Welcome to the new format of your daily "Fleur-de-Links" posts. We're now splitting the post in two by posting a daily wrap-up story on current events followed shortly after by a post containing nothing but the usual links, tweets, transcripts, and video.
The offseason is well under way for our Saints and there's nothing new out there today concerning the current team. There is, however, lots of support for one of our former players to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in this his first year of eligibility. Pat Yasinskas of ESPN makes a very good case for Big Willie and the Saints official site posts a great Q & A with the former All-Pro player. Offensive linemen usually don't have the resume full of highlight reel moments that "skill position" players often do, so they usually don't get the votes necessary to be voted into the HoF in their first year of eligibility. Could Willie Roaf be an exception to this unfair trend? After all, QBs and RBs don't usually perform all that well unless they've got good pass protection and run blocking in front of them, and Willie Roaf was one of the best.
In the links post to come, more coverage from Super Bowl XLV, more on the CBA talks (or lack thereof), and someone declares our 2008 first round draft pick to be a bust.