Sherlock Holmes – 6
I don’t think of Guy Ritchie as the most accomplished director, but he’s done a nice job with this little ditty. There are some cool things here, like the way Sherlock visualizes his physical actions beforehand, to lend a cerebral aspect to the physical action you wouldn’t expect from Sherlock. The un-cool thing is that most of Sherlock’s brilliant deductions are revealed at the very end in a last-minute barrage. In other words if you happen to go to the bathroom for that minute, you’ll never know how he figures it all out.
Robert Downey Jr. is his usual brilliant self. Jude Law seems miscast as Dr. Watson, but then Jude Law always seems miscast to me. He’s one of those actors I just don’t get. Rachel McAdams lights up the screen, and all in all it’s diversionary – a nice way to spend a Saturday at the matinee before going out to eat.
So, that’s the only movie I saw in January, but I have a special list from Mr. Apocalypto, my friend Cliff, who loves “end of the world” movies and sprints to all of them. I finally asked, “ok, which are your favorites,” and he gave me his top 20, in order:
The Terminator 1984
The Road 2009
On The Beach 1959
The Day After 1983
Planet Of The Apes 1968
Testament 1983
Terminator 2; Judgment Day 1991
I Am Legend 2007
The Omega Man 1971
The Last Man On Earth 1964
Fail Safe 1964
War Of The Worlds 2005
28 Days Later 2002
Children Of Men 2006
The Book Of Eli 2010
Five 1951
The World, The Flesh and The Devil 1959
Deep Impact 1998
When Worlds Collide 1951
The Trigger Effect 1996
Did he miss any?
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Friday, January 29, 2010
Saints Report #19 - January 22, 2010
Here it is: Saints Report #19.
When I wrote the phony Saints report #20 right before the season started:
http://rickrantsfromthecouch.blogspot.com/2009/09/saints-report-20-february-2010.html you thought I was crazy, didn't you?
You didn’t really think there would be a Saints Report #19, did you?
Well, I did. It really wasn’t voodoo, or faith, or misplaced optimism that made me so sure the Saints were going to the Super Bowl this year. I though it was possible because I loved the way they filled their holes from last year, and the way they had upgraded with Gregg Williams, Darren Sharper, Jabari Greer, Heath Evans, Malcolm Jenkins, Anthony Hargrove, and eventually David Thomas etc. They had filled need at so many positions with talent. It was an impressive job, and it couldn’t have gone better. It was thrilling to watch - the thrill of a lifetime.
That’s why you’ve cried several times since the game.
This week it’s been great to listen to so much gnashing of teeth over the Saints victory. They played dirty. The Overtime rules should be changed. The refs blew it. Poor Brett. Brett, Brett, Brett. On and on, play the violin already. We’re going. Get used to it. It won’t be the last time if we keep adding talent either. Remember - we still have Heath Evans, Billy Miller, Rod Harper, Chip Vaughn, Stanley Arnouxx, Kendrick Clancy, and Jammal Brown coming back from Injured Reserve next year. Make no mistake - the Saints are Loaded!
Meanwhile, much is being written about New Orleans as the National Media tries to convey what they can’t possibly understand. Let me address some of the things I’ve heard about the Crescent City.
The French Quarter is filthy. False. It’s never looked better. Now it may not look great at 3 in the morning, but I commend the effort that they’ve made to keep it clean. It’s greatly improved. And there’s certainly no place more entertaining. There’s a certain way that females can earn beads in what used to be a Mardi Gras tradition that has now gone year-around and it’s great fun to be on Bourbon Street when there’s a whole lot of “earning” going on.
Louisiana is corrupt. True. But that’s the way they like it.
One word summarizes their politics – “ReElected.”
Yes, they reelected Edwin Edwards, who was not only a scamp, but flaunted it. Don’t let the fact that he’s finally in prison fool you. If he could get out and run, they’d elect him again.
Yes, they reelected Ray Nagin, who displayed incompetency in the face of adversity and the face of everything else for that matter. He’d be reelected if eligible.
Yes, they reelected William Jefferson, even after the FBI found a $100,000 bribe frozen in his apartment.
And Yes, they’ll reelect Senator David Vitter who remains a paragon of conservative virtue and a major player on the national scene, despite exhibiting prostitutional tendencies. Just another Scamp!
Jimmy Swaggert should have run for office. Then all would have been quickly forgiven.
I bring this all up as evidence of the central premise of what I’ve always believed. When people ask me if I’ve ever left the country, I say “Only when I go to New Orleans.”
It really is like a foreign land. The people in Louisiana in a recent poll were said to be the “happiest” in the country. What? With all they’ve been through?
Katrina! FEMA! Corruption!
Ha, it’s different in Louisiana, and New Orleans is way different from the rest of the state. When they say “Let the Good Times Roll,” it’s not just a phrase – it is a most literal expression of their life’s work. It’s their job. They will move right from their Saints euphoria to Mardi Gras and not miss a celebratory beat. Then it’s one great festival after another, one great meal after another until another year has gone and the clothes have shrunk again.
Yes, there is a connection between the Saints and the surrounding populace like no other. But it’s as much about this forgiving culture as it is about any rebuilding. We’ve been reelecting them for 44 years.
Mike Ditka? Bring him back.
Bum Phillips? Bring him back.
John Mecom? Bring him back.
Aaron Brooks? Bring him back.
Jason David? Well, lets’ not go that far.
I’ve been lucky enough to have attended 4 Super Bowls.
My first was Super Bowl IX in Tulane Stadium January 12, 1975 – The Franco Harris game. He ran wild. I remember it was very cold and windy and I remember climbing to the top of the stadium on crutches with a knee injury. This was the first Steeler Super Bowl and family members came down with tickets, every bit as excited as Saints fans are today.
My second was XXI in the Rose Bowl January 25, 1987 – The Phil Simms game. He was efficient and I got a great picture of the Phil McConkey touchdown that happened right in front of us. We got tickets at the last minute and flew out occupying the last two seats from New Orleans to LA.
My third was XXXI in the Superdome January 26, 1997, the Brett Favre game. We had to see Brett in his first Super Bowl. I flew in for the game, but I’ll never forget walking past thousands of Green Bay fans begging for tickets.
My last was XXXVI in the Superdome February 3, 2002, the Tom Brady game. The Patriots upset the Rams when unknown Brady drove the Pats for the winning field goal.
I bring all this up because I am trying to console myself with the fact that I can’t find any reasonable tickets. As a long-time season ticket holder, I’m actually a little disappointed at the lottery results. The Saints put up 4000 tickets in a lottery for its 71,000 season ticket holders. But according to the NFL the home team gets 17.5% of the 76,000 tickets. That’s 13,300. So, who got those other 10,000 tickets? That’s all we get? I know the players get to buy up to 15 tickets each. So that’s about 1000. So when our chances could have been about one out of 5, they were instead about one out of 20. Wow. I feel ignored. But, no time for sour grapes. We’ll just have to throw the greatest Super Bowl party in the history of bowlkind.
So, on to the game.
Will the Saints win? Yes.
Next question. How?
Well, now that I’m not sure about.
Payton vs. Peyton. It’s a mind game matchup for the ages.
It’s hard to envision Peyton Manning losing isn’t it? That’s the way America is looking at it, and that is certainly understandable. But, the Colts one-upped the Saints all year, allowing the Saints to fly under the radar. Could you imagine the hype if he were playing a New York team? I doubt that “underestimating” is in the Colts vocabulary, but if they’ll just listen to ESPN their overconfidence should grow daily.
I hate to say this but the pressure is on Brees. I think he’s right there with Manning, but the media doesn’t know it and he’s going to have to prove it. I’m guessing Payton will be playing that “disrespected” card for the next 10 days. Brees needs to have a legendary game to give us a chance. He’s got to match Manning shot for shot. The firm of Colston, Henderson, Moore, Meachem, & Shockey needs to match the more heralded firm of Wayne, Garcon, Collie, and Clark. I think they can, but I have to admit covering Dallas Clark is a major concern. A special team and a defensive score or two wouldn’t be all bad.
I’m hoping it will be a shootout, but it will probably come in “under” because these two defenses are pretty good and they practice against some pretty good offenses on a daily basis. They’ll both be ready. I’m going to call it 35-31 Saints.
If that happens, you can bet I’m headed to that filthy French Quarter to see what kind of “earning’s” going on.
Be There. You won’t want to miss this.
When I wrote the phony Saints report #20 right before the season started:
http://rickrantsfromthecouch.blogspot.com/2009/09/saints-report-20-february-2010.html you thought I was crazy, didn't you?
You didn’t really think there would be a Saints Report #19, did you?
Well, I did. It really wasn’t voodoo, or faith, or misplaced optimism that made me so sure the Saints were going to the Super Bowl this year. I though it was possible because I loved the way they filled their holes from last year, and the way they had upgraded with Gregg Williams, Darren Sharper, Jabari Greer, Heath Evans, Malcolm Jenkins, Anthony Hargrove, and eventually David Thomas etc. They had filled need at so many positions with talent. It was an impressive job, and it couldn’t have gone better. It was thrilling to watch - the thrill of a lifetime.
That’s why you’ve cried several times since the game.
This week it’s been great to listen to so much gnashing of teeth over the Saints victory. They played dirty. The Overtime rules should be changed. The refs blew it. Poor Brett. Brett, Brett, Brett. On and on, play the violin already. We’re going. Get used to it. It won’t be the last time if we keep adding talent either. Remember - we still have Heath Evans, Billy Miller, Rod Harper, Chip Vaughn, Stanley Arnouxx, Kendrick Clancy, and Jammal Brown coming back from Injured Reserve next year. Make no mistake - the Saints are Loaded!
Meanwhile, much is being written about New Orleans as the National Media tries to convey what they can’t possibly understand. Let me address some of the things I’ve heard about the Crescent City.
The French Quarter is filthy. False. It’s never looked better. Now it may not look great at 3 in the morning, but I commend the effort that they’ve made to keep it clean. It’s greatly improved. And there’s certainly no place more entertaining. There’s a certain way that females can earn beads in what used to be a Mardi Gras tradition that has now gone year-around and it’s great fun to be on Bourbon Street when there’s a whole lot of “earning” going on.
Louisiana is corrupt. True. But that’s the way they like it.
One word summarizes their politics – “ReElected.”
Yes, they reelected Edwin Edwards, who was not only a scamp, but flaunted it. Don’t let the fact that he’s finally in prison fool you. If he could get out and run, they’d elect him again.
Yes, they reelected Ray Nagin, who displayed incompetency in the face of adversity and the face of everything else for that matter. He’d be reelected if eligible.
Yes, they reelected William Jefferson, even after the FBI found a $100,000 bribe frozen in his apartment.
And Yes, they’ll reelect Senator David Vitter who remains a paragon of conservative virtue and a major player on the national scene, despite exhibiting prostitutional tendencies. Just another Scamp!
Jimmy Swaggert should have run for office. Then all would have been quickly forgiven.
I bring this all up as evidence of the central premise of what I’ve always believed. When people ask me if I’ve ever left the country, I say “Only when I go to New Orleans.”
It really is like a foreign land. The people in Louisiana in a recent poll were said to be the “happiest” in the country. What? With all they’ve been through?
Katrina! FEMA! Corruption!
Ha, it’s different in Louisiana, and New Orleans is way different from the rest of the state. When they say “Let the Good Times Roll,” it’s not just a phrase – it is a most literal expression of their life’s work. It’s their job. They will move right from their Saints euphoria to Mardi Gras and not miss a celebratory beat. Then it’s one great festival after another, one great meal after another until another year has gone and the clothes have shrunk again.
Yes, there is a connection between the Saints and the surrounding populace like no other. But it’s as much about this forgiving culture as it is about any rebuilding. We’ve been reelecting them for 44 years.
Mike Ditka? Bring him back.
Bum Phillips? Bring him back.
John Mecom? Bring him back.
Aaron Brooks? Bring him back.
Jason David? Well, lets’ not go that far.
I’ve been lucky enough to have attended 4 Super Bowls.
My first was Super Bowl IX in Tulane Stadium January 12, 1975 – The Franco Harris game. He ran wild. I remember it was very cold and windy and I remember climbing to the top of the stadium on crutches with a knee injury. This was the first Steeler Super Bowl and family members came down with tickets, every bit as excited as Saints fans are today.
My second was XXI in the Rose Bowl January 25, 1987 – The Phil Simms game. He was efficient and I got a great picture of the Phil McConkey touchdown that happened right in front of us. We got tickets at the last minute and flew out occupying the last two seats from New Orleans to LA.
My third was XXXI in the Superdome January 26, 1997, the Brett Favre game. We had to see Brett in his first Super Bowl. I flew in for the game, but I’ll never forget walking past thousands of Green Bay fans begging for tickets.
My last was XXXVI in the Superdome February 3, 2002, the Tom Brady game. The Patriots upset the Rams when unknown Brady drove the Pats for the winning field goal.
I bring all this up because I am trying to console myself with the fact that I can’t find any reasonable tickets. As a long-time season ticket holder, I’m actually a little disappointed at the lottery results. The Saints put up 4000 tickets in a lottery for its 71,000 season ticket holders. But according to the NFL the home team gets 17.5% of the 76,000 tickets. That’s 13,300. So, who got those other 10,000 tickets? That’s all we get? I know the players get to buy up to 15 tickets each. So that’s about 1000. So when our chances could have been about one out of 5, they were instead about one out of 20. Wow. I feel ignored. But, no time for sour grapes. We’ll just have to throw the greatest Super Bowl party in the history of bowlkind.
So, on to the game.
Will the Saints win? Yes.
Next question. How?
Well, now that I’m not sure about.
Payton vs. Peyton. It’s a mind game matchup for the ages.
It’s hard to envision Peyton Manning losing isn’t it? That’s the way America is looking at it, and that is certainly understandable. But, the Colts one-upped the Saints all year, allowing the Saints to fly under the radar. Could you imagine the hype if he were playing a New York team? I doubt that “underestimating” is in the Colts vocabulary, but if they’ll just listen to ESPN their overconfidence should grow daily.
I hate to say this but the pressure is on Brees. I think he’s right there with Manning, but the media doesn’t know it and he’s going to have to prove it. I’m guessing Payton will be playing that “disrespected” card for the next 10 days. Brees needs to have a legendary game to give us a chance. He’s got to match Manning shot for shot. The firm of Colston, Henderson, Moore, Meachem, & Shockey needs to match the more heralded firm of Wayne, Garcon, Collie, and Clark. I think they can, but I have to admit covering Dallas Clark is a major concern. A special team and a defensive score or two wouldn’t be all bad.
I’m hoping it will be a shootout, but it will probably come in “under” because these two defenses are pretty good and they practice against some pretty good offenses on a daily basis. They’ll both be ready. I’m going to call it 35-31 Saints.
If that happens, you can bet I’m headed to that filthy French Quarter to see what kind of “earning’s” going on.
Be There. You won’t want to miss this.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Saints Report #18 - January 24, 2010
Saints 31 Vikings 28 in Overtime for the Saints first ever NFC Championship!
It’s 4:30 in the morning and I have a 7:30 flight to catch. No sense in going to sleep now.
For a week I’ve been waiting for the celebration. Not the game. The celebration. I was that confident. I shouldn’t have been. The Dome was an insane asylum and it had to be. The Saints needed every scream to pull this one out.
Out gained and out possessed by a wide margin, the Saints forced a bushel full of turnovers and proved they were a team of destiny.
Accolades:
First and foremost to Pierre Thomas. I thought going in he was the key – that the Saints had to move the ball on the ground. All he did was score a touchdown on a screen pass, one on a run, and most importantly had a huge kick return to start the overtime.
The Kickers. Not only did Hartley cement his name in Saints lore forever when he nailed the game winner, but Thomas Moorstead boomed punt after punt to pin the Vikings deep.
The defense. Relentlessly pounding Brett Favre and the running backs, even as they made play after play, finally took its toll. Five Turnovers - Wow!
Darren Sharper, who seemed to make every tackle.
Tracy Porter, who came back from an interference call to pick off Favre and send the game into OT.
The crowd. The din had to contribute to the 5 turnovers.
Drew Brees. Although just a little off all night, his leadership was critical. It didn’t seem that he could step up into the pocket and fire, but he completed enough big passes to pull it out.
Sean Payton. With a rather conservative game plan, he kept the Saints in the game when things could have gone south the way the Vikings moved the ball.
It was during the offseason when Payton and GM Mickey Loomis aggressively addressed every hole, including defensive coordinator, that I became convinced the Saints could have a great year. If this keeps up, the Saints can be good for a long time.
For 43 years we’ve watched the Saints take leads late into games they deserved to win only to lose. This time, it was our turn to win when outplayed. It’s Destiny. When I went into the dome I really thought the Saints were going to win big. I didn’t count on Favre and the Vikings playing so well.
And after the game?
Coming out of the Arizona game last week, the crowd was almost subdued, exhausted.
This time the exuberance spilled out into the streets. As we walked to the French Quarter after the game it was a thrill to see the people dancing in the streets. When we got to Bourbon and Canal, we could not get into the French Quarter because the crowd was so thick. There were about 1000 dancing maniacs guarding the entrance. We then walked down a block and took a detour to Bourbon, which was wall to wall jubilation. We walked into a Daiquiri/Pizza shop and people were dancing like crazy, waiting for their Daiquiri’s. As we left the quarter walking back to our parking spot, it was incredible to see the vehicles pouring into the downtown, honking and screaming. I have no idea where all those cars were going, but they just didn’t care. When you’ve waited so long, you don’t want the night to end.
There won’t be a whole lot of work getting done in New Orleans tomorrow.
What will happen if the Saints win the Super Bowl? Don’t know, but I’d sure like to find out. The two teams that were the best throughout the year now get to meet.
It’s fitting.
It’s cool.
It’s destiny.
It’s 4:30 in the morning and I have a 7:30 flight to catch. No sense in going to sleep now.
For a week I’ve been waiting for the celebration. Not the game. The celebration. I was that confident. I shouldn’t have been. The Dome was an insane asylum and it had to be. The Saints needed every scream to pull this one out.
Out gained and out possessed by a wide margin, the Saints forced a bushel full of turnovers and proved they were a team of destiny.
Accolades:
First and foremost to Pierre Thomas. I thought going in he was the key – that the Saints had to move the ball on the ground. All he did was score a touchdown on a screen pass, one on a run, and most importantly had a huge kick return to start the overtime.
The Kickers. Not only did Hartley cement his name in Saints lore forever when he nailed the game winner, but Thomas Moorstead boomed punt after punt to pin the Vikings deep.
The defense. Relentlessly pounding Brett Favre and the running backs, even as they made play after play, finally took its toll. Five Turnovers - Wow!
Darren Sharper, who seemed to make every tackle.
Tracy Porter, who came back from an interference call to pick off Favre and send the game into OT.
The crowd. The din had to contribute to the 5 turnovers.
Drew Brees. Although just a little off all night, his leadership was critical. It didn’t seem that he could step up into the pocket and fire, but he completed enough big passes to pull it out.
Sean Payton. With a rather conservative game plan, he kept the Saints in the game when things could have gone south the way the Vikings moved the ball.
It was during the offseason when Payton and GM Mickey Loomis aggressively addressed every hole, including defensive coordinator, that I became convinced the Saints could have a great year. If this keeps up, the Saints can be good for a long time.
For 43 years we’ve watched the Saints take leads late into games they deserved to win only to lose. This time, it was our turn to win when outplayed. It’s Destiny. When I went into the dome I really thought the Saints were going to win big. I didn’t count on Favre and the Vikings playing so well.
And after the game?
Coming out of the Arizona game last week, the crowd was almost subdued, exhausted.
This time the exuberance spilled out into the streets. As we walked to the French Quarter after the game it was a thrill to see the people dancing in the streets. When we got to Bourbon and Canal, we could not get into the French Quarter because the crowd was so thick. There were about 1000 dancing maniacs guarding the entrance. We then walked down a block and took a detour to Bourbon, which was wall to wall jubilation. We walked into a Daiquiri/Pizza shop and people were dancing like crazy, waiting for their Daiquiri’s. As we left the quarter walking back to our parking spot, it was incredible to see the vehicles pouring into the downtown, honking and screaming. I have no idea where all those cars were going, but they just didn’t care. When you’ve waited so long, you don’t want the night to end.
There won’t be a whole lot of work getting done in New Orleans tomorrow.
What will happen if the Saints win the Super Bowl? Don’t know, but I’d sure like to find out. The two teams that were the best throughout the year now get to meet.
It’s fitting.
It’s cool.
It’s destiny.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Pre Game Reflections
The Saints will host the NFC Championship for the first time ever Sunday.
Are we there yet?
As we make our way to the dome, I’ll be reflecting on the short 43 years it took the Saints to get to this point. I cast my loyalties with the Saints when I was just 14.
I’ll pause while you do that math.
I remember that first Sports Illustrated cover with QB Gary Cuozzo and RB Jim Taylor, the first of many past-their-prime acquisitions. They were a mistake we would eerily repeat later with Ken Stabler and Earl Campbell. It’s one of our traditions. Yes, I still have that SI. That is my first indelible image of the futility to follow.
Today, seven of our last eight first round picks are still on the roster. Prior to that, Saint draft futility was legendary. Of what other franchise can you say that many of our late round picks and free agents became our best players, while the first rounders faded into oblivion?
Favorite Saints like Al Dodd, Rich Mauti, Jeff Groth, Danny Abramowicz, Michael Lewis, Sam Mills, Joe Horn and Mel Gray were under-sized and under-talented, but over-hearted, and outperformed the likes of Les Kelly, Larry Burton, Rick Middleton, and so many others who disappeared having barely left a trace.
For every George Rogers there was a Craig Heywood. For every Stan Brock there was a Jonathan Sullivan. For every Wayne Martin there was a Shawn Knight. For every Willie Roaf there was an Alvin Toles . For every Wes Chandler there was a Lindsay Scott. There was Ricky Williams keeping his helmet on for interviews. He needed to hide after Mike Ditka traded away every draft pick for him, an unnecessary disaster of epic proportions.
There was a succession of head coaches that never stood a chance as they were over matched and under resourced. Many fit the past their prime profile – Ditka, Hank Stram, Bum Phillips, Dick Nolan. The rest were pretty much clueless.
There were the players we cut loose that went on to Super Bowls, like Billy Kilmer, Kerry Collins, George Rogers, John Gilliam, Jake Delhomme, Darren Howard, Ricky Jackson, Stan Brock, and Tony Galbreath.
There was the mostly successful inclination to enlist LSU Tigers like Ken Bordelon, Dalton Hilliard, Hokie Gajan, Eric Martin, Brett Bech, Eddie Kennison, and Devery Henderson. Let it be said that the most successful Tiger pros have worn the black and gold.
Sure, there have been highlights. Ricky Williams wreaking havoc, and his great linebacking crew of Vaughn Johnson, Mills, and Pat Swilling. Hilliard and briefly, Rueben Mayes. Rogers. Jim Finks and Jim Mora bringing some respectability to town. Jim Haslett, before he got distracted by a cheerleader. Willie Roaf and Joe Horn, until they got distracted by each other.
There was the blocked punt. There was the fumbled punt. There was the field goal. There was the opening kick off run return, There was Deuce, and Tommy, and La’Roi, and Hoby, and Thunder and Lightening. Jake, Morten, Terry, Henry, The Flea, and Derland.
There was Archie. I still remember his first game as a rookie when he ran for the winning score. He spent the rest of his career running for his life. I thought he was going to revolutionize the QB position with his mobility. Well, he didn’t, anymore than did Randall Cunningham, Michael Vick, or any of the other scramblers that have come and gone since. Ironic that he raised two Super Bowl winning QB’s who stand like statues in the pocket. I remember (stupidly) hoping that the Saints wouldn’t draft Peyton or Eli because I didn’t want to see another Manning bouncing off the Superdome floor.
Our most intense rivalry was with the hated Atlanta Falcons, fueled by several late 70’s last second losses on fluke plays, hail mary’s, and phantom pass interference calls.
Assistant coaches? What other fanbase can hate a coordinator as much as we did Carl Smith and Rick Venturi.
I can remember Sundays in Michigan when I had to rely on ESPN and NFL Primetime to show me a few miserly highlights. This was before the Internet and NFL Sunday Ticket. Those were bleak days.
But, nothing is more indicative of the Saints image than that of 2 people I can still see face down on the turf. The second was Mike Ditka after the Saints had been beaten by a hail mary by Tim Couch of the Cleveland Browns. It was practically the only pass he ever completed. Ditka fell to the Superdome floor face down in disbelief, and just laid there, outcoached again.
It brought back bad memories of the Saints all-time worst draft pick, Russell Erxleben.
He was a kicker from Texas that the Saints drafted in 1979 with the thought being that this college super-kicker could both punt and kick field goals, as well as serve as back up Quarterback. Turned out he could do none of the above. In fact in his first game as a rookie, he threw an interception in overtime that lost the game, after a snap sailed over his head. After missing another in a series of potential game winners, he fell to the turf face down, the image of a inept franchise. He later served time for securities fraud. Way too late in the eyes of Saint's fans. Google him if you don’t believe me.
So, I'm ready to start our pre-game warmups. You see, down here we stretch in the French Quarter. Our pre-game meals are at Mother's. Our pre-game meetings are at Pat O'briens.
We're unique. We may have worn bags, but we've never given up. It’s our turn. Drew, Reggie, Marques, Sean, Will, Darren. We deserve a Steeler-esque run of 20 years of contention. It’s already begun, with our second appearance in the NFC championship game in 4 years. May there be many more.
We’ve certainly earned it.
We’ve waited.
We’ve endured.
It’s time.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/saints/2010-01-21-new-orleans-cover_N.htm
Are we there yet?
As we make our way to the dome, I’ll be reflecting on the short 43 years it took the Saints to get to this point. I cast my loyalties with the Saints when I was just 14.
I’ll pause while you do that math.
I remember that first Sports Illustrated cover with QB Gary Cuozzo and RB Jim Taylor, the first of many past-their-prime acquisitions. They were a mistake we would eerily repeat later with Ken Stabler and Earl Campbell. It’s one of our traditions. Yes, I still have that SI. That is my first indelible image of the futility to follow.
Today, seven of our last eight first round picks are still on the roster. Prior to that, Saint draft futility was legendary. Of what other franchise can you say that many of our late round picks and free agents became our best players, while the first rounders faded into oblivion?
Favorite Saints like Al Dodd, Rich Mauti, Jeff Groth, Danny Abramowicz, Michael Lewis, Sam Mills, Joe Horn and Mel Gray were under-sized and under-talented, but over-hearted, and outperformed the likes of Les Kelly, Larry Burton, Rick Middleton, and so many others who disappeared having barely left a trace.
For every George Rogers there was a Craig Heywood. For every Stan Brock there was a Jonathan Sullivan. For every Wayne Martin there was a Shawn Knight. For every Willie Roaf there was an Alvin Toles . For every Wes Chandler there was a Lindsay Scott. There was Ricky Williams keeping his helmet on for interviews. He needed to hide after Mike Ditka traded away every draft pick for him, an unnecessary disaster of epic proportions.
There was a succession of head coaches that never stood a chance as they were over matched and under resourced. Many fit the past their prime profile – Ditka, Hank Stram, Bum Phillips, Dick Nolan. The rest were pretty much clueless.
There were the players we cut loose that went on to Super Bowls, like Billy Kilmer, Kerry Collins, George Rogers, John Gilliam, Jake Delhomme, Darren Howard, Ricky Jackson, Stan Brock, and Tony Galbreath.
There was the mostly successful inclination to enlist LSU Tigers like Ken Bordelon, Dalton Hilliard, Hokie Gajan, Eric Martin, Brett Bech, Eddie Kennison, and Devery Henderson. Let it be said that the most successful Tiger pros have worn the black and gold.
Sure, there have been highlights. Ricky Williams wreaking havoc, and his great linebacking crew of Vaughn Johnson, Mills, and Pat Swilling. Hilliard and briefly, Rueben Mayes. Rogers. Jim Finks and Jim Mora bringing some respectability to town. Jim Haslett, before he got distracted by a cheerleader. Willie Roaf and Joe Horn, until they got distracted by each other.
There was the blocked punt. There was the fumbled punt. There was the field goal. There was the opening kick off run return, There was Deuce, and Tommy, and La’Roi, and Hoby, and Thunder and Lightening. Jake, Morten, Terry, Henry, The Flea, and Derland.
There was Archie. I still remember his first game as a rookie when he ran for the winning score. He spent the rest of his career running for his life. I thought he was going to revolutionize the QB position with his mobility. Well, he didn’t, anymore than did Randall Cunningham, Michael Vick, or any of the other scramblers that have come and gone since. Ironic that he raised two Super Bowl winning QB’s who stand like statues in the pocket. I remember (stupidly) hoping that the Saints wouldn’t draft Peyton or Eli because I didn’t want to see another Manning bouncing off the Superdome floor.
Our most intense rivalry was with the hated Atlanta Falcons, fueled by several late 70’s last second losses on fluke plays, hail mary’s, and phantom pass interference calls.
Assistant coaches? What other fanbase can hate a coordinator as much as we did Carl Smith and Rick Venturi.
I can remember Sundays in Michigan when I had to rely on ESPN and NFL Primetime to show me a few miserly highlights. This was before the Internet and NFL Sunday Ticket. Those were bleak days.
But, nothing is more indicative of the Saints image than that of 2 people I can still see face down on the turf. The second was Mike Ditka after the Saints had been beaten by a hail mary by Tim Couch of the Cleveland Browns. It was practically the only pass he ever completed. Ditka fell to the Superdome floor face down in disbelief, and just laid there, outcoached again.
It brought back bad memories of the Saints all-time worst draft pick, Russell Erxleben.
He was a kicker from Texas that the Saints drafted in 1979 with the thought being that this college super-kicker could both punt and kick field goals, as well as serve as back up Quarterback. Turned out he could do none of the above. In fact in his first game as a rookie, he threw an interception in overtime that lost the game, after a snap sailed over his head. After missing another in a series of potential game winners, he fell to the turf face down, the image of a inept franchise. He later served time for securities fraud. Way too late in the eyes of Saint's fans. Google him if you don’t believe me.
So, I'm ready to start our pre-game warmups. You see, down here we stretch in the French Quarter. Our pre-game meals are at Mother's. Our pre-game meetings are at Pat O'briens.
We're unique. We may have worn bags, but we've never given up. It’s our turn. Drew, Reggie, Marques, Sean, Will, Darren. We deserve a Steeler-esque run of 20 years of contention. It’s already begun, with our second appearance in the NFC championship game in 4 years. May there be many more.
We’ve certainly earned it.
We’ve waited.
We’ve endured.
It’s time.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/saints/2010-01-21-new-orleans-cover_N.htm
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Saints Report # 17 - January 16, 2010
So Many Weapons, So Little Time.
Drew Brees and Sean Payton deployed their weapons well, blowing up the “hot” Arizona Cardinals. So much for momentum.
Reggie Bush couldn’t have picked a better time to snap out of his dance fever mode and play the game of his pro career. The Saints now have 4, yes 4 running backs contributing. Lynell Hamilton has joined Pierre Thomas, Mike Bell, and Bush in the rotation. The Saints have 4, yes 4 top flight receivers. The 2, yes 2 deep threats Devery Henderson and Robert Meachem and the 2 magnetic handed possession guys Marques Colston and Lance Moore (healthy again) are simply awesome. Mix in mercurial Jeremy Shockey and versatile David Thomas as the tight ends, and you’ve got an assemblage of offensive talent that still manages to fly under the radar in the NFL.
The exciting thing about this season is not just that the Saints are in contention for the Super Bowl – but that this assemblage of talent has a chance to be very good for several years.
Saturday night, the defense rose to the occasion, displaying a little of their early season aggressiveness, applying constant pressure to Kurt Warner, who at 38 appears to have lost some arm strength, if not accuracy.
The Vikings will bring the next wave of the QB Seniors Tour to the Superdome with 40 year old Brett Favre having no such problems. Now, the Saints go where no Saints team has gone before – to the Superdome for an NFC Championship game. If Bourbon St on Saturday night was any indication, this should be the most profitable pre-Mardi Gras weeks ever.
Let’s go around the NFL.
No surprise, but Norv and Wade tanked again. While you can see that Rex Ryan inspires the Jets, it appears that Norv and Wade put their teams to sleep. The Chargers and Cowboys appear to have gotten a lethal injection of Ambien sometime before the weekend. They sleep walked their way right out of the playoffs.
Although I don’t think it will happen, wouldn’t it be great if the Colts got beaten by the Jets, whom they allowed into the playoffs with their capitulation of their perfect season? Now that would be ironic! It would be a tough lesson for Jim Caldwell to learn in his first season.
So, the Jets go to the Indy dome and the Vikes visit our dome.
And it is our dome.
Let me just say “I told you so” to Tom Benson. Remember the time many years ago that I screamed at you when you were on TV? While doing the Benson shuffle of trying to convince everyone you needed a new stadium to compete you famously said, “no one wants to sit up there – the seats are too pitched and high.” To which I screamed, “No, it’s the product on the field – that’s why the dome isn’t filled. Improve that product, and the dome will fill.”
Well, he wisely listened to me. There’s a terrific product on the field and our dome is incredible. It’s becoming like one of those great old stadiums that ooze tradition. I can’t even recount all the great football moments I’ve experienced there. This is a great football cathedral. The energy of this special season has been something to behold. Now just one game from the Super Bowl, the Saints must hook into the energy one more time and play their best game of the season Sunday against the Vikings.
If they do, a dome and a city may erupt. Be there – you don’t want to miss this.
Drew Brees and Sean Payton deployed their weapons well, blowing up the “hot” Arizona Cardinals. So much for momentum.
Reggie Bush couldn’t have picked a better time to snap out of his dance fever mode and play the game of his pro career. The Saints now have 4, yes 4 running backs contributing. Lynell Hamilton has joined Pierre Thomas, Mike Bell, and Bush in the rotation. The Saints have 4, yes 4 top flight receivers. The 2, yes 2 deep threats Devery Henderson and Robert Meachem and the 2 magnetic handed possession guys Marques Colston and Lance Moore (healthy again) are simply awesome. Mix in mercurial Jeremy Shockey and versatile David Thomas as the tight ends, and you’ve got an assemblage of offensive talent that still manages to fly under the radar in the NFL.
The exciting thing about this season is not just that the Saints are in contention for the Super Bowl – but that this assemblage of talent has a chance to be very good for several years.
Saturday night, the defense rose to the occasion, displaying a little of their early season aggressiveness, applying constant pressure to Kurt Warner, who at 38 appears to have lost some arm strength, if not accuracy.
The Vikings will bring the next wave of the QB Seniors Tour to the Superdome with 40 year old Brett Favre having no such problems. Now, the Saints go where no Saints team has gone before – to the Superdome for an NFC Championship game. If Bourbon St on Saturday night was any indication, this should be the most profitable pre-Mardi Gras weeks ever.
Let’s go around the NFL.
No surprise, but Norv and Wade tanked again. While you can see that Rex Ryan inspires the Jets, it appears that Norv and Wade put their teams to sleep. The Chargers and Cowboys appear to have gotten a lethal injection of Ambien sometime before the weekend. They sleep walked their way right out of the playoffs.
Although I don’t think it will happen, wouldn’t it be great if the Colts got beaten by the Jets, whom they allowed into the playoffs with their capitulation of their perfect season? Now that would be ironic! It would be a tough lesson for Jim Caldwell to learn in his first season.
So, the Jets go to the Indy dome and the Vikes visit our dome.
And it is our dome.
Let me just say “I told you so” to Tom Benson. Remember the time many years ago that I screamed at you when you were on TV? While doing the Benson shuffle of trying to convince everyone you needed a new stadium to compete you famously said, “no one wants to sit up there – the seats are too pitched and high.” To which I screamed, “No, it’s the product on the field – that’s why the dome isn’t filled. Improve that product, and the dome will fill.”
Well, he wisely listened to me. There’s a terrific product on the field and our dome is incredible. It’s becoming like one of those great old stadiums that ooze tradition. I can’t even recount all the great football moments I’ve experienced there. This is a great football cathedral. The energy of this special season has been something to behold. Now just one game from the Super Bowl, the Saints must hook into the energy one more time and play their best game of the season Sunday against the Vikings.
If they do, a dome and a city may erupt. Be there – you don’t want to miss this.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Saints Report - Playoff Preview
Here come the Quarterbacks. Eight teams left, and they have one thing in common – some pretty fair slingers. Too young, too old, too green, too black and blue. It's showtime.
It will be Kurt Warner and his Flying Arizona Circus coming to the dome Saturday to try to slow Drew Brees and the Magical Mystery Tour. Let’s hope the turf isn’t flammable.
For only the third time in their history, the Saints get to play in the second round of the NFL playoffs.
What to watch for?
For the Saints, I’ll be watching Pierre Thomas and Lance Moore, to see if they add a little extra dimension to the offense, and Jabari Greer and Tracy Porter on defense to see if they can return to their pre-injury early season form. Mostly, I’ll be watching the pass rush. It’s the pass rush that wins in the playoffs, and it will be up to Gregg Williams to dial up some pressure.
The schedule has set up nicely for the Saints. The Cardinals, who won their thriller over the Packers, must do the fastest turnaround possible – from the late game Sunday to the early game Saturday. Not really fair. Somehow, I don’t think Kurt Warner cares. I’ve seen his magic on the carpet of the Superdome enough for one lifetime.
I still don’t think the Saints finished as cold as everyone else thinks. They finished injured. Injuries mounted and they bore little resemblance to the team that blew through the first 2 months of the season. Are they rested, healthy, and sharp? We’ll see.
What about the other teams? The Ravens resurrected their old defensive domination in pushing the Patriots out of the playoffs. Dallas embarrassed the Eagles, who only 3 weeks ago looked like they could cruise to another Super Bowl.
The Jets shut up the Ocho’s. I was really hoping that the Colts would have to play the Jets, who are in the playoffs only because of the famous Colt capitulation of week 15. Instead the Colts get the Ravens while the Jets will try to slow down the Chargers.
Meanwhile, the hot Cowboys are the talk of the town.
To which I say not so fast – let’s make them win 3 games instead of handing them the Lombardi. They still have to go to Minnesota. Let’s remember that the Vikings are undefeated at home. How old will Favre play? He’s looked pretty young lately. There are still a lot of tests the Cowboys haven’t passed. They haven’t had to come from way behind to win. Remember that they came into the dome, totally dominated the Saints in every phase of the game, and only won by 7. That’s right, the pundits make it sound like the final score was 42 – 7, not 24 -17.
Think I'll stay on the Saints bandwagon awhile longer.
Meanwhile, a late observation on the College season:
Could the BCS Championship have been any more anti-climactic? A month off is a good idea? Image if after the Basketball Final Four Saturday, the final game was played a month later. I’d have been asleep. It’s bad enough that this illegal BCS cartel excludes so many Division One teams, are you telling me that with that final game being played 30 days after the Conference Championships, they couldn’t have squeezed in a couple of playoff rounds? Are you telling me Boise State shouldn’t have at least had the chance to be stopped by another team, instead of a bureaucracy?
I will say this about college football. Their replay system blows the NFL’s away.
In college, the decision maker sitting upstairs is looking at plays immediately. A mistake is gone in 60 seconds. In the NFL the coaches are looking. Right before the next play is snapped, the coach throws the red flag. The Referee comes over, and the coach explains what he thinks needs to be looked at. The Ref walks over to the great hooded monitor. Five minutes has passed already. Now if the ref is so inclined, he must overturn a call he or his crew missed. The officials confer. They talk about the post-game meal. You could time all this with an hourglass. The droning and guessing by the announcers only makes it more painful.
Had to rant. I’m done droning – time to see how far the best Saints team ever can go now that it really counts. We’ll know soon.
It will be Kurt Warner and his Flying Arizona Circus coming to the dome Saturday to try to slow Drew Brees and the Magical Mystery Tour. Let’s hope the turf isn’t flammable.
For only the third time in their history, the Saints get to play in the second round of the NFL playoffs.
What to watch for?
For the Saints, I’ll be watching Pierre Thomas and Lance Moore, to see if they add a little extra dimension to the offense, and Jabari Greer and Tracy Porter on defense to see if they can return to their pre-injury early season form. Mostly, I’ll be watching the pass rush. It’s the pass rush that wins in the playoffs, and it will be up to Gregg Williams to dial up some pressure.
The schedule has set up nicely for the Saints. The Cardinals, who won their thriller over the Packers, must do the fastest turnaround possible – from the late game Sunday to the early game Saturday. Not really fair. Somehow, I don’t think Kurt Warner cares. I’ve seen his magic on the carpet of the Superdome enough for one lifetime.
I still don’t think the Saints finished as cold as everyone else thinks. They finished injured. Injuries mounted and they bore little resemblance to the team that blew through the first 2 months of the season. Are they rested, healthy, and sharp? We’ll see.
What about the other teams? The Ravens resurrected their old defensive domination in pushing the Patriots out of the playoffs. Dallas embarrassed the Eagles, who only 3 weeks ago looked like they could cruise to another Super Bowl.
The Jets shut up the Ocho’s. I was really hoping that the Colts would have to play the Jets, who are in the playoffs only because of the famous Colt capitulation of week 15. Instead the Colts get the Ravens while the Jets will try to slow down the Chargers.
Meanwhile, the hot Cowboys are the talk of the town.
To which I say not so fast – let’s make them win 3 games instead of handing them the Lombardi. They still have to go to Minnesota. Let’s remember that the Vikings are undefeated at home. How old will Favre play? He’s looked pretty young lately. There are still a lot of tests the Cowboys haven’t passed. They haven’t had to come from way behind to win. Remember that they came into the dome, totally dominated the Saints in every phase of the game, and only won by 7. That’s right, the pundits make it sound like the final score was 42 – 7, not 24 -17.
Think I'll stay on the Saints bandwagon awhile longer.
Meanwhile, a late observation on the College season:
Could the BCS Championship have been any more anti-climactic? A month off is a good idea? Image if after the Basketball Final Four Saturday, the final game was played a month later. I’d have been asleep. It’s bad enough that this illegal BCS cartel excludes so many Division One teams, are you telling me that with that final game being played 30 days after the Conference Championships, they couldn’t have squeezed in a couple of playoff rounds? Are you telling me Boise State shouldn’t have at least had the chance to be stopped by another team, instead of a bureaucracy?
I will say this about college football. Their replay system blows the NFL’s away.
In college, the decision maker sitting upstairs is looking at plays immediately. A mistake is gone in 60 seconds. In the NFL the coaches are looking. Right before the next play is snapped, the coach throws the red flag. The Referee comes over, and the coach explains what he thinks needs to be looked at. The Ref walks over to the great hooded monitor. Five minutes has passed already. Now if the ref is so inclined, he must overturn a call he or his crew missed. The officials confer. They talk about the post-game meal. You could time all this with an hourglass. The droning and guessing by the announcers only makes it more painful.
Had to rant. I’m done droning – time to see how far the best Saints team ever can go now that it really counts. We’ll know soon.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Saints Report #16 - January 3rd 2010
My least favorite movie ending of recent years was 3:10 to Yuma. After 2 hours of brilliance in the midst of incredible action, our hero gets himself shot by turning his back to the killers. What a letdown.
The Saints go into the playoffs similarly wounded. The difference is that they aren’t dead and they have time to heal.
Sunday, the Saints lost their third straight game to close out their best regular season ever at 13 – 3. For those of us hoping for a perfect season, if only to shut Mercury Morris up, it was a little bit of a letdown, but let’s face it – it was always a long shot to go undefeated.
A month ago this NFL season was spectacular, with 2 teams undefeated, and several more rolling. Then, the wind died down. Not only did the Saints go skidding into the playoffs, but so did the other mid-season favorite, the Colts, who capitulated their way in. As the NFL considers extending the season to 18 regular season games, they should look back at the lackluster way this season ended. Four Months is a long time to stay sharp, and with all the talk about how hard you should play once you’ve wrapped up home field advantage, there’s a new poster boy for this argument. It looks like Wes Welker, a vital cog in the Patriots dynasty machine suffered a serious knee injury Sunday playing in a game he didn’t need to be playing in. Doubtful that the Patriots are long for the playoffs without one of the top ten offensive players in the league.
The Saints lost Sunday to Carolina, 24 – 10. Actually, the Saints didn’t play that poorly, considering it was essentially the same team they’d trot out for the final exhibition game. It must be said however, that Carolina Head Coach John Fox went to great pains to not run the score up, running the ball on 3rd and long on several occasions as to not embarrass the Saints.
We got to see some backups, and some of it wasn’t pretty. Lets just say Mark Brunel (9/17/70) looked more his age than Brett Favre (10/10/69). There should be renewed appreciation for the precision of Drew Brees who set a new NFL record for completion percentage at 70.6% - a number it did not appear Brunel could approach in an offensive run-through with no defense on the field. At this point he appears to have the arm strength of the typical NFL QB who should have retired three years ago.
When you make a list of off-season needs, backup QB needs to be somewhere on the list. One of the most distressing things about the game was the play of the wide receivers who didn’t appear to know where or when the ball was going to arrive and thus I thought they played very defensively, giving Brunel little help.
Meanwhile, some good news: Jabari Greer returned. Randall Gay played. Somehow the Saints were able to field a team and let their many injured players rest and recover. With 2 weeks to get healthy, let’s hope the 2nd season begins the way the 1st one did. Say what you want about their lack of momentum going into the playoffs – that doesn’t concern me near as much as their health. Sitting the injured today was the right thing to do. We’ll see if it turns out like The Sixth Sense, or 3:10 to Yuma.
But, let’s conclude the regular season with a tip of the hat to the Saints on their first 13 win season. The schedule was unique in that so many of the big games occurred in the dome. Remember, the Jets came in undefeated, the Giants came in undefeated, and the Patriots came in as a dynasty. One thrashing by the Cowboys and a inexplicable pancake by the Bucs not withstanding, it was an incredibly exciting year. Now the Saints, with one playoff win will match their best result ever, and with two will visit a destination they’ve rarely even dreamed of.
In Baseball momentum is defined as your next days’ starting pitcher. Let’s hope about 2 drives into the first playoff game, momentum has been reestablished.
The Saints go into the playoffs similarly wounded. The difference is that they aren’t dead and they have time to heal.
Sunday, the Saints lost their third straight game to close out their best regular season ever at 13 – 3. For those of us hoping for a perfect season, if only to shut Mercury Morris up, it was a little bit of a letdown, but let’s face it – it was always a long shot to go undefeated.
A month ago this NFL season was spectacular, with 2 teams undefeated, and several more rolling. Then, the wind died down. Not only did the Saints go skidding into the playoffs, but so did the other mid-season favorite, the Colts, who capitulated their way in. As the NFL considers extending the season to 18 regular season games, they should look back at the lackluster way this season ended. Four Months is a long time to stay sharp, and with all the talk about how hard you should play once you’ve wrapped up home field advantage, there’s a new poster boy for this argument. It looks like Wes Welker, a vital cog in the Patriots dynasty machine suffered a serious knee injury Sunday playing in a game he didn’t need to be playing in. Doubtful that the Patriots are long for the playoffs without one of the top ten offensive players in the league.
The Saints lost Sunday to Carolina, 24 – 10. Actually, the Saints didn’t play that poorly, considering it was essentially the same team they’d trot out for the final exhibition game. It must be said however, that Carolina Head Coach John Fox went to great pains to not run the score up, running the ball on 3rd and long on several occasions as to not embarrass the Saints.
We got to see some backups, and some of it wasn’t pretty. Lets just say Mark Brunel (9/17/70) looked more his age than Brett Favre (10/10/69). There should be renewed appreciation for the precision of Drew Brees who set a new NFL record for completion percentage at 70.6% - a number it did not appear Brunel could approach in an offensive run-through with no defense on the field. At this point he appears to have the arm strength of the typical NFL QB who should have retired three years ago.
When you make a list of off-season needs, backup QB needs to be somewhere on the list. One of the most distressing things about the game was the play of the wide receivers who didn’t appear to know where or when the ball was going to arrive and thus I thought they played very defensively, giving Brunel little help.
Meanwhile, some good news: Jabari Greer returned. Randall Gay played. Somehow the Saints were able to field a team and let their many injured players rest and recover. With 2 weeks to get healthy, let’s hope the 2nd season begins the way the 1st one did. Say what you want about their lack of momentum going into the playoffs – that doesn’t concern me near as much as their health. Sitting the injured today was the right thing to do. We’ll see if it turns out like The Sixth Sense, or 3:10 to Yuma.
But, let’s conclude the regular season with a tip of the hat to the Saints on their first 13 win season. The schedule was unique in that so many of the big games occurred in the dome. Remember, the Jets came in undefeated, the Giants came in undefeated, and the Patriots came in as a dynasty. One thrashing by the Cowboys and a inexplicable pancake by the Bucs not withstanding, it was an incredibly exciting year. Now the Saints, with one playoff win will match their best result ever, and with two will visit a destination they’ve rarely even dreamed of.
In Baseball momentum is defined as your next days’ starting pitcher. Let’s hope about 2 drives into the first playoff game, momentum has been reestablished.
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