Bleacher Report - Articles by Bleacher Report

Coming Soon: New Orleans Saints Football

Bleacher Report — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 18:13:31 -0400

With exactly one second left to go on the clock, the New Orleans Saints gained control of the ball, Carolina had just kicked a field goal and led the game after a resounding comeback by the Saints in the second half.

Drew Brees was just 16 yards shy of breaking Dan Marino's record for most single season yardage by a quarterback and it looked as if he would get one more chance.

The Saints should've already been done, but the Panthers kicked the ball out of bounds so that one precious second stayed on the clock.

Drew Brees took the snap and looked for an open man as the Panthers played prevent defense, he threw the ball and it fell to the ground like a wounded bird.

With that, the disappointing 8-8 season came to a close as Sean Payton ran across the field to shake hands for the last time in 2008.

In the offseason, it was out with the old and in with the new, at least on the defensive side of the ball.

Defensive Coordinator Gary Gibbs was fired after a pitiful performance by the defense all season long and the much heralded Gregg Williams signed on to try to help the Black and Gold go to their first Super Bowl.

Gone are Mike Karney, Deuce McAllister, Mike McKenzie, Josh Bullocks and others but taking their places are Heath Evans, Jabari Greer, and let's not forget Darren Sharper.

The Saints are a popular pick this season and I can't wait to get started.

WWL 870 out of New Orleans played a highlight from 2008 along with a reminder that training camp was just ten days away and hearing Jim Henderson of the Saints Radio Network was like awakening a deep longing for something that I haven't had in a while.

That thing is Saints football and I'm ready for it.

So shove aside the Michael Vick talk and the Brett Favre rumors and think about it: Football is almost here.

Geaux Saints!

The 2009 Saints: Regular Season Game Predictions

Bleacher Report — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 18:39:07 -0400

With Black and Gold training camp opening on July 30th, the season has moved ever closer.

After preseason games against Cincinnati, Houston, Oakland, and Miami, the 2009 New Orleans Saints' regular season will begin. Here's a game by game prediction of each game on the 2009 regular season schedule:

Detroit Lions (September 13, 12:00 PM, Louisiana Superdome)

After a romp by the Saints in 2008, the worst team in NFL history will be looking to come out on a strong note, but the Saints will easily win and the Lions will start out at 0-1.

Philadelphia Eagles (September 20, 12:00 PM, Lincoln Financial Field)

After losing in the NFC Championship game to the Super Bowl bound Arizona Cardinals, the Eagles will be looking for a Super Bowl run. Without a strong defense to keep Donovan McNabb in check, the Eagles will win a close one over the Saints, but hey, that day is my birthday, the Saints can give me a present with a win.

Buffalo Bills (September 27, 3:05 PM, Ralph Wilson Stadium)

The Bills started off strong last season but ran out of gas later into the season. Drew Brees and the Saints should win by at least seven over the Bills while cornerback Jabari Greer will look to play hard in his first game against the Bills after coming to New Orleans.

New York Jets (October 4, 3:05 PM, Louisiana Superdome)

It'll feel good to be back in the Dome after playing two games away from home. The Jets will most likely still be figuring out the quarterback situation and the Saints should win, probably not a blowout here, but a solid win.

BYE WEEK

New York Giants (October 18, 12:00 PM, Louisiana Superdome)

Without Plaxico Burress, the Giants shouldn't have a stunning offense. Even with their troubles in the secondary, the Saints should get another win here, although it wouldn't be that much of a surprise if the Giants won here.

Miami Dolphins (October 25, 3:15 PM, Dolphins Stadium; Landshark Stadium)

Chad Pennington led the Dolphins to the playoffs last year, and with the Tuna in charge, the Dolphins look to be a contender this year. But I do see Sean Payton getting the win over his former employer in Miami.

Atlanta Falcons (November 2, 7:30 PM, Louisiana Superdome)

Monday Night Football comes to New Orleans! Matt Ryan and the Falcons are a solid threat. With future Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez now on the team, the Saints will lose this game if the secondary does not come to play. I see Atlanta winning this game, for now.

Carolina Panthers (November 8, 3:05 PM, Louisiana Superdome)

Jake Delhomme and the Panthers' stable of backs can kill the Saints if they want to. The Panthers win this game.

St. Louis Rams (November 15, 12:00 PM, Edward Jones Dome)

Let's face it. The Rams were bad last year, really bad. Saints win this one easily. Again, no blowout, but another solid win.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (November 22, 12:00 PM, Raymond James Stadium)

This one is pretty tough. The Bucs looked to be pretty good last year but collapsed near the end of the season. Jon Gruden was fired and starting quarterback Jeff Garcia went to Oakland, Brian Griese is gone so the question is, who's Tampa Bay's QB? Byron Leftwhich, rookie Josh Freeman, or another? I see the Saints winning this one.

New England Patriots (November 30, 7:30 PM, Louisiana Superdome)

The second of two Monday night games in New Orleans. With the rebuilding secondary, I don't see the Saints being able to stop Tom Brady and Company. Randy Moss and Wes Welker will probably get open a good bit. I see the Saints taking a hard loss here.

Washington Redskins (December 6, 12:00 PM, FedEx Field)

Can the Saints go to D.C. and come back with a win? The Redskins have really tried to pick up some quality players on defense with the signings of Albert Haynesworth as well as others. If the Redskins don't come to play and play hard, the Saints could win this one, otherwise I see a close game with the Redskins taking the cake in the end.

Atlanta Falcons (December 13, 12:00 PM, Georgia Dome)

Barring injuries to critical Falcon players, I see another win by Atlanta here.

Dallas Cowboys (December 19, 7:20 PM, Louisiana Superdome)

Tony Romo and the Cowboys didn't look as sharp as they could've last season, and with the loss of T.O., Romo loses one of his favorite targets. Saints win a close one here.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (December 27, 12:00 PM, Louisiana Superdome)

I see the Saints giving the city of New Orleans a Christmas present a couple days late with a win two days after Christmas.

Carolina Panthers (January 3, 12:00 PM, Bank of America Stadium)

If the Saints already have a playoff spot reserved for them, I see them playing backups and losing this one. Otherwise, the backs of Carolina will probably be pretty banged up after a long season, I see the Saints winning this one if they go for the win.

Final Record: 11-5 if they go for the win at Carolina, and 10-6 if they don't.

EXCLUSIVE: Brett Favre Family Member: "He's Coming Back"

Bleacher Report — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 13:47:29 -0400

After making multiple comebacks from retirement to play in the NFL again, Brett Favre has a new nickname.

He's now officially the "Comeback Kid."

Yes, you did read that right, it does say multiple.

In a conversation with a Favre family member who wished to remain anonymous, this writer learned that Brett Favre has finally made his decision, he's decided to give it another shot, to hopefully earn another Lombardi Trophy, but this time with the Minnesota Vikings.

"He's (Brett) coming back, he plans to let the Vikings know closer to the end of the month," the family member said.

The source also went on to say that Favre set the July 30 deadline so that he would have ample time to think over his decision so as not to make this important choice too quickly as he believed he did last year when he made his return with the New York Jets.

Neither the Vikings or Favre were available for comment.

Favre was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the second round of the 1991 NFL Draft out of Southern Mississippi.

He was traded to the Green Bay Packers in in 1992 where he played until announcing his retirement in 2007, shortly after a playoff loss to the New York Giants in the NFC Championship game.

He made the decision to come back shortly before the season began but the Packers had already moved on with young gun Aaron Rodgers so Favre was traded to the Jets.

Favre suffered a biceps injury during the 2008 season at announced his second retirement at the end of the season.

He was released from the Jets in May of 2009.

Favre holds several NFL records including most career passing touchdowns, most games started by a quarterback, and others.

In his career, he has completed 5,720 out of 9,280 pass attempts, for 65,127 yards, 464 touchdowns, and 310 interceptions.

The 6'2", 222 pounder is currently 39 years old and has played 18 seasons in the NFL.

Meet The Black And Gold Quarterbacks: Drew Brees

Bleacher Report — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 13:16:25 -0400

This is the final article in a three article series which profiled each of the three quarterbacks on the roster of the New Orleans Saints.

If the Saints had given out a player of the year award following the 2006 season, it would've went to Drew Brees.

If they had given out one after the 2007 season, it would've went to Drew Brees.

If they would've given one out after the 2008 season, Drew Brees would've gotten it for sure.

Frankly, he is the best player on the Saints' roster.

Under Brees and head coach Sean Payton, the Saints have led the NFL in offensive yards on several occasions.

Despite the fact that Brees wears contact lenses, he sees the open receiver on almost every occasion and usually sends a tight spiral right into that receiver's hands which usually brings a significant gain and sometimes, six points.

Drew Christopher Brees was born on Jan. 15, 1979 in Austin, Texas where he attended Westlake High School and in his senior season, he led the team to a perfect 16-0 season, the only undefeated season there to date.

He attended Purdue University and led the Boilermakers to the 2001 Rose Bowl. He finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1999 and third in 2000.

Brees, often considered as too short to be a productive quarterback at 6'0", was selected by the San Diego Chargers with the first pick of the second round in the 2001 NFL Draft.

In 2004, the Chargers selected Eli Manning out of Ole Miss with the first overall pick but Manning was unhappy with the Chargers because he "didn't want to play for a losing team." The New York Giants had chosen North Carolina State's Phillip Rivers and soon Rivers was headed for San Diego and Manning for the Big Apple.

Rivers held out nearly all of that year's training camp and Brees became the starter once more.

After becoming a free agent following the 2004 season, the Chargers suprised many and placed the franchise tag on Brees, resigning him to a one year deal.

In the final game of the 2005 season, Brees injured his shoulder while trying to recover the football after fumbling it while being hit by Denver Broncos' safety Rob Jamison.

The injury sent Brees to the operating table of Dr. James Andrews and caused him to miss playing in his second consecutive Pro Bowl.

Meanwhile, the Chargers had denied Brees' demand of more money, so Brees, now a free agent, began to meet with other teams including the New Orleans Saints and the Miami Dolphins.

On Mar. 14, 2006, Brees signed a 6 year, $60 million contract with the Saints and promptly became the starting quarterback under brand new head coach Sean Payton.

The Saints, who had went 3-13 in the 2005 season with the lack of a home stadium due to Hurricane Katrina, had fired former head coach Jim Haslett and released former starting quarterback Aaron Brooks.

Brees did indeed recover from the shoulder injury and led the Saints to the NFC Championship game in Chicago where their run of destiny ended.

Brees made it to the Pro Bowl that season and many saw big things in store for the Saints the next season.

The lack of a good defense caused the Saints to finish the 2007 season with a record of 7-9, but the offense was once again in the top five.

In 2008, Brees fell 16 yards short of tying Dan Marino's record for most single season yardage but became only the second NFL quarterback to throw for over 5,000 yards in a single season, second to only Marino.

In his career, the 6'0", 209 pounder has completed 2,334 out of 3,650 pass attempts for 26,258 yards, 168 touchdowns, and 99 interceptions.

Brees looks to lead the Saints on a Super Bowl run in 2009.

This article also appeared on http://www.saintspodcast.webs.com

Meet The Black And Gold Quarterbacks: Mark Brunell

Bleacher Report — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:36:49 -0400

This is the second article in a three part series which will profile each of the three quarterbacks on the New Orleans Saints roster.

If you're any kind of NFL fan, you've probably heard of Mark Brunell.

He was born on September 17, 1970 in Santa Maria, California. He became the starting quarterback for the St. Joseph High School Nights (Santa Maria, California) in the 1985, '86 and '87 seasons, leading the team to two league championships and one appearance in California's state championship series.

He signed with the University of Washington after completing high school and took over the starting quarterback job in his sophomore year with the Huskies. After having an excellent sophomore season which saw the Huskies finish ranked at No.5 in the Associated Press poll and a Rose Bowl win over Iowa, Brunell was expected to take the Huskies all the way in the next season.

That however, did not happen.

Brunell suffered a devastating knee injury in the annual Husky spring game but returned in the third game of the season, not fully recovered but by then, the starting job had been wrestled away by Billy Joe Hobert (who would also be a Saint later in his career).

Brunell was not declared the starter again until his senior season after Hobert had been suspended from the league for violating league rules and even after a bevy of losses, the Huskies were still named Pac-10 champions and Brunell started his second Rose Bowl game.

Brunell was selected by the Green Bay Packers in fifth round of the NFL Draft but was acquired by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 1995 in a trade for the third and fifth round picks in the 1995 NFL Draft.

While a Jaguar, Brunell was a three-time Pro Bowl selection and was awarded the Pro Bowl MVP award in his first appearance in Honolulu.

Following halftime of the third game in the 2003 season, Brunell was benched in favor of young gun Byron Leftwich and Brunell was soon traded to the Washington Redskins.

After several seasons with the 'Skins which saw him being benched for other quarterbacks (Jason Campbell and Patrick Ramsey) on two separate occasions, he was released.

The New Orleans Saints signed the left hander on March 13, 2008 as a replacement for former backup quarterback, Jamie Martin.

He is the backup to starting quarterback Drew Brees but third string quarterback Joey Harrington is expected to challenge him for that spot.

In his career, Brunell has completed 2,738 out of 4,594 pass attempts for 31,826 yards, 182 touchdowns, and 106 interceptions.

He has rushed 509 times for 2,433 yards and 15 touchdowns.

The 6'1, 217 pounder is currently 38-years-old and in his 17th NFL season.

Coming Next: Drew Brees

This article also appeared on www.saintspodcast.webs.com

Meet The Black And Gold Quarterbacks: Joey Harrington

Bleacher Report — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 11:09:33 -0400

This is the first article in a three-part series that will profile the three quarterbacks on the New Orleans Saints roster.

There is one word that summarizes Joey Harrington's NFL career so far; disappointing.

John Joseph Harrington Jr. was born on Oct. 21, 1978 in Portland Ore. He graduated from Central Catholic High School in Portland and finished his high school football career with 4,200 yards and 50 touchdowns.

He was recruited by the University of Oregon—where his father had also played quarterback—and was a three-year starter for the Ducks.

His college career ended with 512 completions out of 928 passes for 6,911 yards. In 2001, Harrington finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting.

Harrington was picked by the Detroit Lions with the third pick overall in the 2002 NFL Draft, instantly becoming the starting quarterback.

After some disappointing seasons, Harrington was benched in favor of journeyman Jeff Garcia in 2005.

In 2006, the Lions signed former Arizona Cardinals quarterback Josh McCown and former Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Jon Kitna shortly thereafter.

In May 2006, Harrington was traded to the Miami Dolphins for a sixth-round pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. Just like in Detroit, Harrington struggled with in Miami. Due to salary cap issues, Harrington was released on March 5, 2007.

On April 9, 2007, Harrington was signed by the Atlanta Falcons to a two-year, $6 million contract. He was projected to be a backup to Falcons franchise quarterback Michael Vick.

After Vick was suspended for dogfighting charges, Harrington competed with former Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Byron Leftwich for the starting job. Harrington was beat out and was released on March 5, 2008 because of, once again, salary cap issues. He was resigned by the Falcons seven days later but was once again released in August.

Harrington found his current home with the New Orleans Saints on Sept. 19, 2008. He was ranked as the third string quarterback behind starter Drew Brees and second stringer Mark Brunell for a game against the Denver Broncos, but was released five days later because of injury issues.

After the injury situation had became more manageable, Harrington was once again signed by the Saints on Oct. 1, 2008, but was released once again by the team on Oct. 6, 2008.

On March 20, 2009, Harrington signed a one-year contract with the Saints. Many expect him to compete with the older Mark Brunell for the backup job. Since Sean Payton has kept only two quarterbacks on the roster since taking over the team, it wouldn't be too surprising to see either Harrington or Brunell gone next offseason.

In his career, the 6-foot-4, 210-pound Harrington has completed 1,424 passes out of 2,538 attempts for 14,693 yards, 79 touchdowns, and 85 interceptions.

He is 30-years-old and in his eighth NFL season.

Coming Next: Mark Brunell

This article also appeared on www.saintspodcast.webs.com

LSU Wins it All, Takes College World Series 11-4

Bleacher Report — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 16:35:11 -0400

The final pitch of LSU senior pitcher Louis Coleman's career with the Tigers ended any hopes of a comeback for the Texas Longhorns as the Tigers won game three of the College World Series at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, Nebraska, 11-4.

After the pitch, Coleman threw his glove high up into the Omaha night air and was soon in the midst of a wild dogpile as LSU players poured out of the dugout, running into the infield to celebrate the sixth national championship victory by the school's baseball program and the first for baseball coach Paul Mainieri.

"I’ve dreamt my whole life of having this moment. It’s almost surreal," Mainieri said in the postgame press conference.

The Tigers took the opening game, 7-6, in the eleventh inning after scoring two runs in the top of the ninth inning to keep the game alive. The Longhorns then won game two with a final score of 5-1.

In game three, outfielder Jared Mitchell came out swinging and sent a two-out, three-run homer over the wall to give the Tigers a 3-0 lead.

In the second inning, outfielder Ryan Schimph drove in catcher Micah Gibbs to give the Tigers a 4-0 advantage.

Texas then came back to tie it all up at 4-4, but a series of unfortunate events on the Longhorn's part led to a 9-4 LSU lead.

A sacrifice fly by Schimph and a solo homer by infielder Sean Ochinko finished up the scoring for the Tigers.

Coleman, was sent out to pitch the final two innings after Anthony Ranaudo threw 119 pitches, allowing four runs on eight hits with five walks and four strikeouts. Texas loaded the bases twice during the game, but Ranaudo was able to keep the scoring by the men in orange to a minimum.

Chad Jones, a lefthander, also came in and pitched before the call was made for Coleman to make his way to the mound.

After last year's disappointing performance by the Tigers in the College World Series, he had elected to stay with LSU for his senior year, a year in which the Tigers were ranked at No. 1 in the nation by many baseball publications.

Coleman, a fifth round pick by the Kansas City Royals in the MLB Draft, struck out three batters in the ninth inning to give the Tigers the victory.

"If there is a better way, write the story for me. It’s been so much fun ... to accomplish something like this with these players," Mitchell said after earning the most outstanding player award.

Mitchell, who was a first round pick by the Chicago White Sox in the draft, also played wide receiver on the LSU football team and earned a championship ring with the Tigers in 2007, as did Chad Jones, who is expected to be the team's starting safety this coming season.

Big Irv And Brett: A Father's Day Rememberance

Bleacher Report — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 04:20:01 -0400

In the shadows of the wooded forest, there stands the remnants of a kiln, with the pine trees soaring high overhead, this place isn't visible from the air and it's pretty hard to get there by foot. But long ago it wasn't like this, long ago this was the biggest part of the town, the small town of Kiln, Mississippi.

Kiln, or referred to as "The Kill" is the hometown of one of the most famous NFL quarterbacks to ever play the game and Kiln doesn't hide the fact of the pride that they have for the town's most famous son.

Just outside of the city limits stands a sign that proudly proclaims that this is the hometown of Brett Favre, the former Green Bay Packer who was known for his powerful arm.

This all began in a small house down Irvin Favre Road just yards away from Rotten Bayou. It began as friendly ball games out front in the summertime months and on Thanksgiving, but it eventually turned into organized sports and then on into high school.

Through all of this, Irvin "Big Irv" Favre was there for his sons, who all played quarterback at one time or another under him.

Many see it as the classic, All-American father-son story, the story of Brett playing in the colors of the Hancock Hawks as his dad stood on the sidelines in mute frustration, while his son once again turned what was supposed to be a running play, into a long pass which ended in the end zone for a touchdown.

Some believe that "Big Irv" even hurt Brett's chances to get into a bigger school than Southern Mississippi because of his insistence on running the wishbone offense, in fact, the team threw only about six to seven passes in a normal game.

With a player whose strength is in his arm, this could've put Brett's football career away as only another hopeful dream but the University of Southern Mississippi liked Brett as a defensive back so he became a Golden Eagle.

"Big Irv" cheered for his son in the college years, then on into the NFL where he was with the Atlanta Falcons and then finally traded to the Green Bay Packers where he would make his home permanently in the hearts of Packers fans.

Then came December 21, 2003. Brett was on a golf course when he received the news that his father had suffered a heart attack and ran off of a road near Kiln at around 5:23 PM.

Many expected Brett to forgo the Monday night matchup between the Packers and the Oakland Raiders in Oakland with a trip to the playoffs at stake.

Instead, Brett decided to play and gave one of the best performances of his career, completing 22 out of 30 passes for 399 yards and four touchdowns, as the Pack thrashed the Raiders with a 41-7 victory in Favre's 205th consecutive start.

"Big Irv" was awarded the game ball.

Brett went home and attended his father's funeral and then came back. He continued to play with the Packers until 2007 where he and the Packers ended a 13-3 season in the NFC Championship Game when New York Giants kicker Lawrence Tynes hit a field goal in overtime to send the Giants to the Super Bowl.

Favre decided to retire and held an emotional press conference, later into the year however, he wasn't sure if he had made the right decision or not.

He decided to come back and play another year but the Packers had already moved on and anointed young gun Aaron Rodgers as the starter.

Brett was eventually traded to the New York Jets where he played for a season but missed the playoffs due to a late season slump after he suffered a injury in his throwing arm.

He retired again after the season ended.

Now, however, rumors are circulating that he may want to give it one more try, one more shot at the Super Bowl, but this time with the Minnesota Vikings who are divisional rivals of the Packers.

Many believe that with Favre, the Vikings could be hoisting that trophy in February 2010.

Now, as Fathers Day comes upon us, Brett Favre will put that important decision into the back of his mind and remember; remember all of those high school games, remember his childhood, remember his father, he'll remember "Big Irv".

The Importance Of Sports: How The Saints Helped New Orleans To Recover

Bleacher Report — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 12:47:07 -0400

Hurricane Katrina had just conducted a demolition derby all along the Southern Gulf Coast, and, as a parting present, she dumped her waters into the "Big Easy", "The City That Never Slept", the city of New Orleans, LA.

The Louisiana Superdome, the home of the NFL's New Orleans Saints, had been used as a "shelter of last resort", and had suffered millions of dollars in damage, both from the storm, and the many New Orleanians who had made the stadium their home for over three days.

Katrina's winds had ripped a hole into the roof and water was puddled on the fifty yard line.

Many wondered if New Orleans would ever recover. Others were sure that their city would rise like a wounded giant, down but not out.

Since the Superdome wasn't an option, the Saints' home opener against the New York Giants had to be played at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.

The remainder of the Saints' home games were split between the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, and Louisiana State University's Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, LA.

The Saints had set up practice facilities in San Antonio, and Saints owner Tom Benson even reportedly considered relocating the team permanently to San Antonio.

However, he decided to return the team to his hometown of New Orleans after the end of the 2005 season.

The Saints 3-13 record was only salt on the wound of New Orleans. When the city had needed them the most they had lost, and lost badly.

Head coach Jim Haslett was fired, and quarterback Aaron Brooks was released following the horrendous season.

Former Cowboys assistant Sean Payton was hired as the Saints new head coach, and the team then went about the business of finding themselves a quarterback. On the free agent market, former San Diego Charger Drew Brees was coming off of a shoulder injury, and former Minnesota Viking Daunte Culpepper was coming off of a knee injury.

In the draft, former Texas Longhorn Vince Young and former USC Trojan Matt Leinhart could be taken with the Saints' pick, which was the second overall in the draft.

To make a long story short, the Saints signed Brees, and the Dolphins signed Culpepper. Nearly one year later Brees was in Honolulu, Hawaii to play in the Pro Bowl after driving the Saints to the NFC Championship Game, and Culpepper was still in Miami.

When draft day came, the Houston Texans, in control with the first overall pick, made a surprise pick and took North Carolina State's Mario Williams, which dropped USC's Heisman Trophy winning running back Reggie Bush right into the Saints' laps.

Bush was immediately a Black and Gold fan favorite, and many anticipated the day when they would first see the athletic Bush in a Saints uniform for the first time.

Now, fast forward a few months until Sept. 25, 2006. The Saints were 2-0 after winning against the Cleveland Browns in the season opener in Cleveland, and then against Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in Green Bay.

The Superdome was ready, the lights were on, football was about to formally return to the Big Easy.

Fans who had tailgated all day outside the Dome poured in when the doors were open, and the noise never died down. The Monday night game was to be nationally televised, and this city was going to show their love for football once more.

After a performance by the rock bands U2 and Green Day, former President George H.W. Bush came on to the field to flip the coin. The Falcons got the ball first.

Ninety seconds into the game, Michael Koenen stood back and prepared to punt the ball away. The ball was snapped and Saints special teams guru Steve Gleason charged down and middle.

As he dove, his fingers knocked the ball back to the turf. Saints defensive back Curtis Deloatch scooped the ball up, and brought it in for the touchdown (a video of the play can be seen here ).

That year, the Saints went all the way to Chicago and the NFC Championship Game before losing it to Da Bears.

That night, the Saints returned to New Orleans, and as they left the airport, adults and kids alike stood out in the midnight drizzle and cheered on the team that they loved so much; for this team had won, and they had won when the city needed it the most.

Brett To Return? I Hope So

Bleacher Report — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 16:59:40 -0400

He told us that the he was done, shed some tears, and then quietly left.

Then, he was back. But the Pack wouldn't take him, so he was sent to New York where, once again, he told us that he was done—this time, forever.

He should've just quoted the Terminator and said, "I'll be back."

It's like he's the pesky fly that just won't go away and yet, it's his life. If he wants to retire and return two dozen times, then its up to him. It's his legacy, his career. Quit complaining and let him do what he wants.

He gave us a definite "maybe" when asked if he was going to return. All signs point to Brett playing for the Vikings. Members of his family have even reserved rooms at a Green Bay hotel for the weekend when the Vikings come to Packerland.

The Vikings look Super Bowl-ready. Put Brett on that team and they may be hoisting the trophy come February.

I'm not a Vikings fan, I'm a Brett fan. I've been a fan of No. 4 since I began following football, basically because of my geographic location. I live about 40 miles from where he was born and around 100 miles from where he played college football, the University of Southern Mississippi.

I've been to their stadium. I've saw his name and number painted on one of the luxury boxes. Now, I want him to win another Super Bowl, because then, I believe, he will finally be done.

Saints LB Dan Morgan Ends Comeback Bid

Bleacher Report — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 20:15:39 -0400

Former Carolina Panthers and current New Orleans Saints linebacker Dan Morgan is reportedly set to finally retire because of continued injuries.

Morgan has suffered multiple concussions over the span of his seven-year career and signed with New Orleans last year after tearing his Achilles tendon in 2007.

He retired before the 2008 season began, citing problems with injuries, but decided to give it another go after the 2008-2009 season ended.

Morgan's decision was announced by his agent in several Twitter posts earlier today.

"Dan Morgan has informed the Saints that he has decided to retire due continued injuries. Dan would like to thank the Saints for the chance to come back this year, but injuries would not let him continue his career. His decision is final and he will be moving on to focus on his restaurant business in Charlotte. Dan also wants to be able to spend more time with his wife and children," Rosenhaus reported over a span of three Tweets.

In his career, Morgan recorded 386 total tackles, seven sacks, five interceptions, and has defended 12 passes.

Saints officials are not available for comment at this time.

This story also appears on http://www.saintspodcast.webs.com.

Black and Gold 2009 Draft Class Bio: Malcolm Jenkins

Bleacher Report — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 19:09:30 -0400

This article is the last in a four-article series which will profile each of the picks in the New Orleans Saints 2009 draft class.

The last time that Malcolm Jenkins played in the Louisiana Superdome was in the BCS National Championship, when the Ohio State Buckeyes played the LSU Tigers.

Now, Jenkins will play half of each season's game there after being drafted by the New Orleans Saints with the 14th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft.

It wasn't really a surprise when the Saints made the pick; mock drafts and football analysts had been predicting the move for a very long time.

Jenkins was born on December 20, 1987, in Piscataway Township, New Jersey.

He attended high school at Piscataway Township High School and played both wide receiver and defensive back as well as competing on the school's track team.

While attending college at Ohio State, Jenkins was named a first team All-American in his junior year. In his senior year, he won the Jim Thorpe Award, which goes to the nation's top defensive back.

While with the Buckeyes, Jenkins appeared in two BCS National Championship games, the first against Florida and the second against LSU. The Buckeyes lost both games with the latter taking place in the Louisiana Superdome in 2007.

In his four-year Ohio State career, he recorded 92 total tackles and 11 interceptions with most of his playing time coming in his junior and senior years.

After being drafted by a team needing some serious help in the secondary, Jenkins is expected to be an immediate contributor at cornerback after the team released starting corner Mike McKenzie earlier this year.

Some experts are also saying that Jenkins may eventually make his way over to the safety position.

Either way, Jenkins appears to be an excellent pick by the Black and Gold.

Black and Gold 2009 Draft Class Bio: Chip Vaughn

Bleacher Report — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 00:04:07 -0400

This article is the third in a four-article series which will profile each of the picks in the New Orleans Saints 2009 draft class.

Clarence B. "Chip" Vaughn was the other half of the Wake Forest pair taken by the Saints.

Vaughn grew up in Fairfax, Virginia and attended high school at Robinson Secondary. The 6'2, 215 pound defensive back played safety at Wake Forest after enrolling as a wide receiver.

He was ranked at the tenth best player in Virginia coming into college, and was picked by the Saints in the fourth round with the 116th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft after the Saints' secondary was plagued with coverage issues.

The team released safeties Josh Bullocks and Kevin Kaeshviharn shortly before the draft.

The Saints also signed free agent safety Darren Sharper.

Vaughn was the second defensive back picked in the draft by the Saints, along with their first round pick, Ohio State's Malcolm Jenkins.

In his four-year career with the Demon Deacons, Vaughn recorded 258 total tackles in 50 games. He also defended 22 passes and intercepted three passes.

Vaughn reported that his teammates were jealous of him and fellow Saints draft pick Stanley Arnoux's good fortune, being drafted by a team in need of playmakers on the defensive side of the ball.

Vaughn already has at least one friend in New Orleans, and it's none other than New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul, who also attended Wake Forest.

Vaughn said their families have known each other "since way back," even before the two standout athletes spent a year together at Wake Forest in 2004-2005. They've stayed in touch since then, and have the same financial adviser, among other connections.

Black and Gold 2009 Draft Class Bio: Stanley Arnoux

Bleacher Report — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:07:29 -0400

This article is the second in a four-article series which will profile each of the picks in the New Orleans Saints 2009 draft class.

While the Saints were scouting Aaron Curry, it was possible that they might have discovered two of his Wake Forest teammates, Chip Vaughn and Stanley Arnoux.

While it's unusual for an NFL team to take two players from one school, it's even more unusual for one team to draft two defensive players from one school in the same round of the draft.

That's exactly what happened when the Saints drafted safety Chip Vaughn and linebacker Stanley Arnoux in the fourth round of the 2009 NFL Draft.

Arnoux was the 118th overall pick in the draft.

Many scouts had Arnoux rated as a possible seventh round pick and a few think that the Saints may have drafted the 6'1", 240 pound linebacker a bit early.

Arnoux was born on Sep. 9, 1986 in Sunrise, Fla. In the NFL combine, he ran the fastest 40 yard dash of any linebacker with a finishing time of 4.61 seconds.

Unfortunately, Saints fans will probably not get to see Arnoux on the field in a helmet and pads.

He is expected to miss the entire 2009-10 season after tearing his left Achilles tendon in his first practice at a Saints rookie mini-camp.

In his four year career with the Demon Deacons, Arnoux recorded 251 tackles, five sacks, six passes defended, and four interceptions.

Black and Gold 2009 Draft Class Bio: Thomas Morstead

Bleacher Report — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 18:05:58 -0400

This article is the first in a four-article series which will profile each of the picks in the New Orleans Saints 2009 draft class. Look for the others soon.

The New Orleans Saints pretty much surprised their fans when they traded their 2009 seventh-round pick and 2010 fifth-round pick to move up and select punter Thomas Morstead from Southern Methodist University.

In fact, most Saints fans gave the decision a thumbs down since the Saints already have punter Glenn Pakulak on the roster.

But head coach Sean Payton defended his decision and his player: "We think his career numbers, his workouts after the season had ended, and his most recent workouts were outstanding," Payton said of the strong-legged, 6'4", 225-pounder, who was rated by most scouts as the first or second-best prospect available at the position.

So the Saints made Morstead the second punter picked in the draft after the Cincinnati Bengals picked punter Kevin Huber out of the University of Cincinnati.

Morstead grew up in Pearland, Texas and chose SMU over TCU, Rice, Texas, and Missouri. While at SMU, he majored in mechanical engineering.

Morstead was regarded as one of, if not the best punter in the draft with scouts saying things like, "Great athlete, outstanding leg strength, can kick field goals, etc.", but that really doesn't make Saints fans feel much better about the pick.

In his three-year SMU career, he made 166 punts for 7,201 yards with 59 being falling inside of the 20-yard line. His average was 43.4 yards and his longest punt went for 72 yards. None of his attempts were blocked.

Saints fans can only wait and see if Morstead is indeed the real deal or if he is only one more draft day bust in the Saints' long history of making such picks.

LSU Beats Vanderbilt To Win Second Consecutive SEC Title

Bleacher Report — Sun, 24 May 2009 16:38:13 -0400

After being ranked at No. 1 in college baseball preseason rankings, the LSU Fighting Tigers showed they were for real after making their way to the SEC Championship game through the loser’s bracket.

In the first round, the Tigers were beaten by the Vanderbilt Commodores by a final score of 4-1. The Tigers then beat the Alabama Crimson Tide and the South Carolina Gamecocks in elimination games.

On Saturday, the Tigers began a game against the Georgia Bulldogs shortly after 1 p.m. CST and quickly racked up seven runs in the first inning.

The game was then delayed by rain for over four hours.

The Tigers finished the game with a final score of 16-0 in seven innings and then went on to play the Bulldogs again in an elimination game about 45 minutes later.

The second game ended shortly before midnight when Ryan Schimph called off catcher Micah Gibbs and caught a pop up in the seventh inning.

The Tigers won with a final score of 3-2.

LSU then went on to face Vanderbilt again in the SEC Championship game and beat the Commodores with a final score of 6-2 to win their second consecutive SEC Championship.

Alabama is the only other team to ever do this.

LSU’s Mikie Mahtook was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament.

Sports and Freedom: Remember Our Troops

Bleacher Report — Fri, 22 May 2009 20:28:32 -0400

Sports are important to the American people but hopefully not more important than the freedom which we enjoy.

Thousands upon thousands flock to stadiums across the nation each year to participate in numerous events, others wait hours in lines to shake their favorite player's hand and hopefully get an autograph, but how many stop and thank a soldier for his or her service?

How many take the time to write a letter, send a care package, or simply say thank you?

Many Americans have simply put war at bay and chosen to think about other, more glamorous things.

Recall, if you will, World War II. Could the Allies have subdued the enemy if Americans hadn't wholeheartedly supported the war effort and our nation's soldiers?

The days of victory gardens, scrap drives, and Rosie The Riveter are gone and the days of fast food, American Idol, and the Internet are here but that doesn't mean that we should forget our troops.

Pat Tillman was that kind of man. The Arizona Cardinals defensive back gave up a multi million dollar contract to the join the U.S. Army and ultimately became an Army Ranger.
Tillman gave his life and by friendly fire or not, he made the ultimate sacrifice.

This Memorial Day weekend, take a moment and remember our service members, stateside and overseas, alive and dead, and remember especially those who gave their lives for you, me, and everyone else in America, remember them for they paid the price for freedom.

It doesn't mean that watching and paying attention attention to sports is bad, just that we should remember the reason why we are able to involve ourselves in our favorite sports.

Without freedom, how could this be done?

It couldn't.

Just because you don't agree with the war, that doesn't mean that you shouldn't support our troops, most of them are young and need your support.

God Bless America.

2013 Super Bowl to be Played in the Crescent City

Bleacher Report — Tue, 19 May 2009 17:21:58 -0400

The Lombardi Trophy will once again return to New Orleans, Louisiana in 2013.

The NFL announced today that the 2013 NFL championship game will return to the Louisiana Superdome, in New Orleans, after not hosting the game since 2001.

The last game saw the New England Patriots beat the St. Louis Rams, 20-17 as Pats kicker Adam Vinatieri made the game winning field goal with just seconds left to go on the clock.

The revenue from the event is expected to be especially valuable to the city since the region is still recovering from Hurricane Katrina, which flooded most of New Orleans in 2005.

The Superdome was seen around the country as a symbol of human suffering after thousands of New Orleanians made the stadium their "shelter of last resort."

The storm ripped parts of the roof off and water gathered in a small puddle at the 50 yard line as thousands of people sat in the sweltering heat and waited for help.

The Superdome was soon emptied but required millions of dollars in repairs, but was ready in time for the Monday Night Football game between the Saints and Atlanta Falcons on September 23, 2006.

Ninety seconds into the game, Saints special teams guru Steve Gleason blocked a punt by Atlanta and Saints defensive back Curtis Deloatch recovered the ball in the end zone for a touchdown.

The Saints won the game 23-3.

Deuce In Color: Photos Of Deuce McAllister Throughout His Career

Bleacher Report — Sun, 17 May 2009 00:04:10 -0400

Deuce McAllister will always be a Black and Gold icon, maybe he will not be remembered in Canton but in the Big Easy, he'll never be forgotten. Dulymus Jenod McAllister was born in Lena, Mississippi on December 27, 1978 but soon came to be named as Deuce or as The Deuce. He was drafted by the Saints in 2001 with the 23rd overall pick in the first round out of Ole Miss and went on to take over for Ricky Williams whom the Saints had traded all of their picks for in a previous draft. He currently holds the franchise records for most career rushing yards at 6,096 and the most career touchdowns at 54. While with the Saints, Deuce was a fan favorite. Many Saints fans get chills up their spines when they recall the cries of "Deeeuuuuuccceeee" every Sunday that the Saints occupied the Superdome. But he was released by the team on February 17th due to salary cap and injury issues (McAllister has had two major knee surgeries). Yes, Deuce will always remain in Saints' fans memories as we remember how he made our Sundays better every week.

Begin Slideshow

Should the New Orleans Saints Re-Sign Deuce McAllister?

Bleacher Report — Sat, 16 May 2009 19:21:32 -0400

Deuce McAllister, former New Orleans Saints fan favorite running back wants to play still, never mind all of those knee surgeries, the Deuce wants another chance.

Should the Saints resign him?

They have Pierre Thomas as a possible starter at the running back position and they also signed a "running" fullback this year in Heath Evans but they're still missing the bruising back, the one who'll make opposing defensive players think twice before hitting him.

I believe that the Saints should give McAllister another chance, maybe Deuce should take a pay cut but he is still a viable threat in the running game, we saw that last season in the rare opportunities that he got to carry the ball.

With Thomas, McAllister, Reggie Bush, and Evans in the backfield, I believe that the Saints could at least achieve some level of excellence at that position.

"I'm content," McAllister said. "I've been the guy before, so I'm beyond that. The ultimate goal is to win a championship and to be able to help a team out."

Deuce wants to win a Super Bowl, pure and simple, the Saints could be a whole lot closer to doing that should Deuce be resigned.

McAllister, who is 30, sometimes works out alongside special forces soldiers at a military base in Florida.

He is a Mississippi native and was drafted by the Saints out of Ole Miss in 2001 and is the team's all time leading rusher with 6,096 yards.

He was released by the team earlier this year.

Dr. James Andrews: The Athletes' Surgeon

Bleacher Report — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 12:32:25 -0400

You crouch behind the quarterback, waiting for the snap. He calls for the ball and turns and hands it to you, it presses into your hands and you run forward into the pile of players and you go down, someone lands on your leg, someone on your knee, the pain is terrible, will it ever stop?

You lie on the field, the rest of the players get up, but you stay on the ground, your team's trainers run out onto the field and soon, you find yourself riding off of the field on a cart and your replacement comes running onto the field.

In your mind, you know that something is wrong, although you don't know what. Your knee feels horrible, like some one is pounding on it with a sledgehammer. Will you ever be able to play again?

Many NFL players, as well as other athletes, turn to Dr. James Andrews, an orthopedic surgery in Alabama, when they suffer injuries on and off of the field.

Andrew has operated on such notables as Peyton and Eli Manning (above), Reggie Bush, Drew Brees, Barry Zito, Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte, Michael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal, Allen Iverson, and just this week, Andrew performed surgery on New Orleans Saints' wide receiver Lance Moore after Moore injured his left shoulder while lifting weights.

Andrews was an athlete himself, the Louisiana native won an SEC conference championship in polevaulting at LSU in his college days.

In 1996, Andrews, along with Larry Lemak, his partner, opened Alabama Sports Medicine and Orthopedic Center in Birmingham, where he practiced until 2005, when he moved to St. Vincents Hospital and formed Andrews Sports Medicine and Orthopedic Center.

It is said that every athletic trainer, physical therapist, strength-and-conditioning coach in the land seems to have Andrews' cell phone number.

Many athletes have had success even after suffering horrible injuries. Take Drew Brees, the quarterback for the New Orleans Saints.

While still with the San Diego Chargers, Brees was trying to prove that he, even though he was short, could be the quarterback of the future for the Chargers. He was hit on the goal line on New Years Day in 2005 in a game against the Denver Broncos and fumbled the ball. As he dove to recover the fumble, other players who were also going for the ball, landed on Brees' right shoulder.

With the drafting of Phillip Rivers, Brees was done with the Chargers and after having his shoulder fixed by Andrews, signed the next year with the New Orleans Saints.

Brees then preceded to lead the Black and Gold to the NFC Championship game. Since opening the 2006 preseason for the Saints against the Tennessee Titans, Brees has never missed a game—regular season or preseason.

In fact, Brees was a candidate for the NFL's MVP award in 2008 after becoming only the second player to throw for over 5,000 yards in one season, finishing only 16 yards behind Dan Marino's single season yardage record.

Instead, Peyton Manning, another of Dr. Andrews' patients, captured the award.

It has been said that Dr. Andrews belongs in the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame because of his contributions to the sport, but it hasn't happened yet.

As long as he can, Dr. Andrews will sit in Birmingham, Alabama, and quietly put athletes back together, one surgery at a time.

Notable Patients Treated By Dr. James Andrews (courtesy of ESPN)

Football players
• Bo Jackson: shoulder, 1984; hip, 1992
• Doug Williams: knee, 1988
• Bruce Smith: knees, 1990 and 1991
• Troy Aikman: elbow and shoulder, 1991
• Michael Irvin: shoulder, 1994
• Emmitt Smith: shoulder, 1994
• Trent Green: knee, 1999 and 2001
• Chad Pennington: shoulder, 2005 (twice)
• Deuce McAllister: knee, 2005
• Daunte Culpepper: knee, 2005 and 2006
• Takeo Spikes: achilles tendon, 2005
• Donovin Darius: ACL, 2005; shoulder, 2006
• Drew Brees: shoulder, 2006
• Byron Leftwich: ankle, 2006
• Donovan McNabb: knee, 2006
• Matt Hasselbeck: shoulder, 2007
• Joey Porter: knee, 2007
• Kenny Irons: knee, 2007
• Isaiah Kacyvenski: knee, 2007
• D.J. Shockley: knee, 2007

Baseball players
• Roger Clemens: 1985, shoulder, 1985
• David Wells: 1985, elbow, 1985
• Jimmy Key: elbow, 1988; shoulder, 1994, 1995
• Jose Rijo: elbow, 1995; five more elbow ops, 1996-2003
• Steve Karsay: elbow, 1995; shoulder, 2003
• Kerry Wood: elbow, 1999
• John Smoltz: elbow, 2000 and 2003
• Carl Pavano: elbow, 2001 and 2006
• Jon Lieber: elbow, 2002
• A.J. Burnett : elbow, 2003
• Andy Pettitte: elbow, 2004
• Gary Sheffield: shoulder, 2004
• Jim Thome: elbow, 2005
• Mark Prior: shoulder, 2007
• Anibal Sanchez: shoulder, 2007
• Freddie Garcia: shoulder, 2007
• Chris Ray: elbow, 2007

Basketball players
• Charles Barkley: shoulder, 1990
• Michael Jordan: shoulder (therapy, not surgery), 1994
• Penny Hardaway: knee, 1996
• Randy Livingston: knee, 1996
• Scottie Pippen: elbow, 2001
• Allen Iverson: elbow, 2001
• Aaron McKie: shoulder, 2001
• Chris Webber: knee, 2003
• Shaun Livingston: knee, 2007

Golfers
• Jack Nicklaus: knee, 1984
• Jerry Pate: shoulders, 1985, 1986, 2003, 2006
• Mark McCumber: shoulder, 1996

Saints WR Lance Moore Undergoes Shoulder Surgery

Bleacher Report — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 17:51:40 -0400

New Orleans Saints' wide receiver Lance Moore underwent surgery on Monday to repair his left shoulder, which he injured while lifting weights.

The Saints organization expects Moore to be ready for the start of training camp, to be held this year in Metarie, Louisiana for the first time since Hurricane Katrina.

For the past few years, the team had held camp at Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi.

Moore's surgery took place in Birmingham, Alabama and was performed by Dr. James Andrews. Andrews is a noted orthopedist and Louisiana native who has also operated on Saints halfback Reggie Bush and quarterback Drew Brees.

In 2008, Moore played in all 16 games and caught 79 passes for 928 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Moore is currently a restricted free agent and has been tendered a one-year contract offer worth $1.54 million, which means that if another team signs Moore before the deadline (Friday), they will have to give the Saints a second-round draft pick.

Moore was the Saints' leading receiver last year after the injury to Marques Colston in Week One.

Plaxico Burress and Adam Jones to Host Cruise Through Troubled Waters (Humor)

Bleacher Report — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 20:12:49 -0400

Get yer sailor caps out, mateys because it's time for the First Annual Indian Ocean Cruise For Troubled NFL Players which will be hosted this year by former New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress former Dallas Cowboys and Tennessee Titans defensive back Adam "Pacman" Jones.

The ship, which will be rented by the group, will take a route through waters frequented by Somali pirates that were recently in the news for capturing the American captain of Maersk Alabama and holding him hostage for three days.

Despite this, the players do not seem worried, even though the U.S. Navy has notified that no United States vessel will come to their aid if in fact, they are boarded or waylaid in any way by the pirates.

"I'm gonna bring some of my bodyguards and I heard that Plaxico is gonna bring along that gun that he has," "Pacman" Jones said.

There was, however, an altercation involving the trip before the posters for the event were even mailed out. According to print shop officials, the Poster Press Print Shop had to phone local police after Jones started yelling and throwing equipment around after he saw that the poster had his name listed as Adam "Pacman" Jones instead of just Adam Jones.

"I got angry, I admit it, but that's my name, Pacman ain't my name, Adam is and those people, they just got to realize that," the former defensive back said. "If my Mama would've wanted me called Pacman, than she would have named me Pacman and left it at that."

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Jones, pardon me, Chad Ocho Cinco doesn't agree with Jones. In fact, Ocho Cinco got angry with Jones after he found out that his name was listed as Chad Jones rather than Chad Ocho Cinco on the posters.

On the cruise, Ocho Cinco plans to teach 101 Ways To Cause Problems For Your Team. Buffalo Bills wide receiver, Terrell Owens, doesn't, however, plan to be outdone by Ocho Cinco. He is planning on teaching 102 Ways To Get The Ball Thrown Your Way, which already has a waiting list containing tight ends, receivers, halfbacks, as well as a few defensive backs.

The list of featured speakers only includes two quarterbacks, Vince Young and Tony Romo. Young, of the Tennessee Titans plans to speak on dealing with post-game depression, while Romo, of the Dallas Cowboys, plans to speak about how to get a celebrity girlfriend and how to keep her no matter what happens.

Only one speaker on the cruise hasn't been or isn't an NFL player. Former San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds will be speaking about the pros and cons of steroids and the pros and cons of having your trainer inject you. The attendance total of that seminar will not be released to the media following the event according to organizers.

The cruise is nearly sold out and Burress expects it be a success. "Since I'm not playing football with anyone this year, as of yet, I need some money, what better way than to host a cruise?" Burress asked.

In unrelated news, NFL referee Ed Hochuli was recently spotted as the Sports Referee's College attending a seminar entitled How To Make The Calls To Give Your Team A "W".On his head, Hochuli sported a Denver Broncos hat along with a Broncos jersey.

LSU-Alabama: Tigers Roll Tide In Series Opener

Bleacher Report — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 00:14:09 -0400

It wasn't pretty and neither team dominated the game, but in the end, the No. 2 ranked LSU Fighting Tigers scratched and clawed their way to an 8-5 victory over the No. 29 ranked Alabama Crimson Tide.

The game was played at Sewell-Thomas Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

With the win, LSU's record improves to 25-8 overall and 9-4 in SEC play.

The Tigers led the game by a score of 2-1 until the seventh inning, when LSU righthanded pitcher Paul Bertuccini gave up an RBI to the nation's homerun hitting leader, Kent Matthes, which was just short of being a grand slam.

Alabama first baseman Brandon May then slammed a three run homer over the left field wall to give the Crimson Tide a 5-2 lead over the Tigers.

In the top of the eighth inning, Leon Landry scored a run on a single, and then a three base error after Alex Kubal missed the ball in what should have been an in the park homerun.

Jared Mitchell and Ryan Schimph then hit back to back singles. LSU designated hitter Blake Dean then hit an infied RBI and brought Mitchell home to cut Bama's lead to 5-4.

LSU first baseman Sean Ochinko was retired by the Tide to end the inning.

Alabama failed to score in the bottom of the eighth, and LSU came to bat in the top of the ninth.

LSU catcher Micah Gibbs reached second after hitting a double.

With two down and with Gibbs on third, Alabama shortstop Josh Rutledge charged and dropped a hit by Mikie Mahtook allowing Mahtook to reach first base and Gibbs to reach home plate to score the tying run.

LSU third baseman Tyler Hanover was walked, and then Jared Mitchell hit a double to score Mahtook and Hanover.

Schimph, who had led off the inning, hit an RBI single to score Mitchell and to bring the game to its final score of 8-5.

In the bottom of the ninth, Bama struck out, flied out, and was tagged out at first base by Ochinko.

The game was the first in a three game weekend SEC series between the two teams.

Saturday's game begins at 6:06 PM and will be televised by Cox Sports Television and Comcast Sports South. The game can be heard on LSU Sports Radio Network.

Can Tracy Porter Be the Man?

Bleacher Report — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 20:29:25 -0400

New Orleans Saints cornerback Tracy Porter is the player in the red uniform (above, right). Incidentally, the wide receiver that he is trying to keep the ball away from is also a Saint, former Michigan Wolverines wide receiver Adrian Arrington.

Both players missed the bulk of the season due to injuries.

In Porter's case, it was a wrist injury which he suffered after being named one of the starting cornerbacks by head coach Sean Payton.

Porter certainly wasn't the second coming of Champ Bailey or Asante Samuel, but he was a solid guy that you could depend on.

The Saints want and will have to depend on Porter in the months ahead.

The only logical starting players at that position include Porter, newly signed, Jabari Greer, Jason David, Randall Gay, and possibly a Saint draftee.

It's safe to assume, unless something bad happens, that Porter will be one of the starting cornerbacks when the Saints play the first team on their schedule.

The Saints secondary were awful last year. This year needs to be strong to stop somebody other than Adrian Peterson. That was a huge accomplishment in itself, but you can't allow Gus Frerotte throw all over the field. He's Gus Frerotte, for goodness sakes!

Quarterback Drew Brees said he was stunned by the rapid development he witnessed from Porter.

“The first thing I saw was his athletic ability and speed,” the veteran signal-caller said. “The transition you usually see for a rookie is usually pretty bumpy, but he was playing so well. In fact, he was probably making as seamless a transition from college to the pros as any cornerback I have ever seen.”

But will it carry over into this year? Only time will tell.

Geaux Saints.

New Orleans Saints Preseason, Pre-Draft Prediction

Bleacher Report — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 22:32:07 -0400

From the article photo, you may assume that there's going to be a little trash talk about the hated "Dirty Birds," the archrival Atlanta Falcons. However, if you assumed that, then you are mistaken.

Actually, it's almost the direct opposite of that assumption.

I'm very anxious to see that player take the field this season, not with a Falcons helmet and jersey, but in the beautiful black and gold of our beloved New Orleans Saints.

Yes, it's true, former Falcons defensive tackle Rod Coleman is a Saint and has been one for a few weeks now.

The signings of former Jags defensive lineman Paul Spicer, former Vikings safety Darren Sharper, and others will likely have quite an impact on the Saints' defensive unit as well as the entire Saints team this coming season, as will new black and gold defensive coordinator Gregg Williams.

And this isn't taking into account whoever we'll take in the upcoming 2009 NFL Draft.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Saints cut fullback Mike Karney and halfback Deuce McAllister, but signed former Pats fullback Heath Evans, who should be more of a running and receiving threat than Karney was with the team.

If Drew Brees comes back and does what everyone's expecting him to, than our offense is all set, with Jeremy Shockey ready to make an impact and Colston coming back from that thumb injury.

But, as Saints fans, we're more concerned with the defensive side of the ball, namely the secondary.

The Saints cut gimpy-kneed Mike McKenzie as well as safety Kevin Kaeshviharn while another safety, Josh Bullocks, wasn't resigned.

The secondary will look a lot different with former Bills cornerback Jabari Greer, Sharper, and former Jags safety Pierson Priorleau taking their places. An interesting note is that Priorleau has played under Gregg Williams while with three different teams before the Saints.

Second-year cornerback Tracy Porter will be returning from a season-ending wrist injury that he suffered last year.

The line will look pretty much the same with Will Smith, Charles Grant, and others, with Coleman and Spicer being new to the team.

All in all, it looks like it's going to be a great year for Saints and for us, their loyal fans. Geaux Saints!

Joshua Joffrion writes Saints Scoop, a blog dedicated to the New Orleans Saints at http://www.saintsscoop.com.

New Orleans Submits Bid For 2013 Super Bowl

Bleacher Report — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 16:38:21 -0400

Could the 2013 Super Bowl be played in that huge, lighted monster of a building that is somehow beautiful to every Saints fan in the world?

It's at least a possibility now.

According to NFL officials, New Orleans, along with South Florida and Phoenix, all submitted bids to host the 2013 championship game.

Right now, South Florida as a region has hosted the most Super Bowls with a grand total of 10, while New Orleans has only hosted nine; however, the Louisiana Superdome has been the site of the most Super Bowls, with the last being the amazing game between the New England Patriots and St. Louis Rams in 2001.

If New Orleans was chosen as the host city, then it would be a great financial boost to a city still recovering from Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Most recently, the city received NFL publicity when the Saints went to London to play the San Diego Chargers in the NFL's annual international game. The Superdome has a seating capacity of 72,003 (expanded) or 69,703 (not expanded) for football games.

The stadium received a $320 million renovation after it was used as a "shelter of a last resort" for New Orleanians during and after Hurricane Katrina, and soon it will get a facelift with the roof obtaining a new, solid white color while the sides of "The Dome" will receive champagne and bronze-colored panels.

According to Wikipedia, after all of the renovations to the stadium are finished, it will be one of the most up-to-date facilities in the United States...and the perfect place for the country's biggest sporting event.

Cleveland Browns' Donte Stallworth To Be Charged With DUI Manslaughter

Bleacher Report — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 14:57:06 -0400

According to unnamed sources, authorities plan to charge Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte Stallworth with DUI manslaughter in the death of 59-year-old Mario Reyes.

Reyes was crossing the busy MacArthur Causeway when the luxury Bentley driven by Stallworth struck him.

The charge carries a possible 15-year prison sentence.

According to the source, Stallworth's blood alcohol level was at .12—which is well above Florida's legal limit of .08.

Stallworth is expected to surrender in court Thursday.

Joshua Joffrion writes a blog called Eyes On The NFL .

Embattled Dallas Police Officer Resigns

Bleacher Report — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 14:47:12 -0400

The embattled police officer who harassed Houston Texans running back Ryan Moats and his wife outside of a Dallas hospital has resigned.

Robert Powell, who pulled a gun on and detained Moats while his mother in law was dying, apologized to the department as well as Moats who accepted the apology.

According to video from a dashboard camera inside the officer's vehicle, the wife of Moats, Tamishia Moats and another woman disregarded Powell's order to get back inside their vehicle, and they rushed into the hospital. Powell yelled at Tamishia Moats to stay in the SUV.

"Excuse me, my mom is dying," Tamishia Moats said before going into the hospital. "Do you understand?"

The Moats' crime? Running a red light.

Powell had been placed on leave but resigned according to the Associated Press. "I still hope to speak with the Moats family to personally express my deep regret, sympathy, and to apologize for my poor judgment and unprofessional conduct," Powell said in the statement.

Joshua Joffrion writes a blog called Eyes On The NFL, it can be found at http://www.eyesonthenfl.blogspot.com.

Two Immigrants May Have Been Slain In Condo Owned By Saints' Vilma

Bleacher Report — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 14:18:42 -0400

Two African immigrants were shot and killed possibly in a condo owned by New Orleans Saints’ linebacker Jonathan Vilma last week according to New York authorities.

The bodies of the two Liberian men turned up about the same time that neighbors reportedly heard gunfire in the empty apartment.

The former New York Jet was not there at the time and is not said to be involved.

The men, Sekou Sakor and Ansu Keita, were shot in the head in a possible retaliation killing for a fake money scam that the two were said to be conducting. The scam involves the target being told that they can buy a large accumulation of dyed money that was supposedly dyed to avoid detection by Customs officials but the target instead receives worthless paper.

There was no indication why the men may have been at Vilma’s condo which is up for sale but police are seeking a relative of Vilma’s who may or may not be involved.

Joshua Joffrion writes a brand new blog called Eyes On The NFL, it can be found at http://www.eyesonthenfl.blogspot.com