The Sun Herald had an article about Jeremy Geathers, son of former Saint James "Jumpy" Geathers. Here is what he had to say.

"My cousin (Robert Geathers Jr.) plays for the Bengals, my dad playing 15 years as long as he did," Jeremy Geathers said. "I definitely come in with the pressure. My last name identifies more than me. It's the family, so I definitely have to go out there and play from them as well as my family."

"I believe I have from my father's forte with a pass rush," Jeremy Geathers said. "That's my talent. I'm good at the run also, but it's something about my pass rush that the coaches love. But I feel like I love the run just as much as my pass rush."

"I just look at it as a great opportunity to come in and compete," Jeremy Geathers said. "I've got to compete with all the backups as well. Hopefully I will get in there and show the coaches what I can do. It's definitely a great opportunity, though."

Interesting note: Jeremy is wearing the same number his father did, #97.

Black and Gold has a Q&A with Carl Nicks' former coach at Nebraska, Shawn Watson who, interestingly enough, was on the staff that recruited Sean Payton out of high school. Check it out here.

B&G.com:  What things would you say Carl has to improve on to be a serious contender for a roster spot?

Coach Watson:  Well, every player has room to improve (some more than others).  But if I had to offer advice, I’d say that he should apply himself day-in and day-out.  Now that this is the NFL, he’ll have to push hard to make the team, and be a good student of the game.  Learn from the veterans in camp; put time in doing homework (studying film and all that).  But again, it’s like the slogan:  "Some practice till they get it right.  Pros practice until they can’t get it wrong."

Coach Watson finished it off by saying he thinks the Saints could go all the way this year. Good answer coach.

Our very own blogger corn blight from Corn Nation had this to say about the development of Nicks.

Nebraska has gone through a coaching change with the firing of Bill Callahan and the hiring of LSU's former defensive coordinator Bo Pelini, what we're hearing about our offensive lineman is that the former strength coach focused solely on strength, and did little in the way of making the guys faster, so it may be that this is an area in which Nicks will improve with different coaching.

Those looking to take a trip down memory lane can read this article from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution about  our dear old friend "Hollywood" Joe Horn.  Apparently, he wants to get traded because he doesn't want to be the teams "just-in-case guy." Man, that is really bad if you are the Falcons "just-in-case guy."

"I want to win a Super Bowl and I want to win a Super Bowl here in Atlanta, but I don't think I can help this team win a Super Bowl sitting on the bench, waiting for third down," Horn said.

Horn said he had not approached the team yet about his desire to be dealt but that him and/or his agent would in the near future.

Hadn't approached the team yet? I'm sure they love hearing it from the media first.

"They're going with the younger guys and I don't have a problem with that, if that's the course they've chosen," Horn said. "I want to have an opportunity to play with a team that needs a veteran to play and contribute and who helps the young guys.

"I'm not rocking the boat. The main reason I came here last year was for [owner] Arthur Blank. His character, his passion and the way he takes care of his people. I relish the opportunity to play here. I haven't talked to Mr. Blank but so far the way it seems, I think they want to go younger."

Sorry Joe, you are 36. I don't think any team should be "going with the older guys." Nothing is being done at this point to trade him.

Keep it here later today, because we will have an interview with Tracy Porter's former coach at Indiana, Joe Palcic.

I guess this is the part where I, as a blogger, am supposed to give you, the reader, a recap of how I feel about this weekends mini-camp and offer some deep insight as to what affect all of this will have on the team this upcoming season. I'll make this easy and sum it up in one word.

Whatever.

Thats right, I'm reserving my dreams of post-season exaltation. Sure, I could say Sedrick Ellis has not even the faintest inkling of being a bust and appears ever more like a wisely aggressive draft day move. That Arrington is the next Colston, our new number two receiver, and the fact that he claims to only have dropped one pass all weekend signals the end to the Saints severe case of the dropsies. I could also say our second round pick Tracy Porter looks like a ball hawking cover man who could start in week 1 and be the exact answer we were looking for in the backfield to prevent those long passing plays that have haunted us so much. And Mehlhaff? Well, he's the next Morten Anderson don't ya know. I could even go so far as to say it looks like this coaching staff is just what Carl Nicks needs and they are going to polish this 343 pound diamond in the rough, maybe by moving him over to guard, and enable him to become a factor on this team much earlier than expected and showing other teams what a steal he was.

But I won't. I'm not falling into that trap again. We've all been here before. Things need a lot more time to play out before any judgments can be passed on the new corp.

Am I excited? You bet!  Do the coaches, players and media seem positive and optimistic? Oh yeah! But this is rookie mini-camp. Everyone is farting rainbows and unicorns at this point. I can't even find a bad word spoken this weekend about any of the rookies so I refuse to let a few no pads run-throughs lead me to believe that I should start reserving my tickets for Tampa this February.  But I will sum it up by saying this: things are looking good!

What do you guys think?

The Star News out of Wilmington, NC has an article on second round draft pick Tracy Porter and his success so far at mini-camp.

"He has good ball skills," Payton said. "When a corner doesn't have good ball skills ... there's no downside to throwing in the direction of a corner who can't catch the ball real well. It's either going to be complete or incomplete.

"When a corner does have good ball skills, your location has to be a little bit more exact because of the fact that he's capable of picking off a bad throw. I'm encouraged with how he catches the ball."

"He gets his hands on a lot of balls and I think that he has good cover skills," Payton said Saturday, after the rookies had finished their third practice. "He's very comfortable in his backpedal and he has pretty good football awareness, which I think helps especially when you're playing in the secondary."

"He's very comfortable right now in some of the things that we're asking him to do," Payton said. "We'll see once we get the pads on and these guys get a chance to get more work. ... When he gets a chance to work against some of the front-line receivers, he'll be challenged more than he has been."

What does Porter think?

Saints coaches "liked how I played the game, they like how I grasp the game," Porter said. "I'm definitely loving the way they are coaching. They coach you each and every play on what you need to do on your technique to make you a better football player.

"I definitely believe I've grasped the schemes and plays. They throw a lot at you quickly, and I definitely believe I caught on to them quickly and I'm out there performing. It's been a great adjustment for me."

When asked about competing for a starting job, he hedged.

"If that happens, it happens," Porter said. "For the most part, I'm coming in like any defensive back, like any other football player, trying to earn a spot, battling for it on the field."

I like what I'm hearing so far.

The comparisons to Marques Colston don't appear to be stopping anytime soon for Adrian Arrington. The Sun Herald had an article about the Saints late round pick. Let's hear what Adrian has to say.

"That's one of the things (the team) was talking to me about how Marques came in and he was a late-round pick," Arrington said. "He came in here and got over 1,000 yards and a bunch of catches. So whether it's this year or down the line, I hope I can come in here and make those types of catches too."

"You just want to go in there and listen to the coaches," Arrington said. "The coaches tell you everything you need to do. So if you listen to the coaches, you'll be on the right foot whether you get to play or not. At least they know that you are trying to do what the coaches are telling you."

"I've got to work on getting down on my breaks and getting out of my breaks," Arrington said. "Also work on my blocking a little bit more. I just want to become more well rounded."

Here is another article on Adrian Arrington with a little Carl Nicks added for spice from The Advertiser. Nothing new here, just the usual number about two guys who were overlooked in the draft and now have chips on their shoulders and are now going to try and come out here and prove everyone wrong.

The Times-Pic had a personal piece on Coach Sean Payton and his new foundation called Payton's Play It Forward Foundation, started by he and his wife Beth.

The goal of the foundation is to raise money and awareness for families and children in the New Orleans and Gulf Coast communities. Initially, money will be raised for three specific charities: Brad Pitt's Make It Right NOLA, Blaine Kern's First Responders Fund and the Dr. Phil Foundation for children in Louisiana.

Payton is particularly enthusiastic about the foundation's signature event, a Black & Gold Gala fundraiser that will be held inside the Superdome on Oct. 10, featuring master of ceremonies Chris Berman, honorary chairs Jimmy Buffett and Irma Thomas, and ideally, a star-studded entertainment lineup.

It seems Coach Payton has been a little too involved and needs to cool it and leave it to the experts.

Both Beth and the foundation's director, Karen Hegner, gave the coach some playful grief for being a little too hands-on with the foundation's logistics. Payton has tried to orchestrate everything from menus to seating charts to the backdrop of today's news conference. But clearly, the third-year Saints coach is passionate about the project.

Mike Detillier did a piece for Houma Today giving his list of 15 possible breakout players of the 2008 season. There is one Saint on his list.

13. Bobby McCray, defensive end, New Orleans Saints

Ever since his college playing days at Florida, McCray was considered a stock-market player and someone who could look great in one game and disappear in another. Landing in New Orleans and getting some tough-love coaching from new Saints defensive line coach Ed Orgeron might just be the right medicine for McCray to develop into a consistent pass rusher this season.

Check out this link from NFL.com for a video of a Q&A with Big Sed.

Peter King has his usual Monday Morning Quarterback for SI.com. He had this to say about Sedrick Ellis.

6. I think the Saints are giddy about how defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis will fit on their front line. Ellis looked good in knifing through offensive-line gaps in minicamp, which obviously means very little since the workouts were held without full pads. But Ellis is vital to New Orleans' plans, because they didn't have anything close to an interior defensive presence last year, which hurt the ability of their outside rushers to ever have clear rushing lanes to the quarterback.

I will leave you with some more pictures from this weekend, found here are the New Orleans Saints official website. All photos courtesy of Michael C. Hebert.

The new kicker is jacked!

Denzel Washington's son, John David. Actually, he really does look like Denzel!

Carl Nicks wearing the smallest jersey the equipment manager could find. Seriously, is that a youth size?

The Big Man.

In honor of Mother's Day, I decided to try and find some pictures New Orleans Saints moms. Here is what I could dig up...

via www.aamctx.org

Drew Brees' mother, Mina.

via www.signonsandiego.com

Reggie Bush's mother, Denise Griffin, and family.

via cache.daylife.com

Mike McKenzie's mother, Frances. Same hair.

Courtest of World Class New Orleans

Steve Gleason's mother(left, I think) and aunt with fan.

And away we go...

The first article comes from the Sun Herald. It quickly tells us about Man Child's progression this weekend, then tells us what Coach Payton said when asked about the on-going Jeremy Shockey and Shaun Alexander rumors, among other things.

On Alexander...

"What you try to do is just look at the different options and get a chance to become more familiar with players than what you just see on tape," Payton said. "It was really just that. He's had a long successful career and he's still got some good years ahead of him, so we'll see where it takes him."

On Shockey...

When asked about whether or not improving depth at tight end is a priority in the offseason, Payton said, "If the right player was available and we felt like he could come in an compete with the guys we currently have on our roster, than we'd be interested in doing that."

On why they picked Mehlhaff over Georgia's Brandon Coutu...

Coutu was ranked by many as the draft's top kicker, but when special teams coaches Greg McMahon and Mike Mallory came back from both workouts, Payton said there was a "gap and a clear separation" between the two kickers in favor of Mehlhaff.

The article also speculates about a new location for training camp this year.

Training camp update - From all indications, the Saints plan to return to Millsaps College in Jackson for training camp for the third consecutive year. Or are they?

"I think it's Millsaps and then when I say that... ," Payton said.

He then asked vice president of communications Greg Bensel if the team had announced the location yet and Bensel said it hadn't.

Check out the extensive Q&A with Coach Payton at the New Orleans Saints official website. It's too long to paste the whole thing here, but you should definitely read it.

Two stories from the Times-Pic. The first is all about the rookies. Check it out. How are they doing so far?

Nicks and Arrington were among the rookies who admitted they weren't completely ready for the Gulf South elements, though they've been able to fight through it. Arrington said he had dropped just one pass through the first three practice sessions Friday and Saturday.

Ellis has shown the desire and explosiveness that made him attractive to the Saints, Payton said. And Porter has shown instincts in coverage, though he still hadn't reeled in that first interception as of Saturday afternoon.

Apparently, everyone was working a little too hard.

The players often create that high tempo, because so many of them are trying to get noticed. Payton said he had to stop the team during the first walk-through Friday morning to slow them down a bit.

"It was like a scrimmage," Payton said. "I had to tell them, 'Hey, you're not going to earn a spot in this walk-through.' But that's to be expected, I think."

The second article from the Times-Pic is about new kicker Tyler Mehlhaff and whether or not he could be the next Morten Anderson. Man, they put pressure on these kids early. The similarities are eery. Aside from the fact that the Saints haven't drafted a kicker since Morten Anderson in 1982, they are both left footed, they both played for Big Ten schools, and they both have strong and accurate legs.

"Obviously, that guy has stuck around forever," Mehlhaff said Saturday of the 47-year-old Andersen, a fourth-round pick from Michigan State who has professed a desire to be kicking when he's 50, although he is currently a free agent. "He's a kicking legend. Any kicker would love to accomplish what he's done. (The situation) is similar, but I'm just coming in. I haven't done anything. He's proven himself and is one of the greats now."

The Advocate takes a look at this weekends mini-camp through the eyes of the three local LSU players; Cornerback Jonathan Zenon, linebacker Luke Sanders, and wide receiver Josh McManus. They have an advantage both in comfort level...

Their familiarity with each other, experience with south Louisiana heat, and proximity to their college campus gives them a level of comfort that their counterparts don’t have.

“Everything is comfortable for me here,” Zenon, a native of Breaux Bridge, said between practices Saturday. “It kind of makes me feel like I’m right back at LSU. You just feel comfortable with (Sanders and McManus) here.

“It’s in my backyard so I feel like it’s the best opportunity for me to showcase my skills. I have a lot of family and fans here supporting me. I’m doing everything I can to impress the coaches.”

and preparation...

Payton said players that come in from top-flight programs such as LSU often have a clearer “vision” of how they’re going to find their niche.

“Those guys that come from a program like LSU, they come in with a swagger that they’re good enough to make this team and that’s a good thing,” Payton said. “They’ve been coached extremely well, they’re used to winning and being successful.

The Sun Herald had another article today, this one spotlighting DT DeMario Pressley. While Sedrick Ellis will get most of the attention this off-season for obvious reasons, DeMario should not be counted out.

"First thing I'm looking at is just to make the team," Pressley said. "If I make the team, I'll keep learning by continuing to work on my pass rush and my run technique. I've got to get better."

"I'm learning a lot and that's because coach Orgeron is a really intense coach," Pressley said. "With him, you have to move fast and have to learn fast. It's a totally different game from college, very different because of the speed.

"He's throwing a lot at you at a time, but I think I'm taking it on pretty well. With coach O, you've only got one chance to do it and do it right. So you better do it right that first time."

Here is what Coach thinks.

"I think he's going to be able to get stronger in our program and it will be important to him improve in that area," Payton said. "We talked a little about that yesterday. He has athleticism and some of that quick twitch that you are looking for."

Payton's aspirations for Pressley are apparent. Pressley and Ellis lined up side-by-side with Pressley playing the three spot (Brian Young's side) with Ellis at the nose (Hollis Thomas' side). Both of their lockers are also adjoined.

"(Pressley's) body of work probably isn't as long or has been as good as Ellis' but nonetheless, he's a young talent that we are encouraged about and excited to work with," Payton said.

Here's a story from the Fremont Tribune out of Nebraska. Just to make sure we talk about everyone, this article is about Adrian Arrington and Carl Nicks.

"I'm hoping to be a big steal," Arrington said. "I'm just trying to work hard every day in practice and do exactly what the coaches are telling me to do. When they see that, that's something they can work with."

Adrian also said he only dropped one pass so far this weekend.

This is what Nicks had to say.

"I always feel in my heart I was a good guy regardless of what people say," Nicks said. "So it's good to have a coach who says, 'Forget what happened, you're here now. I'm going to judge you on how you treat me and your teammates and how you are as a football player.'"

This weekend, they have had Nicks lining up at left guard.

And finally, in case you were worried about not getting any Shockey news, here it is . From the Star Ledger. Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride seems to be confused at what is going on with the Shockey situation.

"It's so nebulous right now. I just have no idea what's going to happen," Gilbride said. "Right now, he's on our team. We're planning on him being there and he'll be one of the guys we'll look to feature and depend on. Hopefully, he'll be here in good sprits and ready to do the things we know he's capable of doing. But who knows? It's certainly beyond my hands."

Is Shockey ever in good spirits? What is Jeremy feeling about this whole situation now anyway?

Gilbride wouldn't say what Shockey's feelings were on the matter, particularly when asked if he wants to come back and if he likes his role in the offense.

"It wouldn't be fair for me to divulge what was said by him and I would feel very uncomfortable doing that. I would feel like I was betraying his confidence," Gilbride said. "But we had a good talk and, again, the most important thing is I wanted him to know the way I felt."

When pressed on the issue of Shockey's role in the offense, Gilbride said, "Again, I don't feel real comfortable commenting on the exchange of ideas I came from him. I can tell you what I said. I just wanted him to know there's a place for him here and I think we're a better football team when he's here and as far as I'm concerned, he's an integral part of what we're doing."

Here is the latest from Day 2 of Saints rookie mini-camp.

Check out this Q&A with Sedrick Ellis from the New Orleans Saints official website here. Here are some of the more interesting questions, but check out the whole thing for yourself.

What are your first impressions of the heat?

"It’s a little humid down here compared to California, a different kind of heat, but I’m dealing with it and getting acclimated."

Are you looking forward to visiting some of the famous restaurants in town?

"I haven’t ever been to New Orleans, this is my first time, so I think maybe I will give Reggie (Bush) a call and hit the spots, see what is good down here."

How have you handled the conditions the first couple of days of practice?

"It’s different. Even when you work out in California and you think you are in shape, the air is a little different here and you have to get acclimated. The first day was a lot more difficult than today. My body is getting used to it and we’re working it out. I think I came in here in pretty good shape. We did the Combine and it’s been back to back things. I think I did alright."

You can also check out a video with some mini-camp footage and Payton talking in a press conference on the homepage of the New Orleans Saints official website. The music is a little overkill. Nothing is to be gleaned from this footage, just a bunch of guys running around in circles at quarter speed.

Here's more, from NFL.com, about how happy Coach Payton is with Man Child.

While he has yet to be tested against NFL veterans, coaches appear pleased by Ellis' performance during the first few practices of this weekend's three-day rookie camp, which started Friday and ends Sunday.

"He's been a pain in the rear for a couple days now, splitting double-teams and getting in the backfield," head coach Sean Payton said.

Living in a place like New Orleans, where the food is rich and some bars never close, can have it's pitfalls for young men experiencing new levels of celebrity and wealth.

Payton, however, doesn't seem too worried about that.

"He's another player you'll be impressed with off the field," Payton said. "He'll bring a presence to us. He'll have to work and earn his spot ... as all these guys will, but I think it's not going to be too big for him."

I love how there are always references to New Orleans debauchery and how it can completely ruin an athlete.

This picture accompanies the article.

Uh.....ummmm....ehhhh....mmmm....yeah. I'm gonna leave this one alone, since he's the new guy, but feel free to leave your witty caption ideas for this picture in the comment section.

The Times-Pic had an article about Coach Payton's feelings about rookie mini-camp. To sum it up...he's happy.

"It's hard to tell (who's standing out) because you've got such a mixed group," Payton said. "You've got to be mindful of who Porter's covering or who Ellis is beating on a double team, or who Nicks is blocking. I think you'll get a better indication of more specifically how they're doing with the veteran players (in full-squad practice sessions later this month).

"But I think overall I've been encouraged with what I've seen from the class in general. The big guard from Nebraska's done a good job of stepping in, Nicks. I think when you look at Ellis, he's been a pain in the rear for a couple days now, splitting some double teams and getting in the backfield. Porter showed some of the coverage skills that we were anticipating we'd see. And this Arrington has done a good job, the receiver we drafted late, of just handling the assignments. He's a pretty sharp kid."

There were several players who were invited to this weekends mini-camp for try-outs including, interestingly enough, Denzel Washington's son.

Among those tryout players are LSU cornerback Jonathan Zenon and LSU receiver Josh McManus. Another interesting name is running back John David Washington, son of actor Denzel Washington, who spent the last two years on the St. Louis Rams' practice squad.

SaintsInsider.com had a little piece on K Taylor Mehlhaff and his road to making the team.

Taylor Mehlhaff is one of a chosen few — a kicker taken in the NFL draft. But the University of Wisconsin kicker still isn’t guaranteed a job come this fall.

First, he has to come out on top in a competition with fellow New Orleans kicker Martin Gramatica, and he begins his trek toward training camp during rookie camp this weekend. Mehlhaff said he has no problem with some competition.

"I just have an athlete’s mentality that I bring to the table," Mehlhaff said. "Not only is that an edge over other guys, but physically with my kickoff I really feel like if you put me one-on-one with somebody, I can beat them out, and I feel very confident with my field goals."

What is Coach Payton looking for?

Saints head coach Sean Payton said the chance of keeping both Gramatica and Mehlhaff is there, but right now, he’s focusing on two kickers competing for one spot.... But for Payton, it all boils down to one thing: "They’re going to have to be able to kick field goals."

Mehlhaff tells us how he is gonna win the spot...

Mehlhaff views leg strength as a way to separate top-tier kickers from the rest, not field goal performance. Among top kickers, he said, field goal ability is roughly the same, but leg strength can make a kicker stand out.

"The kickoffs are becoming premium, and it is getting more and more important," Mehlhaff said. "You look at guys like Devin Hester and (Josh) Cribbs up in Cleveland, these returners are getting better and better. You need to have a good kickoff team, and it all starts with the kicker."

All the way from the Bradenton Herald of Florida comes an article about UFA Rocky Schwartz. The articles says the safety is determined to make the team.

Despite leading 8-5 Houston with 103 tackles, Schwartz was overlooked in last month's NFL Draft. After signing a free-agent contract with the New Orleans Saints, he is determined to show 31 teams they made a mistake.

His great adventure began Thursday, when Schwartz flew to the Saints' training facility in Metairie, La., for a three-day rookie minicamp. The 5-foot-10, 202-pound Schwartz plans to stand out the best way he knows - by approaching every meeting, every drill, every play with boundless energy and determination.

"I'm going there with the mentality that teams I'll be playing against are trying to take food off the table for my sons," Schwartz said earlier this week. He and wife Arielle have a 15-month-old son, Trey, and another boy due in August.

"I want to show them I'm smart on and off the field, I'm a fierce hitter, and I can play the ball in the air and be a ball-hawk. It's always been my dream to play pro football, and to actually sign and get that chance I think says a lot for me."

Go get 'em Rocky.

Fox Sports brings us a heartwarming piece about the first family of football, the Mannings. This is a good read giving us an inside look at the family. Check it out.

This was my favorite part.

"I know how to split the screen and get them both," he said with a hint of pride in his technical prowess. "And what really drives my wife crazy is when I've got both games on the split screen and I bring my radio in and listen to the Saints at the same time. She doesn't care for that."

Archie is the man.

In league news, Mike Florio at The Sporting News came up with an idea for punishing teams with players who find trouble off the field. Check it out. He asserts that teams with players who find themselves in trouble should be penalized by losing a draft pick.

Put simply, the league should impose real and meaningful penalties on teams that roll the dice on guys who previously ran a tin cup over steel bars.

I'm not saying NFL teams never should sign or draft a player who previously has been convicted of a crime. But if they do, and if that player gets into more trouble, the franchise should be punished along with the player.

So the only way to get teams to avoid players with a history of legal problems -- or, even better, help the player change his unlawful ways -- is to strip the team of draft picks.

Here are the rules of the game:

To prevent claims that certain teams are shown favoritism while others get nailed unfairly, a formula should be created to address the problem as to each and every team.

As to any player who has been convicted of or pleaded guilty or no contest to any non-violent crime within five years prior to any new incident:

• The team would lose a sixth-round draft pick if the player is convicted of or pleads guilty or no contest to any non-violent crime as a result of that new incident.

• The penalty would increase to a fourth-round draft pick for any violent crimes arising out of the new incident.

If a player has two or more convictions or guilty/no-contest pleas to non-violent crimes within five years prior to any new incident:

• The team would lose a fourth-round draft pick if the player is convicted of or pleads guilty or no contest to any non-violent crime as a result of that new incident.

• The penalty would be a second-round pick for violent crimes.

If a player has been convicted of or pleaded guilty or no contest to any violent crime within five years prior to any new incident,

• The team would lose a fifth-round draft pick if the player is convicted of or pleads guilty or no contest to any non-violent crime.

• The penalty would increase to a third-round draft pick for any violent crime arising out of the new incident.

And if a player has two or more convictions or guilty/no-contest pleas with at least one of them being a violent crime within the five years prior to any new incident:

• The team would lose a third-round pick for any non-violent crime resulting from the new incident.

• The team loses a first-round draft pick if it's a violent crime.

 

He spent a lot of time on this. It reads like the rules of an elaborate role playing fantasy sports board game. But this is the part that makes the whole thing sketchy.

The distinction between violent and non-violent crimes would be made on a case-by-case basis, driven by common sense, a simple list of guidelines and precedent created as the rule is applied to specific situations.

Yeah, that is real cut and dry(sarcasm). Anything "driven by common sense" is bound for trouble. Everyone's definition of common sense is different. I think Florio needs to tweak this a little bit.

I do agree that the off field trouble of NFL players seems to be becoming more and more regular, and that is very upsetting. I don't know whether this is the answer however. Not really sure where I stand on Florio's idea.

I will bring you more today if any info comes out of mini-camp.

Here are a few pictures from the New Orleans Saints official website . Check out all of them at the website. Mini-camp is closed to the media, so consider yourselves lucky for this much. The Saints website says they will have more tomorrow including a video. All photos are courtesy of Michael C. Hebert.

I thought black was slimming? DT's DeMario Pressley and Sedrick Ellis.

Tracy Porter in his "Jason David who?" stance.

Is that Hollywood Horn? Nope. It's seventh round pick Adrian Arrington.

Are you starting to get excited yet?

Seems like the Bengals are gonna be the ones to make a play at Shaun Alexander, not the Saints. The Cincinnati Enquirer has the article.

Jim Steiner, Alexander’s agent, said he will be in contact with the Bengals.

"We'll be talking to Shaun today and in touch with Bengals today or tomorrow," Steiner said this afternoon in an e-mail to the Enquirer.

The Times-Pic released an article today about Sedrick Ellis and DeMario Pressley and their hopes for the upcoming season.

"I feel like I'm looking for an immediate impact," Ellis said this week. "They made the pick for a reason, and I assume they want me to play as soon as possible. So that's definitely my goal, to get down there and work hard and try to play as soon as I can."

Pressley was equally effusive.

"I know they need some help, and me, personally, I want to be that guy," Pressley said. "I want to come in, and I want to contribute as soon as possible."

Ah, yeah. Could ya please?

I thought this was funny...

Ellis also will be able to understand Orgeron's Cajun accent, native to Orgeron's Cut Off roots.

"When he's yelling and the other guys can't understand, I might have to help them out," Ellis said, laughing.

I'm a little worried about DeMario.

"I do a lot of conditioning work first," Pressley said. "Then I hit the weights, and I'm done for the day. I've been trying to get outside some, but it's been raining and cold. I know it's going to be pretty hot down there, so I've been trying to get accustomed to the heat. It's not working because of the rain and stuff."

Ugh. This kid has no idea what he's getting into. It's gonna be 90 degrees today. And good luck in Jackson. In August.

Sedrick closes it out.

"But it's a great responsibility at the same time. (The Saints) definitely have a need, and I feel like I can come in right away and help them out with the problems they're having, just make the team better in general."

The Sun Herald also had a quick blurb about todays mini-camp, enlightening us about the possibility of undrafted free agents making the team.

"It's interesting when you look at it, there have been a number of free agents that not only have made teams, but have been Pro Bowl players," Payton said. "There's still a fair amount of work to do. We're looking to find a Pierre Thomas, a Steve Weatherford, a Tyler Palko - these are all guys that have made our team. Tony Romo made our team in Dallas when I was there."

Other Saints who made an NFL roster via the undrafted free agent route include defensive tackle Hollis Thomas, running back Aaron Stecker, cornerback Randall Gay, wide receiver David Patten, left guard Jamar Nesbit, defensive tackle Antwan Lake, safety Kevin Kaesviharn, linebacker Troy Evans, wide receiver Terrance Copper, tight end Ronnie Ghent, safety Chris Reis, wide receiver Lance Moore and tight end Mark Campbell.

Following Tom Benson's purchase of WVUE Fox, The Fanhouse tells us they think the Saints are here to stay. I think thats probably true.

This site is pretty cool! Make your own Saints shirt! And no, I don't get any money from linking this.

I will try and get you the latest news from mini-camp as soon as I can. Please feel free to put up FanPosts and/or FanShots of any links or anything newsworthy if you find it first!

via www.journalstar.com

In our final installment of the series this year, we introduce you to OT Carl Nicks. With their second selection of the fifth round the Saints used it to scoop up the lineman from Nebraska.

Nicks has a great combination of size, strength, quickness and motor. He is very well built for his position and is NFL ready in that respect. Nicks is very quick off the line, works very hard and plays with a non-stop motor and a mean streak. He has played both tackle and guard, so he is somewhat versatile though he only switched to LT in his senior season, playing mostly RT in his career.

Where he is lacking, however, is in his technique. Nicks is very unpolished. His handwork and footwork all leave something to be desired and it will take some time before he can get to that next level. Also on the negative side is Nicks' character. This is another situation of a players' character hurting their draft stock. Originally slated to be a possible second round pick, he slipped to the fifth round because of recent off-field troubles.

Nicks, a 6-foot-5, 341-pound lineman who could play either right tackle or guard in the NFL, was originally rated as a second- or third-round draft prospect. But he set himself back when he was arrested in March during a party at a friend's house.

He was one of four current or former Nebraska players cited for being an inmate of a disorderly house, and he was thrown into jail after adding a citation for failure to disperse. Charges were later dismissed.

New Nebraska Coach Bo Pelini, however, punished Nicks by banning him from the school's pro day, which was obviously a costly punishment for a draft prospect. It wasn't the first incident for Nicks, who was benched for the first quarter of one game as a senior for undisclosed disciplinary reasons. The 25-year-old also had some academic issues that forced him to bounce around from New Mexico State to Hartnell Junior College to Nebraska.

When asked if he thinks the character issue hurt his draft stock, Nicks quickly replied, "It murdered it." But he said he was grateful the Saints offered him an opportunity.

"Everything happens for a reason. I got drafted by a great team," Nicks said. "I guarantee nothing like that will ever happen again." - Times-Pic

However, Nicks recently ran afoul of the law when police busted a party in Lincoln and he was banned from participating in Nebraska's Pro Day, which says a lot, since Maurice Purify, who has had multiple criminal issues in the past, was still allowed to participate despite being one of the other players who got in trouble at the party. - FF Toolbox

I don't know what went on behind the scenes when Nicks got in trouble, but getting put in jail for not leaving a party seems a bit much. He has bounced around between New Mexico St., Hartnell CC, and Nebraska but hopefully some stability and the responsibility of being married and having a three year old daughter will mature him.

"We didn't feel in his case that it was as much of real bad character as it was maybe some maturity issues that we were willing to look at and go with," said Payton, who insisted that Nicks wasn't getting a free pass. "He understands that he's coming here to an environment where we have little tolerance."

This is yet another one of those upside deals. The best word to describe Nicks is raw. But it seems this kid can really be a factor with the right coaching. If the Saints can make this happen, Nicks will be a justifiable steal in this years draft, but this will take some time and I wouldn't expect to see him playing much this season.

Player Bio

For even more detailed scouting reports and info on Nicks, check out New Era Scouting , FF Toolbox and the New Orleans Saints official website.

Here is the scouting report, once again, from NFL.com , NFL Draft Countdown and ESPN Insider , respectively.

The Good...

Positives: Massive.... Despite his weight, Nicks doesn't have a sloppy build, but instead his weight is distributed throughout his body.... Long arms and big hands.... Surprising quickness off the snap.... Explosive strength evident both in his pass and run blocking. ... Devastating upper body strength and has the big hands and long arms to latch onto the defender and control him. ... Good quickness for the reach block and can turn and seal the edge. ... Surprising quickness to get to the second level. ... Good balance in his kick-slide. ... Uses his hands well to control the defender and keeps his feet moving to remain squarely in front of the pass rusher. ... Remains on the balls of his feet and is rarely out of position.

Strengths:
Has outstanding size and a huge frame...A terrific athlete with good quickness...Is very strong...Physical and aggressive...Gets a nice push in the run game...Light on his feet...Mobile and will get to the second level...Versatile...Still has major upside.

Strengths: A massive ROT prospect with a thick build, long arms (34.6 inches) and big hands (10 inches). Displays adequate initial quickness when firing out of his stance as a run blocker. Can engulf smaller defenders at the point of attack in the run game. Works to finish his blocks and displays a mean streak at times. Will sustain his blocks when his hand-placement is sound. Can anchor versus the bull rush when he plays with leverage. Displays a quick set in pass pro for an OT his size. Also has very good upper body strength to jar defenders with his initial punch. Lots of upside to work with as a developmental project.

The Bad...

Negatives: Has only played left tackle one season, and despite his success there in 2007 there are concerns Nicks lacks the foot quickness to handle the NFL's speed rushers. ... Only one season as a starter at the D-I level. ... Surprising agility to get to the second level, but struggles to engage second-level defenders. ... Can dominate pass rushers when he gets his hands on them, but struggles to re-engage if his initial hand punch misses. ... Potential for weight to get out of control has to be a concern.

Weaknesses:
Doesn't have a ton of experience...Very raw and has a ways to go when it comes to technique...Has to play with better leverage...Shaky footwork & hand use...Not yet a finished product and he'll need to be developed...Has a questionable motor.

Weaknesses: Lacks ideal athletic ability. Is quick on a straight line but struggles to move laterally. Will have trouble getting back inside in pass pro. Does not redirect quickly enough at times. Struggles to hit the moving target in space. Needs to play with more consistent leverage. When he comes out of stance too high he is vulnerable versus powerful bull rush. No excuse for him getting walked back into his own QB like he did versus Wake Forest DE Jeremy Thompson. His footwork and hand placement need a lot of polishing.