2008 Training Camp Review - Day 8

Season Tickets I received my season tickets in the mail yesterday! I can't tell you how exciting a moment this is every year. Reality sets in that this is actually going to happen and that everything we have been talking, analyzing and harping over for months will actually materialize in front of my eyes and either seriously disappoint or incredibly delight me. Certainly nothing in between. The tickets are a symbol of a new beginning and a fresh start. Last year is officially over, this year is finally upon us and these beautiful pieces of paper represent a chance to be a part of Saints history. At the very least, they will provide me with lasting memories and the fix I need to slake my severe thirst for Saints football. Who knows, maybe this could be the year. I look forward to going through the season with all of you guys and I hope you get even a fraction of the same joy. Who Dat!?

Random camp notes:

• The afternoon was the most physical practice so far.
• Deuce had two very promising carries making some nice cuts.
  
• Carl Nicks is still looking impressive.
• Arrington is human and dropped a few. Camp may be wearing him down.
• Shockey did not participate again today. Cause for concern?
• Jon Stinchcomb is fine.
• There were NFL officials participating in the practices today.
• Robert Meachem had the play of the day with a 50-yard run after the catch.

Here are three hours of audio from WWL's Sports Talk with Bobby Hebert. That ought to keep you from not working for quite a while.

 SportsTalk - Live from Saints Training Camp
 SportsTalk - Hour 2 LIVE from Training Camp
 SportsTalk - Hour 3 LIVE from Training Camp

The millionth one of those articles meant for us, the reader, to get to know the featured player. The Advocate has this one and its about Kevin Kaesviharn.

“A lot of people are making it out to be me against Josh, but it’s not about that,” said Kaesviharn, who played in the Arena League and briefly in the XFL before landing a job with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2001. “It’s about who’s going to give our team the best chance to win on Sunday. He and I both understand that.

“We’re competing and that helps us both get better, personally, as players. But we’re both going to do what’s best for the team. We can only do what we can do and we’ll let the coaches make the decision from there.”

“I felt I did enough there to earn that right (to start),” Kaesviharn said, “but for some reason, they were always looking for the next guy. But that’s how it is for every position.

“Sometimes, you have to look at what you do already have here and remember that, ‘Hey, maybe we don’t need to go keep looking for the future. We’ve got what we need right here in front of us.’ ”

“Any time you come to a new team, there’s going to be a learning curve, but I feel much more comfortable this year because I’ve got a year under my belt,”

“I can play either (free or strong), so that’s one of my values to the team,” he said. “I can be more than just one thing. Knowing both gives me a better knowledge base and understanding of the defensive scheme.”

Times-Pic. Getting to know you article. Pierre Thomas.

"No, not at all -- I don't feel secure at all," said Thomas, smiling, his baby face still looking as if it never has been touched by a razor. "I feel the same way I did last year, where I've still got to prove myself.

"This year, I feel a little bit better because I understand the offense and I understand what it takes, and I've just got to keep pushing myself to be better than that. I still have a lot to learn from this game, and I'm still learning from these guys. I still have a whole lot to learn."

"I look at it like I did last year -- whatever it takes to get on this team," Thomas said. "Offense, special teams, whatever it takes, I'm going to be on this team. That's my whole attitude coming in, just like last year.

"I'm going to be on this team, and I'm going to make it, so I'm going to keep that same attitude, and wherever they want me at, that's what I'm going to do."

"That's what I wanted to prove to everybody, that I can play with these guys and I can play at this level, and just leave it in their hands," he said. "Because I'm going to go out there and keep doing my job, keep doing what I have to do to help this team out, to help us get a victory and get to the Promised Land where we want to be."

"It's very special, because you showed something," he said. "You showed a lot of people something. I accomplished a big goal.

"Nobody has done that in Saints history -- I couldn't believe that. It feels good to have that sit in my name. It's an honor to have it, but I'm not really satisfied with that. It's just one time. Hopefully, I can get more shots at that. That's my goal, just to get more, more and more."

This is actually a very interesting one from Gambit Weekly. It has a few random facts about Jonathan Vilma, including the fact that he can speak German, French and Creole...sort of.

“I’ve gotten real rusty with those,” he said. “I have an aunt and uncle that live in Germany. I speak German when I speak with them, but I’m all rusty right now.”

The article also tells us he hasn't had a soft drink since high school and that he wears #51 because there are too many famous linebackers who wear #52.

Question of the Day: Who should be the main punt returner this season?