Brad Edelman, who from 1982-1989 was an offensive guard for the Saints, today is a poetic genius as a commercial photographer with an office and studio in the French Quarter. He was a Pro Bowler in 1988 and a second team All-Pro.
The Saints were winning games and went to the playoffs when Edelman played. Coach Jim Mora and general manager Jim Finks had assembled a remarkable group of football players, starting with Morten Andersen. Hoby Brenner, Reuben Mayes, Sam Mills, Dave Waymer, Pat Swilling, Vaughn Johnson, Dalton Hilliard, Bobby Hebert and Edelman.
Bur professional football is a notoriously joint-shearing, disk-popping, nerve-numbing exercise as well as crashing into defensive linemen and linebackers. The wear and tear caught up with Edelman in 1989 and the constant pain in his spine forced him into retirement.
Edelman is 6-foot-5, 255 pounds and his dark hair has touches of gun smoke it it.
"The decision to end my NFL career was made for me because of injuries to my spine," said Brad. "I could no longer play the game."
The first years out of football are the hardest. The phone seldom rings. "There was an emotional letdown," recalled Edelman,. "though my retirement was mitigated to some degree by the physical facts of the matter.
"Then you there is the emotional letdown and the transition from living 17 years of your life as a football player to being idle. There's no more structure, no more preparing for training camps, season openers or making playoffs runs. It's wide open out there and each man must handle it his own way. It was a growth period for me and a time to look at life without football."
Edelman developed an interest in fine arts and photography as a youngster in St. Louis, his hometown. "During my 20s, in the midst of my pro football career, I purchased a Canon SLR camera, which I used as a hobby," said Edelman. "It wasn't until I moved from New Orleans to Los Angeles in 1998 that I rediscovered my passion for photography and began experimenting and learning the art. I found myself captivated with the artistic potential of photography and really got into both its creative and technical aspects I started photographing VeniceBeach locals, actors, entertainers and models. As time passed, I learned enough from reading, workshops and questioning helpful folk at camera stores and labs in Venice and Santa Monica. I discovered that it could be more than a creative passion and could become a profession. I was captivated and stuck with it."
In 2002, Brad returned to the French Quarter.
"Living in the Quarter is such a romantic, sensual, visual, historic, funky, stimulating place that I can't imagine living anywhere else," said Edelman. "But I am always interested in traveling throughout the country and the world to photograph my passions, yet, as a home base, New Orleans and the Quarter feed my soul. "The sense of community, the characters, the extraordinary cultural mix, the energy, the food, the music all make the Quarter a bastion of creativity and keeps me connected to a raw and soulful spirit that is not found anywhere else on this planet. It is my home."
His studio is the ground floor of a three-story historic building with renowned artist and friend George Dureau living and working upstairs. My space with 12-foot ceilings is used primarily as a creative photographic environment for my clients and for my personal projects..
What is in Edelman's future? "A book on New Orleans is in the works and other concepts in fine art and design are being contemplated," said Edelman. "My connection with the city inspires my photography. My fine arts portfolio is varied and includes a colorful series of abstract, textural pieces. For years I have been fascinated by the raw, decaying, ever-changing urban and rural landscapes that surround me. Each historic neighborhood tells its story through layers of paint, cracks, destruction and rebirth. The textures remind me of the passing of time on aging French Quarter buildings, rusty dumpsters in the Marigny, and layers of paint bleeding through paint on stained signs. The textures suggest something larger, perhaps the struggle between order and chaos.
"I've also found myself in recording studios, bars, and concert halls and next to local and international musicians including The Rebirth Brass Bands, Trombone Shorty, Dr. John, Irma Thomas and the Neville Brothers. I've documented the coming of and the passing of legendary musicians of our rich culture."
Brad grew up in Maryland Heights, Mo., a suburb of St. Louis, and was heavily recruited in high school by Michigan, Ohio State, Kansas, Colorado and Notre Dame, but wanted to stay close to his family and signed with Missouri where he became an All-American and a second-round selection in the NFL draft.
He took courses in advertising and public relations at the Missouri School of Journalism, one of the country's highest rated. "I wasn't sure what I wanted to do professionally after college, but my junior years I realized I had a future in professional football," said Edelman.
The Missouri Tigers went to four bowl games during his career with the Tigers and featured future NFL players Kellen Winslow, James Wilder, Eric Wright, Howard Richards and Johnny Poe (Saints). They played LSU in the Liberty Bowl. Former Saints running back Hokie Gajan played for LSU that season. Brad was named to the Missouri All-Century team and the Missouri Intercollegiate Hall of Fame.
He said the highlights of his Saints career were winning for 1987 West Division and advancing to the first playoff game in franchise history. Playing in the Pro Bowl memories and the camaraderie he developed live on with Edelman.
"I had blocking for backs like George Rogers, Earl Campbell, Reuben Mayes, Dalton Hilliard, Buford Jordan and Hokie Gajan," smiled Edelman. "I got to block for quarterbacks like Bobby Hebert, Richard Todd and the legendary Kenny Stabler. Unfortunately, I only got to experience huddles with Archie Manning for two weeks in my rookie season prior to his trade to Houston.
"My favorite coaches were Bum and Wade Phillips. I fit right in my rookie year as Missouri's offense was similar to the Saints' and the color were the same, black and gold. Bum was a player's coach and had created a fun, hard-working family atmosphere within the organization. I still recall his one-liners like when he told a sportswriter during my rookie training camp what he would do with George Rogers since he had failed to finish the team's 1.5-mile run in Vero Beach. Bum replied, 'Hell, I guess we won't use him on third and a mile and a half.' " Phillips traded for Campbell when one the game's best running backs was on the downside of his career. Bum defended the trade for Campbell with this: "Earl Campbell may not be in a class by himself. but whatever class he's in, it wouldn't take long to call roll."
"My other highs with the Saints were being embraced by the community," said Edelman. "Saints fans bleed black and gold and have always been intensely supportive of the team, and in 1982 I decided to make New Orleans my home."
"Who Dat?" became, in 1982, a rallying cheers for the team. Five Saints players: Edelman, John Hill, Louis Oubre, Reggie Lewis and Dave Waymer joined Aaron Neville and cut a record which incorporated the cheer into the classic "When the Saints Go Marching In." The song received tremendous airplay on area radio stations.
"I still sing at home although not frequently," said Brad. "I started the Brad Edelman Band back in 1990 and we played around town for a couple of years. Music has always been one of my passions and I stayed involved with it though my photography."
How was life as an offensive lineman in the NFL? "We are recognized more for when we make mistakes," said Edelman. "Fans hear, "Holding No. 63. That was my number. That is what the fans see and hear, not that we were rupturing a defensive line or protecting a franchise quarterback. Yet, offensive linemen are the foundation of the offensive attack Most I've known are extraordinarily tough, intelligent, team players with a true sense of reserved pride in their accomplishments, both as individuals and as a unit.
"Every down is a battle, both mentally and physically, when you're facing the likes of Howie Long, Keith Mallard, Lawrence Taylor, Mike Singletary, Randy White, Too Tall Jones and Dave Hampton. Complicated, shift defenses demand split-second decisions about blocking assignments and techniques, often, just as the ball is being snapped. Discipline is the key on and off the field. Most offensive linemen live fairly conservative lives during the 20-game season."
What's Edelman's take on the fall of the Saints this season? Psychology was a factor," said Brad. "Coming off a Cinderella 2006 year and tons of hype going into this season, the Saints were thrust into public consciousness as the team to beat. I dare say that the opening game against Indianapolis created some self doubt going forward. Add to the scenario the fact that when you are on top in the NFL you have no easy games. Teams spent considerable time in the offseason finding ways to beat the Saints. The newly formed 2006 Saints were an unknown entity throughout the league. This year their strengths and weaknesses were studied and exploited.
"Maintaining a winning franchise year after year was always a formidable challenge. However, free agency has created even more parity in the NFL and restructuring a team can result in growth or cause a team to wither on the vine. Certainly the draft is essential to a team's growth and given the sums invested in today's player, teams hope and need to experience rapid production from the draftees. The Saints didn't lose key players to free agency and this year's additions have not elevated the team's play. Losing Deuce McAllister early in the season forced the team to augment its offensive strategies and play calling.
"I have nothing but accolades for the Saints' offensive line and the coach, my former Saints teammate Doug Marrone. Given the injuries and he fact this group first played together at the beginning of last season, they have done a remarkable job."
Edelman earned a $60,000 salary as a second-round draft choice his rookie year with the Saints. He received deferred $100,000 signing bonus the first year and $75,000 and $90,000 bonuses the next two seasons.
Saints first-round draft choice Reggie Bush made $24 million last season. "I think it's great that Bush and others are making a lot of money and are capable of leading lavish lifestyles so long as they honor their commitments to their team and fans," said Brad. "I would dare say we would all negotiate for those sums were we afforded the opportunity. The trick is discipline and management of assets, people and distractions beyond the game. Careers are short and substantial injuries adversely affect players throughout their lives."
Edelman finished shooting next year's Mardi
Gras poster last week, which will soon be available throughout the French Quarter and onhis Website (www.edelmanphoto.com). "It's the second poster is a series, which was inititated early in 2007. Also, earlier this year, I was asked by Art4Now, the publisher of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and Congo Square posters, to license my photograph of Philip Frazier (tuba player for Rebirth Brass Band) as reference for the 2007 Congo Square poster painted by Terrance Osborne."
How is life after football? The first years out of football are the hardest. The telephone stops ringing. Suddenly, there is silence.
"The decision to end my career was made for me as I had sustained injuries to my spine," said Edelman "I could physically no longer play the game. I did experience a sense of loss as this phase of my life was over. There were the emotional letdowns although they were mitigated to some degree by the physical facts of the matter. There is, then, the transition from living 17 years of your life until the age of 30, on a disciplined, football season cycle. Then, suddenly, no more structure, no more preparing for training camp and season openers or playoff runs. For me, it was a huge growth period and time for exploration for me without football."
Today, Earl Campbell can't grip with his hands or bend his knees. He must be assisted to climb stairs becuase of the injuries he absorbed from years of playing football.
"I have pain today," said Brad. "You name it, it hurts. I have learned to live with the injuries by stretching, exercising, keeping toned and I'm active as possible. Most pro athletes experience some type of substantial injury during their careers, which are often felt even more the farther removed they are from the game."
One of Edelman's favorite photographs is of a subject he found on a dumpster on Royal Street in the French Quarter. He found a slash of red paint covering a rusty, orange surface, roughly the color of a Louisiana sunset. The image's transformation is beautiful and it titled "Rouge on Rust." the red paint covers a sign that once read "Manure Only."
