Are you excited? I'm excited! That feeling is back! It's the same feeling we all get as Saint's fans this time of year. The optimistic ones anyway. When the awful memories of last year have faded and the shock of unbelievably stupid plays has worn off. When a glimmer of hope, in the faint shape of a fleur-di-lis, shines on the horizon. It's that "This really could be the year!" feeling. And it feels great, doesn't it!?!?!

WELL KNOCK IT OFF!! You're jinxing the team and ruining it for everyone! EVERYONE!

But seriously folks, why couldn't it be? All the pieces seem to be falling into place. Deuce is coming back. We don't know exactly to what extent he will be able to play, but I believe in him and I think he will be able to contribute this season. Reggie, the chosen one, who keeps teasing us with flashes of brilliance but hasn't completely blown us away yet is rededicating himself and wants this to be the year we scream M-V-P. Not to mention "the little engine that could" Pierre Thomas who could possibly amaze us all. We have a first round pick in Robert Meachem from last year whom we have yet to catch a real glimpse of. Of course we have one of the leagues best and certainly the most underrated quarterbacks. And he has a Cinderella story wide receiver to throw it to.

Even better-the best part actually-the Saint's organization has come into this off-season like gangbusters. Like Scarface kinda s%&#. We need help at linebacker? Bam! Vilma! Slam! Morgan! Swiss cheese for a secondary? Boom! Gay! More help on the line? Pow! McCray! Draft coming up? Crack! We're thinkin' 'bout movin' up! What!? Shockey wants out of NY? Kaboom! We'll take him! You want some more of this?!

I'm sorry, but I really think this organization finally gets it. I'm happy with everything the Saint's higher ups have done so far and I think they deserve a pat on the back. The powers that be watched the same games we did last season. They saw the same weaknesses the fans did. And they went out and aggressively tried to fix them. They didn't sit back and expect things to fall into their lap. They didn't chalk last season up to bad luck and assume the pieces we already had in place from last season were everything we needed to get us through this season. This is an organization that looks hungry. That finally wants a piece of that championship pie everyone keeps talking about. I don't know whether its Payton or Loomis but whoever is driving this train has decided to finally take control, switch tracks and go full steam ahead toward a championship. Some clock is ticking somewhere.

And on top of all of that, our schedule has us playing two, count-em, two Monday Night Football games at home plus the honor of acting as NFL ambassadors in the International game in London. Even the league sees that we are a team ready to bust loose. I can even find positive in the negative: Will Smith may hold out until they renegotiate his contract? Let him. The last time a football team had their best DE (opinion. Umenyiora is pretty good) hold out all of training camp and played the international game in London, they won the Superbowl. The Hornets are kicking butt. The Voodoo are doing great. LSU is National Champion. It's time for the Saint's to get some!

The stars are aligning over the Superdome!

But alas! I am a Saints fan. And I know the glass is really only half full. We still don't really know whats gonna happen in the draft. McKenzie's knee is still questionable. Meachem is questionable. Bush is questionable. Deuce is questionable. EVERYTHING is questionable! There is no such thing as a sure thing and never has that been more true than when it comes to the Saints. I know whats really going to happen. Deuce is kidding himself with his knees. Reggie will run off to Vegas in the middle of the season to marry Kim Kardashian, becoming the power couple "Kkush." (Reality show to follow. I'm thinking "The Osbournes" meets "Friday Night Lights.") Vilma's knee will hold him back. Gay won't fit into our system. Morgan will get a career ending concussion in camp. McCray...I don't know whats gonna happen to him...but something is. It's gotta. And the guy we may trade up for in the draft will just be Johnathan Sullivan deja vu. We've all been here before. Remember last year? Sports Illustrated picked us to win the Superbowl. I know...it sounds weird to me too. Unfortunately thats the way its always been for the Aint's. If history has told us anything, it's that this pre-season excitement will inevitably lead to mid-season frustration, end-of-season heartache, and post-season anger.

But at least, for now, it all looks good on paper. And I'm excited.

This really could be the year!