I'm sorry for not bringing you the latest Charles Grant news as it breaks as if its the Watergate scandal, but I don't think I need to add anymore fuel to this fire. This story is already overexposed enough. If you want yesterday's news flurry about the story, you can find all the same information regurgitated over and over in multiple formats by clicking here, here, here, here, here, here and here. How's that for link dumping! To sum it all up...

• Charles was at OTA's yesterday.
• He is turning himself in today.
• He will be back for OTA's Friday.
• His lawyer thinks the charges are incredibly unusual and unsubstantiated.

The newest info comes today from a Times-Pics article and a Sun Herald article.

"I don't know if it's going to end quickly or not, but there's not going to be a plea arrangement," Tolley said. "We will enter a plea of not guilty (at a later date)."

"In my view, Charles is a victim," Tolley said. "A man ran up behind him and stabbed him with a knife. Our position has not changed. Charles was not involved in the fight. Whether you can be a passive participant in a fight, I don't know. . . . We're going to wait for a judge to help us sort it out."

I think it is still too early to start speculating about this one. Check these quotes out...

Coach Payton

"We’re still gathering information. Our own security people are still gathering information and we’ll go from there." - New Orleans Saints

Jon Stinchcomb

"I don't have a clue about the details." - Times-Pic

Dane Ciolino, Loyola Law professor

"We don't know about all the evidence." - Times-Pic

Who am I to pretend I know any better? Let's all cool it for now.

And oh yeah...Will Smith wasn't at OTA's. The Times-Pic and Sun Herald both have the story.

Here is Sean Payton's quote on the matter

"He and I had a chance to visit about a month and a half ago, and you'd like to have all your players here. But it's not unusual," Saints Coach Sean Payton said. "I think you just go around the league, and each team has a player or two maybe that's unhappy with his contract. And so in the meantime our focus is on the players that are here. And we're full speed ahead." - New Orleans Saints

Also from the Times-Pic today is their review and observations from OTA's yesterday. Here is

On Jonathan Vilma

Vilma said the scheme he's mastering with the Saints is similar to that run by the Jets in his first two years in the league. Vilma said he feels ready to go full speed full time, but that would be ahead of schedule. The limited action to date is the result of an agreement he reached with Payton.

"It's been exciting, to come from rehab and the surgery and get to this point," Vilma said. "We're being cautious, of course, that's to be expected, but it looks pretty good at this point."

Here is what Big Sed had to say...

"I feel like it's been going really well," Ellis said. "I've got a couple of days in now with the older guys, and they kind of helped me along with some of the plays and stuff, and I feel like it's coming along just fine."

OBSERVATIONS: New backup quarterback Mark Brunell looked comfortable in the pocket and seems to be fitting in nicely. . . . With McKenzie out, the top three cornerbacks working with the first-team and nickel defenses were Jason David, Randall Gay and Usama Young. Veteran Jason Craft and rookie Tracy Porter worked with the second team.

Here are my own random notes from Payton's Q&A:

• Arrington and Meachem are both impressing. Sweet!
• Jammal Brown is having his best off-season. Yes!
• Jonathan Goodwin is kicking butt. Nice!
• Bobby McCray got a boo boo while working out too hard.
• Here is the injury list:  Deuce McAllister - knee, Josh Bullocks - knee, Aaron Glenn - ankle, Mike McKenzie - knee, Mark Simoneau - hip, DeMario Pressley - foot, and Eric Johnson - ankle.
• Payton acknowledged possibly picking up another LB.
  

It seems I am the only one still talking or thinking about this one. Well, me and the NY TImes. They had a new article on the David Jacobs steroid investigation. Yesterday Jacobs handed over e-mails, canceled checks and other evidence to NFL officials. Though the names of the players Jacobs is giving up have not been released, it seems there is a good chance Lehr could be one of them.

"The documents corroborate statements Jacobs has made to investigators. He provided the names of people connected to his steroid dealings."

This will continue to unfold. The Dallas Morning News was also on this one this time.

Here is the latest on the Reggie Bush scandal at USC, from the LA Times. More disagreeing and bickering basically. Depositions will begin in June.

The judge announced that Lake would be deposed by Bush's attorneys on June 5 and 6, Bush would be deposed June 23, and LaMar Griffin, his stepfather, and mother, Denise, would give depositions shortly thereafter.

Watkins said Wednesday that he planned to serve notice to USC Coach Pete Carroll and running backs coach Todd McNair for depositions in mid-to-late June.

The judge announced that Lake would be deposed by Bush's attorneys on June 5 and 6, Bush would be deposed June 23, and LaMar Griffin, his stepfather, and mother, Denise, would give depositions shortly thereafter.

Watkins said Wednesday that he planned to serve notice to USC Coach Pete Carroll and running backs coach Todd McNair for depositions in mid-to-late June.

For those of you actually interested in football and not the off-field drama, here are the roster cut-down dates.

• 75 players - August 26th.
• 53 players - August 30th

Lets get one thing clear right off the bat. These shenanigans are all about something that will happen in  2010. Lets keep our eyes on the ball and remember that we have at least two Superbowls to win before we start worrying about the effects of a new collective bargaining agreement (heretofore referred to as CBA). Devery needs to stop dropping balls and Reggie needs to learn to run straight ahead before we can start freaking out about the proverbial you know what hitting the fan. There are bigger issues at hand. FOCUS! Now that thats out of the way, we can get down to business.

As I am sure you all heard, the NFL owners unanimously voted to opt out of the current CBA two years early, in 2010. For those of you who live under a rock and haven't  heard, WHOOP! there it is. This post will assume some prior knowledge of the situation, so bone up. If you are like me, your sorta understand this whole thing but you acknowledge that you have a life and a job and no time to examine every aspect, viewpoint and advantage/disavantage from both the players and owners side. There is a word for people like that. Lawyer. The basics are clear to me and thats good enough.

Of course, any real Saints fan would have to immediately ask, "Well Dave, what does this mean for us fans and the team itself?"  Honestly, my first reaction was this isn't good. No cap? Benson is cheap as it is and our team doesn't have nearly the amount of money that teams like the Patriots, Cowboys, Packers et al have. They will just stockpile players like canned goods and bottled water before a hurricane. But then I took a deep breath and a step back and, well, I found this article, from Pat Kirwan.

But there are three main trigger points that will go off in 2010 if there isn't a new CBA in place, and they may offset the fear of life with no salary cap. They are: 1) free agency will require six years of service [Note by Saintsational, Pro Football Talk claims that free agency will only require five years of service, not six.] (instead of four years in 2010 and five years in 2011); 2) teams will have three tags to use to restrict free agents instead of one tag, as they do now; and 3) teams that go deep in the playoffs could have some spending restrictions.

That should help relieve some fears. The first two triggers will greatly reduce the amount of free agents available in the off-season and the third one is just a safety. Read the article for detailed explanations.

One of the other positive things I hope will come out of this will be the elimination of huge contracts awarded to top draft picks before ever even stepping out on the field. I will spare you my rant about the ludicrous disparity in salary between proven veterans and untested hopefuls but this is one of the issues the owners want to address and something I feel should be changed.

The owners also want a change in the system to distribute a higher percentage of player salaries more to veterans than to unproven rookies. Their argument is based on a disparity in salaries that leaves them spending far more on unproven rookies than on dependable veterans. - NFL.com

Its not all peaches and cream however. My concern is that this means we the fans (season ticket holder here) are gonna start footing the bill. Under the current rules, owners payed just under 60% of their revenues toward player salaries, a requirement. With increasing player salaries, this leaves less and less money for the team to spend in other NFL required areas i.e. stadium upgrades, one of the reasons owners are unhappy. This means the possibility greatly exists for increased ticket prices and $12 beers until something changes in 2010 or 2011. There is a silver lining to this issue however. The league is kicking around the idea of adding a seventeenth regular season game to give teams an extra opportunity to make money. I'm cool with that.

Worst of all, serious problems could be abound in 2011. If players and owners don't come to an agreement following a 2010 no cap year, there could be a lockout ala the NHL a couple of years ago. A year without football? Hold me...I'm scared. But again, this is two years away. The owners and players have plenty of time to come to an agreement, and in all honesty, it would seem completely ridiculous to me if they couldn't. What the Saints need to do in the two years leading up to the possible no cap year is to play well. Really well. Success always brings power and money. Those who have it always seem better off in these situations. The team should put themselves in the best position possible should a no cap year or a no cap league occur.

Feel free to weigh in on this. I know there are a lot of different angles and perspectives on this, and thats part of the reason why it will be very difficult for players and owners to reach a fair agreement. What do you think?

I figured I would get this to you guys as soon as possible. The New Orleans Saints official website released the transcript of the press conference with Sean Payton following OTA's today. Here it is, submitted for your approval. Enjoy. Here is what he had to say about Charles Grant, the rest you will have to read for yourself.

"In regards to Charles Grant, I know that we have issued a statement, but the only thing that I might add is that obviously it’s something that we take very seriously and certainly our condolences go out to the family. The most important thing is the justice system taking its process, something that the league will handle and certainly the state of Georgia will handle. In the meantime we wait. Charles was here today at practice. He’s going to head to Georgia tonight, be there tomorrow and he’ll return to New Orleans on Friday. We’ll support him and through the New Orleans Saints security, we will gather as much information as we can in the meantime and let the process take its place.”

Of course we are leading off with the whole Charles Grant story this morning. By now you have probably heard about this. Anyway...remember in February when Grant was stabbed in the neck during a fight at a club? Apparently our boy with the fat contract has been indicted by an Early Country grand jury on charges of involuntary manslaughter stemming from the incident. Here is the Indictment from the Early County News and the story from the Times-Pic. This is what Grant's lawyer had to say...

"I assure you we intend to plead not guilty and put up a pretty vigorous fight," Tolley said

Tolley said that Grant will arrange to turn himself in soon, then follow the legal process.

"I think all the evidence is that Grant did not participate in a fight, start a fight or shoot a gun," Tolley said. "It's created a unique indictment. We'll have to do the best we can to sort this out."

It's still questionable as to how serious of a charge this is. Too early to really speculate, but early indications don't look like this will amount to much. I'm sure the picture will become clearer quite soon.

The 2012 Superbowl host city was announced yesterday amid the Charles Grant/CBA/Matt Ryan ruckus. Superbowl XLVI will be held in Indianapolis' new Lucas Oil Stadium.

AOL's fanhouse had this blurb about the Saints failure's to acquire decent linebackers in the past couple of years. There is some truth to that, but my rebuttal is that the chain has to be broken at some point.

You old school guys might enjoy this one. Armchair GM released this analysis of the best linebacking corps of all time. Though the list is supposed to be in no particular order, the "Dome Patrol" is first. No particular order my butt. Here is what they said.

New Orleans Saints-Ricky Jackson, Pat Swilling, Sam Mills Vaughn Johnson 1987-1991...The lone bright spot for an otherwise forgettable team, this group features three LB's who were named to multiple Pro Bowls. You could make a legitimate argument that all three of the famed "Dome Patrol" should be in the Pro Football Hall of fame. Pound for pound Sam Mills was one of the best middle linebackers ever having had his #51 retired by both the Saints and Carolina Panthers, he played in five Pro Bowls; Pat Swilling was NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1991, had 105 career sacks, five Pro Bowls, and six All Pro nods; Ricky Jackson finished his career with 136 sacks, six Pro Bowls, 29 fumble recoveries. They may have been the best LB unit ever.

More news from Saints days of yore. Willie Roaf will be inducted into the Saints Hall of Fame on September 26th. Via the Times-Pic.

This isn't Saints news and the Hornets season is over, but I couldn't pass this one up. Story from Yahoo! Following their win over the Hornets, the Spurs tried to leave town quickly. Unfortunately for them their plane had mechanical problems, postponing their flight. With no available hotel rooms, they had to sleep on the plane or on buses brought onto the tarmac. They didn't take off until 6:30am.

OTA's start today and it is one of the days the media will be allowed to watch. I will try and stay on top of it and give you an update, though tomorrow is an incredibly busy day.

New Orleans is a city chock full of culture. While the Saints are a huge part of that culture, there is so much more. My other favorite thing about New Orleans that I love almost as much as the Saints is the local music scene. I can often be found at local music clubs like Tipitina's, The Maple Leaf, House of Blues etc. on a regular basis. Since everyone in this city seems to care at least a little bit about the black and gold, it stands to reason that some of our talented musicians are loyal Who Dats as well. And so I thought what a great idea to blend the two staples of New Orleans culture on CSC by interviewing well known local musicians about everyones favorite football team. This will be the first installment of Canal Street Chronicles' Saints and Music series and it starts off with Fred LeBlanc of Cowboy Mouth. Hope you guys all enjoy.

Fred rocks it out in a Saints jersey during the10th Annual Music Midtown Festival May 3, 2003 in Atlanta, Georgia. Via jamd.com.
 

CSC: I know you guys are huge Saints fans. Tell us about the bands relationship with the team.
Fred LeBlanc: Well, who has lived in New Orleans and not been a Saints fan?
I had some friends on the team, Kyle Turley and Jerry Fontenot. Kyle
Turley's wife and my girlfriend are very close friends going back many years
and I helped Kyle and Jerry stage a benefit music show, along with Cam
Cleeland, right after 9/11. Doug Bryen, Jake Delhomme, and many other
players have been counted among the CM faithful.

CSC: How long have you been a Saints fan?
Fred LeBlanc: On and off, all my life. iIsay off at some times because being
a touring musician, I wasn't always able to follow the games like I have
wished to. Now we have the satelitte sports package on the bus and we watch
every single game.

CSC: Do you have any memorable Saints moments from your past?
Fred LeBlanc: So many. I guess, for me personally, the moment I remember
most was playing on Poydras Street right before the first Atlanta game of
the golden season. we played a fun show in front of 10,000 or 15,000 people who
were going crazy. You could just feel the excitement in the air. I kept
saying that the Saints were the team to beat that year, simply because I
wanted it so bad. That turned out to be the beginning of the greatest Saints
season... so far.

CSC: You guys going to any games, maybe london?
Fred LeBlanc: We are hoping to play at a game this year and often our agent
books a concert or two so that we can be in the same town as away
games...London would be perfect!

CSC: What you do on gameday?
Fred LeBlanc: Usually we're on the road so on Sundays we fire up the
satellite on the bus so we can catch the pregame shows. Then we usually stay
glued all day.

CSC: Who is your favorite player and why?
Fred LeBlanc: I'm a Brees fan. When the city needed him to deliver, he did.
That's why I usually wear Brees' jersey when we play. As a tribute to both
the team and the great city of New Orleans.

CSC: How do you feel about the Saints off-season moves?
Fred LeBlanc: Certainly the moves that the Saints have made over the last
several years have for a fantastic team. I don't know enough about
individual positions to have an opinion on whether the recruits and draft
choices will be better than the players currently in those
positions...remember I just beat drums for a living.

CSC: Who do you think will start at running back this year?
Fred LeBlanc: I'm a lot more optimistic than some of what is printed.
Personally, I think Deuce can come back as strong as ever and that Stecker
is a first string running back. I also think that this will be the year that
Reggie adjusts to the NFL.

CSC: What do you think will be the keys to success this season?
Fred LeBlanc: It seems like they made some acquisitions for positions that
got picked on last year by other teams.

CSC: Wanna make a prediction on the Saints final regular season record this year?
Fred LeBlanc: Nah, but I can tell you that if our tour schedule works out,
my regular season record will be 6 or 7...the number of games I hope to
attend.

CSC: Since you have been so generous in taking your time to answer these
questions, do you have any albums or upcoming shows you want to plug?
Fred LeBlanc: We have gotten a lot of comments from Saints fans about a
line that I use in a song called 'Avenue.' The song is on our last cd but the
version in our dvd has the line I'm referring to...and even though that
dvd was shot in Los Angeles, a bunch of fans showed up waving Saints banners
during that song.

CSC would like to thank Fred Leblanc and the band for taking time out of their busy schedule and answering these questions. Keep rocking guys! For more info about Cowboy Mouth, check out the bands wesbsite.

For local Who Dats, the PR Newswire has an announcement that may be of interest. Cox Communications and the Saints have signed a deal to continue bringing you the same great coverage you have come to love on Cox Sports Television including pre-season games, "Outside the Huddle," "Saints Tonight," the Black-and-Gold scrimmage and the Saintsations swimsuit calendar show through 2010. This also means more Cox in your Saints and more Saints in your Cox.

Both the Saints and Cox will promote each other across a variety of outlets. Cox will showcase the Saints through its website, billing
messages, customer newsletters, cross channel public service announcements as well as billboard and radio messaging. Saints fans attending home games in the Louisiana Super Dome will see Cox Communications signage outside the Dome as well as Cox messaging on the score board, the game day program and the Saints' website.

The Times-Pic also has an article about the deal. Does this prove Benson won't give favor to newly acquired Fox affiliate WVUE?

In league news, the NFL owners are meeting today. The Times-Pic has the article . On the agenda: the collective bargaining agreement. The owners are expected to vote to opt out of the agreement and eliminate the salary cap starting with the 2010 season. This could possibly hurt teams with smaller markets and teams on the lower end of the spectrum as far as available money for player salaries is concerned, (see: cheapest ticket story below) i.e. the Saints. Tom Benson had these two gems to say about how he felt about the labor agreement and opting out...

"I had better not talk to you about that right now," Benson said. "I don't know enough about it."

"I don't have any comment," Benson said. "Maybe later when I know a little more."

Wise man Mr. Benson is. If only more people would adopt this intelligent philosophy.

Amid all the hoopla (not that much hoopla) surrounding Dan Morgan's retirement, this one kinda slipped past. Saints signed UFA OL Brian Stamper from Vanderbilt. Stamper started all five years he played. From the New Orleans Saints official website .

The Sporting News listed ten players who will make the Pro Bowl next year for the first time in their careers. Number 3 on the list, our very own Marques Colston.

3. Marques Colston, WR, New Orleans Saints. Colston has quickly become the seventh-round pick every other team is trying to find. But despite making a splash with 168 catches, 2,240 yards and 19 TDs over his first two NFL seasons, he hasn't been rewarded with a Pro Bowl appearance. It's nothing against Colston's talent -- it's just that wide receiver happens to be fully loaded at the moment, and it's hard to displace venerable vets such as Torry Holt and Donald Driver.

As long as Drew Brees continues to connect with Colston, he will enjoy several more prolific seasons and make multiple Pro Bowl trips. What shouldn't hurt his campaign -- even though it does -- is Colston's strong, silent personality, which contrasts with Terrell Owens' flashy diva personality. Colston isn't quite a household name because of where he plays, but one or two more big years should do the trick.

To see the whole list, click it here.

The Saints had the sixth lowest average ticket price in the league last year at $54.86. The Patriots had the highest with $90.89 and the Bills had the lowest at $46.26. Proof that being a perennial winner has a downside. Check out the whole list from the Buffalo News here. If the salary cap is eliminated as mentioned in an above story, expect ticket prices to go up for teams like the Saints who will need to make more money to be able to compete.

Finally, on a sad note, the Hornets lost game 7 of the western conference semi-finals last night. Congratulations to the team for a great season. I hope the new love the city has for its basketball team continues into next season and we can all look back at this year as the beginning of a long-lasting and memorable relationship. New Orleans Hornets in 2009!

Dan Morgan!? More like Damn Morgan! (Photo Source)

Here is a quick update for you guys. Dan Morgan has already retired after seven years in the NFL and having never played a down for the Saints after they signed him in March.

"When we signed Dan, he was committed to making a fresh start, and he was making every effort to rehabilitate the leg injury that he suffered last year," said Coach Sean Payton. "But it wasn’t responding as well as he had hoped it would. We wish him well in his continued recovery, and he will be remembered for the excellent player he was during his career."

This comes from the New Orleans Saints official website and the Times-Pic. For those of you participating in the discussion in my previous post about the 53-man roster, you can nix Morgan from the mix. What do you guys think? What will all this mean? Which LB will benefit from his retirement? Drop it in the comment section!

Well its about that time of year. I am gonna throw out my guess at the 53-Man roster the Saints will have at the end of training camp heading into the season. This ought to get everyone riled up on their Monday.

Offense

Defense

Special Teams

Offense:

• Brunell is a safer pick at backup due to experience, but Palko should be impressive. 
  
• Deuce is loose assuming his knees are fine. Otherwise, Pierre is the guy and Deuce takes a limited role. Reggie gets used in various creative ways.
• No changes at fullback and  tight end.
• I took Arrington over Terrence Copper and Lance Moore (I like him), though their special teams ability could win them a spot. Arrington will have to contribute on special teams, which is a question mark because Adrian has been noted for avoiding contact and not being a hard worker.
  
• Goodwin is the new starter at center.
• Carl Nicks earns his spot.

Defense:

• Jeremy Geathers wins a spot at end.
  
• Sedrick Ellis starts. Antwan Lake and Kendrick Clancy are gone.
• I'm a little concerned about Dan Morgans health. Simoneau and Shanle could very well still be in the mix.
  
• Cornerback was tough. I went with six. Jason Craft is the loser, though it could be anyone.
• I only went with four safeties, thinking one of the CB's could fill in.

Special Teams:

• Taylor Mehlhaff iimpresses.
  
• Waylon Prather won't beat out  Steve Weatherford, unofficial MVP for the first half of last season.
  
• Experience carries Kevin Houser at long snapper, an often overlooked yet critical position.

I know you have a problem with something. This is open for discussion so lets hear what you got to say! Really it's way to early to really know whats going to happen, but this is all in good fun.

They can both be labeled as good quarterbacks (Photo Source)

Apparently, you can. I was at my local gas station/supermarket when I found a shelve of dusty wine bottles with a familiar face on it. It was Drew Brees on the label of his Vintage Brees Chardonnay. I turned the corner and noticed its red wine counterpart Cajun Cannon Cabernet. Though on the field I think I prefer Brees, I am a red wine guy so I took home Bobby Hebert's.

This is nothing new, and you may very well have heard about this in November last year when it was released, but this is the first time I have seen it in a store, and I really am drinking it as we speak. Gridiron Cellars has teamed up with Charity Wines to allow you to get drunk and help others. Everyone wins!

I am not a wine expert, so I will spare you of a pretentious description but here is what the bottle says I'm supposed to taste...

Rich and ripe with enticing flavors of currant, blackberry and creamy chocolate oak. This full-bodied Cabernet has notes of spice and tobacco and moderate tannins on the finish. Perfect with any grilled meats or Italian dishes.

Oh yeah, I definitely tasted all that. 2005 was a good year for Napa reds. Kidding. Seriously though, doesn't anyone else think its weird that your drink has a slight tobacco flavor. And what is creamy chocolate oak? I applaud wine connoisseurs whose taste buds are refined enough to pick up these subtle nuances. Personally, I swear I think they make this stuff up.

The old and the new (Photo Source)

Of course every bottle sold goes to a good cause. Says the bottle...

Proceeds from this sale will be donated to the Louisiana chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in New Orleans.  Your money will buy the science that buys  life for all those affected with cystic fibrosis. For more information, please visit www.cff.org/chapters/louisiana

So go out to your local retailer and fill up your cellar with these two wines. Show your support for the Saints, a good cause and your drunkenness, in no particular order. While these fine wines help dull the pain of a god awful Saints season, CSC reminds readers to drink responsibly.

If you were excited about rookie mini-camp then this news should really get your juices flowing. OTA's are starting this week! Our first chance to get a look at the whole team. I can hardly contain myself. The Times-Pic has the article. Only four of those sessions will be open to the media including the one this Wednesday.

The rest is Times-Pic writer Mike Triplett telling us what he is most excited to watch at the OTA's. It's the same thing everyone wants to know. How will the new LB's look? How will Big Sed look? How will Meachem look? Who will win the CB battle?

We also get this bit in interesting info. Jim Haslett is so old. All together now...How old is he!? Haslett is so old he has coached Howie Long and his son, first round draft pick Chris Long.

"Howie was just like Chris," Haslett said. "Practices hard, very intelligent, understands the game, goes 100 miles per hour."

The Saints and the city of New Orleans are trying to land the Super Bowl in 2013. This comes from a report from the Times-Pic. When the location for the 2012 Super Bowl is announced, and it won't be New Orleans, it will be officially make it ten years since the championship has been in New Orleans.

It's a lull the city, state and the Saints are hoping to end by 2013, the next time the Crescent City could embrace the big game.
There's one glitch: the Saints' lease with the State of Louisiana, which includes financial inducements, expires in 2010. And until a new agreement is reached extending that date past the Super Bowl up for bid -- 2013 -- the Saints and New Orleans won't be back in the Super Bowl-hosting business.
The Saints and the Superdome Commission have held preliminary talks toward a long-term lease agreement.

"New Orleans intends to bid on the 2013 Super Bowl," Vice President of Communications Greg Bensel wrote in the e-mail. "Per NFL Super Bowl bid policy, there must exist a lease for the host team. We did explore extending our lease with the intent to bid for the 2012 Super Bowl."
Asked for an update regarding the progress or status of talks with the state on a lease agreement, Bensel wrote: "We have a good relationship with the leadership of the state and look forward to continuing to discuss long-term solutions. We will aggressively bid for numerous future Super Bowls once our lease is extended."

Miami has the Super Bowl in 2010, Dallas in 2011. New Orleans is trying very hard to get the 2012 NCAA Final Four basketball tournament.

"To have a Super Bowl and Final Four in the same year within four months of one another in the same community is a very tough challenge...I think we would like to bid for the 2013 (Super Bowl)."

Black and Gold continued with its interviews of the coaches of our recent draft picks. This time its former University of Michigan wide receivers coach Erik Campbell talking about Adrian Arrington. Here are the highlights.

B&G.com:  Scouting reports give Adrian some "props," when they talk about his performance in the Capital One Bowl (vs. Florida), but a lot of them have their doubts about his ability to make it in the NFL.  Some talk about his reluctance to go across the middle, while others speak of his running undisciplined routes.  How are these comments answered?

Coach Campbell:  Well, since I spent a lot of time with Adrian (in practice and in game situations), I feel I'm qualified to address this.  Those so-called "concerns" are about as 180-out from the truth as they can be.  Arrington has absolutely no fear in going over the middle or anywhere to get the ball.  And if you want to know about his route running, all you have to do is see his performance vs. Florida.  In my opinion, he's one of our toughest guys, very disciplined, and productive.

B&G.com:  Your number-one guy was Mario Manningham.  Is it right or fair for others to compare Arrington to him?  

Coach Campbell:  Not really.  This is because both are uniquely skilled and talented players.  Manningham is a much smaller, fleet of foot-type receiver.  Adrian, on the other hand, offers a bigger target that can also stretch the field.  It depends on what a team is looking for.  In my opinion, Adrian will be very successful in his own right.

Some website called Gridiron Gab came out with their off-season analysis of the Saints. Check it out here. It tells us who we lost, we be signed, who we drafted blah, blah blah. Here is the only part worth reading. Amazingly, they give the Saints an off-season grade of A-.

Two years after appearing in the NFC Title game, the Saints are hoping to get back to that form in 2008 after a down 2007 in which they went 7-9. The team was hit hard with injuries, as well as inconsistent play by a defense that allowed 24.3 points per game and 245 yards per game through the air. They worked hard to address those needs, moving up in the draft to take USC’s Sedrick Ellis in round one with the 7th pick, and CB Tracy Porter with their second round pick. They also worked on defense in free agency, signing corners Randall Gay and Aaron Glenn, as well as linebackers Dan Morgan and trading for Jets LB Jonathan Vilma.

While the defense should be better once they play with one another for awhile, it will be up to the offense to regain that 06 form that made them as dangerous as any team in the league. Drew Brees will look for more from WR’s Marques Colston, and with the hope that Deuce McAllister is back, the team can go back to using he and Reggie Bush in a rotation, which worked well in 06. Look for Bush to be more involved in the offense, as he struggled last season, but has dedicated himself to be active with the team in the offseason and be more committed. The Saints should be back closer to the form of 2006 than the under .500 team of 07.

I am off to a crawfish boil. Those of you not fortunate enough to be in Louisiana, commence drooling.