What Up With Dat?: Defending Devery

Below are my answers to just some of the reader questions submitted Monday. Special thanks to all those that participated. Feel free to continue the discussion on any of these topics in the comment section below.

Why do you let critics like Prisco , Freeman , King and countless others bother you ? I dont think you are suppose to take them seriously. - Can 1.

They don't really bother me, they're just fun to pick apart and insult. Like Wallace wrote yesterday, I don't take it personally. It's pretty much my civic duty as a blogger to defend my team and point out ridiculous or flawed logic. Plus, I know that a lot of other Saints fans get frazzled by those guys so I enjoy throwing fuel on the fire and getting them riled up.

When is Mel Gray going to be added to the CSC All-Time Saints Team? - Beware D.

I assure you I don't know what you're talking about. ;-)

Are you concerned that the league might find reasons to increase SP and ML's suspensions after Payton gets an office in Benson Tower and Loomis gets a job with the Hornets? - Dan K.

Not concerned at all. Payton asked for and received approval to rent the office space from the league so there's no reason Goodell or the NFL should be upset. As well, the new position for Loomis shouldn't bother anyone. The suspensions are severe enough, I don't think they're going to get any worse.

With Devery aging and having a significant cap hit is there any chance he ends up being a surprise cut like Stinchcomb if the coaches like what they see in the younger receivers? - Malcolm F.

Here we go again. Every offseason we have this exact same conversation about Henderson. A small Devery-hating portion of Who Dat Nation is anxious to get rid of him. Yet every season - surprise! - he's right there contributing significantly and putting up respectable stats. He's like the Scott Shanle of the offense; he just won't go away. At what point are we going to give the dude some R-E-S-P-E-C-T and realize he's actually a talented receiver. Of course there's always a chance of getting cut, no matter who the player, and at some point Devery's services will no longer be needed. I simply don't anticipate now to be that time.

With so much publicity about the Bountygate controversy, I fear that we will be viewed by referrees as the villians. This has plagued the Raiders organization for years. They pride themselves on being the most penalized team in the league. Talking heads even support this as part of the Raiders "mystique." My guess is that most, if not all, borderline calls (especially personal fouls) will go against the Saints this year. This is not a conspiracy theory, it's just human nature. Unfortunately, this could likely cost us one or two games in 2012. It's as though the games will be officiated in such a way to "pay us back" for what allegedly transpired from 2009 to 2011. Do you agree? - T. Mac

No.