Holy crap I can't believe they really did it. The Saints actually fired Gary Gibbs. And right in the middle of our Who Dat Pack roundtable discussion about our now-extinct defensive coordinator. I am freaking out! This is like one of those things that you dream about and always wish would happen but you never actually think it's really possible. It's like we, the fans, willed it to happen. Kinda feel bad actually.
Alright, let's not get ridiculous. Good riddance Double G. But I have been on an emotional roller coaster ala Jessie Spano.
Oddly enough, as I was writing my portion of the Who Dat Pack roundtable on the plane yesterday, I actually had a moment of realization. A wave of calm washed over my body and I reached acceptance. Gary Gibbs would be the Saints defensive coordinator for the 2009 season. Another year of mediocrity lay ahead. It was taking too long and possible applicants were already talking with new teams. Delaying any further would be plain stupid and put the Saints way behind other teams in the search for a replacement. If the trigger was going to be pulled it would have to be, like, now. And sure enough it was.
So now I'm back! I'm so excited and I just can't hide it! But like Jessie, my excitement is just a protective shell that I put up, ready to crack at any moment only to reveal my true innermost feelings. I'm actually shaking in my tube socks right now. I mean, we have no idea what the hell is gonna happen. What if Gary Gibbs wasn't that bad? Heck, what if we had this Gary Gibbs.
Even worse, maybe Gary Gibbs wasn't the problem. Imagine this nightmare scenario: our defensive players actually just suck regardless of scheme. I hate to say it but let's be honest, it's not totally out of the realm of possibility. It may not matter who the Saints finally decide on to fill the vacancy. Without a talented team any coach will be doomed for failure or face a very uphill climb at the least. It's obvious right now that no matter what else happens the rest of this off-season, this one coaching change alone will fuel the fire of optimism for Saints fans all spring and summer. But we could just be setting ourselves up for more bitter disappointment yet again in typical Who Dat fashion. Fool me once (2007 season), shame on you. Fool me twice (2008 season), shame on me. Let's all hope Gibbs really was the cause of a greater percentage of the Saints defensive woes these last two years.
Actually, I think my fears would best be summed up by a rock song by the British rock band The Who, composed by band member Pete Townshend in 1971.
Don't get fooled again
No, no!
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!
Meet the new boss
Same as the old boss
And if 2009 is met with just more of the same then who will we blame? Payton would certainly be next. My caution to all of you is to not get too excited just yet. Remember this is the Saints we're talking about here.
All of this leads me to wonder though; Is the Saints organization actually listening to the fans and taking our opinions into consideration? Did they read the articles and click on the websites like Fire Gary Gibbs and realize they were losing their audience? Or was everything really as it appeared on the surface; a poor scheme obvious to everyone, even to those whose opinions actually matter? Ah, who cares. We can speculate all we want but in the end it doesn't really matter. He's gone and a new day is dawning in Who Dat Nation.
You may now continue celebrating and being excited. But just try and hide it.