1) Drew Brees
2) Archie Manning
3) Jim Mora (although Bum is a close second)
4) Saints fan since birth (1971), although my first memories of players/games are from the late 70’s.
5) I’m going to use my same prediction as last year, 11-5. Even though the schedule is tougher, so are the Saints, and they’re going to prove it this year with another playoff win.

I was born in New Orleans, moved across the lake to Covington in the summer of 1976, came to Kentucky to go to Centre College in 1989, moved to Louisville in 1995, and have been here ever since. Very happily married to my wonderful wife who is also a big football/sports fan (although she’s from St Louis and follows the Rams).

As a child, listened to Saints home games on the radio – good times on Sunday afternoons. My Dad’s best friend had (has) season tickets, and their two kids would stay at our house while the parents went in to the games. We’d all be out in the yard, acting out the last few plays of the games with a nerf football, inevitably getting really good at dropping passes, fumbling, missing field goals, etc, as we’d learn to deal with disappointment and never taking any lead for granted, no matter how late in the game it was. I’d wear my #8 Archie jersey, and my friend Michael wore #89 Wes Chandler.

Best birthday present I ever got growing up was when my parents bought one of that family’s season tickets for me for the 1988 season. It was great to be in the Dome for the home games that year – we were on a high from the 12-3 1987, and had a decent 10-6 follow up year, although I felt very cheated and was mad that we missed the playoffs, especially after opening 7-1 and then sitting at 9-3 with 4 games to go.

The new best birthday present ever is a combination – the annual renewal of the Sunday Ticket my wife gets me every year so we can see all the games, and the 50+ inch HD television she bought me in 2006, after we drafted Reggie.

1. Drew Brees
2. The original “Slash”: Guido Merkens (QB/WR/DB)
3. Jim Mora
4. Fan since ’76
5. 12-4 win division

1. Drew Brees
2. Sammy Knight
3. Sean Payton
4. Since birth (1990)
5. 10-6

…Drew Brees. He’s the heart and soul of this team.

Second is tougher. When I was a kid, it was Danny Abramowicz in a landslide. But since then, there have been so many others. Brees, for one. Sam Mills. Deuce McAllister. Rickey Jackson. Willie Roaf. Morten Anderson. I think I’d have to still go with Abramowicz, though.

Favorite coach? Jim Mora. For now. He gave great press conferences. Watching one of Payton’s press conferences is like watching an accountant at work. But as soon as we win a Super Bowl, Payton jumps into the top spot. If that’s mercenary of me, too bad. I’m sure Jim understands.

I’ve been a Saints fan since before Hap Glaudi was a ghost. I remember the speculation in 1966 that we’d be getting a team and what it would be called, back when Dave Dixon could have gotten himself acclaimed king of New Orleans if he’d wanted it.

As for record? 13-3 and NFC home field advantage. I haven’t learned anything in 43 years.

1) Who is your favorite current Saints player?

The obvious answer: Drew Brees (followed by Lance Moore, gotta love the underdogs, hey, I AM a Saints fan!)
 
2)Who is your favorite all-time Saints player?

DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCE!!!!!!!!!! (Sam Mills a close second)

3)Who is your favorite all-time Saints coach?

Sean Payton – Who else got us to the NFC Championship Game? (Jim Mora second, because he was SO ENTERTAINING, and I love defense)

4)How long have you been a Saints fan?

Since 1969, when I moved to the NOLA area (Kenner first, then to Slidell until 1984). Went to games in Tulane Stadium…

5)What is your 2009 record prediction?

11-4 (…although I like my fellow North Cackalacky resident, MtnExile’s prediction of 13-3 just as much!), NFC home field advantage through the playoffs.

I meant 12-4, not 11-4, hey, I haven’t had my 4th cup of coffee yet!

1. Who is your favorite current Saints player? Scott Fujita. Not the team’s best player (even at LB), but it’s tough not to admire someone who puts forth the kind of effort this guy does week in, week out. I also enjoy screaming “FUJITABOUTIT!” (Sopranos style) the one or two times he makes a play in the backfield each Sunday. A close second favorite would be Pierre Thomas.

2. Who is your favorite all-time Saints player? Tommy Myers. Absolutely loved this guy growing up. Primarily because he was the best player we had on defense at the time. What cemented it for me though, was his 97 yard interception return for a TD in 1978 season opener against the Vikings. Not only was it the most exciting play I had ever seen, it also wound up winning me $25 on my dad’s football office pool. Which I immediately spent on a slew of comic books at K&B, on the way home after the game. Second favorite would be Craig Heyward.

3. Who is your favorite all-time Saints coach? Hank Stram. The loss to the Bucs caused John Mecom’s knee-jerk firing of one of the greatest football minds in the history of the game. Stram was a brilliant head coach and provided the Saints with their best backfield tandem ever, Chuck Muncie and Tony Galbreath (the former which is still inexplicably not a member of the Saints HOF). It was Stram’s nucleus of players that Dick Nolan turned into playoff contenders in the late 1970s, something I have no doubt Stram could have done, had he been given the opportunity. He remains the only former Saints head coach enshrined in the Pro Fooball HOF as a coach (Fears and Ditka were both inducted as players). Second favorite would be Jim Mora.

4. How long have you been a Saints fan? Since 1974. My first Saints game was the preseason opener against the Steelers that year, at Tulane Stadium. I still vividly remember sitting in the pouring rain later that year, under an Army poncho with my dad, watching Claude Humphrey beating his chest like Tarzan, over Archie Manning’s crumpled remains. I suppose I’m a masochist of sorts, as I haven’t missed a home game in New Orleans since. I’ve also been to Saints games in Shreveport, Jackson, Houston, Dallas, Kansas City, Atlanta (2), St. Louis (2), Baton Rouge (4) and plan on making the trip to Philadelphia in September.

5. What is your 2009 record prediction? In all honesty? 9-7. Until I see either a shift in Sean Payton’s offensive philosophy more towards the running game (read: fat chance) or a considerably improved defense (read: slightly overweight chance), I feel as though they’ll continue to flirt with .500. Consider that tempered optimism on my part, based on their amazing two-game winning streak against the Chiefs and Packers last season.

Jon Vilma
Willie Roaf
Mora or Payton
Hardcore Saints Fan? For a few years now… I grew up in the city so I’ve always been a fan.
11-5 or 10-6… probably 10-6, its a tough schedule

1) Drew Brees ~ Lance Moore
2) Pat Swilling
3) Sean Payton
4) since the incarnation
5) 13 / 3

1) Drew Brees
2) Deuce McAllister
3) Jim Mora
4) since 2000
5) 11-5

1) Marques Colston – I became a fan of his as soon as he was drafted by the Saints (love the underdogs)

2) Too hard to answer with so many favorites over all these years but to show my age I’ll go with #46 Danny Abramowicz from the Archie Manning era of the Saints (I’m an Old School fan from way back when in the very beginning)

3) It was what’s his name (Jim Haslett) for getting the Saints their first ever playoff win but now it’s Sean payton for getting them all the way to the NFC Championship game for the first time ever! There is much more to come under Payton too!

4) Since just post-birth in February of 1966. I was in attendance at the first home game at Tulane Stadium with my parents as an infant.

5) I don’t want to predict it for fear of jinxing them this year but I will just say at least 2 games better than last year and leave it at that…

I was born in Metairie, grew up in Gretna and went to De La Salle HS through my sophomore year before we moved to Cleveland OH. Now I live on a mountain just outside of Chattanooga TN.

Who is your favorite current Saints player?
Brees for his ethic and production, but vilma for being everywhere, everyplay, every game.
Who is your favorite all-time Saints player?
The Deuce and Mike Mckenzie (needless to say i cried all march long). but a hair away in second hands down the heart and soul of the Haslett era, the entire 2ooo defense!
Who is your favorite all-time Saints coach?
Jim Haslett, first playoff win and he believed in loyalties in business.after all he did give deuce the nod on his 6 year 60 million, i respect loyalty over production any day (being a saints fan its quietessential) and thats why i cant quiet jump on th epayton train for all time favorite.
How long have you been a Saints fan?
Since the Morten Anderson Days, I had to go to the dome with my dad he was liable to have a heart attack every sunday.(hes had 3 btw)
What is your 2009 record prediction?
11-5 and thats taking into account "the saints find a way to convert 3rd and 2, the defense improves under greg williams and my personal favorite slam by PKING “vilma plays like superman”

Im 24 years old so in saints years that makes me 48(agex2) I have 3 sons and Ive been stranded in SeaHawks Land since March 2006, go figure the gods sense of humor the year i have to evacuate and relocate the saints make it to the show! i love my saints with a passion but have lost pride in my front office with thier all business approach to this offseason, i undertsand the bizz so i can understand why they cut mike and deuce but i just havent brought myself to forgive them yet, maybe the hoisting of the lombardi trophy would soften the blow.

Favorite Current Player: Vilma
Favorite All-Time Player: Dalton Hilliard / Ironhead (they were entertaining, what can I say?)
Favorite All-Time Saints Coach: Payton, just because the offense has been more entertaining to watch since he arrived.
Saints fan since: 1985 (I was 4 at the time) when dad used to sit and complain about how long he’d been a die-hard fan and lived through the bad years and blah blah blah. Decided the Saints needed at least one dedicated fan from my household. (Sorry dad).
Record Prediction: let’s face it: I hope and believe every year we’ll be the next 16-0 team. However, to keep sanity, I do realize that’s not altogether realistic. So I’ll go in the 10-6 range and playoff bound.

I’m a doctoral student at Louisiana Tech University (so I root for quite a few underdogs) in Marketing, and am 28….. I think…… Am pretty sure anyway. And unlike dad, I like to watch the Saints and root even in the bad years, so I’m pretty psyched about the whole gig for this year. GO SAINTS!

   1. Who is your favorite current Saints player?
Drew Brees

   2. Who is your favorite all-time Saints player?
Ricky Jackson

   3. Who is your favorite all-time Saints coach?
Jim Haslett

   4. How long have you been a Saints fan?
November 1, 1966

   5. What is your 2009 record prediction?
11-5

My Grandpa was the first; made my Dad the next; now me and my brother are the present, and our children will be future Saints Fans! My Grandpa and Dad saw John Gilliam’s return and Tom Dempsey’s kick. We wore bags over our face. I was there to see Hakim drop the ball. Listen to Buddy D calling us ‘squirrels’. Hate the Falcons. We even saw a game in San Antonio. And We still think, “This is the year we go to the Super Bowl!” We are Saints Fans!

1. Current Favorite Player: BIG SURPRISE: Drew FRICKIN’ Brees. I like all our players (even Shockey and Jason David), but Drew is the engine of the team.

2. All-Time Favorite Player: Deuce McAllister without a doubt. We miss you, Deuce!

3. All-Time Favorite Coach: I’m going with Jim Haslett. I didn’t like how he kept bringing Rick Venturi back as DC when the unit was awful through at least three consecutive years, but he did get us our first ever playoff victory. When Payton gets his second or third, maybe I’ll change my vote. Haslett was a big, fiery guy who looked like he could either suit up and take the field at any moment or go into an alternate career in pro wrestling. That 3-13 record in 2005 can’t be blamed on him. Even Bill Belichick couldn’t have done much better under those awful conditions. Haslett always reminded me of the Lord Humongous for some reason.

4. Saints Fan since: 1987 when Jim Mora first got them to the playoffs. My dad suddenly started rooting for them at that point, so I did too.

5. 2009 Record Prediction: 12-4

1. Current Favorite Player——Reggie Bush

2. All-Time Favorite Player——Joe Horn

3.All-Time Favorite Coach—-Jim Haslett

4. Saints Fan since—-Fan since birth (1989)

5. 2009 Record Prediction—-10-6 playoffs

1. current – reggie (go USC!)
2. all time – drew brees (he’s the man… or machine…o_0a)
3. coach – sean payton
4. fan – since 1991
5. prediction – 12-4 (superbowl winners)

Have to say Drew

Dalton Hillard, First player I liked a lot. No real reason, I’m 26 so the late 80’s are my first memories. and for whatever reason, I liked that guy

Payton.

I’ve been a fan my whole life really, born into it. Even though we moved to FL when Jacksonville became an expansion team, my old man had had enough heartbreak and jumped ship. I stayed a Saints fan, but I do claim J’ville as my “AFC team”

we WILL be 11-5

current Saint – Brees. My man crush on him is well known.
all-time Saint – Rickey Jackson, no question. As someone said above, it is an absolute joke that he’s not in the HOF.
All-time Coach – Mora, again no-brainer for me. He brought us respectabilityand he was the coach when I really started paying attention. Not to mention, the best sound bite machine ever.
How long have I been a fan? – you could say since I moved to NOLA at the age of 2 (1973) but I’ve really been hardcore since about 1984-85
2009 record – 11-5, without looking at the schedule

   1. Drew Brees (though JoLonn Dunbar got consideration for that massive block and dance on one of reggie’s runbacks)
   2. Bobby Hebert
   3. Jim Mora is an absolute hoot
   4. early 90’s
   5. 11-5

1. Dew Brees, hands down, probably the best player in team history. Time will tell.
2. Archie Manning, because he was my childhood hero, and he has proven to be the best ambassador for the Saints and the NFL for that matter.
3. Got to be Payton. #1 offense in the league, come on. Who didn’t vote for that.
4. All my life. bigandeasy.homestead.com
5. 16-0………….. You mean for real?………….12-4

1. Drew Brees (Class act)
2. Archie Manning ( How can you not Like him)
3. Sean Payton ( Attack , Attack My kind of coach )
4. Opening day run back 1st year
5. 10 and 6 but hoping for more of course

cant beleive no one has Joe Horn as their all time fav saint except I….the guy was amazing!!!!!

Favorite Saints Player- Reggie Bush
All-Time Saints Player- Deuce McAllister
All-Time Coach- Sean Payton
How long I’ve been a Fan- Since 2006
Record For the 2009 Season- 12-4

Current: Drew Brees – from his leadership on the field to his involvement with the community off the field, who wouldn’t want to live next door to this guy? (See current news: T.O.)

All-Time: Archie Manning – he really defined the Saints for me growing up.

Coach: Jim Mora – first guy to make the rest of the NFL notice the Saints.

How long a fan: From the late 60’s. I can’t see any other team I ever cheered over the Saints. BTW, The Original Big Tuna, if being in diapers doesn’t count, do we have to stop being fans in our 80’s?

Record for 2009 – 10-6 – I see this as a mini rebuilding year for the defense. I hope for better than this, but there is a potential for a rocky start as the defense learns life under GW.

if being in diapers doesn’t count, do we have to stop being fans in our 80’s?

That could be the new CSC t-shirt slogan.