How ‘Bout Them Saints?!!!!!!!!!!
Alright, alright. I know we’re not supposed to be biased as sports guys, but I tell you what, I just can’t help myself…WHO DAT?!!!!! That’s right, I’m busting out the old school Saints cheer to personally celebrate the new era of Saints football…or at least I hope.
Watching the Saints beat the Cleveland Browns today 19-14 gave me new hope in a team I’ve been watching at the height of mediocrity for the past 25 years. When the Saints came to training camp here in Jackson, I was personally excited. I mean, being from New Orleans, how cool is that that I got to cover my hometown team I grew up watching every Sunday? The answer…very cool.
But the team that came here to Jackson and that played, and won, today, is not the same team I grew up watching. With a slew of new faces gracing nearly every position, including the coaching staff, there is defintely a new era of Saints football. I noticed a true winning attitude in the team today, even when the Browns made it close. The team looked poised, led behind the arm of new quarterback Drew Brees. And the big question of the day was in regards to how Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush would co-exist in the offensive backfield.
The funny thing is, way before the season started, even before the team announced they’d be headed to Millsaps for training camp, right after the NFL draft, I ran into Deuce one night in town. I was talking to him and asked him what he thought about Reggie being drafted, man to man, Ole Miss grad to Ole Miss grad, not as sports anchor to football player. He told me he was perfectly fine with it and wasn’t going anywhere. I have to admit, I didn’t believe him. I thought he was just telling me that as some kind of cover, even though it was an “off the record” conversation. But in typical Deuce fashion, he was being up front and honest, and answering with truth and integrity.
And that showed today, as the two Saints running backs started what could be one of the most dynamic tandems in the National Football League. I feel safe in saying this 1-2 punch of Deuce and Bush will be exciting to watch in 2006. And I know all the Saints fans like me will be hoping that kind of teammwork will continue to lead to success, and dare I say, a playoff berth this year? Perhaps. But I know one thing’s for sure, I’ll be glued to the TV to check out my hometown team take on the Magnolia State’s hometown son, Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers next week.