Here's your mid-day dose of overnight and Sunday morning Saints news, notes, features, and quotes to get you through the day.
Find your way across the jump and enjoy them with me...
Saints News, Features & Post-Practice Reports
New Orleans Saints receivers are a model of consistency | NOLA.com
Mike Triplett - The top four guys are going on five years with the team.
Defensive end Jeff Charleston back in the fold with the New Orleans Saints | NOLA.com
John Reid - Saints Saturday post-practice news and notes. (HansDat note: Can't wait to see this guy in a vlog report - will he be taller than Jeff Duncan? younger than Varney? shorter than Triplett? less ethnic than Hogan? less bearded than Allee-Walsh?)
Ex-Bears teammate, Tulane alum Robertson calls Saints signing of center Kreutz "an upgrade" | sportsnola.com
Rene Nadeau - The current NFL Retired Players Association president for the state of Louisiana knows the latest veteran acquisition by the New Orleans Saints very well. Article includes Saturday's post-practice notes.
Photo Gallery: Saints Training Camp - 8/6/11 | sportsnola.com
Parker Waters
Saints Practice Report: Arrington missing out on chances | wwltv.com
Bradley Handwerger - Devery Henderson ran a perfect route and caught an easy pass from Drew Brees late in Saturday’s practice. A few plays later, Robert Meachem leapt high to make a highlight-reel grab in traffic. And Adrian Arrington? He wasn't on the field.
Saints going bigger along line | theadvocate.com
Sheldon Mickles - In two seasons as the New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator, Gregg Williams has changed the culture of a unit that was known — before his arrival — for giving up big runs and long passes, and not coming up with enough takeaways.
Sproles Is The Real Deal - WWL | AM870 | FM105.3
Bobby Hebert's Saturday Recap.
Saints' Stinchcomb Optimistic About Health - WWL | AM870 | FM105.3
Associated Press
2011 New Orleans Saints Season Preview | NYTimes.com
Andy Benoit - The Saints should win the N.F.C. South. They have great continuity and operate out of comprehensive offensive and defensive playbooks - two distinct advantages in this hastened post-lockout season.
Transcript
New Orleans Saints C Olin Kreutz Media Availability Transcript, 8/6/11 - via neworleanssaints.com
Six-Time Pro Bowler talks about his first two practices with the Saints
Listen to Kreutz's Post-Practice Press Conference
Can you discuss the opportunity here?
"It's a great team, I'm happy to be here. The opportunity is to win a Super Bowl. That's the kind of team they've built, and I'm excited to be a part of it."
The Saints seem to be in kind of in a ‘win now' mode. They know the window is always small when it comes to a chance to compete for a championship. Do you feel that?
"Just from being around them for two days, it feels like they're always in a ‘win now' mode. I don't know Coach Payton that well yet, but I feel like he always wants to win, no matter what year it is."
At this point in your career, are these the kind of teams you would prefer to play for?
"Yes, Drew Brees is a top quarterback. The two guards (Jahri Evansand Carl Nicks) are probably the best guard combination in the NFL, if not the top two guards in the NFL. So, if you're a center, it's a great job."
Coach Payton talked about you passing on more money to come with this team. A lot of guys don't do that; it's about the big contract. But to you, it seems to be about finding the right fit and the right team, and not so much about the money?
"Well I'm going into my 14th year, so money wasn't really important to me. It was about finding the right fit, and this is the right fit."
Lagniappe
Marshall Faulk takes fans on an emotional journey in his Pro Football Hall of Fame speech | NOLA.com
Nakia Hogan - He joined a star-studded class in Canton, Ohio.
Sanders and Sharpe are moving, but Sabol stole the show | nfl.com
Adam Rank - On a night of big speeches, it was the creator of NFL Films that left a lasting impression. Includes video intro of Ed Sabol, The King of Football Movies - A HansDat Viewing Mandate!
Hitting the NFC South links - NFC South Blog | ESPN.com
Pat Y. - Let's take a stroll through the Sunday morning headlines from around the NFC South.