This weekend, the 47-year-old Brees enters the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, where his bronze bust will effectively become Exhibit A for the triumph of intangibles over measurables. “He was like A.I.,” said Payton, whom Brees selected as his presenter in Canton. Brees also worked obsessively on throwing mechanics — even hiring a personal throwing coach — and it showed in his accuracy and timing. Living by a maxim that equated failure with opportunity, Brees exhibited a knack for turning tribulation into triumph. “Had I gone to Texas, I would’ve handed the ball off to Ricky Williams; if I’d gone to A&M, I would’ve handed off to Dante Hall,” Brees said.