Chocolate contains antioxidants, which may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke and cancer. Sounds like a dream come true. Can it get any better?

Chocolate contains a large amount of flavonols, naturally occurring compounds found in plant-based foods that have health benefits. Flavonols may act as antioxidants, which are thought to help protect our cells from oxidation. A study published in 2008 by Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed evidence that regular consumption of flavonoid-containing foods like cocoa products can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Chocolate is made up of different types of fats derived from cocoa butter. Cocoa butter contains stearic acid, a saturated fat. Normally, saturated fats should be limited in the diet because they increase cholesterol levels in our blood, which may lead to atherosclerosis and heart disease. But research has found that stearic acid, although saturated, has more of a neutral effect on cholesterol levels.

Other studies suggest that flavonols in cocoa may also decrease platelet clotting in our blood, which may benefit cardiac health.

According to an article published this year in Current Pharmaceutical Design, there is a large body of evidence that dietary intake of flavonols, especially in cocoa, can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

There are studies that do not agree. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a study recently that found no benefits in neuropsychological function and cardiovascular health in older adults from eating chocolate. This was a short study, lasting only six weeks.

Not all chocolate is created equal. Dark chocolate with a high amount of cocoa offers the most benefit. The processing of chocolate can also greatly impact the flavonol content.

Chocolate is made from cocoa pods. The beans and pulp are removed and fermented, cleaned, roasted, shelled, measured for flavor and then ground. In these different stages, depending on the manufacturer’s goals, some or a lot of the flavonol contents may be destroyed. In the fermentation phase, the longer the beans are fermented, the more flavonols are lost. In the drying phase, additional flavonols can be lost. And the temperature and length of time the chocolate is roasted can significantly decrease the flavonol content.

Some manufacturing companies now try to preserve as many flavonols as possible in the processing of the chocolate because of their health benefits. Look for chocolate with the Cocoapro mark, which lets the consumer know that the flavonols have been preserved as much as possible.

A 2005 study by researchers with Agricultural Research Scientists found that natural cocoa powders contain the highest amounts of the antioxidant procyanidin, a specific kind of flavonol. Baking chocolates, which have less cocoa and 50 percent to 60 percent more fat, contain fewer procyanidins. The Dutch process of making chocolate using alkalinization was found to have far less procyanidin content. Milk chocolate has the least procyanidin, the least cocoa, and the most fat, milk and sugar. This study suggested that the chocolates with the most procyanidin were those with the most cocoa.

MYTHS ABOUT CHOCOLATE

1. Chocolate causes acne: Studies have shown that acne is related more to hormonal changes.

2. Chocolate is high in caffeine: Chocolate has the same amount of caffeine as decaffeinated coffee.

3. Chocolate makes kids hyper: Studies suggest that sugar does not cause hyperactivity.

4. Chocolate causes cavities: The fat content of chocolate coats the teeth and limits the contact time with sugar.

5. White chocolate is pure chocolate: White chocolate does not have any chocolate liquor in it. It is composed of cocoa butter, sugar and milk.

TYPES OF CHOCOLATE

Unsweetened Chocolate

· Chocolate liquor, bittersweet chocolate, baking chocolate and cooking chocolate

· Chocolate liquor is finely ground roasted cocoa nibs, which are the center of the cocoa bean, in a smooth, liquid state

· Pure form contains no added ingredients and is the basis for all other types of chocolate, except for white chocolate

Sweetened Dark Chocolate

· Bittersweet, semisweet and sweet chocolate

· The more chocolate liquor, at least 15 percent, the deeper the chocolate flavor

· Bittersweet contains at least 50 percent chocolate liquor

· Semisweet contains at least 35 percent chocolate liquor

Milk Chocolate

· Contains at least 10 percent chocolate liquor, 12 percent cocoa butter, sugar and cocoa butter

· Excellent for candy making, but less desirable for baking

White Chocolate

· Does not contain any chocolate liquor

· Contains a minimum of 20 percent cocoa butter, 55 percent sugar, 14 percent milk solids and flavorings

Cocoa Powder

· Cocoa solid results from pressing the cocoa butter out of chocolate liquor

· Natural cocoa powder: non-alkalized, stronger chocolate flavor

· Dutch cocoa powder: alkalized, a process that removes some of the beneficial phytochemicals but produces a darker color and lighter flavor. This process was devised in 1828 by Dutchman Coenraad Van Houten.

Chocolate Chips

· Contain less cocoa butter (26 percent to 29 percent) than the average chocolate bar

· For this reason, they should not be substituted for bar chocolate in recipes

Since chocolate is most often used in high-fat recipes, it may be wise to make low-fat substitutions:

· Use skim or 1 percent milk in place of whole milk

· Use low-fat sour cream or cream cheese

· Use two egg whites or 1/4 cup egg substitute for one egg

· Replace shortening, butter or margarine with canola oil, using 1/4 less

· Replace shortening, butter or margarine with applesauce, leaving at least 2 tablespoons of fat in recipe

· Replace shortening, butter or margarine with prune puree or apple butter, leaving 1/4 of fat in recipe

Does all this good news give us free rein to eat as much chocolate as we want to? No. Chocolate, in whatever form, still contains calories. In some of the studies cited above, the amount of chocolate eaten added up to about 500 calories. I don’t know about you, but I can’t afford to eat that many extra calories every day. That would add up to one pound of fat a week if you didn’t put in extra exercise to burn it off. So even though chocolate has a lot of positive benefits, and it may be my favorite food, it should be enjoyed in moderation.

My intention here is not to dive into the debate and provide you with an ideal solution that will solve all of the HOS queries and questions. That I cannot provide. However, our monthly columnist Mike Howe (“Driving Thru DC,” Page 54) has done a great job of analyzing the latest review of HOS. It is certainly worth 10 minutes or so out of your day to read his thoughts.

So how does one continue to adjust and re-adjust to such an important part of his or her livelihood? The tweaking and fine-tuning of the HOS regulations has been ongoing for as long as I can remember and probably a lot longer than that. There is no direct impact on my life due to HOS, however, my concern is for the several million CDL holders across the country who are directly affected.

Living your life in limbo and being unsure of what your future will hold as it is out of your hands is a tough deal to comprehend. Although there are a lot of regulations and laws that are out of our hands that we must abide by, the HOS just keeps me scratching my head. But what of the rest in our lives that we don’t step up and move forward with?

Waiting for somebody to make a decision that will affect you personally can drive a person batty. I recently tried to organize a trip for a group of friends and while I waited for confirmation – “Yes, we are coming … I think … no, wait …” – prices went up, people got frustrated, plans were changed and the whole thing turned out to be a mess.

Through this experience and the analysis of what it taught me, I concluded that I’ve also been guilty of leaving people in limbo and it just isn’t right. The little decisions I procrastinate, ignore or otherwise disregard as unimportant may not be the same in the eyes of those they will directly affect. It can be as simple as returning a message. Please read Claire B. Lang’s column this month (Page 65); it may drive you to return every message immediately.

The HOS debate will certainly affect more people than my planned trip or returning a phone call. However, it’s the small things that count as they quickly add up. I again throw out the challenge for you to make that phone call, sign that contract, make the decision or whatever it is you’ve left hanging out there. While it may not be as important to you, please show a little respect, as somebody’s life may be in limbo.

Those who support leasing of hunting rights point to the landowner’s right to make money from his or her land. While others say the deer belong to the people of the state and landowners should not charge for the privilege to hunt them.

The fact is, leasing of hunting or trespassing rights is becoming more common. Anti-leasing folks push for greater acquisition of public land to solve the problem of finding a place to hunt. However, this solution is difficult to bring to fruition. In many states east of the Mississippi River, the percentage of land in public ownership is considerably small.

Leasing of privately owned land is the solution for those who can afford it. Outfitters make up a large portion of the lessees, along with individuals and hunt clubs. There are several state game and fish agencies who have developed programs that facilitate access to private ground. One such program is called Access Illinois. It serves as somewhat of a match making service between private land owners and land users. In its infancy the program was under the direction of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Resident hunters opposed the program when non-resident hunters began participating in larger and larger numbers. Under pressure from resident hunters and some bowhunting organizations, the IDNR turned the program over to Resource Conservation and Development Councils, commonly called RC&Ds. The program has expanded to over 52 counties.

In the neighboring state of Indiana at least one private individual has started offering expanded hunting opportunities to those willing to pay for access to private land. According to Martin Brewster, owner of Highhouse Hunting Leases, "We strive to be the best land leasing service in the Midwest. We connect the land owner and the sportsman to the great outdoors. We offer quality hunting experiences without using a guide service or an outfitter. It’s cheaper for you to hunt with family and friends than paying an outfitter service."

Leasing hunters and landowners are working in partnership to develop a quality deer management program in an effort to improve the quality of the deer population in the area. They hope it means bigger trophy class whitetails for them and less headaches and less crop depredation for the landowner..

Back on Oct. 26, 2009, the FMCSA agreed to settlement terms with certain interest groups that force the FMCSA to review the current HOS rule and submit a notice of proposed rulemaking on the rule to the White House within nine months. That means the FMCSA has until the end of July to comply with the settlement. Then, it has up to 21 months to issue a final rule to replace the current one.

Some groups, like the American Trucking Association, question whether the rules need to be redeveloped. There is evidence that the current HOS rules have been working, and have decreased fatalities and injuries. Specifically, ATA cites that the number of truck-involved fatalities has decreased by 19 percent since the new HOS rules took effect, and the number of injuries has decreased by 13 percent since 2004.

But the evidence is lost on groups like Public Citizen and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, just to name a couple. So it is irrelevant that the current HOS rules are working because of the settlement.

The concern among the advocacy groups with the current HOS regulations is that drivers are behind the wheel far too long. Drivers can work longer hours than before, and the off-duty rest and recovery time was reduced from before. Some even suggest the current HOS regulations pit driver health against company profit.

Out of necessity, FMCSA’s new director, Anne Ferro, wasted little time in beginning her work on the issue. In January the FCMSA held three public “listening” sessions on HOS. The reality is that the listening sessions are nothing more than a recorded informal discussion. They are not “official” public comment periods, yet they can be important in setting the foundation for future actions.

Ferro said, “The public listening sessions will provide opportunities for a broad cross-section of stakeholders to present views, comments and relevant research on this forthcoming federal safety regulation proposal.”

Once the public listening sessions conclude, the FMCSA will review the comments made during these sessions and determine which direction they wish to go. What we do know is that they will have only six months to then submit a notice of proposed rulemaking on the rule to the White House.

There are some interest groups already positioning themselves for future litigation, regardless of the outcome of any new rule design. Daphne Izer, co-founder of Parents Against Tired Truckers, said in October 2009, “The bad news is that the Obama administration nominee to lead the federal agency responsible for issuing this new rule is a trucking industry lobbyist. This nomination puts the trucking industry in the driver’s seat and will detour any meaningful and overdue reforms.”

The result of the October 2009 settlement is that the HOS rules will be changed – there’s really no option. How much they change, though, is the real issue. The Obama administration will see pressure from groups that traditionally support those in the Democrat party, so it may be difficult to not make significant changes. Ferro will also be under extreme scrutiny on this issue because of her past in the trucking industry, so it will be interesting to see if or how she compensates for that.

It appears the little three-letter acronym “HOS” will continue to be synonymous with your more traditional four-letter words. It’s a complicated and highly controversial issue that, regardless of the science and evidence, is also encompassed by deep-seated emotions. Ferro has a difficult task as a result of the settlement, and the actions of the FMCSA on this will certainly have an impact on your wallet.

Keep an eye on the progress of this, and comment when and where appropriate. But, regardless of what happens this go-around, you can almost be certain the issue will come up again shortly after.

Recently, I got an e-mail from Benny, who was an over-the-road truck driver. I used to ride motorcycles with the guys at the local Harley-Davidson shop and Benny was part of the group. I had not heard from him in years. I copied his number down on my reporter’s pad with the intention of calling him. Weeks later, I got another e-mail from Benny. I was out of town covering the chase and planned to call him when I got back.

A few days later, I got this e-mail from the owner of a Harley-Davidson shop in New Jersey:

“Hello, my name is Barry. I am from Fair Lawn, N.J. I am huge NASCAR fan and [fan of] your program. I had to unfortunately attend the funeral of our dear friend Benny who passed away unexpectedly early this week. Benny used to talk about you regularly. … Please feel free to e-mail me back if you have any questions about his passing.”

I cried hard. I was looking forward to catching up with Benny — and now he is gone. Benny put in hard hours on the road, had a heart attack and never got home.

A few days later, I got an e-mail from a listener named Tom, also a truck driver:

“I have never done this before, but I am sending this message to every one of my contacts. I have reached a point in my life where I have to make some changes for myself or I will end up killing myself. I am going on a diet. I have never tried to diet before in my life. I now weigh 349 pounds. I need all of your help. I cannot survive much longer if I don’t make changes in my life to help myself. I would really appreciate it if you all would pray for me.”

I said a prayer for Tom, whom I did not know, and e-mailed him that my listeners and I would be there for whatever support he needed. He replied that he almost didn’t include me in the e-mail, since he didn’t know me, but was glad he did.

I talked about Tom and Benny on the air and the support calls poured in.

An IT specialist wrote that he was so busy fixing people’s IT communication issues that he failed to keep in touch with folks he cared about. He vowed to change.

This year, take better care of yourself on the road. Don’t let staying in touch with people be the last thing on your list. Reach out, because people you never expect to care do.

Be calm, be strong, be grateful, and if you intend to do something, do it now. Life is short.

Two truckers made me stop in my tracks and gave me the gift of hard lessons. Thanks, Benny and Tom.

I’m off to cover NASCAR but won’t

forget the lessons you taught me.

Many blessings to you all.

DOT regulations permit a driver to drive 11 hours in a 14-hour period during a 24-hour day. That leaves three hours for on-duty not driving, and 10 hours in the sleeper berth and/or off duty. That means: on-time deliveries, fueling, pre-trip and post-trip inspections, and delays in pick-up or delivery are required to happen in a 14-hour period. Anything outside of those parameters and there may be some consequences to face.

According to a report in Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, when considering digital logbooks there are good and bad points on each side of the issue.

On the positive side:

• Carrier and driver are accountable for following DOT regulations, ensuring that drivers get their off-duty and/or sleeper time while eliminating possible fines. Plus, a well-rested driver results in lower accident rates while making on-time deliveries.

• Allows carriers to track a driver and watch for problem drivers.

• Offers Internet connections so that a driver can stay in touch with loved ones.

• Offers ready access to weather reports.

• The “key capability” is eliminating illegal log entries.

On the negative side:

• Most drivers will resist the technology.

• Drivers are paid by the mile, not by the hour, affecting driver potential income.

• Drivers will still be pushed to run illegally to meet appointment demands, and to keep their jobs, resulting in fines on drivers and carriers.

• Drivers not getting enough rest may result in more accidents.

“I believe electronic logs are inevitable, and I think we need to anticipate how changing will affect operations,” says Bob Baylor, president of a Milan, Ind., trucking firm that recently installed some units in trucks. Baylor also expresses a lack of tolerance with electronic logs. “You end up running out of time and you’re five miles from your destination, but that may be 30 minutes or more. What’s a driver suppose to do?”

Whether digital logs are good or bad, the technology will be trial and error during the evolutionary process. Leniency will be essential from all of those involved – drivers, carriers and the DOT. Digital logbooks will be a major alteration and hopefully a positive step forward in the trucking industry. Whether they are mandated is still up in the air.

“She had a grin so big and so wide that it was laughable,” Smith recalls. “You could see all of a sudden she was beaming and ready for the women’s hockey world. It was ‘Here I come, so watch out.’ She never looked back. She’s always kept that grin.”

Flash forward to the present. Ruggiero, now 30 and a three-time Olympic medalist, is once again hitting the ice, competing this month with the U.S. Women’s Hockey Team in Vancouver for a medal in the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. The seasoned veteran is considered to be one of the greats in the history of women’s ice hockey. Her many awards and accomplishments set a high standard for future players.

In 2003, The Hockey News voted her the Best Female Hockey Player in the World. A year later, ESPN.com ranked her as one of the Top 16 Female Athletes in the World.

At the 1998 Olympic Games she and her team won gold. In the 2002 games, they scored a silver medal, and in 2006, a bronze. In addition, Ruggiero was tapped for the Top Defenseman Award at the Winter Olympics in 2002 and 2006. She received the same award for the 2001, 2004, 2005 and 2008 World Championships. The list goes on and on.

Ruggiero’s passion for ice hockey started at the age of 7 when her father signed her and her younger brother, Bill, up for the sport. Ruggiero’s sister also played for two years. “It was a good outlet for us to be together as a family,” she says.

It didn’t take her long to realize how much fun she was having on the ice. “It was super fast,” she says. “You are just gliding across the ice.”

What didn’t dawn on her was the fact that area youth ice hockey teams were dominated by boys who weren’t thrilled with the notion of having a girl on their team. Participating in the sport was often a struggle. “There were a lot of boys on other teams and parents saying ‘Get off the ice’ or not picking me,” she recalls. “You remember that kind of thing. That motivated me to work harder, not to give up.”

Ruggiero’s resolve is legendary. Smith, who coached her in the 1998, 2002 and 2006 Olympics, knew when he laid eyes on her in 1995 that “she was something special.”

“She’s well focused on the ice,” he says. “She’s an outstanding athlete, a physically imposing type of player. She’s hard nosed and very talented. She is one of the top two or three players in her sport at her position.”

Not daunted by the temporary obstacles, Ruggiero continued playing ice hockey throughout high school and college. During her senior year in high school at Choate Rosemary Hall, she was picked to be a member of the 1998 U.S. Olympic hockey team, which won a gold medal in Japan. It was the first women’s ice hockey game to be played in the Olympics. “I had the coolest senior year possible,” observes Ruggiero. “To have the opportunity to graduate with my class and represent America in the first-ever Olympics for women’s ice hockey and also be the youngest member of the team, I couldn’t have scripted it better.”

Ruggiero continued her winning streak at Harvard with a team medal in the 2002 Olympics. She also captured a number of major awards, including the 2004 NCAA Top VIII award as one of the top eight student-athletes in the NCAA and the 2004 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Trophy, awarded to the best college hockey player. As if that wasn’t enough, she graduated cum laude from the prestigious Ivy League school.

She admits she was intimidated by Harvard at first but quickly “fell in love” with the school and the people on her hockey team. “I thought it would be the perfect fit for me,” she says. “It was one of the best decisions of my life.”

Her brutal schedule forced her to become an expert at time management. “You have to learn to discipline yourself,” she says. “When I applied myself, I could get good grades and that allowed me to realize where my potential was.”

The year 2005 was a special one for her. She scored the tournament-winning goal at the Women’s World Ice Hockey Championship and played in a professional hockey game with her brother, giving her the distinction of being the first female non-goalie and the first brother-sister team to play in a North American men’s professional hockey game.

Her male teammates, she says, treated her like one of the guys. “At first they tried to see if I could hang with them but it quickly occurred to them that I could play hockey. It helped to have my brother out there. He’s a big supporter of mine and I am a big supporter of his. He’s the one that got the team to invite me down.”

Hockey is hockey, she adds. “It’s like training for the Olympics. You are not thinking you are female, just that you play hockey.”

Ruggiero’s determination is as strong as her physical and mental discipline when she steps on the ice. “You have to be fully in the moment,” she explains. “You are definitely not supposed to think about consequences. You have to work hard and use all the skills you have.”

An elite athlete like Ruggiero doesn’t think about the situation. She just responds. “The second you get into your own head and start thinking, you are defeating yourself as an athlete,” she says. “You have to just be there performing.”

Michele Amidon, USA Hockey’s director of women’s hockey and a former teammate of Ruggiero’s, sees her as “a force to reckon with on the ice.”

“Luckily she is on our side,” Amidon says with a laugh. “You don’t want to be on the end of one of Angela’s hits. She’s a very aggressive player on the ice. She is solid and sturdy.”

Off the ice is different. Ruggiero is extremely personable and open. “She can draw you in immediately,” Amidon says. “She’s easy to speak to and she’s not shy in front of the cameras.”

Fans of Season 6 of NBC’s “The Apprentice” saw that side of her when Ruggiero was a cast member on the spring 2007 show, not getting fired by “the Donald” until the 10th episode. She found the reality television experience tiring. “You can’t really prepare yourself for not sleeping,” she says. “I definitely had a good time. It was a grueling process but at the same time I was getting exposed to a lot of neat people.”

The show’s originator, Donald Trump, offered her a job after the season ended but Ruggiero politely declined. “I wasn’t ready,” she says. “I wanted to compete in one more Olympics.”

Amidon sees Ruggiero as an inspiration to the younger members of the Olympic hockey team. “The team itself is very young,” she explains. “A lot of kids are still in college or just out of college. Angela brings a lot of knowledge. She’s had to be a leader of this group. A lot of girls turn to her for advice on and off the ice.”

Ruggiero’s participation in ice hockey has boosted the visibility of the sport as have her off-the-ice activities. She has authored her autobiography, “Breaking the Ice,” and served as color analyst for CSTV. She is the former director of the New York Islanders’ Project Hope, an organization that provides “young Chinese athletes with access to educational opportunities,” and the founder and president of Angela Ruggiero Girls’ and Women’s Hockey School, which she started in 2003.“It’s a natural fit to be able to talk to young female athletes,” she says.

Currently, Ruggiero serves on the board of trustees of the Women’s Sports Foundation, founded by tennis great Billie Jean King, one of Ruggiero’s role models. “I am a benefactor of what the organization has done,” she says, explaining her commitment to the foundation. “I wanted to help the community and young girls get involved [with sports].”

Yolanda Jackson, the foundation’s senior director of athlete marketing and promotions, says Ruggiero brings her “deep love of sport, dedication and a sincere desire to help girls achieve” to the organization. “She has shown girls that they can do anything and surpass even the boys at times. She has been a leader for all those women athletes who have been denied access to proper facilities and the training it takes to be a champion. She’s a person who never gives up and who will always fight for what she believes in.”

On the ice, Ruggiero may appear fearless, but she acknowledges that everyone has some fears. The key is how you approach them and tackle them. “I will be done with hockey soon and am going to my second career and there are fears surrounding that,” she confides. “Am I going to be successful? Am I going to enjoy it? It’s a new adventure for me. I’m fearful of the unknown at times but it’s better to try than sit back and be comfortable.”

Jackson sees Ruggiero as much more than just a hockey player. “I have met and come to know many athletes in my day and Angela is among only a handful I would call a true role model.”

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Brees has earned his way to the top of the quarterback ranks. New Orleans Saints wide receiver Marques Colston would be one of the first to testify to Brees’ skill with the football. “Even if I am covered, he has the ability to throw me,” says Colston. “There’s never a play where I don’t think I’m going to get the ball.” Colston would know better than most, as Brees has connected with his wide receiver for more than 30 touchdowns from 285 receptions in his four-year career.

An analysis of Brees’ career shows for certain the 31-year-old has a lot of fight in him. From battling against the odds for positions to recovery from injury, Brees has shown on numerous occasions he does not give up easily. The courageous career of Brees combined with the enriched attitude of the New Orleans Saints has NFL fans turning in favor of the Louisiana team.

Before signing with the New Orleans Saints, Brees endured numerous hurdles during the first five years of his NFL career. This differed from a standout college career at Purdue University, where the star student held records in passing, completions and total offensive yards. Brees won numerous awards, including the Big Ten Football MVP (2000) and the Maxwell Award (2000), voted by members of the press for the best college football player for the year.

Brees also ranked twice in the top five votes for the Heisman Trophy, and in 2001 he led the Purdue Boilermakers in the Rose Bowl against the Washington Huskies. Although Purdue lost the game 34-24, it was an outstanding achievement for Brees and the Boilermakers as their participation in the game came after an absence of more than 30 years. Also on the team with Brees was future two-time Super Bowl offensive tackle Brandon Gorin.

Upon graduation from Purdue University with a degree in industrial management, Brees turned to the 2001 NFL draft looking to further his football career. The star-studded choices that year included quarterback Michael Vick, first-round pick No. 1 by Atlanta Falcons, and running back LaDainian Tomlinson, picked fifth overall by the San Diego Chargers.

Brees defied several critics who questioned his strength and size as a viable quarterback choice. He joined Tomlinson at the Chargers after the team selected him in the second round, first pick. His first season in the NFL was mostly spent on the sideline as backup to starting quarterback Doug Flutie. The Chargers signed Flutie from the Buffalo Bills. The San Diego team was looking to rebuild its offensive leadership after very poor seasons with college flop Ryan Leaf as the starting quarterback. Although their 2001 season finished with a 5-11 win-loss record, the Chargers had bettered their record from 1-15 from the previous season and were hopeful of continued improvement in their future.

The 2002 season would be Brees’ first in the NFL spotlight. Impressive performances during the pre-season would win him the starting quarterback position over Flutie. With Brees at the helm, the Chargers were steered to their first season without a losing record since 1999, with an 8-8 record. Their victories included a 27-21 win over the AFC champions for the season, the Oakland Raiders. Brees finished the season with average results, a 76.9 passing rating, throwing for a total of 3,284 yards and just 17 touchdowns.

Brees’ season did not impress and the seesawing quarterback position at the Chargers fell back to Flutie for 2003. An injury to Flutie put Brees back into control, however, more obstacles faced Brees’ desire to secure the starting position when the Chargers signed impressive North Carolina State University slinger Phillip Rivers in the 2004 NFL draft. Brees equaled the challenge and posted a stellar 2004 season with a rating of 104.8, including 27 touchdowns and just seven interceptions for the season. The Chargers finished the season with 12 wins and four losses and the AFC West title. Brees won the NFL comeback player of the year award and his success would sideline Rivers as backup quarterback for the 2005 season and cement Brees’ position as starting quarterback.

An injury to Brees’ shoulder in the final game of the 2005 season put doubt in the minds of the Chargers management which led to contract disputes. Brees, with belief in his ability and recovery, sought to move teams and was welcomed with open arms at the New Orleans Saints.

The Saints had faced their own massive stumbling blocks during preparations for the 2005 season when disaster hit in August of that year. Hurricane Katrina had crept its way from the Bahamas to New Orleans, sending the city scrambling as it prepared for its arrival. The devastating effects all but destroyed the city and questions on the possible rebuilding of New Orleans started to rise. Damage was estimated in the billions of dollars, and more than 1,000 residents lost their lives. The city known for its jazz music, Mardi Gras and, of course, the Saints faced multiple hurdles on the road to restructure.

The Saints had prepared for a promising 2005 season coming from consecutive winning seasons the previous two years. After Katrina hit, their season was immediately rescheduled to the Louisiana Superdome, the Saints’ home field.

The Superdome was used as a shelter for those evacuating their homes as Hurricane Katrina approached the Louisiana coastline. Approximately 20,000 refugees crammed into the facility, which became a temporary home for those seeking shelter. The Superdome also received extensive damage from the hurricane, requiring renovations costing more than $300 million.

The New Orleans Saints restructured their 2005 season with their first scheduled home game, a loss to the New York Giants (27-10), being played at Giants Stadium. The remaining season’s home games were played in San Antonia, Texas, or Baton Rouge, La. The season was not successful for the Saints. When the season ended with a 3-13 win-loss record, head coach Jim Haslett was removed from his position and struggling quarterback Aaron Brooks was not re-signed for the following season.

Joining Brees at the Saints for the 2006 season was new head coach Sean Payton. The team had also acquired star running back and Heisman trophy recipient Reggie Bush as well as future Pro Bowler offensive guard Jahri Evans, bringing even more strength to the Saints.

The effort to turn around their previous season’s poor results saw immediate success. As well as returning to the renovated Superdome, the Saints recorded a 10-6 season, winning the NFC South title and making the NFL playoffs. “A lot of us you might call castoffs or castaways a little bit because we were either traded here or got here because we didn’t have too many other options,” Brees commented in an interview on the restructure of the Saints. “We were able to do that [turn things around post-Katrina] as an organization, as a team, all of us individually, as a city and all kind of rebuilding together and all kind of learning together.”

Brees made an impressive season debut with New Orleans and continued improving over the next two seasons. His 2008 season would be his best in the NFL, passing for 5,062 yards, only the second player in NFL history to pass for more than 5,000 yards in a season, and finishing just 15 yards shy of Dan Marion’s record of total passing yards in one season. Brees was also named NFL Offensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press.

Coach Payton commented recently on the team’s growth and success during his four years at the helm. “I think you’re always hoping to bat a decent percentage,” said Payton. “You’re never going to be perfect, but slowly, outside of even the first-round picks, the high-profile free agents, it’s just trying to find football players like a Mike Bell or a Pierre Thomas or a Darren Sharper. We can go on and on about your later round selections, Jahri Evans, Carl Nicks, the acquisitions of our linebackers that first year, bringing in Scott Fujita and [Scott] Shanle, [Jonathan] Vilma. It’s a slow process. I think our scouting department of Ryan Pace and his group have done a great job of gathering the information and having strong opinions about the players they like. … That vision is clear in what we’re looking for. There’s a number of people that go into those decisions and it’s been positive.”

Payton also has plenty of compliments for his quarterback. Brees “makes good decisions. I think the one thing that you get with this player is he’s so thorough in his work week and how he approaches a game. His ability to decide and deliver is fast. When you have that, you end up taking less sacks. He’s very accurate with the football and he does a good job in the pocket avoiding to prolong a play and most often avoiding the (bad) throw. I think sometimes people confuse his height with athleticism. He’s an extremely gifted athlete and all that rubs off on his peers. [It] certainly rubs off on us as coaches. His work week is amazing.”

During the 2009 season, Brees continued on his successful route, as did the New Orleans Saints. The Saints finished the regular season with a 13-3 win-loss record, winning the NFC South title. Brees showed his maturity and leadership matches any top quarterback in the NFL, claiming notable admiration from not only his team but some of the game’s top coaches.

Atlanta Falcons head coach Mike Smith commented on Brees and the Saints prior to the two teams meeting during the season. “[The New Orleans Saints have] got a lot of weapons and it starts with Drew,” commented Smith. “Drew’s throwing the ball so effectively, he’s in such a good rhythm with all of his wide receivers. To see some of the throws that they’ve been able to make this season is unbelievable. He’s the guy that directs that offense, but they have so many weapons, not only at the receiving position, meaning the tight end and the wide receivers, but their running game has been very good.”

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick also commented on Brees and his recent success during the past seasons. “He’s a great football player,” Belichick said. “He’s done a tremendous job down there for New Orleans. The last three years, he has more attempts, completions, touchdowns, more yardage than anybody else in football, so I don’t think there’s too many people you can put ahead of him. He’s done an awful lot and he’s won a lot of games. He’s a top quality quarterback.”

The battling spirit of the New Orleans Saints and Brees has earned them the respect of the NFL community. And fans of the team have acknowledged the team’s success and that of Brees. “Brees-us” signs and T-shirts have started to appear at home games and while Brees’ modesty does not allow him to be the savior at New Orleans, he is ready to do all he can to bring the fans the holy grail. “It’s a little sacrilegious,” Brees commented on the sign in a recent interview. “I guess that might be a little far – going a little far. Just the fact that it’s a sign of affection and that people respect you and maybe what you stand for – so in that case, it’s an honor for people to think that way about you.”

These and numerous other similar actions by fans during home games are recognized by Brees and his teammates as signs of support for the success the team brought to the embattled city. “The connection that we have with our fans is unlike any other in the league, just because of what’s happened here the last five years and what we’ve all been through together,” commented Brees on the support of Saints’ fans. “I don’t know how many guys, but there’s quite a few guys that were here during the Katrina year that got displaced to San Antonio and were playing home games all over the place. I signed here six months later post-Katrina as a free agent, as did a majority of the guys in the locker room, and we all kind of were part of that rebuilding, not only of this organization, but for a lot of us, our careers.”

As Brees wraps up another NFL year, this season many heads have turned in his direction. The turnaround for the Saints and Brees has been remarkable and football may yet have more to enjoy for the surging Saints. “I’m a firm believer everything happens for a reason,” says Brees. “Sometimes you have to go through that adversity and have it happen to you, some of that heartbreak, in order for you to gain that edge and that mental toughness in order to allow you that opportunity of what [the New Orleans Saints] are doing this year.”

When Disney’s Up debuted in 3D, it rose to the top of the box office, garnering $68.2 million in sales during the debut weekend. Pixar’s first 3D film, Up, beat Monsters vs. Aliens as the topmost 3D blockbuster ever. The latter garnered $35 million when it debuted in March 2009. In fact, Up had the third best opening for a Pixar film (this includes 2D films as well), following the heels of the $70m debuts of Finding Nemo and The Incredibles.

3D movies are a relatively old concept. This format of moviemaking has been around for more than fifty years, especially in the amusement parks and museum spaces. Surely you’ve seen IMAX 3D movies as a kid at Disney World or watched a museum documentary in 3D? It seems natural that this concept be applied to mainstream movies.

Beginnings

In the late 1890s, the British film pioneer William Frisee-Greene had filed a patent for the process of filming a movie in 3D. The first three-dimensional film to debut to a paying audience was “The Power of Love,” which came out as early as 1922.

Production and development of these films were hindered by the two World Wars, and the “golden age” of 3D did not come to fruition until the 1950s. But although there were quite a few movies produced during this decade, the technology was painful and time consuming and often very “hard on the eyes.” You see, the older 3D movies used a technology called “anaglyph” technology where two prints had to be printed simultaneously and had to be in perfect synchronization at all times; otherwise the picture would be blurred and often unwatchable. Sometimes, it would even require two projectors to make sure the dual prints worked in sync. Given the tediousness with which the entire technology played out, it’s no surprise that the “golden age” of 3D was fairly short lived.

A minor revival ensued in the 1960s but it wasn’t until Sept. 2003 when the world’s first 3D exposition was held to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the original craze that 3D really began to blaze a trend again.

That same year, James Cameron’s “Ghosts of the Abyss” was released as the first full-length 3D IMAX film with a new technology called the Reality Camera System. The first full-length animated 3D film was “The Polar Express” in November 2004. Although the story line was received in lukewarm fashion, the 3D version ended up earning 14 times per screen than the 2D version.

3D Fever in the 21st Century

“Not every movie belongs in 3D,” says Greg Foster, president of Imax Filmed Entertainment. “Movie theater owners charge a premium for this, of course. 3D was typically in documentary films and amusement parks but now the tech tools to produce them for movie theaters currently exist. Sure, they used to look great but it wasn’t really easy to get there.”

The way you film a 3D scene is by using dual cameras. These are typically positioned side by side, facing each other and filming at a 90-degree angle. This process typically involves mirrors, and needs to be perfectly synchronized. The optical “illusion” generated by the human eye will interpret the pair of images as a singled three-dimensional image – one with depth.

During the recent few years, 3D seems to have exploded on the screen. There isn’t a new release of a blockbuster film that comes out without some sort of 3D version: “Transformers 2,” “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince,” “Star Trek,”“ My Bloody Valentine.” Now remember, there are 2D versions of these films as well, but the 3D version has became a cash cow for several production houses. In 2010 we can expect to see “Shrek Goes Fourth” (the fourth sequel to the popular “Shrek” in 3D); and “Puss in Boots,” which is a spin-off of the “Shrek” series – both in 3D. Jeffrey Katzenberg, who heads Dreamworks Animation, says that all animated movies released by Dreamworks after 2009 will be in 3D.

Foster credits IMAX’s success in the 3D realm to a rigorous selection process and balance. “We are very careful not to make too many of ‘one of a kind’ movies in a row,” he says. “It’s about balanced programming. Ultimately, does the movie take you somewhere where you dream about going to but will probably never get to? Those are the types of movies we choose to feature in 3D IMAX.”

Films like “Night at the Museum 2,” “Harry Potter,” “Star Trek” are all examples of what Foster calls the “best fruit” from the cherry farm of blockbuster movies.

The Challenges Ahead

But Christopher Sharrett, professor of communication and film studies at Seton Hall University, says that we are currently in the realm of “3D exploitation.” “It is a bit ridiculous to suggest that 3D will replace 2D in the near future,” he says. “Most 3D films don’t really have a decent story line; it’s more a tendency to give viewers a spectacle. It pushes customers and young people to go out.”

Sharrett does not think that 3D will become a dominant filmmaking format in the future. “It’s too niche and too gimmicky,” he says. He has yet to see a “credible” 3D movie being made – one with depth and a good human story. How many Oscar ‘Best Picture’ awards have gone to a 3D film?” he asks.

Phil Lelyveld, brand manager at the Consumer 3D Experience Lab at the University of Southern California, is on the side of the 3D boom. “3D will really be accepted when it becomes part of the dramatic process,” he says. “There are live action movies in the pipeline (of the big production companies). Thirty-four movies are on the schedule to be released in 2010 and a number of them are going to be live action. It will become part of dramatic story line and won’t look like a gimmick. My point here is that we’re in the early stages and are moving towards it being more mainstream.”

What We Can Expect to See on the Horizon

The industry is working overtime to make the transition of 3D into home theater. While you can do that right now with some movies (really nothing on Netflix, we checked!), getting your hands on a DVD that has a terrific 3D quality with polarized glasses is not yet on the market. But it will be soon.

“3D can work perfectly well on a laptop and iPhone,” says Lelyveld. “In fact, companies are developing content for laptop viewing. The question is really how will the content develop and what will market acceptance be like. There are obstacles to be overcome.”

You can expect to see more 3D enabled video games, and a higher quality of Blu-ray enabled 3D experience. But before you can go and buy a 3D enabled TV (Japan is light years ahead in that aspect … they already have this one down), America has to come to an agreement regarding the standard for 3D glasses. Currently there are three formats: the anaglyph (the very basic style of 3D glasses); polarized (the version that you use in most theaters today); and shutter glasses (the left eye and right blink on and off, triggered by signs from the screen).

Once the industry finally settles this question, chances are that your local Best Buy or P.C. Richards will be flooded with the next generation 3D TV set, complete with 3D glasses.

“The big obstacle is to have consumer electronics and content delivery to have the same standard and to work in a way consumers are willing to pay,” says Lelyveld. Japan already has 3D TV sets on the market and several 3D channels. America can expect to see some solid innovation in the home theater division within the next two years; but the current economy is also not the best time for new TV sales.

But Lelyveld is enthusiastic about the progress that’s already been made. “We’ve already had sports networks discuss with us how they will be shooting in 3D when they broadcast.” A special 3D episode of the animated tongue-in-cheek secret agent series, “Chuck,” was shown during the last Super Bowl by NBC. “Monsters vs. Aliens” had a 3D 90-second preview during the Super Bowl as well. Both these shorts needed special 3D polarized glasses (there were opportunities to get them for free through some special Super Bowl promos).

The point is that network providers have not only begun thinking and talking about 3D for your TV, they’ve started to produce content as well. Lelyveld understands the need for 3D to be integrated into the story telling aspect of the film so as to not be “gimmicky.”

There’s no doubt that we will see “glasses-free 3D” at some point, but we’re not there yet. That technology is now reserved for public spaces, bars and shopping malls where something just catches your eye in 3D as you walk by.

We’re definitely on the verge of new and exciting innovations in 3D but it will be interesting to see if it takes off in the realm of “credible” story telling. Will a film ever be good enough in 3D to win “Best Picture” at the Oscars?

Only time will tell but in the meantime, it’s a safe bet to say that the gimmicks have won America’s heart.