Saints release schedule for training camp
June 23, 2008
The New Orleans Saints will report to training camp at Millsaps College in Jackson, Miss., on July 23, with the first set of 2-a-day practices scheduled for Thursday, July 24.
http://www.topix.com/nfl/new-orleans-saint…
Community: A few ‘what ifs’ for the NFL
June 22, 2008
A few buddies and I were contemplating a bunch of “what ifs” the other day and because of that, here are four “what ifs” from NFL history.
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Saints’ Grant says he has ‘no hate in my heart’
June 20, 2008
A scar sits on the back of Charles Grant’s neck, reminding the New Orleans Saints defensive end that catastrophe can hit at anytime – regardless of star status.
http://www.topix.com/nfl/new-orleans-saint…
NFL’s Strief, Milford grad, hosting benefit
June 20, 2008
The Zach Strief Dream Big Foundation is hosting its Second Annual Benefit Dinner at 6 p.m. Sunday, June 29, at O’Bannon Creek Country Club.
http://www.topix.com/nfl/new-orleans-saint…
WHO DAT!!! WHO DAT SAY THEY GONNA BEAT THEM SAINTS!!!!!
June 20, 2008
(live-PR.com) -
Written By: SAINTSFAN29 – GOTSAINTS.Com
My first memory of the Saints occured when I was only four years old. The Saints had just lost a heart breaker in the closing seconds to the then dominant San Fransico 49ers. Who at the time were coached by Bill Walsh and led by Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana. After the game my entire family was in a state of shock. So it was no surprise when they did not realize I was missing for about an hour. My mother said they looked everywhere for me. Then just as panic was about to set in they heard a crying sound coming from the front porch. My mother opened the door and there I was was sitting on the front steps crying. When my mother asked me what was wrong I replied, “Why do the Saints always have to lose?” My mother told me that I was upset for about three days. That was the begining of a life long rollercoaster ride that is known as a “WHO DAT”.
As they years went by more losing seasons occured. However, even when my friends turned away from our beloved Saints I stuck with them. I weathered the storm of watching the Saints playing two guys named Billy Joe at quarterback in the same season. I also, suffered through the horror of then Coach Mike Ditka trading the team’s entire draft to the Redskins for a fumble prone running back from Texas named Ricky Williams. However, only a year later Ditka was out as coach and Jim Hasslett was in as Head Coach. I was so excited
because the Saints signed vetran quarterback Jeff Blake from the Bengals. At the time he was a great NFL quarterback. As soon as tickets went on sale I purchased my first ever set of season tickets. The Saints were set to play the Detroit Lions in the first game of the season down in The Super Dome. So me and one of my friends set out on the four and a half hour drive to the Big Easy. We talked about how the Saints were gonna crush the Lions. The main reason we felt so confident was because the Lions were starting career back up Stoney Case. The game started out with a bang when Sammy Knight intercepted a pass and ran it into the endzone for a score!! However, that would be the las thing we had to cheer about all day as the Saints lost 14-10.
My next fondest Saints’ memory came when in the 2006 draft University of Southern California running back Reggie Bush fell into the Saints’ lap so to speak. All the experts had Houston taking Bush with the number one overall pick. Instead they draft Mario Williams out of North Carolina state and the rest is history. The 2006-2007 season was the best in team history. I will never forget the huge number of great plays and games the Saints had that season. If Seattle kicker Josh Brown had made a field goal that he normally can make in his sleep the Saints would have played Seattle in the Dome instead of traveling to Chicago and playing in that soup bowl of a stadium. However, I won’t open up that can of worms!
In summary, to be a die hard fan of any team is a hard thing to do. If you are a die hard Saints fan you should get some special reward in Heaven! Through the years our beloved team has seen hurricanes, losing seasons, and numerous coaching changes. However, the one thing that will never change about the Saints is that on any given Sunday when the Saints are playing in the Dome there is not a finer place on this earth to be for a three hour period of time!!!! WHO DAT!!! WHO DAT SAY THEY GONNA BEAT THEM SAINTS!!!!!
Bush Heads Across The Pond
June 18, 2008
Two of the NFL’s top players will be arriving in the UK on Tuesday as NFL UK step up their promotion of this year’s International Series game on Sunday October 26th between the New Orleans Saints and San Diego …
http://www.topix.com/nfl/new-orleans-saint…
Comeback trail put McAllister, Saints back on the same track
June 17, 2008
Comeback trail put McAllister, Saints back on the same track – USATODAY.com
By Jim Corbett, USA TODAY
Central to Deuce McAllister’s comeback bid is the source of his daily fuel supply.No, McAllister isn’t talking about discovering a bargain oasis from the ever-rising, $4-per-gallon stuff at the corner gas station.
What drives the New Orleans Saints running back and community-conscious fan favorite is motivation siphoned from a still-recovering city as he works to rebuild his reconstructed knees while many in his adopted city continue rebuilding lives nearly three years after Hurricane Katrina.
SAINTS IN DEPTH: ’06 playoff hangover was no Brees
The Mississippi native deepened his bond with New Orleans after tearing his left anterior cruciate ligament Sept. 24. McAllister had surgery on both knees, including microfacture surgery on his right knee to clean out scar tissue from a 2005 anterior cruciate ligament repair.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Florida | Oklahoma | Southern California | Mississippi | New York Jets | Washington Redskins | New Orleans Saints | Seattle Seahawks | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Hornets | Shaun Alexander | Sean Payton | Deuce McAllister | Super Bowl XLI | Carnell | Jonathan Vilma | Mickey Loomis | Brees | Mike McKenzie | James Andrews | Sedrick Ellis | Terry Allen | Sports Medicine | Carlos Rodgers“I’ve definitely been battered and bruised a lot like this city,” McAllister says. “There’s so many people who have lost so much here.
“But just like the people of New Orleans, I won’t quit.”
The Saints’ all-time leading rusher measures himself not by yards or carries, but by how he carries on after getting pounded down.
“I just look at this comeback as another challenge,” he says. “You hear people saying ‘Oh, he’s had two knee surgeries. And he’s 29 coming off two knee surgeries.’
“But I feel it’s OK to defy the odds. It’s OK to still want to be great.
“I’ve had success, and this team has had success with me. It’s OK for me to recover.”
McAllister, who has rushed for 1,000 yards in four of the past six seasons and owns a 4.3 yards-per-carry career average, is confident he’ll regain past form.
Former NFL running back Terry Allen overcame reconstructions of both knees to lead the league with 21 rushing touchdowns in 1996 for the Washington Redskins. Surgical and rehabilitation techniques have improved exponentially since.
“It’s gone better this time because I know what to expect,” McAllister says. “I feel confident I’ll be 100% by training camp. … I feel really good about that happening.”
Matters have been upbeat in McAllister’s personal life as well. He and actress Danielle Tipton were married in April.
On the field, McAllister was encouraged after taking 30% of repetitions in a recent minicamp. He’s kept his weight down, and it helps to have comeback company.
Saints cornerback Mike McKenzie is also rehabilitating from a torn ACL suffered Dec. 23.
McAllister wound up rehabilitating alongside Tampa Bay Buccaneers tailback Carnell “Cadillac” Williams, who is attempting to return from a career-threatening torn patellar tendon. The two backs were together at James Andrews’ Institute for Orthopedics and Sports Medicine in Florida.
“Cadillac and I were actually in there at the same time getting treatment, along with guys like Mike and (Washington Redskins cornerback) Carlos Rodgers,” McAllister says. “We all push each other and feed off each other.”
How much do the Saints feed off McAllister and what does he mean to the team?
Fullback Mike Karney, a groomsman in McAllister’s wedding, had tears in his eyes when he learned McAllister’s 2007 season was over after three games.
So Saints general manager Mickey Loomis and coach Sean Payton have given a consummate team leader more time to return in exchange for some salary-cap relief.
McAllister reduced his $3.6 million salary by $1.2 million in return for receiving a portion of his $1.1 million roster bonus and converting the remainder into earnable incentives.
He’s also fine with the club kicking the tires on former Seattle Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander. The 2005 MVP could be an option if McAllister isn’t ready for the start of the season.
“I was willing to restructure, but I look forward to playing in all their games this season,” McAllister says. “I have great respect for Shaun as a player and person. I understand the team had to do what they had to do.”
The larger focus is to recapture the mojo the Saints had when they went 10-6 and finished a win shy of reaching Super Bowl XLI two seasons ago.
“We want to give these people that hope and support again,” McAllister says. “The city got a second coming of that with the (NBA’s) Hornets’ success this season.
“It’s making us hungry.”
No franchise is arguably more attuned to its community’s psyche.
Case in point: On June 10, Payton planned to have his players dress for a normal practice before calling a surprise audible and having them board buses and spend a day of rebuilding houses in New Orleans for three struggling families looking to return home.
The franchise has donated $50,000 to the Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund.
It also has invested heavily in a defensive makeover.
With the acquisition of former New York Jets linebacker Jonathan Vilma and former Southern California defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis, the club’s first-round pick, last year’s 26th-ranked unit that surrendered more than 24 points a game appears upgraded.
“If we’re healthy, we’re a dangerous team,” McAllister says. “You need luck, too. But we definitely have playmakers on both sides of the ball.”
Another key is the performance of third-year running back Reggie Bush, who has been a constant at the club’s facility after spending last offseason training in Los Angeles and doing his own thing.
After too many offseason commercials and too few 2007 yards, the second pick of the 2006 draft is driven to rebound from a humbling season and torn posterior cruciate ligament.
“You look at the (news) media pressure he’s faced … for him to not have that quick success, there’s been some criticism,” McAllister says.
“He’s handled it as well as possible.
“With Reggie being around more in the offseason, it will only help.”
It would also help to have a tough-minded tone-setter back in the New Orleans huddle.
“I know he’s been working extremely hard,” quarterback Drew Brees says of McAllister. “You have to hand it to him. The guy’s a competitor. He’s got a tremendous amount of heart.
“He’s a big part of this team. We hope that he’s able to come back and be as good as ever.”
Says McAllister: “In the end, I know it’ll work out.”
Saints bond by helping
June 17, 2008
Saints bond by helping out – Michael Lombardi – SI.com
Saints coach Sean Payton knows how to take advantage of the moment and is not afraid to take on new challenges.Back in 1997, Payton was leaving his post as quarterbacks coach at Illinois for a position on the Maryland coaching staff. Working in the Philadelphia Eagles front office at the time, I called him to inquire if he would have an interest in driving to Philadelphia to meet with owner Jeffrey Lurie and head coach Ray Rhodes. Lurie wanted Rhodes to hire a young coach who could replace Jon Gruden as the offensive coordinator when Gruden eventually left to become a head coach. (Gruden had been flirting with the Oakland Raiders for the past two years.)
Payton and his pregnant wife, Beth, were in College Park, Md., expecting his moving trucks to show up at any moment when my call came. Still, nothing could deter him from immediately jumping in his car and driving to Philly for a chance to get in the NFL. Grabbing a cell phone to stay in constant touch with Beth, Payton made quick time. He went on to earn the job and launch his NFL career, with the upcoming season being his third as the Saints head coach.
What always impressed me about Payton was his determination and his ability to adapt. The working conditions in Philadelphia in 1997 were just horrible. Payton did not have an office. He worked out of his own briefcase, had no phone line and had to rely on a cell phone with very spotty service. To watch film, he moved from room to room, but he never complained. He never was in a bad mood. He just welcomed the new challenge with a smile.
Payton told me last week that every offseason he has some kind of team bonding session, usually paintball or bowling. This year he thought it would be the right thing to do to give back to the city of New Orleans. Payton held a team meeting and put his idea to a vote: either practice for an OTA day … or help rebuild a neighborhood.
In a no-brainer unanimous vote, the Saints loaded their team buses to work with the Rebuilding Together New Orleans project. Rebuilding Together is a national nonprofit with a network of nearly 225 affiliates across the U.S. Their mission is to preserve affordable housing by bringing volunteers and communities together to rehabilitate the homes of low-income homeowners.
In the heat and humidity, the Saints worked on four homes in the Holly Grove neighborhood of New Orleans, which is still trying to recover from the effects of Hurricane Katrina. With the same intensity that goes into preparing his team, Payton and the Saints worked diligently, intent on rebuilding these homes and their owner’s dreams.
“It’s an awesome sight,” said Payton, “The guys know how important these types of things are to our community. We are all in this together. This is our city. This is our home. We are just doing a small part, but it matters to the people that live here and it shows we care about them. It digs your roots in the town.”
To further emphasize his commitment to the city, Payton and his staff invited high school players from inner city New Orleans for a one-day skill camp last weekend. The camp also allowed high school coaches to learn football from the Saints staff. For many of the kids, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
The Saints are now a big part of restoring the city. Author Michael Lewis, who wrote the best-selling sports books “Moneyball” and “The Blind Side,” has recently moved back to New Orleans to conduct research for an upcoming book that will center on the restoration of New Orleans. “It’s slightly alarming how much better run the Saints are after the storm than they were in the 38 years before it,” he says. “They aren’t a symbol of the city getting back to what it was before the storm; they’re a symbol of the city remaking itself entirely.”
Drew Brees, Reggie Bush, Jamaal Brown and many more rolled up their sleeves to paint, to clean and to build. Payton even gained further insight into his players’ skill set that does not involve football. Kevin Dudley, his backup fullback, was so gifted with a hammer and electric saw that he took over the building project from the Restore manager. “It’s amazing to learn new things about guys you’re around all the time,” Payton said.
This hard work will pay huge dividends for the Saints. I cannot help but think that when this year’s games get a little tough, bonding sessions like this one will make the Saints dig a little deeper, fight a little harder.
Saints’ Smith agrees to 6-year extension
June 17, 2008
Saints’ Smith agrees to 6-year extension- NOLA.com
Defensive end’s $70 million deal includes $26 million guaranteed
Thursday, June 12, 2008
By Jimmy SmithAfter making a silent but apparently effective protest by declining to participate in the Saints’ voluntary offseason conditioning program, defensive end Will Smith accomplished his objective Wednesday.
Smith agreed to terms on a six-year contract extension worth $70 million, according to a league source, with $26 million guaranteed.
The Saints confirmed the deal late Wednesday afternoon, although they did not disclose contract terms or return e-mails seeking comment.
Smith’s new contract makes him the highest-paid player in Saints history, as well as the third-highest-paid defensive end in the NFL behind Minnesota’s Jared Allen and Indianapolis’ Dwight Freeney.
Smith, who could not be reached for comment, attended the Saints’ mandatory minicamp May 30-June 1, then stayed for the final two weeks of practices as part of the team’s organized team activities, which end today. He had skipped most of the conditioning program as a way of expressing his unhappiness with his contract situation.
Smith played last season, the second-to-last in his original $20 million rookie deal, after fellow defensive end Charles Grant signed a seven-year extension that could eventually be worth $63 million. Smith was scheduled to earn $850,000 in base salary in 2008 under terms of the original deal, though incentives could have significantly boosted that salary to substantially more than $1 million.
Grant, who according to the NFL Players Association earned $700,000 last season, will get $750,000 this year, $1.85 million in 2009, $4 million in 2010, $4.5 million in 2011, $5 million in 2012 and $8 million in 2013.
The breakdown of Smith’s new deal was not available, although the total compensation package moves him past Grant as the highest-paid Saints player of all time. Smith is now under contract through 2014.
“The Saints really stepped up,” said Smith’s agent, Joel Segal. “They continue to sign their core players as they demonstrate a strong commitment to winning.”
A first-round draft choice in 2004, the 18th overall selection, Smith was selected to the Pro Bowl after the 2006 season when he had 10 1/2 sacks. Last season, with opposing defenses often double-teaming him, Smith had seven.
It was evident that Smith outperformed his original contract based on the statistics he’d accumulated in his first four NFL seasons. He has started 43 of his 62 career games and has 265 total tackles, 33 1/2 sacks, 12 forced fumbles and six recoveries.
“We’re excited about getting this long-term contract done with Will,” General Manager Mickey Loomis said in a press release. “We view him as one of our core players and look forward to having him (make) an impact on our defense for years to come.”
Kim Kardashian hints at marriage
June 16, 2008
American socialite Kim Kardashian has hinted that she is about to get engaged to American football player Reggie Bush.
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