Jackson Free Press

The seemingly never ending story is over. ESPN's NFL reporter Chris Mortensen is reporting Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints have reached a deal before the July 16 3p.m. deadline.

Mortensen reports the deal is five years worth $100 million. First year is worth $40 million and Brees will earn $61 million in first three years of the deal with $60 million being guaranteed.

The $60 million guaranteed to Brees is the largest guarantee in NFL history. Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio also has confirmed the numbers, adding that there are $22 million more in “rolling” guarantees as the contract unfolds.

Finally, one of the Saints offseason sagas is over. Now if that pesky "Bounty Gate" will ever end.

More details on the Brees deal:

Drew Brees becomes the NFL's first $20 million man.

Now that the new deal is in place, Brees' cap number will drop next season from $16.37 million to $10.4 million. The cap number for the record setting quarterback will be $17.4 million (2013), $18.4 million (2014), $26.4 million (2015), $27.4 million (2016).

It is important to note that in 2015 the new TV deal kicks in which is why the number jumps so high from 2014. Another important detail, although highly unlikely, on the third day of the wavier wire (normally the third day after the Super Bowl) in 2015 and 2016, Brees will be guaranteed more than half his $19 million base salary (2015) and again more than half his $20 million base salary (2016).

The unlikely part is the Saints must cut the quarterback before the third day of the waiver wire or the club is on the hook for the full guaranteed money. This would allow Brees more time to find a new team if the Saints decide to cut him. Again, highly unlikely as long as the quarterback is playing at a high level but if it does, Brees would hit the market before free agency begins in 2015 or 2016.

Brees will receive a $37 million signing bonus (paid out over the next six months) and a base salary of $3 million this season (2012). Because of the new deal, New Orleans gains $6 million in salary cap space for this season.

The team also announced that Drew will available in a press conference on July 24 at Saints Camp in Metairie. The time is to be determined.

Kobe Bryant was asked this week if he thought this current USA Men's Basketball team was better than the 1992 Dream Team. Bryant gave his thoughts to the question:

"Well, just from a basketball standpoint, they obviously have a lot more size than we do — you know, with [David] Robinson and [Patrick] Ewing and [Karl] Malone and those guys," Bryant said. "But they were also — some of those wing players — were also a lot older, at kind of the end of their careers. We have just a bunch of young racehorses, guys that are eager to compete."

"So I don't know," Bryant continued, the trace of a smile beginning to play its way across his face. "It'd be a tough one, but I think we'd pull it out."

Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley were quick to stand up for the '92 squad, saying their Olympic team would have beaten this current team. Both were members of the one of the best basketball teams ever assembled.

The great thing about sports is debating ideas or topics we will never know the answer too. Kobe's comments does lead to a great debate.

Could any member of the '92 squad have guarded LeBron James? In like token, could any member of this squad guard Jordan?

Would Magic Johnson and Larry Bird hold up against a squad more talented than any they faced on the way to gold medal in 1992? Could this current team handle the size and skill of two centers like Patrick Ewing and David Robinson?

Here is the roster for the '92 team:

Michael Jordan

Scottie Pippen

Larry Bird

Magic Johnson

Charles Barkley

David Robinson

Patrick Ewing

John Stockton

Karl Malone

Chris Mullin

Clyde Drexler

Christian Laettner

The current squad is made up of:

LeBron James

Russel Westbrook

Kevin Durant

Kobe Bryant

Carmelo Anthony

Kevin Love

Chris Paul

James Harden

Andre Iguodala

Deron Williams

Tyson Chandler

Blake Griffin* (Griffin injured his knee and could be replaced by Anthony Davis)

I have watched players from both teams play and both teams have talented players. Still, there is no question in my mind, the original Dream Team would beat the current one.

No player on the current squad had the drive to win like Jordan, Magic and Bird. The '92 team was made up of 11 future Hall of Famers.

The biggest reason the '92 squad would win is because of Jordan. No one, and I mean no one, closes a game like he did and willed his teams to victory in his prime.

Let the debate begin! Who do you think would win between these two talented rosters?