Showing posts with label football. Show all posts
Showing posts with label football. Show all posts
Monday, February 3, 2014
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Mike Lupica: Super Bowl 2018 in New Orleans a great idea for renewal of the city
The following comes from the Daily News site:
The Super Bowl has returned to New Orleans this week and it is an event, for now at least, that is the last act of a magnificent comeback by a truly great American city. New Orleans officially shows the country and the world that is all the way back now from Katrina, which did even worse here than Sandy did in Staten Island and Breezy Point and the Jersey Shore.
So the big game comes back here for the first time since 2002, since Adam Vinatieri kicked a field goal and beat the Rams for a kid named Tom Brady and the Patriots. But no Super Bowl game, not Patriots vs. Rams or even this game between the Ravens and 49ers on Sunday, can ever be the biggest game of football ever played in this city, because that will always be the one the Saints played — and won because of a blocked punt by a Saints player named Steve Gleason, now suffering from ALS — in September of 2006 after Katrina.
That was the night when a national television audience saw New Orleans get up.
“There will never be,” James Carville, the chairman of the host committee for this Super Bowl, was saying on Thursday, “a more important sports event than that in this city or in this state.”
Then James Carville, a New Orleans resident, said, “But this one we got comin’ up on Sunday ain’t bad.”
Ain’t bad, ain’t enough.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Super Bowl 2013 represents a journey for New Orleans:
The following comes from NOLA.com
The accolades for New Orleans started flowing as soon as Super Bowl visitors hit town this week. "Just arrived in N.O. NFL can hold the Super Bowl here every year ... No better big event city for sports," Rick Gosselin, a Dallas Morning News columnist, tweeted Sunday night.
Maria Elana Oliva and Rodolfo Oliva work together with others to fold a banner as workers at Crystal Clear Imaging work with oversized printers, making the huge banners and signage at their shop in Elmwood Jan. 29. The banners are going up around New Orleans for Super Bowl XLVII.
Bernie Miklasz, a sports columnist for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch who has covered the Super Bowl for three decades, said New Orleans is his top choice as host city. Ravens offensive tackle Michael Oher tweeted: "Man I have a special love for New Orleans!! I love coming here."
New Orleanians love this city ferociously, and it is a point of pride that so many people elsewhere feel a similar affection. This week, though, the compliments carry greater significance. After what the city and the region have gone through over the past seven years, it is a remarkable achievement to be hosting another Super Bowl.
As Ti Martin, whose Commander's Palace restaurant underwent a $6.5 million renovation post-Katrina, told FoxSports.com: "Every now and then when you've got your nose to the grindstone, and you're just working, working, working, you've got to stop and say, 'Look at what we did.' And this is going to be another one of those moments."
It should be one of those moments for everyone who has worked to bring this community back - every homeowner who returned, every business that reopened, every civic activist who demanded better schools and government, all the volunteers who gave of their time and energy to clean up and rebuild.
And specifically for this event, thank you to Saints owner Tom Benson, the NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell. Super Bowl XLVII is putting New Orleans on an international stage. For anyone who is unaware, the city's renaissance will be impossible to miss.
This moment was hardly a given. A few weeks after the Saints' triumphant return to the Superdome for the 2006 season, the NFL held its fall owners meeting in New Orleans. Commissioner Goodell started the meeting with a highlight video from the Saints' victory over the Atlanta Falcons in the renovated Dome. The video featured Steve Gleason's blocked punt, Coach Sean Payton's postgame speech, in which he dedicated the game ball to the people of New Orleans, and shots of emotional fans decked out in black and gold.
"It's hard to imagine where we were a year ago," Mr. Goodell told the owners that October day. "And to see where we are now, the progress that has been made is extraordinary." It was extraordinary given that 80 percent of the city was under water after Katrina hit and the levees broke in August 2005.
Not all of the owners were persuaded, though, that New Orleans was going to be a viable city for the long-term. Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney said, "The thing that has to be determined is the business (in the city). Is that going to come back?" There also were concerns about whether the Saints could consistently sell tickets, something that had been a problem in the past.
The doubts weren't without cause. There were still blue tarps on rooftops, still thousands of houses that had been gutted but not rebuilt. And we are still rebuilding and still bear some scars.
The difference between October 2006 and today, though, is dramatic. The Saints not only have been able to sell tickets, the Superdome is sold out every year and the team has a long waiting list. And the Black and Gold's 2009 Super Bowl season was nothing short of magical.
As for New Orleans, there are more restaurants open than ever, and the city just finished upgrades to the airport and opened a new spur on the streetcar line. In 2012, tourism officials said that the city received more than a dozen national accolades. It also was recognized for its brain gain and its entrepreneurial energy.
The Super Bowl is arguably the biggest of big events. New Orleans has for years been one of the NFL's favorite sites, as evidenced by the previous nine times the city was chosen to host the game. It has been more than a decade since the game was played here, though. And, given the trauma to our region since then, it seems like longer ago than that.
This week has been more than three years in the making. The host committee, led by co-chairs James Carville and Mary Matalin, have worked countless hours and lined up a dizzying array of events. Thousands of volunteers signed up to help make our guests this week feel welcome.
Good luck to the Ravens and to the 49ers. Have a great week and a super game. We know you've worked hard to get to this moment. And so have we.
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Friday, January 13, 2012
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Tim Tebow's Witness
The following come from the Christian Post:
Tim Tebow, the evangelical darling who uses football as a platform for ministry, has found a way around the NFL rule that bans writing on the eye black.
(Photo: AP Images / Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow (15) passes in front of Oakland Raiders defensive end Lamarr Houston (99) in the second quarter of an NFL football game in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, Dec. 19, 2010.
He was seen Sunday during the game between his Denver Broncos and the Houston Texans with a Bible verse written on his wrist band, usually used to store game plays. The verse appears to be Luke 2: 10-11, which says: “But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.’”
Tebow became famous as a quarterback for the University of Florida not only for his stellar football skills but also for the unusual practice of writing a Bible verse on his eye black during every game. As the son of missionaries to the Philippines, Tebow said he views his time on the field as a platform to minister to boys and girls who look up to football players.
“In the national championship game, the verses I wore underneath my eyes, within the next two days, 94 million people had googled that,” said Tebow during a Southeastern Conference press conference in July 2009.
“When I heard that you’re like ‘wow.’ The impact that you have is incredible. And it’s truly a blessing,” he said.
The NFL prohibits players from marking their uniform, which includes the eye black, so Tebow had to figure another way to direct fans’ attention to the Bible upon entering the professional level.
He figured that out Sunday and also had a breathtaking game where he led the Broncos to a 17-0 second half comeback including two fourth quarter touchdowns. The Broncos won the Texans 24-23 in the post-Christmas game.
Tebow’s acclaim includes being the first college sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy and the first college football player to both rush and pass for 20 touchdowns in a season.
Hat tip to the Deacon's Bench!
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Saturday, September 11, 2010
The Faith of the New Orleans Saints
The following comes from the National Catholic Register:
Rita Benson LeBlanc is part owner and executive vice president of the New Orleans Saints. She is the granddaughter of Tom Benson, the principal owner of the Saints, who open the new NFL season tonight against the Minnesota Vikings.
LeBlanc, whose grandfather bought the team in 1985, leads the business operations of the Saints, with responsibilities that include overseeing all sales and marketing efforts, the club’s community and youth programs, game-day entertainment and stadium operations. She represents the club at NFL Ownership Meetings, where she chairs the league’s Employee Benefits Committee and serves on the NFL International Committee.
In addition to her responsibilities with the Saints, LeBlanc has taken an active leadership role in tackling the economic, environmental and community challenges that face the New Orleans and Gulf South region through serving on the boards of the Business Council of New Orleans and the River Region and of GNO Inc., the official economic-development agency serving the 10-parish Greater New Orleans Region. She played a key role in securing the Super Bowl (XLVII) for New Orleans and serves on the executive board of the New Orleans 2013 Super Bowl Host Committee.
Recently LeBlanc served on New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu’s Economic Development Task Force, a group of business leaders that teamed to gather opinions from the public on how city government could help create jobs and facilitate economic development in the city.
How much does faith play in the daily life of the Louisiana Saints?
In America, the Christian faith has always been there, even if there’s been a pullback from religion in general. But certainly in sports where I grew up, it’s still the case, at least with our players. The players always say the Lord’s Prayer before and after games, and we always make sure that Mass or chapel is available to the players on a regular basis. Some of them go to Bible groups, but it kind of shifts with each team because you have players coming and going.
How many Catholics are there on the team?
Not that many, though I think generally many go to chapel, and everyone has a different mental preparation as far as the games go. Of course, as far as my family is concerned, we’re Catholic, and so sometimes we have priests who travel with us or someone local to that city. We’ve met some really interesting people along the way, so it’s nice to have someone fresh from that local community.
New Orleans is a very special place. I think we’re one of the only communities that has four living archbishops [Philip Hannan, Francis Schulte, Alfred Hughes and current Archbishop Gregory Aymond].
[Auxiliary Bishop Dominic] Carmon and Hughes came with us to the Super Bowl, and we had Mass with a few priests who presided as well. It was a very special day. It’s something a whole city community and football team had been hoping for and working towards for 40 years.
You faced a major trial with Hurricane Katrina. How much did faith play a role in getting your community back on the road?
You have to have faith. The hurricane was not as damaging as the man-made disaster of the levies breaking. It touched everyone’s sense of faith. But what’s amazing, having lived through it, is that few cities or communities have ever gone through the same trauma together. Every person had to leave and then make a financial commitment to return because it wasn’t easy. It didn’t matter from what economic background you were; it was financially painful to go back. You had to figure out how to run your business, keep it going, and there just weren’t people there.
The outside world was frustrated that things weren’t improving immediately. But that’s because you’re living in a society that is so intent and demanding with regards to immediacy. But there’s a reality to life that demands patience, and things aren’t about instant gratification or instant answers. Because of the magnitude of what had happened, there was a shortage of manpower, so you had to have faith that people would return. … When you’ve lost everything or all that you hold dear, you realize what it means to possibly lose it, and everything becomes so much more precious. I also think it’s important to be committed to the community. I remember someone coming to the city to do business [after Katrina], and they weren’t committed to it; their family wasn’t committed to it, and it caused friction and it didn’t work. That wasn’t the case with our team, thank goodness, but I have seen that if you’re not committed to your faith and what you’re doing, then things break down, particularly in a community where every moment counted, everything was important.
You gave up your stadium to be refuge for evacuees. Were you involved in that at all?
I wasn’t in the stadium, but I know people in Catholic Charities who were there and helping to take care of people through the storm. It required so much collaboration because we’re the primary tenant of the building and we’ve invested money into it, but it’s owned by the state. … People see it as an emblem of pain but also a shelter, and it did save lives.
When the team was first brought to New Orleans in 1967, there was still segregation. But people still came together for the games … and they all loved each other as Saints fans. So, with all the pain of Katrina, we won the Super Bowl, and we brought the trophy home. We had this victory parade and showed the same faces, unified — black, white, everyone — and far more Hispanics than before because they came up for jobs to help clean, fix and repair houses.
New Orleans has had a history of slaves, but it also has this history of being cosmopolitan, of being different and ever changing. So I’m very proud to be part of that change, and it’s change for good.
A lot of outsiders are inspired to come and are amazed at how strong the private-public partnership is. Faith-based initiatives and volunteer groups are really what is putting our city back together, and that is the American dream. That is also what faith is. It’s been much more than a football team, for certain. My calling, I believe, is to use this [team] as a connector and as a spotlight of what’s happening in the city.
Has faith always played a large part in your family?
When my grandfather first went from Louisiana to Texas, he met an Oblate priest called Father Blackburn and another priest, Father John Sikowski. I thought everyone grew up knowing a lot of priests: The seminary was there; my mother grew up with lots of seminarians around, and so I’m used to it. It’s just ironic it was the Oblates who happened to be there.
New Orleans is a city with a sense of faith, home and a feeling that is very natural and people fall in love with. New Orleans is a very Catholic city, and people are used to seeing the archbishop at the games. When he comes out to the field, he gets just as much acclaim as the players — Archbishop Hannan and all the others. He’s such an amazing person for what he’s achieved in his life. He was there at the Saints’ inception.
They asked the archbishop’s opinion on what he thought about naming the team the Saints, and if he thought it was a negative. He said, “No I think it’s fine, because what you should know is that most saints are martyrs, and so it might get a bit difficult.” And, ironically, it was. We’ve had winning seasons since my grandfather bought the team in 1985. The team was founded in 1967, but until now, had never been to the Super Bowl. I’ve seen sports teams win, but it wasn’t about the winning; it really was about the value of these people working as a team together. And I saw it on their faces, every victory, every loss; it’s been amazing, very special. I hope we can continue, but nothing will ever be like this year. It’s been really powerful.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
A Prayer for the New Orleans Saints
For the past decade the Rev. R. Tony Ricard has been the Catholic chaplain for the New Orleans Saints, and for that he is eternally thankful.
The Team chaplain's preseason prayer worked so well last year that he has written a new one:
GOD OF LOVE AND MERCY,
On Feb. 7, 2010, The New Orleans Saints and the great Who Dat Nation ventured into the world of our dreams. On that day, the Who Dat Nation finally saw our dreams fulfilled. On that day, we became the undisputed champions of the National Football League.
For this, Lord, we say, thank you!
Like David before Goliath, we knew what it was like to face insurmountable odds and return home victorious.
Like Daniel in the Lions Den, we knew what it was like to face savage beasts and still walk with the swagger of a king.
Like Elijah under the Broom tree, we also knew what it meant to be discouraged and grow tired of constantly having to "wait till next year."
Well now through your grace, next year finally got here!
We no longer have to sit back and wonder what it would be like to win the Super Bowl.
We no longer have to sit back and wonder what it would be like to hold the Lombardi Trophy.
We no longer have to sit back and wonder what it would be like to wear the ring.
Our days of wonder are over because, "We are the world champions!"
Like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, we have come through the fires and emerged singing songs of praise.
We are no longer walking to the beat of a funeral dirge. We move to the triumphant sounds of "When the Saints Go Marching In" and "Who Dat Say Dey Gonna Beat Dem Saints?" We are now dancing like David danced and singing like Solomon sang.
On this blessed day, we come before you, our God, singing songs of thanksgiving.
Thank you, God, for blessing us with a team of players with immeasurable talents and unquestionable commitment.
Thank you for a squad of coaches that are filled with limitless creativity and a willingness to "go the extra mile."
Thank you for a front office with outstanding owners and awesome administrators.
Thank you for Tom and Gail Benson, Rita Benson LeBlanc, Mickey Loomis, Sean Payton, Pete Carmichael Jr., Gregg Williams and all who work so hard to develop our championship organization.
Thank you for Archie Manning and Danny Abramowicz, Dalton Hilliard and Rickey Jackson, Bobby Hebert and Fred McAfee. They laid the foundation for this modern-day Who Dat Nation.
Thank you for Drew Brees and Reggie Bush, Jonathan Vilma and Darren Sharper, Garrett Hartley and Thomas Morstead, and all of Our Boyz. They finally brought the Who Dat Nation to that land of all our dreams.
And, thank you, Lord, for being with us, every step of the way. Without your grace, we would have never made it to the Promised Land.
As we now embark into the world of the defending champions, may we never forget the laughter and the tears that got us to the Super Bowl. May our hearts be filled with gratitude and our minds flourish with new dreams. May our players, coaches and administration work hard to reach their fullest potential.
And, if it be your will, through the intercession of our heavenly New Orleans Saints, St. Francis Cabrini, St. Katherine Drexel, Blessed Francis Seelos and Servants of God -- Mother Henriette Delille and John Paul II, may the earthly New Orleans Saints once again bring excitement to the entire Gulf Coast and transform our "Who Dat" into a "Two Dat" with a 2011 Super Bowl victory in Dallas!
In your name we pray,
Amen.
The Rev. Tony Ricard
Pastor, Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church, and New Orleans Saints Catholic team chaplain
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Will the Saints Repeat?
The following comes from ESPN:
Repeating as Super Bowl champions has become one of the hardest things to do in the modern NFL. Of the 15 Super Bowl champions before the New Orleans Saints, only two were repeat customers.
In fact, it's not uncommon for Super Bowl champions to stumble the next season and not even make the playoffs. Are the Saints, who had one of the greatest feel-good stories in Super Bowl history, the next team to take a fall?
Or can the Saints break the trend and repeat?
In the final installment of our Great Debate series, ESPN.com senior writer John Clayton and NFC South blogger Pat Yasinskas take two very different stances on whether the Saints can repeat.
Drew Brees and the Saints know they'll need to be on their game each week to have a shot at repeating as champions.Pat Yasinskas: John, you and I have talked about this many times throughout the offseason and I totally respect your reasons for saying the Saints aren't going to repeat. You very well may end up being right. But I've already gone out and predicted the Saints will win back-to-back Super Bowls and I'm not backing off that one.
The main reason I believe this can happen is because the Saints aren't like a lot of recent Super Bowl champions. I think the uncertainty over the labor situation helped them greatly. Super Bowl teams traditionally get ripped apart in free agency. A few marginal or role players usually end up getting big contracts elsewhere just because other teams overrate them and want someone with a Super Bowl ring on their roster. A lot of times, Super Bowl coaching staffs get raided with coordinators moving to head coaching jobs elsewhere.
None of that really happened with the Saints. All they really lost was linebacker Scott Fujita, who got a big contract from Cleveland. Even though the Saints have had some recent injuries at linebacker, Fujita is replaceable. The Saints also cut defensive end Charles Grant and I think that was addition by subtraction.
They replaced Grant with veterans Alex Brown and Jimmy Wilkerson. Neither is going to put up 15 sacks, but both play the run solidly and are consistent, which is something Grant never was. The Saints basically have kept their team and coaching staff intact. Throw in the draft class and a few other minor additions and I'll say the Saints, on paper, are better than they were a year ago. I know you disagree, so go ahead and start shredding that paper.
John Clayton: The Saints' story in 2009 was a great one, but for the Saints to repeat, now you are talking the beginning of a dynasty. I don't see that. Sure, the Saints will make the playoffs. They have Drew Brees, who now ranks with Peyton Manning and Tom Brady as one of the league's three best quarterbacks. You're probably going to call me hypocritical when I say the Colts are my team to repeat as the AFC champion. The reason I did that is I couldn't get behind any other team in the AFC that has a great chance of getting to the Super Bowl.
That's not the case in the NFC. I think the Cowboys have the most talent. I also believe -- and we've talked about this many times -- the Falcons are ready to jump to the top of the division. Matt Ryan is ready. The offense is ready to explode. Mike Smith is getting his defense where he would like it to be. Plus, the schedule is more favorable to the Falcons this year than the Saints. You know from your travels last year you were always going to New Orleans because usually the best games in your division were there. This year, the best home games involving your division teams are in Atlanta. The Falcons play their toughest opponents at home. The Saints play their toughest teams on the road. That's why I don't think the Saints will repeat.
PY: All good points, and I agree the Falcons are a very real threat to New Orleans. Smith and general manager Thomas Dimitroff have assembled a very good roster and I think Ryan is on the verge of taking the next step. The Saints aren't going to coast through their division as they did last year and basically have it wrapped up by November. And they probably aren't going to start 13-0 as they did last season. I think you also have to at least include Carolina in the talk about the NFC South, because it's always a physical football team and the Saints will have to be at their best just to get through the division.
However, there's one big difference between Brees, Payton and the Saints compared to Smith, Ryan and the Falcons. The Saints have won a Super Bowl. They know what it takes.
There's been talk about a Super Bowl hangover, and there's no doubt the Saints spent a big chunk of their offseason celebrating. It might have taken some sort of a toll, but I think that's all gone now. When the Saints came out very sluggish in their preseason opener at New England, Payton ripped into his team and the message was basically, "Last year showed you what hard work and focus can get you." It was only a preseason game, but I think that was a wake-up call the Saints needed to get back into the same frame of mind they had last year.
JC: The Super Bowl hangover theme is giving me a headache because I've heard it so much. It also concerns me when a coach as good as Sean Payton has to rip into his team this year. Ripping into a team is like a chip at a poker game. There are only so many chips you can use during a season. When you bring that up, now you're making me wonder if they are going to make the playoffs. I stay with them making it as a wild card. But don't you see the holes on this team?
So much of their success last season was Darren Sharper intercepting passes off inexperienced quarterbacks. They don't face inexperienced quarterbacks this year, and Sharper is out for at least six games and who knows how much longer because of microfracture surgery. I hate to tell you this, but I intercepted a call in which they were going to ask you to play one of the outside linebacker spots. Scott Fujita is gone. Jonathan Casillas is out for the season. What happens if the team loses one or two defensive tackles to injury? DeMario Pressley and Al Woods -- two draft choices in the past couple of years -- already have been cut.
[+] EnlargeHoward Smith/US Presswire
The Saints are counting on Malcolm Jenkins to step in for Darren Sharper at free safety.Are you 100 percent sure Malcolm Jenkins can be as good as Sharper at free safety? Mickey Loomis, the general manager, said it best last week. The Saints will have to play better just to come close to the regular season they had last season. I figure they will get off to a good start, but can they finish as well? The odds are against them.
PY: John, good thing you intercepted that call. As you know, my body type might help the Saints against the pass, but I'd be a liability against the run and I'd also be the tallest linebacker the Saints have had since Fujita. But, yeah, I'll give you the fact that the Casillas injury really hurts the linebacker corps.
As for Jenkins taking over for Sharper, nothing's a given. But Sharper got off to a great start early last year, but was pretty much shot by the end of the season. Jenkins is a great physical talent, and having Jabari Greer and Tracy Porter at cornerback will help make him look good. I'm projecting here, but I think Jenkins is going to be better than Sharper was at the end of last season.
Other than that, I'll fall back on my contention that the Saints are largely intact. Yes, they were lucky at times last season, but they were also very good. I think they're better in a lot of ways this year, and if they can just catch a little bit of luck, I think they can repeat. If I'm wrong, then maybe this time I'll be taking up residence in Atlanta instead of New Orleans in December and January. Better yet, from a selfish standpoint, maybe the Bucs will do the old worst-to-first trick that's been so common in the NFC South and I might actually get to spend a few weekends at home this year.
JC: If the Bucs can pull off a worst-to-first in the NFC South, the Saints, Falcons and Panthers would have to pull a USC and go on probation and be ruled bowl ineligible. Let's look at reality here. The Saints and Falcons are going to be building up a great rivalry over the next few years.
The league needs it. So much of the NFC is settled into the NFC East with those four teams pounding on each other. The AFC East is bubbling over with the Jets and Rex Ryan taking on the Patriots and Dolphins. I don't mention the Bills because I know you would earn a roster spot on that team.
There is a lot that could be good about a Saints-Falcons rivalry over the next few years. Payton has the go-for-broke mentality with his play calling, and Gregg Williams, the defensive coordinator, has a lot of Rex Ryan in him. He'll not only want to tell his players to hit opponents hard, but he'll talk a good game too. The Falcons are the quiet monsters. Mike Smith is a gentlemen on the sideline, but he can gear up his team for good hits, and you know how that offensive line, starting with guard Harvey Dahl, irritates opponents with the way they block. But for a rivalry to happen, you have to have drama. The Saints dominating and repeating would be a great story, but it would take away from the rivalry factor.
By the way, Pat, if you are going to sign with the Bills, hold out for good money.
In fact, it's not uncommon for Super Bowl champions to stumble the next season and not even make the playoffs. Are the Saints, who had one of the greatest feel-good stories in Super Bowl history, the next team to take a fall?
Or can the Saints break the trend and repeat?
In the final installment of our Great Debate series, ESPN.com senior writer John Clayton and NFC South blogger Pat Yasinskas take two very different stances on whether the Saints can repeat.
Drew Brees and the Saints know they'll need to be on their game each week to have a shot at repeating as champions.Pat Yasinskas: John, you and I have talked about this many times throughout the offseason and I totally respect your reasons for saying the Saints aren't going to repeat. You very well may end up being right. But I've already gone out and predicted the Saints will win back-to-back Super Bowls and I'm not backing off that one.
The main reason I believe this can happen is because the Saints aren't like a lot of recent Super Bowl champions. I think the uncertainty over the labor situation helped them greatly. Super Bowl teams traditionally get ripped apart in free agency. A few marginal or role players usually end up getting big contracts elsewhere just because other teams overrate them and want someone with a Super Bowl ring on their roster. A lot of times, Super Bowl coaching staffs get raided with coordinators moving to head coaching jobs elsewhere.
None of that really happened with the Saints. All they really lost was linebacker Scott Fujita, who got a big contract from Cleveland. Even though the Saints have had some recent injuries at linebacker, Fujita is replaceable. The Saints also cut defensive end Charles Grant and I think that was addition by subtraction.
They replaced Grant with veterans Alex Brown and Jimmy Wilkerson. Neither is going to put up 15 sacks, but both play the run solidly and are consistent, which is something Grant never was. The Saints basically have kept their team and coaching staff intact. Throw in the draft class and a few other minor additions and I'll say the Saints, on paper, are better than they were a year ago. I know you disagree, so go ahead and start shredding that paper.
John Clayton: The Saints' story in 2009 was a great one, but for the Saints to repeat, now you are talking the beginning of a dynasty. I don't see that. Sure, the Saints will make the playoffs. They have Drew Brees, who now ranks with Peyton Manning and Tom Brady as one of the league's three best quarterbacks. You're probably going to call me hypocritical when I say the Colts are my team to repeat as the AFC champion. The reason I did that is I couldn't get behind any other team in the AFC that has a great chance of getting to the Super Bowl.
That's not the case in the NFC. I think the Cowboys have the most talent. I also believe -- and we've talked about this many times -- the Falcons are ready to jump to the top of the division. Matt Ryan is ready. The offense is ready to explode. Mike Smith is getting his defense where he would like it to be. Plus, the schedule is more favorable to the Falcons this year than the Saints. You know from your travels last year you were always going to New Orleans because usually the best games in your division were there. This year, the best home games involving your division teams are in Atlanta. The Falcons play their toughest opponents at home. The Saints play their toughest teams on the road. That's why I don't think the Saints will repeat.
PY: All good points, and I agree the Falcons are a very real threat to New Orleans. Smith and general manager Thomas Dimitroff have assembled a very good roster and I think Ryan is on the verge of taking the next step. The Saints aren't going to coast through their division as they did last year and basically have it wrapped up by November. And they probably aren't going to start 13-0 as they did last season. I think you also have to at least include Carolina in the talk about the NFC South, because it's always a physical football team and the Saints will have to be at their best just to get through the division.
However, there's one big difference between Brees, Payton and the Saints compared to Smith, Ryan and the Falcons. The Saints have won a Super Bowl. They know what it takes.
There's been talk about a Super Bowl hangover, and there's no doubt the Saints spent a big chunk of their offseason celebrating. It might have taken some sort of a toll, but I think that's all gone now. When the Saints came out very sluggish in their preseason opener at New England, Payton ripped into his team and the message was basically, "Last year showed you what hard work and focus can get you." It was only a preseason game, but I think that was a wake-up call the Saints needed to get back into the same frame of mind they had last year.
JC: The Super Bowl hangover theme is giving me a headache because I've heard it so much. It also concerns me when a coach as good as Sean Payton has to rip into his team this year. Ripping into a team is like a chip at a poker game. There are only so many chips you can use during a season. When you bring that up, now you're making me wonder if they are going to make the playoffs. I stay with them making it as a wild card. But don't you see the holes on this team?
So much of their success last season was Darren Sharper intercepting passes off inexperienced quarterbacks. They don't face inexperienced quarterbacks this year, and Sharper is out for at least six games and who knows how much longer because of microfracture surgery. I hate to tell you this, but I intercepted a call in which they were going to ask you to play one of the outside linebacker spots. Scott Fujita is gone. Jonathan Casillas is out for the season. What happens if the team loses one or two defensive tackles to injury? DeMario Pressley and Al Woods -- two draft choices in the past couple of years -- already have been cut.
[+] EnlargeHoward Smith/US Presswire
The Saints are counting on Malcolm Jenkins to step in for Darren Sharper at free safety.Are you 100 percent sure Malcolm Jenkins can be as good as Sharper at free safety? Mickey Loomis, the general manager, said it best last week. The Saints will have to play better just to come close to the regular season they had last season. I figure they will get off to a good start, but can they finish as well? The odds are against them.
PY: John, good thing you intercepted that call. As you know, my body type might help the Saints against the pass, but I'd be a liability against the run and I'd also be the tallest linebacker the Saints have had since Fujita. But, yeah, I'll give you the fact that the Casillas injury really hurts the linebacker corps.
As for Jenkins taking over for Sharper, nothing's a given. But Sharper got off to a great start early last year, but was pretty much shot by the end of the season. Jenkins is a great physical talent, and having Jabari Greer and Tracy Porter at cornerback will help make him look good. I'm projecting here, but I think Jenkins is going to be better than Sharper was at the end of last season.
Other than that, I'll fall back on my contention that the Saints are largely intact. Yes, they were lucky at times last season, but they were also very good. I think they're better in a lot of ways this year, and if they can just catch a little bit of luck, I think they can repeat. If I'm wrong, then maybe this time I'll be taking up residence in Atlanta instead of New Orleans in December and January. Better yet, from a selfish standpoint, maybe the Bucs will do the old worst-to-first trick that's been so common in the NFC South and I might actually get to spend a few weekends at home this year.
JC: If the Bucs can pull off a worst-to-first in the NFC South, the Saints, Falcons and Panthers would have to pull a USC and go on probation and be ruled bowl ineligible. Let's look at reality here. The Saints and Falcons are going to be building up a great rivalry over the next few years.
The league needs it. So much of the NFC is settled into the NFC East with those four teams pounding on each other. The AFC East is bubbling over with the Jets and Rex Ryan taking on the Patriots and Dolphins. I don't mention the Bills because I know you would earn a roster spot on that team.
There is a lot that could be good about a Saints-Falcons rivalry over the next few years. Payton has the go-for-broke mentality with his play calling, and Gregg Williams, the defensive coordinator, has a lot of Rex Ryan in him. He'll not only want to tell his players to hit opponents hard, but he'll talk a good game too. The Falcons are the quiet monsters. Mike Smith is a gentlemen on the sideline, but he can gear up his team for good hits, and you know how that offensive line, starting with guard Harvey Dahl, irritates opponents with the way they block. But for a rivalry to happen, you have to have drama. The Saints dominating and repeating would be a great story, but it would take away from the rivalry factor.
By the way, Pat, if you are going to sign with the Bills, hold out for good money.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Saints top Ultimate Standings 2010
This piece appears in the July 12, 2010 issue of ESPN The Magazine.
Five years ago, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the New Orleans Saints ranked last in our Ultimate Standings. Today they're No. 1. How'd that happen? Commitment to community, championship play and cheap prices. We chatted with Saints Nation.
November 2005
What would you say to fans who think the Saints are leaving town for good?
Eighty percent of companies in New Orleans have not been able to reopen, but we are keeping this company in business. We relocated to San Antonio so we can stay afloat. We remain a Louisiana corporation, and we're paying $25 million into the state income tax fund this year. All anybody wants to do is criticize [owner] Mr. [Tom] Benson, but they're barking up the wrong tree. -- Greg Bensel, team spokesman
How close did the team come to moving?
The rest of the world thought we were down and weren't coming back. We had to relocate in 2005. Our practice facility was occupied by the military during that time. Publicly, everybody was talking about that. But we -- ourselves and our staff -- wanted to come back. We just had to find a way. And that's what we did. -- Tom Benson, owner
Our standings rank all MLB, NBA, NFL and NHL teams by how they repay fans for the time, money and emotion they invest in them. The results show that fans feel a strong connection to the Saints. What accounts for that?
The bond we have with our fans, and the support we get from them, were created post-Katrina, with the struggles and hardships we all went through helping to rebuild this city. We really leaned on each other in that time, and I think it culminated in the reopening of the Superdome on Sept. 25, 2006. That symbolized the fact that New Orleans was not only going to come back, but come back stronger than ever. When we thought about winning the Super Bowl, we wanted to win it for our fans. -- Drew Brees, quarterback
You always see the players in our community, especially Drew Brees. You can drive by his house and honk, and if he's working on the yard or something, he'll wave back. -- Jeff Larsen, fan
Methodology
Want to know how we came up with the Ultimate Standings? Take a deeper look here.
We have a good website, but not a big social media presence. When players leave practice or games, they're visible, and news spreads person to person and by word of mouth. The Saints are what people talk about with their neighbors. It's neat to see. -- Doug Miller, director of new media
We explicitly look for people with a certain energy level. That's one reason we hired Sean Payton. We look for tough-mindedness and intelligence, and people who see a glass as half full. We have to have players and staff who do more than football, who relish the chance to make a difference in New Orleans. -- Mickey Loomis, GM
Fans love Sean Payton. Does the Saints' aggressive play help keep the team close to fans?
I think so. On offense we attack, and on defense [defensive coordinator] Gregg Williams is blitzing every other down. I think it brings more excitement to the game. -- Pete Carmichael, offensive coordinator
The Superdome has some wear and tear on it, but does it have a different vibe from other venues?
There's energy in the building; even when you come out for warmups in the early part of the day, you can feel the electricity. Then you come back out for the start of the game and you can really feel something in the air. -- Carmichael
You go to some other stadiums and you hear fans kind of going up and down, but here it's loud the entire game. Maybe that has something to do with the hard alcohol they serve at the stadium. Or all the crazy costumes you see. Like Whistle Monster -- he has a huge whistle on his head. -- Ryan Pace, director of pro scouting
So coaches on the field, no matter what they say, notice what goes on in the stands.
There's a guy who dresses like a Saints robot, and he dances during timeouts. He's phenomenal. You can't help but notice. You're still taking care of business, but there are always those five or 10 seconds when there's a little lull, and you're like, "Wow, did you see that?" -- Scottie Patton, head athletic trainer
How did the "Who Dat?" chant start?
I think it was something that came out of the court system in the 1800s. I'm not exactly sure. But we didn't steal it from Cincinnati, that's for sure. They're "Who Dey?" We're "Who Dat?" -- Michael Prestenback, fan
[Ed.'s note to Mr. Prestenback: "Who Dat?" originated in a song written by poet Paul Laurence Dunbar in 1898 that was part of a minstrel show.]
And we're allowed to drink walking down the street. They can't tailgate like we can down here. -- Scott VanderMeer, fan
Following all those years of the Aints, of Black Mondays nearly every week, what was it like when the Saints won the Super Bowl?
It was families, friends, the older generation who had been waiting their whole lives for this, and it was nuts. We hit the [French] Quarter, Bourbon Street, and tore it up. It was Mardi Gras times 1,000. It was just love, everybody embracing each other. I think it might have stopped. I'm not really sure. -- Larsen
After the Super Bowl I had so much stuff left in front of my house: wine bottles, beer, signs, cards, flowers, you name it. Just people showing their appreciation. You could tell how much it meant to them. -- Brees
For the rest of the story please click here.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Home Team by Coach Sean Payton
The following comes from ESPN.oom:
Which Sean Payton would come through in his book "Home Team: Coaching the Saints and New Orleans Back to Life"?
The NFL head coach who gives very vanilla answers to the media during the season?
Or the guy who loves to have a drink or two and hang out with friends or family?
"I told Coach that to sell this book he needed to write it like he really is and not the one he puts out there for the public to see, using coach-speak," said co-author Ellis Henican, who is a columnist for the newspaper Newsday in New York. "Sean really is a funny guy, and that comes out in this book."
The book, available online and in stores, tells the story of Payton's rise through the coaching ranks, what the city of New Orleans has meant to him, and what it's like inside the locker room of the Saints. It's not just about beating the Indianapolis Colts in February's Super Bowl.
Sean Payton worked with Newsday columnist Ellis Henican to write a fascinating book.
"I didn't want to write another winning-on-the-field book or about modern-day leadership. That's B.S.," said Payton, who spent six weeks with Henican after the Super Bowl to craft the stories. "I wanted to write a book about the stories, ones that you sit around and tell your friends."
Here are a few, retold to Page 2 by Payton and his friends:
Payton and his Saints really wanted to draft versatile running back Reggie Bush in the 2006 NFL draft with the No. 2 pick. The Houston Texans had drafted lineman Mario Williams at No. 1, and the Saints were up.
But Bush's marketing agent, Mike Ornstein, kept telling Payton that Bush didn't want to play in New Orleans and that the New York Jets, who had the fourth pick, were where Bush, highly touted out of USC, wanted to be.
"Don't draft him. Make a trade to New York. That's where I wanted this kid," said Orenstein, who had known Bush for years. "Make the [expletive] trade."
"So I said, '[Expletive] you,'" Payton said, "and hung up the phone and made the pick."
Orenstein, laughing today, said the conversation went exactly like that. "My reaction was the same: [Expletive] him!"
The funny thing is that now they are close friends, and Orenstein is the reason the book was made. Orenstein got Henican together with Payton.
Another story: When Payton was an assistant coach for the Dallas Cowboys, he flew to California to interview for the head coaching job with the Oakland Raiders.
Owner Al Davis did the interviewing and wore his traditional black sweatsuit.
"Al is an extremely talented football guy. Few owners who interview can really talk about a defensive front, team travel and the salary cap," Payton said. "He can hit on all these topics, and this was my first interview as head coach. It was 2003, and I was going to meet Al Davis."
Payton, who had been in the NFL only about five years, said he was really nervous.
"I walked into the bathroom, and I took three deep breaths," Payton said. "I said: 'I belong here. I belong here. I belong here.'"
The interview was heading late into the evening, and both were hungry.
"You like cheeseburgers?" Davis said.
"Of course I do," Payton said.
Davis then asked his assistant to run to McDonald's to get some cheeseburgers and -- get this -- coleslaw.
"The assistant says, 'Mr. Davis, McDonald's doesn't have cole slaw," Payton remembers. "But Al wanted his cole slaw, so the assistant had to figure out what to do."
A little while later, the assistant returns with the food.
"So we're sitting there -- mind you, it's about 11 p.m. -- eating McDonald's cheeseburgers and cole slaw from KFC," Payton said. "You know what a cold cheeseburger tastes like?"
Payton turned the job down, eventually becoming head coach of the Saints in 2006, defending Super Bowl champs and now an author.
The book is filled with stories like that.
In a month, the Saints will make their way to the White House, as most champions do after winning a title, and Payton is ready.
"A friend of mine calls me Forrest Gump," Payton said about the movie character who has so many unbelievable things happen to him. "I can't wait to get to the White House, like in the movie, and drink seven Dr. Peppers and tell the president, 'I gotta pee.'"
It's easy to see which Payton came through in the book.
Lynn Hoppes is senior director of Page 2 and commentary for ESPN.com. He can be reached at lynn.hoppes@espn.com.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
Friday, February 12, 2010
New Orleans Saints LB Scott Fujita's Super Bowl XLIV diary
This is great! Saints LB Scott Fujita offers his daily diary leading up to the Super Bowl at NOLA.com:Saints linebacker Scott Fujita's daily activity leading up to Super Bowl XLIV vs. Indianapolis.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Destination: Miami
"It's okay to be pleased, but never satisfied." -- Dick Vermeil
Coach Vermeil was my first head coach in the NFL. He's a legend in the coaching profession, and his reputation as a man who cares more for his players' well-being than the game itself is unquestionable. He taught me to never accept complacency. So here, in the week leading up to the Super Bowl, some would say we've arrived. The Saints did it. Job well done. But let's get one thing straight: We're here to win the whole thing. The Saints are on a mission. No group of people deserves a Super Bowl Championship more than the people of New Orleans. They have been patient, their support has been unwavering, and to be perfectly frank, they haven't had many people looking out for their best interest. But we have been. We care. We're in this thing together.
Let's be honest, the leadership in New Orleans since Katrina hasn't exactly been stellar. But those who have nothing, look to us. Those who'd like to return but can't, look to us. Those who want nothing more than a fair shake, look to us. Why? Because we have our stuff together. We recognize our role, and we don't take that responsibility lightly. They can count on us. Like I said...we're in this thing together.
Our first day in Miami was exciting, but hectic. Airport security...flight to Miami...bus to hotel for check-in...bus to University of Miami...change into gear for practice...bus to Dolphins facility for indoor practice due to rainstorm...practice...bus back to the U...shower and change...bus back to hotel...meetings.
I heard from Coach Vermeil and Gary Gibbs (our Defensive Coordinator in New Orleans the previous 3 seasons) this morning, who called to share their excitement and best wishes for all of us. Also ran into Bill Parcells at practice today, who was my Head Coach in Dallas in 2005. I hadn't seen him in a few years, so it was great to catch up. He told me how proud he was of me, and that I looked older(?). Not quite sure how to take that last part. I owe him a lot. His desire to trade for me in 2005 really helped get me out of a stale situation in Kansas City, and I credit him with helping get my career back on track.
We had an NFL security meeting this evening...you know, the "what to do's" and "what not to do's" the week of the Super Bowl. The security rep from the league referred to us as "gents" about a dozen times. That might not sound very funny, but picture a room full of immature, overgrown men who have been riding buses all day and are looking for a laugh at someone else's expense. Needless to say, I don't know if anyone could take this guy seriously.
Highlight of the day: Being the first Saint to step off the plane in Miami.
Low-point of the day: Not getting a Nike schwag bag in my hotel room. All the guys who are endorsed by Nike got sweet Super Bowl schwag, with about $5000 worth of merch, including some products from their ACG line, which I love for hiking and for outdoor use. I was endorsed by Nike for seven years, but they voided my contract (after several warnings) for "spatting" my cleats on game-days. Some of us spat, or put tape around our cleats, to keep them tight. Nike, apparently, doesn't like that their precious Swoosh gets covered up. Oh well. Wouldn't be that big of a deal if it weren't for every teammate rubbing it in my face, parading around in all their cool new gear.
Read the rest of the diary here.
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