s>HOLMES: ... a Super Bowl platform that they could never afford on their own.</s>BALDWIN: Wow.</s>HOLMES: That's great.</s>BALDWIN: That's awesome.</s>HOLMES: That's great.</s>BALDWIN: So, anyway -- yes, so tonight, 6:35, kickoff for the big game, right? But a lot of people see it as you said before, and you said it perfectly, I thought. It's really sort of like Colts instead of versus Saints -- it's versus the City of New Orleans.</s>HOLMES: The entire city of New Orleans.</s>BALDWIN: Yes.</s>HOLMES: We're going to head down to Miami, because our Joe Carter is reporting down there for us. And he has a story about, again, just that point. It's not just Colt-Saints. If you are going against the Saints, you are going against the entire city of New Orleans.</s>DREW BREES, NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: I felt like coming here was a calling. I felt like it was my destiny. And when you're a Saint, you belong to New Orleans.</s>JOE CARTER, CNN SPORTS (voice-over): The sounds are different these days in New Orleans, the cries are gone and the cheers have returned, much different even from when Drew Brees signed with the Saints in 2006, just 197 days removed from one of the greatest tragedies in American history.</s>DREW BREES, NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: That was definitely a defining moment in my life. And one that's brought me to New Orleans with the sense that, you know, this is a calling for me. This is an opportunity that I have to not only come to a city and be part of the rebuilding of an organization but also the rebuilding of a city and a community and a region.</s>CARTER: When he signed with the Saints, Brees was coming off major shoulder surgery, his career at a crossroads. The Big Easy provided a chance to both the city and its quarterback to make a comeback, though it has to be big and certainly not easy.</s>BREES: At times, you know, God is going to put you in a position where you kind of wonder, why is this happening to me, or why is this happening us? And yet, you know that it's happening for a reason. You know it's there to make you stronger and to give you the opportunity to accomplish something later on, which, here we are.</s>CARTER: Through his Brees Dream Foundation, Drew has spent years working just as hard off the field as he has rebuilding the Saints on it. In a city familiar with voodoo, Brees has found a kindred spirit in his coach, Sean Payton, who's pumped life back into the team's fans and money back into the community.</s>SEAN PAYTON, SAINTS' HEAD COACH: I think all of us, as coaches and players, you know, have that responsibility to help, and certainly, in that city, at that time and that region, not just that city, it pulled on you.</s>CARTER: It pulled Brees and Payton to help places like George Washington Carver High School in the Upper Ninth Ward, where they were part of raising over $1 million to build a new sports complex in an area ravaged by the hurricane.</s>BRIAN BORDAINICK, ATHLETIC DIR., CARVER HIGH SCHOOL: The rebuilding process of the school into the community was certainly not on the job description, I'm sure, for those guys, but it's something that they've really embraced and are doing a great job at it.</s>JOHN DESHAZIER, WRITER, TIMES PICAYUNE 4: When you do that kind of think, you become part of the fabric immediately. You are saying, "Look, I don't just play here, I live here, I love here, I want to be here and I want to help make the situation better.</s>CARTER: Drew Brees told us earlier this week that when he enters Super Bowl XLIV tonight, he'll be carrying the hopes of an entire city on his shoulders. He said it's not a burden, but a responsibility he gladly accepts. And you can see that these guys, the connection between Brees and city, only a few short years, has already grown to be a great bond.</s>HOLMES: You know, amazing that he has taken on that responsibility. A lot of people say -- would say, you know, Drew, that's too heavy of a load. But he's taking it upon himself. I know you're supposed to be there in a neutral site for these two teams, but being there and getting a sense, are you going to see more blue in the stadium, or we're going to see more black and gold? And just around town in general, are you seeing more of who?</s>CARTER: Well, I don't know about the stadium. You know, when the game kicks off, you don't know really how many people are going to be on each side. But as far as the town goes, we were in South Beach yesterday, and I could tell you, I've seen more Saints fans than Colts fans. And, you can make it -- make of it what you will because, you know, New Orleans, of course, is closer than Indianapolis, and, of course, the Colts were in Super Bowl here in Miami just a few short years ago, in 2007. So, maybe some folks didn't want to make the trip twice -- guys.</s>HOLMES: Well, there's the point there as well, make the trip twice. All right. Joe, good to see you. We really appreciate you reporting for us and getting up early with us this morning. Thanks so much. And, again, enjoy the game.</s>CARTER: You bet.</s>BALDWIN: Well, coming up here in about half an hour, I'm just really excited to be a CNN viewer, because there will be a very lovely woman who will be hosting starting today, CNN "STATE OF THE UNION." It's no longer John King, it is veteran political reporter, correspondent Candy Crowley. And we will chat with her on the other side of this break, about what it's like making up so early on a Sunday morning and what she has going on for the "STATE OF THE UNION." That is next.