You know it's officially the off-season when Da Chronic's "Saints News" post returns. Normally, there's not too much coming out in a single day to put together one of these bad boys but there's a bit to talk about today so let's get into it.
First of all, The Who Dat Pack is back!
"In the NFL fan nation, the New Orleans Saints (and those other teams) are examined by two separate yet equally important groups: The experts who spend years learning stats, analyzing players, and interviewing coaches and the bloggers who don't do any of that stuff yet still feel just as smart. The Who Dat Pack represents the latter. These are our stories." *Boom Boom*
-Nola Chick
The topic of discussion among your favorite Saints bloggers this time around is, what else, the Superbowl. The fine ladies over at Chicks in the Huddle are hosting our roundtable discussion this time. Be sure to check out the first installment of our discussion. My response will be included in the second part of our roundtable being posted tomorrow.
Baylen can already get Jason David to bite on play action. (MtnExile)
Now the news some of us have been waiting for: Baby Brees! The Times-Pic gave us a little update on the newest addition to the Brees family.
Missing the playoffs again surely was tough for Brees, but the past month also has been rewarding for him. On Jan.15, his 30th birthday, Brees welcomed his first child, son Baylen Robert Brees.
"He's awesome," Brees said. "He's a champ. He's doing well. Every day is a new day. It's an adventure, because it just seems like each day he does something different, whether he becomes more alert or just stays awake longer or starts doing more with his hands and his arms and legs. It being a first child, it's awesome."
-Drew Brees
"He's got this Teddy Bear that's got a football attached to the arm," Brees said. "It was funny, because actually the first time I gave him the Teddy Bear, the first thing he grabbed was the football. So maybe that's a sign."
-Drew Brees
Hmmmm...Baylen. Interesting. Funny that they have the same birthday though!
Here's the rest of articles quotes.
"I know obviously Pittsburgh's the favorite," Brees said. "But I feel like if Arizona plays like they played during the playoffs here, they've got as good a shot as anybody. I think they'd be extremely hard to beat, so it could be an interesting one."
-Drew Brees, on the Superbowl
"It's tough," Brees said. "First and foremost, we all wish we were here, still playing in the game. I wish I was talking to the media here on media day for the Super Bowl. But the fact is, I guess if you're not, then we can look at the two teams that are in this thing -- Arizona and Pittsburgh -- and say that obviously they both deserve to be here. They played the best down the stretch, and I think there's things that we could probably learn from both of them, the type of seasons that they had and the way that they were able to finish."
-Drew Brees, on the Saints sucking
"I think that his track record speaks for itself," Brees said. "He's had a ton of success wherever he's been. He's had top-flight defenses. I think, just from talking with guys that played for him, everyone talks about just his ability to create an attitude and his aggressive style and just his guys would run through a brick wall for him. That's all I hear about Gregg Williams, is how much his players will respect him and play for him. So I look forward to meeting him.
"I think it's going to be fun, it's going to be competitive throughout these minicamps and training camp and everything. I think that's only going to make us better as an offense, getting a chance to go up against his defenses throughout the year, and I think it's great for our defense, obviously, to be in a new scheme and just kind of maybe present a new attitude."
-Drew Brees, on Gregg Williams
Here's some more linkage and quotage from the New Orleans Saints official website regarding our boy Drew and his shiny new Fed Ex Air NFL Player of the Year trophy.
"I used to be amazed when I was close to throwing for 4,000 yards in a season," Simms remarked before presenting the award to Brees. "I can't even image what it was like to throw for over 5,000 yards in a season. What a season Drew had, it was something to behold."
-Phil Simms
"The fans are the ones that took the time out of their day to vote and I appreciate that they thought enough of us to cast a vote," the Saints quarterback said. "The reality is when you throw for 5,000 yards it's a tribute to working with the top offensive mind in the game today and that's Sean Payton and having great coaches and players around you that take pride in their work."
-Drew Brees
Ralph Malbrough of WWL gives us another one of his "Forecast" pieces. This one is another downer. Ralph thinks the off-season is over and it ended with the hiring of Gregg Williams.
Sure the Saints still have to sign free agents and draft some fresh faced college kids but in the NFL making serious moves in the off-season to improve your team involves spending money on free agents, draft picks or in many cases both.
All signs point to the Saints being unwilling or unable to do either.
Geez, Ralph...why don't you tell us how you really feel?!
2008 will forever be known as "The Year of Tulane Running Backs." Not only is Chicago Bear Matt Forte worthy of Rookie of the Year honors but Mewelde Moore has been making a name for himself this season with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Times-Pic has a piece on Moore, who played while I attended Tulane.
"Coming in from Minnesota and being able to come into Pittsburgh, where things are laid out on the table and there is a higher demand of prestige and excellence and performance, and you step up to that plate, your year goes by so fast, " Moore said. "I believed in my abilities, and I knew what I was being asked to do, so I knew that I could deliver."
-Mewelde Moore
"We stick together, and anything and everything I can do to help him, I am definitely there for him, " said Moore about Forte, the Bears' starting running back. "He's a starter, and I'm so happy for him, because that's his place, being a starter. I prepare to be a starter, but right now I'm a third-down guy, return guy. That's what I do, that's my niche, and that's what I do well. That's the thing. You've got to know your roles and know exactly what is asked of you and don't get outside of that."
-Mewelde Moore
Gotta give some love to my alma mater when I can because - let's face it - how many chances do I actually get.