Black and Gold X's and O's | Why I'm a Saints Fan

Hello, all you Saints fans. This is Sean Payton...err, Will Osgood.

In this new column, I will attempt to bring you insight as if I am Sean Payton. But before I totally preview the column, I want to give you just a quick idea of who I am, beyond what is said in my bio, unfortunately it might not be so quick.

I have never actually played the game of football, sadly.

In fact, it's the only sport I've never played. I always wanted to, but my mom was too afraid I'd get hurt and simply would not allow me to try out for my high school team. I still went to all my school's games and learned some of the game through that. I also learned by watching it on TV and going to UCLA football games.

I was in sixth grade when I fell in love, sadly not with a girl, but with a football player.

His name is Drew Brees.

He was a sophomore at Purdue. From then on, I had to watch every game he played in. Every article I ever saw written about him, I had to read. Every interview and story on TV I had to watch. Although I still loved UCLA football, I became a huge Purdue Boilermakers fan. I even got a Purdue hat for Christmas.

Naturally, when he was drafted with the first pick in the 2nd Round by the San Diego Chargers in the 2001 NFL Draft, I asked my mom if we could move to San Diego.

I was only half serious.

When Drew became a Charger I started to pay attention to the NFL, which I never really had before because my dad always called it the National Field Goal League. The more I watched, the more I became interested in the game itself. It started to create in me a desire to play, report on, or maybe even coach the sport myself.

I realized the impact a coach can have not just on his team but ultimately on a school, town, city, state, or even a country. Tony Dungy is proof of that one.

Then came December 31, 2005. The Chargers had been officially eliminated from playoff contention and were playing their hated division rival, the Denver Broncos. Drew had another tremendous season under center and the media was starting to ask whether he was indeed the long-term answer at quarterback. 

If so would the Chargers trade their "bonus baby" Phillip Rivers?

I was not even watching the game myself because I was at a UCLA basketball game. The game meant very little to anyone, which is what makes the result pretty infuriating. On one play, Brees went back to pass backed up near his own goal-line and was sacked leading to a fumble. To top it off in his competitive attempt to grab the football his right shoulder was squashed by a Bronco defender.

Brees just laid there writhing in pain.

Eventually he made it to his feet, but his shoulder was seriously damaged. Fast forward three months to March 11, 2006. Drew Brees signed a six year, $60 million, deal with the New Orleans Saints.

I knew what this meant, I had to become a Saints fan.

I think I seriously asked God, "why"? Why the Saints? Why a team that had just been demoralized by a natural disaster? Why a team that had such little talent and a brand new head coach, who had twice been demoted as offensive coordinator? I considered not becoming a fan of the team. I considered turning my back on the guy who had helped me love the game so much.

And then I viewed the transcripts of the introductory press conference. Brees' spoke about how everything happens for a reason and genuinely sounded excited about making New Orleans his new home.

Then I took a look at the roster and realized they had a little more talent than I realized. I saw that Scott Fujita had also signed with the Saints. He was a guy I had followed since his days at Cal because he graduated from the same high school as I did.

I started to buy in, partially because the alternative was to root for the team that had just given away my favorite player. There was no chance that was happening, until the season started that is as they became my second favorite team.

Then the team took Reggie Bush with the second pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. At that point I was sold. This team had players I liked and had some potential to be good in a couple years, I thought. 

By the time the season started I had both an authentic black and gold Brees jersey, and a white replica Reggie Bush jersey. I also already had two Saints hats one a coach's visor and the other a player's sideline hat.

I was ready to roll.

The more I followed the team, I realized being a Saints fan is not just watching on Sundays and rooting hard for your team, It's more like a lifestyle. You live and die with each play and become friends with other Saints fans. You stand up for your team when others are putting them down.

And the funny thing is that this directly parallels the most important thing I have in my life, Jesus Christ.

I think it would be misleading and irresponsible on my part to end this introductory column without expressing this fact.

In much the same way loving God is the same thing, a lifestyle.

You don't just go to church on Sundays, but it's how you live. You stand up for him when everyone wants to put him down. I'm sorry if saying this breaks down the lines of communication but I just want everyone to know why I am writing this column. It is to glorify him.

With that behind us, the idea of my tri-weekly column is to go in-depth. I want to bring the game inside the game to all who read. Myself, now working as a high school wide receivers Coach, I am learning all the time. I hope to pass on some of the knowledge I have, and feel that at the same time, it will help me grow in my knowledge of the game.

The idea is for the time being to provide in-depth Saints related draft analysis up to and after the draft. At that point, until the season begins, I will discuss more scheme related subjects, mostly related to what we can expect to see from the Saints in 2009.

Once the season begins, I will be giving my take on what the Saints game plan should look like for the upcoming week, both on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. The day after each game I will review the game from a coach's perspective.

I must also say that from a journalism standpoint I love to read Bill Simmons of ESPN, so I hope to provide some smart, witty, and entertaining columns beyond just pure football jargon.

And as I will do each time from here on out, Go Saints!