Letting 10 -0 sink in.
I’m sitting here waiting on the HBO season finale of Curb Your Enthusiasm, and I’m trying to curb my enthusiasm for the Saints. Be calm, 10 – 0, no big deal, just ask the Tennessee Titans. Long way to go. Division pretty much in hand. Another big game coming up. Curb it.
Here’s what’s cool about the Saints – just the way it’s all come together, good solid coaching, good play calling (remember Carl Smith) good drafting. But here’s what I really like – the patient player development. Today was Robert Meachem day. Let’s face it – sometimes players come in and make an immediate impact, like Marques Colston and Reggie Bush. Other times, they have to develop. The slow, methodical development of a first round pick like Meachem is the last thing that is expected. We see so many times when a team gives up on a first pick that doesn’t explode as a superstar (see the Detroit Lions’ fleet of wide receiver first round picks). Meachem even had to sit for a year. Whoever heard of that? Off the roster for a whole year, but the team didn’t give up, they just kept working with him until he got it, and now – wow!
From the beginning it was obvious Pierre Thomas was an NFL running back. The Saints have brought him along slowly, and now he’s a steady contributor. It wasn’t as obvious with Lance Moore, but his emergence last year was a testament to the tortoise method that they sometime employ.
All in all, no matter how this year ends up, this is the proper way to develop an NFL team. Finally. Good drafting, good development of unrecognized players, key free agent acquisitions, and yes good coaching.
So, when the Saints dismantled the Bucs today 38 – 7, and I’m thus trying to curb my enthusiasm, it is not so much the prospect of a Super Bowl that has me excited. It’s the fact that this team has a chance to be elite for the next several years. I got a kick out of the consternation over how the Saints won their last few games, that they weren’t up to par. Are you kidding me? We want W’s and only W’s. Don’t care how, don’t care what they look like. I never thought I’d see a Seinfeld reunion, and I’d never thought I’d see 10 – 0. I saw both today.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
Saints Report # 9 - November 16th, 2009
Mark the date. The Saints clinched a winning record and the war of attrition has officially begun.
The Saints slogged their way to 9 – 0 Sunday with a hard fought victory over the Rams 28-23. It was a talent-over-preparation victory. It counts as a W, and no one will remember the cost, nor the poor clock management in the fourth quarter. This time it was Courtney Roby’s kick return to open the second half, and Reggie Bush’s electric running that saved the Saints. Defensive adjustments at halftime helped slow Steven Jackson, who had pretty much had his way in the first half, and the Saints used big plays to pull it out, rather than grind it out.
With two wonderful free agent pickups, Darren Sharper and Jabari Greer sitting this one out with injuries, Saints fans watched as Tracy Porter was carted off with a knee injury. That's three fourths of the defensive backfield! Compound that with the usually reliable Randall Gay doing a Jason David imitation giving us flashbacks to years of Payton past, and uneasy rests our record.
I said it before and I’ll say it again – the Super Bowl is played by teams that are hot and healthy. The Saints are not playing their best right now, but that worries me much less than their health. It’s the health of the defense which is paramount. The offense has depth – the defense doesn’t.
Next week, we visit Tampa, which doesn’t scare me, although anything can happen in the NFL. But anyone that watched the Manning/Brady Sunday Night Shootout knows that when Brady and an embarrassed Belichick come calling we’ll need all the healthy defensive bodies we can get.
The stretch run, and the war of attrition has begun.
The Saints slogged their way to 9 – 0 Sunday with a hard fought victory over the Rams 28-23. It was a talent-over-preparation victory. It counts as a W, and no one will remember the cost, nor the poor clock management in the fourth quarter. This time it was Courtney Roby’s kick return to open the second half, and Reggie Bush’s electric running that saved the Saints. Defensive adjustments at halftime helped slow Steven Jackson, who had pretty much had his way in the first half, and the Saints used big plays to pull it out, rather than grind it out.
With two wonderful free agent pickups, Darren Sharper and Jabari Greer sitting this one out with injuries, Saints fans watched as Tracy Porter was carted off with a knee injury. That's three fourths of the defensive backfield! Compound that with the usually reliable Randall Gay doing a Jason David imitation giving us flashbacks to years of Payton past, and uneasy rests our record.
I said it before and I’ll say it again – the Super Bowl is played by teams that are hot and healthy. The Saints are not playing their best right now, but that worries me much less than their health. It’s the health of the defense which is paramount. The offense has depth – the defense doesn’t.
Next week, we visit Tampa, which doesn’t scare me, although anything can happen in the NFL. But anyone that watched the Manning/Brady Sunday Night Shootout knows that when Brady and an embarrassed Belichick come calling we’ll need all the healthy defensive bodies we can get.
The stretch run, and the war of attrition has begun.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Saints Report # 8 - November 9, 2009
Don’t Come a Knockin' when the Dome is Rockin’
How sweet it is.
To be 8 – 0 in America.
As the Saints fell behind 14 – 0 yesterday, there was no panic in the Louisiana Superdome. These Saints expect to win. These fans expect to win. They kept rockin’ even as Carolina had one opportunity after another to put the game out of reach. How long will this confidence last? I have no idea. With formidable home tests expected from Dallas and New England I don’t know if we’ll go undefeated, but the roll that we’re on right now is too much fun. This is the way it’s supposed to be.
Yes, the Saints showed some weaknesses yesterday. Carolina chewed up yardage with their running game and slowed the Saints attack as the Saints again turned the ball over too much. But in the end it was Drew Brees’ leadership after a shaky start that led the Saints to their first 8-0 start.
It’s cool watching Drew’s body language. Unlike some quarterbacks who slump around when things don’t go their way, Drew stands calmly on the sideline with his helmet still on, starring at the field. He can’t wait to go again, like a fighter who was been bloodied in one round, but knows there are many rounds to go. He doesn’t even want to sit on the stool.
One of the characteristics of a hot team is that they have a new hero each week. This week one hero was Anthony Hargrove. His personal struggles have been well documented, so while he seems to have turned his life around, he continues to progress on the field. With Sean Ellis out for awhile, he will be a key player for the next few weeks. He hadn’t recovered a fumble in 3 years, so when he recovered one late in the 4th quarter he enjoyed it so much, he grabbed another one and took it in for a score a few minutes later. It was the Saints 7th defensive touchdown of the year, which I’m told is more than Cleveland’s offense. Seven in Eight games! That’s an incredible streak that has to slow down, doesn’t it?
Another hero was Robert Meachum, who made several key grabs, including a long touchdown run after catch. With Marquis Colston having an off day, and Lance Moore on the mend, Meachum stepped up.
My personal favorite was Pierre Thomas who scored and refrained from doing the bogaloo. (See last week's blog)
So now, 4 road games in the next 5 weeks represent a new kind of challenge. Hopefully the Saints will not get caught looking ahead to a Monday Night shoot-out with the Patriots. But I sure am.
How sweet it is.
To be 8 – 0 in America.
As the Saints fell behind 14 – 0 yesterday, there was no panic in the Louisiana Superdome. These Saints expect to win. These fans expect to win. They kept rockin’ even as Carolina had one opportunity after another to put the game out of reach. How long will this confidence last? I have no idea. With formidable home tests expected from Dallas and New England I don’t know if we’ll go undefeated, but the roll that we’re on right now is too much fun. This is the way it’s supposed to be.
Yes, the Saints showed some weaknesses yesterday. Carolina chewed up yardage with their running game and slowed the Saints attack as the Saints again turned the ball over too much. But in the end it was Drew Brees’ leadership after a shaky start that led the Saints to their first 8-0 start.
It’s cool watching Drew’s body language. Unlike some quarterbacks who slump around when things don’t go their way, Drew stands calmly on the sideline with his helmet still on, starring at the field. He can’t wait to go again, like a fighter who was been bloodied in one round, but knows there are many rounds to go. He doesn’t even want to sit on the stool.
One of the characteristics of a hot team is that they have a new hero each week. This week one hero was Anthony Hargrove. His personal struggles have been well documented, so while he seems to have turned his life around, he continues to progress on the field. With Sean Ellis out for awhile, he will be a key player for the next few weeks. He hadn’t recovered a fumble in 3 years, so when he recovered one late in the 4th quarter he enjoyed it so much, he grabbed another one and took it in for a score a few minutes later. It was the Saints 7th defensive touchdown of the year, which I’m told is more than Cleveland’s offense. Seven in Eight games! That’s an incredible streak that has to slow down, doesn’t it?
Another hero was Robert Meachum, who made several key grabs, including a long touchdown run after catch. With Marquis Colston having an off day, and Lance Moore on the mend, Meachum stepped up.
My personal favorite was Pierre Thomas who scored and refrained from doing the bogaloo. (See last week's blog)
So now, 4 road games in the next 5 weeks represent a new kind of challenge. Hopefully the Saints will not get caught looking ahead to a Monday Night shoot-out with the Patriots. But I sure am.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Saints Report #7 - November 2, 2009
Coach Payton,
Some congratulations are in order for:
First, starting out 7-0, matching the Saints best start ever.
Second, for surviving the Sports Illustrated cover jinx.
Third, for extracting a pretty good performance out of Reggie Bush last night. He was the only running back that didn’t lay the ball on the ground, he scored his 16th touchdown as a pro (not bad for a bust), and did a great job picking up some blitzes. He also didn’t taunt. Good job – gotta hand it to him when he does good.
And fourth, for winning another game where one could argue the Saints were outplayed.
At your press conferences you talk about things you need to “clean up,” and let me start with some suggestions:
First, Pierre Thomas’ dancing. His touchdown was indeed a nifty run. However, it didn’t merit an entire dance video. As his celebration went on forever the referee, rightfully playing the role of a judge on “So you think you can dance,” flagged him for unsportsmanlike conduct – excessive celebration and terrible simulation of the movie “This is It” which he must have seen the night before. Please explain to the team that if they are still playing in February they can dance the whole f****** Thriller video if they want, but until then we’ll do the dancing in the stands. Just be like Colston – hand the ball to the ref and go back to the bench to celebrate with your teammates. You may want to mention this to Lance Moore as well – he developed a little bit of Dance Fever last year. The reason I bring this up was that his outburst directly led to giving up enough field position that on the next possession he almost got Brees killed and the result was a touchdown for the Falcons. Not to mention the motivating effect it has on the opposition. When are you going to get this under control?
Second, the Saints got pushed around last night. It seemed that we lost enough line of scrimmage battles to remind us that football is a game of power, and we need more. Greer got mugged on the long touchdown pass, but he got overpowered and that’s not good. And let’s not even talk about what that power running back did to us.
Third, thank Jonathan Vilma. His deflection, in an otherwise lackluster performance, was a game changer.
Fourth, your team sucks at rugby. We lost 3 fumbles in the scrums last night. Not sure how you practice that, but you can bet teams are going to be poking and prodding like it’s an episode of Grey’s Anatomy from here on out.
Fourth, please explain to the NFL that the booth challenges in the last 2 minutes of a half is a stupid rule. It ensures that almost every play is a 5 minute mini-drama and referees, who must be scared to death at this point to call anything, are soon going to be an afterthought. Totally unnecessary to change the rules that exist the rest of the half. The games last longer than an episode of The View already. Please stop.
Finally, please explain to the team that the season is only getting started. The last 2 games indicate trouble down the road, but that’s ok. There’s a long way to go. Getting excited at this point, especially about an undefeated season, is like talking about a no-hitter after the first inning. Keep building and improving – we’ll be fine.
Some congratulations are in order for:
First, starting out 7-0, matching the Saints best start ever.
Second, for surviving the Sports Illustrated cover jinx.
Third, for extracting a pretty good performance out of Reggie Bush last night. He was the only running back that didn’t lay the ball on the ground, he scored his 16th touchdown as a pro (not bad for a bust), and did a great job picking up some blitzes. He also didn’t taunt. Good job – gotta hand it to him when he does good.
And fourth, for winning another game where one could argue the Saints were outplayed.
At your press conferences you talk about things you need to “clean up,” and let me start with some suggestions:
First, Pierre Thomas’ dancing. His touchdown was indeed a nifty run. However, it didn’t merit an entire dance video. As his celebration went on forever the referee, rightfully playing the role of a judge on “So you think you can dance,” flagged him for unsportsmanlike conduct – excessive celebration and terrible simulation of the movie “This is It” which he must have seen the night before. Please explain to the team that if they are still playing in February they can dance the whole f****** Thriller video if they want, but until then we’ll do the dancing in the stands. Just be like Colston – hand the ball to the ref and go back to the bench to celebrate with your teammates. You may want to mention this to Lance Moore as well – he developed a little bit of Dance Fever last year. The reason I bring this up was that his outburst directly led to giving up enough field position that on the next possession he almost got Brees killed and the result was a touchdown for the Falcons. Not to mention the motivating effect it has on the opposition. When are you going to get this under control?
Second, the Saints got pushed around last night. It seemed that we lost enough line of scrimmage battles to remind us that football is a game of power, and we need more. Greer got mugged on the long touchdown pass, but he got overpowered and that’s not good. And let’s not even talk about what that power running back did to us.
Third, thank Jonathan Vilma. His deflection, in an otherwise lackluster performance, was a game changer.
Fourth, your team sucks at rugby. We lost 3 fumbles in the scrums last night. Not sure how you practice that, but you can bet teams are going to be poking and prodding like it’s an episode of Grey’s Anatomy from here on out.
Fourth, please explain to the NFL that the booth challenges in the last 2 minutes of a half is a stupid rule. It ensures that almost every play is a 5 minute mini-drama and referees, who must be scared to death at this point to call anything, are soon going to be an afterthought. Totally unnecessary to change the rules that exist the rest of the half. The games last longer than an episode of The View already. Please stop.
Finally, please explain to the team that the season is only getting started. The last 2 games indicate trouble down the road, but that’s ok. There’s a long way to go. Getting excited at this point, especially about an undefeated season, is like talking about a no-hitter after the first inning. Keep building and improving – we’ll be fine.
Friday, October 30, 2009
At the Cinema - October 2009
Capitalism: A Love Story - 10 out of 10
You’ll like this movie if you:
a. like Michael Moore
b. were pissed off at the bailout, Tarp, etc.
c. suspect that money controls our government and would like to see how
Michael Moore only draws his fans, and that’s a shame, because in this movie he has few kind words for anyone in the political process, especially when it comes to the banking industry.
I’ve always thought the way he presents his material is hilarious and I think I once said he was the Woody Allen of documentaries. His previous movies were filled with some good belly laughs.
Those touches are here, but I have to report there’s very little funny in this movie. Even when you want to laugh, you can’t believe what you’re seeing. There’s real reporting here, and it’s pretty frightening. There are a few congressional heroes that agreed to go on camera, but by and large it looks like a complete turnover of Congress is in order.
Moore misses the boat a little bit with his conclusions on capitalism, but he sure makes you think.
Paranormal Activity – 7
You’ll like this movie if you:
a. like scary movies
b. prefer seeing them in a packed theater
c. are a teenager
Let me set the scene. I saw this in a theater with an old man sitting in the handicapped seats. Behind me were a lot of screaming teenaged girls with boyfriends who took some pleasure in escalating the scares. The old man would turn around and tell them to shut up. There was a lot of screaming. All in all, it was wildly entertaining.
So, much of the fun in this movie is in the audience reaction. Effective in its simplicity and the rather claustrophobic setting there are some very chilling moments here. Unlike the home movie Blair Witch Project, which it is most often compared to, this movie actually has an ending.
It is shot as a home movie, and the story of an on-going haunting is believable and gripping. Won’t be confused with great art, but it’s worth seeing if you like being shaken, not stirred.
You’ll like this movie if you:
a. like Michael Moore
b. were pissed off at the bailout, Tarp, etc.
c. suspect that money controls our government and would like to see how
Michael Moore only draws his fans, and that’s a shame, because in this movie he has few kind words for anyone in the political process, especially when it comes to the banking industry.
I’ve always thought the way he presents his material is hilarious and I think I once said he was the Woody Allen of documentaries. His previous movies were filled with some good belly laughs.
Those touches are here, but I have to report there’s very little funny in this movie. Even when you want to laugh, you can’t believe what you’re seeing. There’s real reporting here, and it’s pretty frightening. There are a few congressional heroes that agreed to go on camera, but by and large it looks like a complete turnover of Congress is in order.
Moore misses the boat a little bit with his conclusions on capitalism, but he sure makes you think.
Paranormal Activity – 7
You’ll like this movie if you:
a. like scary movies
b. prefer seeing them in a packed theater
c. are a teenager
Let me set the scene. I saw this in a theater with an old man sitting in the handicapped seats. Behind me were a lot of screaming teenaged girls with boyfriends who took some pleasure in escalating the scares. The old man would turn around and tell them to shut up. There was a lot of screaming. All in all, it was wildly entertaining.
So, much of the fun in this movie is in the audience reaction. Effective in its simplicity and the rather claustrophobic setting there are some very chilling moments here. Unlike the home movie Blair Witch Project, which it is most often compared to, this movie actually has an ending.
It is shot as a home movie, and the story of an on-going haunting is believable and gripping. Won’t be confused with great art, but it’s worth seeing if you like being shaken, not stirred.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Saints Report #6 - October 25, 2009
Hey, let’s go check out Miami this weekend. We’ll look for Sylvester Stallone and Madonna, and we’ll check out South Beach. We can have some great Cuban food and dance on the tables at some of those hot clubs.
Sounds great doesn’t it. Hey, and just for fun, let’s spot the home team 21 points. What we’ll do is lull them Dolphins into thinking they’ve got us beat. We’ll turn the ball over a few times, we’ll fumble, we’ll throw a few picks, and we’ll play like we’re just out of sorts.
Then, just when they think they’ve got us, we’ll unleash. We’ll show ‘em what we’ve got. We’ll pull out all our weapons, storm from behind and stun them. Let’s go prove we can come from behind. Always playing with a big lead – that’s no fun.
And let’s do all this in some early Halloween costumes:
Jeremy, you’re going to go as The Trojan Horse
Reggie, you wear this cape – I want to see if you can fly.
Drew, you dress as Houdini
Darren, you’re Butch Cassidy, and Tracy, you go as The Sundance Kid
Jonathan, you go as The Hulk
Mike, come as Rumpelstiltskin, go ahead and sleep through the first half.
Whatayasay? It’ll be fun.
Then, with a little help from the Steelers we’ll head back to The Big Easy as the only unbeaten NFC team. We’ll get ready for some football - some prime-time Monday Night Football against the Falcons with a real chance to take a big lead in the division.
How’s that sound? Cool huh?
Sounds great doesn’t it. Hey, and just for fun, let’s spot the home team 21 points. What we’ll do is lull them Dolphins into thinking they’ve got us beat. We’ll turn the ball over a few times, we’ll fumble, we’ll throw a few picks, and we’ll play like we’re just out of sorts.
Then, just when they think they’ve got us, we’ll unleash. We’ll show ‘em what we’ve got. We’ll pull out all our weapons, storm from behind and stun them. Let’s go prove we can come from behind. Always playing with a big lead – that’s no fun.
And let’s do all this in some early Halloween costumes:
Jeremy, you’re going to go as The Trojan Horse
Reggie, you wear this cape – I want to see if you can fly.
Drew, you dress as Houdini
Darren, you’re Butch Cassidy, and Tracy, you go as The Sundance Kid
Jonathan, you go as The Hulk
Mike, come as Rumpelstiltskin, go ahead and sleep through the first half.
Whatayasay? It’ll be fun.
Then, with a little help from the Steelers we’ll head back to The Big Easy as the only unbeaten NFC team. We’ll get ready for some football - some prime-time Monday Night Football against the Falcons with a real chance to take a big lead in the division.
How’s that sound? Cool huh?
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Saints Report #5 - October 18, 2009
The only thing missing was the junior mints.
Sitting in the dome watching Drew Brees and company pick apart the vaunted Giants with surgical precision inspired me to call Madonna and Weird Al Yankovich over for an afternoon of tea and crumpets and a little song re-writing. Go ahead and pull out The Immaculate Collection and sing along. You know you want to.
Like a Surgeon (to the the tune of Like a Virgin)
He made it through the injury
Somehow he breezed on through
Didn’t know how good he was
Until Sean found you
Never falls incomplete
When open, I’ll be black & blue
But Brees made Saints feel
Yeah, he made Saints feel
Shiny and new
Like a surgeon
Torched for the very first time
Like a surgeon
Dissecting defenses
Behind that line
Better give me all your blitzs, boy
Opponent’s fading fast
Momentum has set in
Don’t know how long they’ll last
Giants fine and they’re mine
Payton makes me strong, yeah he makes me bold
Carve their hearts right out
Yeah, go all out
‘til they’re shocked and cold
Like a surgeon hey
Carved for the very first time
Like a surgeon
Slicing defenses
Behind that line.
Oooh, oooh, oooh
Jets were fine and they’re mine
I’ll be a Saint ‘til the end of time
Oh touchdowns clawed out
Yeah, by air or by feet
You’ve got nowhere to hide
Like a surgeon
Carved for the very first time
Like a surgeon
Slicing secondaries
Behind that line.
Like a surgeon, cha ching
Like a surgeon
Slice through the defense
With Colston, and with Meachum, Shockey and Moore
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Who, dat
Can’t you see a Super Bowl
For the Very First time?
Next up - Miami in a trap game. There really are no breaks in the NFL, and with the Falcons breathing down our necks and headed here on a Monday night, the Saints can't let up.
Sitting in the dome watching Drew Brees and company pick apart the vaunted Giants with surgical precision inspired me to call Madonna and Weird Al Yankovich over for an afternoon of tea and crumpets and a little song re-writing. Go ahead and pull out The Immaculate Collection and sing along. You know you want to.
Like a Surgeon (to the the tune of Like a Virgin)
He made it through the injury
Somehow he breezed on through
Didn’t know how good he was
Until Sean found you
Never falls incomplete
When open, I’ll be black & blue
But Brees made Saints feel
Yeah, he made Saints feel
Shiny and new
Like a surgeon
Torched for the very first time
Like a surgeon
Dissecting defenses
Behind that line
Better give me all your blitzs, boy
Opponent’s fading fast
Momentum has set in
Don’t know how long they’ll last
Giants fine and they’re mine
Payton makes me strong, yeah he makes me bold
Carve their hearts right out
Yeah, go all out
‘til they’re shocked and cold
Like a surgeon hey
Carved for the very first time
Like a surgeon
Slicing defenses
Behind that line.
Oooh, oooh, oooh
Jets were fine and they’re mine
I’ll be a Saint ‘til the end of time
Oh touchdowns clawed out
Yeah, by air or by feet
You’ve got nowhere to hide
Like a surgeon
Carved for the very first time
Like a surgeon
Slicing secondaries
Behind that line.
Like a surgeon, cha ching
Like a surgeon
Slice through the defense
With Colston, and with Meachum, Shockey and Moore
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Who, dat
Can’t you see a Super Bowl
For the Very First time?
Next up - Miami in a trap game. There really are no breaks in the NFL, and with the Falcons breathing down our necks and headed here on a Monday night, the Saints can't let up.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Saints Report #4 - October 6, 2009
First, the food:
I love 3:00 pm home games. You get to eat 2 meals – lunch before and dinner afterwards. I had just seen “Parasol’s” on the food channel, (Divers, Diners, and Dives – cool show) .so figured it was time to revisit and see if the roast beef poboys were still superb. They were. Too bad this bar takes the “dive” a little too seriously. I have to say that the bathroom experience was one of the worst of my adult life. To call this bathroom legendarily inappropriate is still understating the case. When I asked one of the guys in the kitchen for a roll of toilet paper (sometimes you’ve just got to) he looked at me like I was stealing a child. But, this is still one of the must places to eat in New Orleans. If you like a seedy bar, you’ll never do better.
Along those same lines, also got to visit the legendary Willie Mae’s Scotch House in New Orleans last week. Excellent Fried Chicken – but not as good as Annie’s (Bay St. Louis) used to be. I’m not a Fried Chicken Nut, love that chicken from Popeye’s, but Annie’s was the best I ever had. Dinner in Slidell on the way home was less interesting, other than posing that eternal question – How do Mexican restaurants get the food out so fast? Are they afraid we’re going to eat more chips?
Now, for some cheese.
So, you ask, what about the Saints? At this point in the season, I have to admit, they’re even better than I thought they were going to be. It wasn’t a great all-around performance, but what we’re learning about this team is that they’ve got some virtues we’re not used to, starting with balance. On a given day the defense can beat you (this was that day,) the special teams play, mostly our new punter Thomas Morhstad, is superb, and Pierre Thomas is an NFL running back. If fact, it’s beginning to look like our weakest link is a certain #1 draft pick who continues to make costly mistakes, like laying the ball on the turf.
GM Micky Loomis has to get some credit. He filled the holes we had in the off-season, particularly in the defensive backfield. With his signing of Darren Sharper (so that’s what a safety looks like) he must feel like he bought a stock that immediately tripled in value. All Sharper has done is pickoff 3 passes and return 2 of them as long, and longer than anyone in Saints history has.. Nice way to start your tenure. Can we go ahead and put him up on the ring of honor? Jabari Greer has been excellent, Tracy Porter has built on the promise he showed last year, and even our outside linebackers, which I consider the weakest area of the team, are proving they can make an impact in the right scheme.
Our defense apparently didn't like all the press on the Jets defense. They proved they can make a rookie quarterback look like a rookie quarterback. The Jets took their 24-10 thumping like men and headed back to the Big Apple with a little appreciation of what’s going on down on da bayou. While Drew Brees was steady, he saw a lot tighter coverage than what he’s used to, and the defensive blue print on how teams are going to attack the Saints is emerging. Spread out your defense, try to stop the pass, and see if the Saints can run the ball.
(They can.)
I saw an ESPN feature calling the Saints the best team in the NFL through 4 weeks. Sean Payton is constantly telling his team, “Don’t eat the cheese,” meaning “don’t believe the hype.”
Me, I’m chomping on some gouda. After all these years, we’re entitled to enjoy it. This is only the 3rd 4-0 start in franchise history and trust me when I say this one isn’t flukey. It also doesn’t mean anything in the long run. The Super Bowl strategy of the past few years is to survive the season, and get hot around New Year’s day. The biggest significance of winning the first lap of the season is that it puts us in line for home field advantage in the playoffs, something that for this team would be a real advantage with this offense.
So, let’s enjoy the bye week. Relax, decompress, enjoy, savor, and even eat some cheese. We’re the fans – we’re allowed.
I love 3:00 pm home games. You get to eat 2 meals – lunch before and dinner afterwards. I had just seen “Parasol’s” on the food channel, (Divers, Diners, and Dives – cool show) .so figured it was time to revisit and see if the roast beef poboys were still superb. They were. Too bad this bar takes the “dive” a little too seriously. I have to say that the bathroom experience was one of the worst of my adult life. To call this bathroom legendarily inappropriate is still understating the case. When I asked one of the guys in the kitchen for a roll of toilet paper (sometimes you’ve just got to) he looked at me like I was stealing a child. But, this is still one of the must places to eat in New Orleans. If you like a seedy bar, you’ll never do better.
Along those same lines, also got to visit the legendary Willie Mae’s Scotch House in New Orleans last week. Excellent Fried Chicken – but not as good as Annie’s (Bay St. Louis) used to be. I’m not a Fried Chicken Nut, love that chicken from Popeye’s, but Annie’s was the best I ever had. Dinner in Slidell on the way home was less interesting, other than posing that eternal question – How do Mexican restaurants get the food out so fast? Are they afraid we’re going to eat more chips?
Now, for some cheese.
So, you ask, what about the Saints? At this point in the season, I have to admit, they’re even better than I thought they were going to be. It wasn’t a great all-around performance, but what we’re learning about this team is that they’ve got some virtues we’re not used to, starting with balance. On a given day the defense can beat you (this was that day,) the special teams play, mostly our new punter Thomas Morhstad, is superb, and Pierre Thomas is an NFL running back. If fact, it’s beginning to look like our weakest link is a certain #1 draft pick who continues to make costly mistakes, like laying the ball on the turf.
GM Micky Loomis has to get some credit. He filled the holes we had in the off-season, particularly in the defensive backfield. With his signing of Darren Sharper (so that’s what a safety looks like) he must feel like he bought a stock that immediately tripled in value. All Sharper has done is pickoff 3 passes and return 2 of them as long, and longer than anyone in Saints history has.. Nice way to start your tenure. Can we go ahead and put him up on the ring of honor? Jabari Greer has been excellent, Tracy Porter has built on the promise he showed last year, and even our outside linebackers, which I consider the weakest area of the team, are proving they can make an impact in the right scheme.
Our defense apparently didn't like all the press on the Jets defense. They proved they can make a rookie quarterback look like a rookie quarterback. The Jets took their 24-10 thumping like men and headed back to the Big Apple with a little appreciation of what’s going on down on da bayou. While Drew Brees was steady, he saw a lot tighter coverage than what he’s used to, and the defensive blue print on how teams are going to attack the Saints is emerging. Spread out your defense, try to stop the pass, and see if the Saints can run the ball.
(They can.)
I saw an ESPN feature calling the Saints the best team in the NFL through 4 weeks. Sean Payton is constantly telling his team, “Don’t eat the cheese,” meaning “don’t believe the hype.”
Me, I’m chomping on some gouda. After all these years, we’re entitled to enjoy it. This is only the 3rd 4-0 start in franchise history and trust me when I say this one isn’t flukey. It also doesn’t mean anything in the long run. The Super Bowl strategy of the past few years is to survive the season, and get hot around New Year’s day. The biggest significance of winning the first lap of the season is that it puts us in line for home field advantage in the playoffs, something that for this team would be a real advantage with this offense.
So, let’s enjoy the bye week. Relax, decompress, enjoy, savor, and even eat some cheese. We’re the fans – we’re allowed.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
At the Cinema - September 2009
Inglourious Basterds 10 out of 10
You’ll like this movie if
a. you like Quentin Tarantino
b. you like Brad Pitt
c. you like gratuitous grossness that makes you look away at times.
Tarantino, always reserved, does no less than a little history rewrite in this audacious World War II opus. This crazy movie joins Pulp Fiction and the Kill Bills as Tarantino masterpieces. The 2 hour and 20 minutes fly by as Tarantino weaves his story.
Brad Pitt anchors the movie as Lt. Aldo Raine, the head of the legendary Basterds, a Jewish killing squad in Nazi-occupied France. But it is two star making performances that carry the day here. The one that is going to get the most recognition is Christoph Waltz as Col Lans Handa, the Jew Hunter who becomes through Waltz' craft one of the all-time great movie villains. But it is Melanie Laurent as Shoshanna Dreyfous whose intense desire for revenge carries the movie. They’re both scary good.
Make no mistake, this is every bit as gory as you’ve come to expect from Tarantino. It’s not for the faint of heart. So, don’t go if you’re easily offended. But, if you like your entertainment over the top, this is your cup of blood.
It Might Get Loud – 8
You’ll like this movie if:
a. you like rock and roll
b. you like the guitar
c. you like Led Zeppelin, U2, or The White Stripes
While not a great movie, this is an often fascinating portrait of 3 great guitarists and their creative process, their reverence for their musical roots, and their evolution as technicians. Documentary Director Davis Guggenheim (An Inconvenient Truth) got together Jimmy Page, The Edge, and Jack White and filmed them together and separately. It’s pretty cool stuff.
The film peaks as it’s ending with the three jamming on The Weight. It left me kind of wishing there been more of that. In fact three greats just sitting there playing some songs would have been a pretty fine movie by itself.
Julie and Julia – 8
You’ll like this movie if you like:
a. Meryl Streep
b. The joy of cooking
c. The joy of eating
Once again here’s a movie that surprised me. The lukewarm reviews of Nora Ephron’s latest had me a little reluctant, but this is a charming movie. It weaves the story of Julia learning French cooking and putting it into an American cookbook with a modern-day blogger (Amy Adams) cooking her way through the same cookbook.
I laughed, I cried, I got real hungry.
As always, Meryl Streep is phenomenal here. If you don’t remember Julia Child, who died in 2004, you can’t fully appreciate this performance. Meryl Streep is a true National Treasure. She tops my current list of Female National Treasures, which by the way goes something like this:
Meryl Streep
Barbara Streisand
Jodie Foster
Bonnie Raitt
Julia Roberts
Ellen Burstyn
Sheryl Crow
Julia Louis Dreyfous
Anne Hathaway
Tina Fey
Amy Adams
Natalie Maines
Sarah Silverman
The Informant! 7
You’ll like this movie if:
a. you like Matt Damon
b. you like Steven Soderbergh
c. you like corporate intrigue
I have to admit that Soderbergh’s critical acclaim puzzles me a little. My favorite movies by him are Erin Brokovich and Out of Sight. Those Oceans 11,12, and 13 movies were Hollywood earmarks – mindless pork for the masses. Here, Matt Damon shines in Soderbergh’s take on a corporate whistleblower story that probably has David Brinkley rolling over in his grave.
I had never heard of Archers Daniel Midland when it inexplicably began sponsoring This Week with David Brinkley back in the 90’s. Apparently, they had a lot of money to spend (and the movie tells why) so they began advertising, but advertising what? I remember being mystified then, and they went away as quickly as they had appeared.
Damon plays Mark Whitacre the biochemist whistleblower who suffered from a multitude of problems, all fully on display in The Informant! There are some amusing sequences, and more than a little irony as the story unfolds. Not the worst way to spend 2 hours.
You’ll like this movie if
a. you like Quentin Tarantino
b. you like Brad Pitt
c. you like gratuitous grossness that makes you look away at times.
Tarantino, always reserved, does no less than a little history rewrite in this audacious World War II opus. This crazy movie joins Pulp Fiction and the Kill Bills as Tarantino masterpieces. The 2 hour and 20 minutes fly by as Tarantino weaves his story.
Brad Pitt anchors the movie as Lt. Aldo Raine, the head of the legendary Basterds, a Jewish killing squad in Nazi-occupied France. But it is two star making performances that carry the day here. The one that is going to get the most recognition is Christoph Waltz as Col Lans Handa, the Jew Hunter who becomes through Waltz' craft one of the all-time great movie villains. But it is Melanie Laurent as Shoshanna Dreyfous whose intense desire for revenge carries the movie. They’re both scary good.
Make no mistake, this is every bit as gory as you’ve come to expect from Tarantino. It’s not for the faint of heart. So, don’t go if you’re easily offended. But, if you like your entertainment over the top, this is your cup of blood.
It Might Get Loud – 8
You’ll like this movie if:
a. you like rock and roll
b. you like the guitar
c. you like Led Zeppelin, U2, or The White Stripes
While not a great movie, this is an often fascinating portrait of 3 great guitarists and their creative process, their reverence for their musical roots, and their evolution as technicians. Documentary Director Davis Guggenheim (An Inconvenient Truth) got together Jimmy Page, The Edge, and Jack White and filmed them together and separately. It’s pretty cool stuff.
The film peaks as it’s ending with the three jamming on The Weight. It left me kind of wishing there been more of that. In fact three greats just sitting there playing some songs would have been a pretty fine movie by itself.
Julie and Julia – 8
You’ll like this movie if you like:
a. Meryl Streep
b. The joy of cooking
c. The joy of eating
Once again here’s a movie that surprised me. The lukewarm reviews of Nora Ephron’s latest had me a little reluctant, but this is a charming movie. It weaves the story of Julia learning French cooking and putting it into an American cookbook with a modern-day blogger (Amy Adams) cooking her way through the same cookbook.
I laughed, I cried, I got real hungry.
As always, Meryl Streep is phenomenal here. If you don’t remember Julia Child, who died in 2004, you can’t fully appreciate this performance. Meryl Streep is a true National Treasure. She tops my current list of Female National Treasures, which by the way goes something like this:
Meryl Streep
Barbara Streisand
Jodie Foster
Bonnie Raitt
Julia Roberts
Ellen Burstyn
Sheryl Crow
Julia Louis Dreyfous
Anne Hathaway
Tina Fey
Amy Adams
Natalie Maines
Sarah Silverman
The Informant! 7
You’ll like this movie if:
a. you like Matt Damon
b. you like Steven Soderbergh
c. you like corporate intrigue
I have to admit that Soderbergh’s critical acclaim puzzles me a little. My favorite movies by him are Erin Brokovich and Out of Sight. Those Oceans 11,12, and 13 movies were Hollywood earmarks – mindless pork for the masses. Here, Matt Damon shines in Soderbergh’s take on a corporate whistleblower story that probably has David Brinkley rolling over in his grave.
I had never heard of Archers Daniel Midland when it inexplicably began sponsoring This Week with David Brinkley back in the 90’s. Apparently, they had a lot of money to spend (and the movie tells why) so they began advertising, but advertising what? I remember being mystified then, and they went away as quickly as they had appeared.
Damon plays Mark Whitacre the biochemist whistleblower who suffered from a multitude of problems, all fully on display in The Informant! There are some amusing sequences, and more than a little irony as the story unfolds. Not the worst way to spend 2 hours.
Saints Report #3 - September 27, 2009
The Saints are for real. With a stout defensive effort to go along with a miraculous halftime cure of Pierre Thomas’ knee injury the Saints pounded a good Buffalo Bill team into late submission.
After the Saints matriculated down the field on a routine first drive, the Bills defense turned up the heat on Drew Brees and forced the Saints to run. And run they did, first Lynell Hamilton, even Reggie Bush, and Pierre Thomas to two touchdowns and an amazing 126 yards after halftime.
Meanwhile, other than a fake field goal that resulted in a touchdown, the Bills did nothing on offense against the Saints retooled defense.
The Bills offensive strategy is puzzling. Let’s review: you have an injured running back, a young QB of modest talent, a new star receiver, and a center who confuses shoes with hands (Have you ever seen so many bad snaps?) Sounds like the perfect recipe for a no-huddle offense, doesn’t it? The Bills seem inexplicably committed to this Vietnam strategy and don’t seem to understand their personnel. But, their defense is a strong one, and the Saints pulled away in the 4th quarter – but don’t be fooled by the 27-7 score. It was closer than that – and the credit goes to the defense, which if it can keep playing like this should make me one hell of a prognosticator.
Now, here come the Jets to town, to be followed by an East Coast powerhouse parade of Patriots, Giants, Panthers, Falcons, and even the Cowboys. Expect the equally undefeated Jets to copy the Bills’ blueprint of stopping the pass first. Let’s hope our Pinball Wizard keeps the miracle cure.
After the Saints matriculated down the field on a routine first drive, the Bills defense turned up the heat on Drew Brees and forced the Saints to run. And run they did, first Lynell Hamilton, even Reggie Bush, and Pierre Thomas to two touchdowns and an amazing 126 yards after halftime.
Meanwhile, other than a fake field goal that resulted in a touchdown, the Bills did nothing on offense against the Saints retooled defense.
The Bills offensive strategy is puzzling. Let’s review: you have an injured running back, a young QB of modest talent, a new star receiver, and a center who confuses shoes with hands (Have you ever seen so many bad snaps?) Sounds like the perfect recipe for a no-huddle offense, doesn’t it? The Bills seem inexplicably committed to this Vietnam strategy and don’t seem to understand their personnel. But, their defense is a strong one, and the Saints pulled away in the 4th quarter – but don’t be fooled by the 27-7 score. It was closer than that – and the credit goes to the defense, which if it can keep playing like this should make me one hell of a prognosticator.
Now, here come the Jets to town, to be followed by an East Coast powerhouse parade of Patriots, Giants, Panthers, Falcons, and even the Cowboys. Expect the equally undefeated Jets to copy the Bills’ blueprint of stopping the pass first. Let’s hope our Pinball Wizard keeps the miracle cure.
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