Catholic Guilt

TD's buddy Mort was on Dan Patrick today and said he would pick him #2 overall if he was running the Saints. The next Brett Favre according to Mort...

Do you have Photoshop?

The only funny thing about Courting Alex was Dabney Coleman. I thought he was great as the consultant in Office Space.

How much is a going rate for tickets? I'd rather get one resale in the parking lot.

I'd like to drive up from Charlotte for the game. I was at the Charlotte Checkers (our AA hockey team) wearing my Bills jacket. I was amazed how many Sabres uni's and hats. People came up to me all night talking about WNY, the Bills and Sabres.

Congrats on being added to my blocked (moron) list!

Is it worse than the Sabres new website?

Isn't it time for your afternoon nap?

How many times I've lived that commercial...

Sometimes I miss 4th grade...

I just heard on a local radio station that Marv Levy wants a defensive minded coach and is considering Campo as one of the candidates. He thinks he wasn't put in a position to succeed in Dallas and the two will meet thursday. Campo board link Please god no!!!!!

You must have heard Peter King say this on the Dan Patrick show on ESPN radio this morning.

Yes - He's been on IR for almost a month. I'm not too worried about losing Foster, I could run through some of those holes the line blew open today.

Agreed. Good post.

Oh please.... Do you know this is very popular down here in the South? Clemson head football coach Tommy Bowden has For Sale signs on his lawn almost every year and laughs it off. WHY? Because he knew when he took the job Clemson fans are nuts - very passionate about their team. It's easy to walk away and quit when things don't go your way. Every year, Clemson has had horrible losses and great wins. But Bowden stays the course. My Mother-in-law lives in Clemson and sees it the Sunday after a bad loss. "CLEMSON -- Typically accompanied by heartache for fans, heartburn for administrators and hot seats for coaches, seven-win seasons don't usually go over too well in Clemson. Back-to-back 7-5 records in 1996 and 1997 put Tommy West on feeble footing in 1998, his final year as the Tigers' head coach. Tommy Bowden won seven games in 2001 and 2002, and only a dramatic revival late in 2003 kept him from getting run out of town. So on the surface, it might be difficult to resolve the optimism that surrounded Clemson's program with one game left in Bowden's seventh season. The Tigers were 7-4, one of the losses having come against Wake Forest, but fans didn't clamor for the return of Danny Ford. They didn't rush to jab "For Sale" signs in Bowden's front yard. They didn't push the message boards into meltdown mode.

I've been saying this all yesterday! Give the man a fresh start at a place he loves. Where is 1gap2gap when we need him?

How about I just cut and paste his stats for you? That "op-ed piece is from the Saints website.

DING DING DING - we have a winner!!!!

he's heading north and grabbing Green Bay's Jim Bates!

Agreed. But this logic comes from a poster who would like to see Green Bay D coach, Jim Bates take over the red,white and blue. Consider the source...

Jim Bates was the question, not stats of Jim Haslett.

Your case is weak... WILLIAM STEPHEN Belichick Cleveland Browns Regular Season 36-44 (.450); Postseason 1-1 (.500)

JIM BATES!!!???? You crack on Haslett and you are willing to hire Bates. What is your reasoning? What stellar things did he do in Green Bay last year?

Gap - Is there a coach you DO like?

How about some links to back up your rumors? Coach Jim Haslett, who has notched 42 regular-season victories and the first playoff win in franchise history since being hired in early 2000, enters his sixth season as Head Coach of the New Orleans Saints. After five years of carefully rebuilding the roster following a six-season stretch (1994-99) where the Saints only posted 32 wins, Haslett's overall victory total -- 43 including the playoffs -- and winning percentage (.524) already rank second in team record books among the club's 13 head coaches. To get his message across, he fosters teamwork while relying on this foundation of beliefs: Intensity for four quarters, endless preparation and a dedication to the basics of blocking and tackling. In an NFL era where the makeup of a team can change dramatically each year because of free agency, Haslett's ability to rapidly create a winning, united atmosphere within those who were once football strangers ranks among his greatest strengths. Though his focus remains firmly on the future, the Saints' successes over his first five seasons cannot be ignored. Never has his gritty leadership and single-minded determination been more evident than in 2004. After a spate of injuries hamstrung the team early and a trio of defeats came by a touchdown or less, Haslett rallied New Orleans to four-straight victories over the final month and on the cusp of a playoff berth. Though the Saints ranked among the conference's hottest teams, the club was left on the outside of the postseason by the league's tie-breaker system. The offense again sparkled in 2004, ranking among the team's all-time top 10 in scoring -- as the Saints have each year since Haslett's arrival. New Orleans scored three touchdowns or more in 11 games, and QB Aaron Brooks, RB Deuce McAllister and WR Joe Horn combined to give the Saints one of the top three-position combined yardage seasons in club history. In 2003, Haslett molded a roster full of inexperienced youngsters including eight new starters sprinkled throughout the lineup -- into a formidable unit. New Orleans bounced back from a 1-4 start to win seven of the final 11 contests -- with three of the four defeats coming by a touchdown or less -- as Haslett held the club together during a difficult beginning to keep the Saints in playoff contention until the 16th week of the season. The offense had another record-breaking season, setting club marks for third-down conversions (106), third-down conversion percentage (46.3) and fewest interceptions thrown (eight) while RB Deuce McAllister emerged as one of the NFL's best players. And on defense, New Orleans held 11 opponents to 20 points or less and gave up an average of 12 points per game in December. Despite having 10 new starters in 2002, the Saints posted a 9-7 record that included a pair of memorable victories over the Super Bowl XXXVII-Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers. New Orleans led the NFC with a team-record 432 points that season, while the special teams emerged as one of the league's most opportunistic units. Observers predicted a lengthy rebuilding project when Haslett arrived in 2000, but the strong-willed coach ignored that timetable and the expectations surrounding the Saints have grown with his demanding standards. Haslett's keen attention to detail and commitment to preparation are best reflected in the way New Orleans has performed on the road under his leadership. The Saints are 23-16 (.600) in enemy stadiums since Haslett's arrival -- the best road winning percentage in team history for a head coach -- despite the club having dropped the previous 14 away games before he was hired. Haslett led New Orleans to the NFC West title and a playoff victory in 2000. The team put an exclamation point on an eventful season with a 31-28 triumph over the St. Louis Rams to notch the first-ever playoff win in New Orleans. With that victory, Haslett had led the Saints to greater heights in his first season than the previous 12 head coaches in franchise history combined. Following that historic effort, Haslett was a unanimous selection for NFL Coach of the Year. Haslett's 42 regular-season victories ranks second in club history, trailing only Jim Mora's 93 wins from 1986-96. And by entering his sixth season in 2004, Mora is the only head coach who has led the Saints for a longer period. A 23-year veteran of the NFL as a player and coach, Haslett was hired by New Orleans on Feb. 3, 2000. With the reputation as a player's coach who accepted little nonsense, Haslett's coaching star had been on the rise in league circles for years. He spent 1997-99 as defensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers, where his aggressive schemes helped create some of the NFL's most dominating units. He tutored a defense that led Pittsburgh to the AFC Championship Game in 1997. This is Haslett's second tour of duty in New Orleans. He spent two years with the Saints, as linebackers coach in 1995 followed by a stint as the defensive coordinator under Mora in 1996. In his first season as coordinator, New Orleans improved from 22nd to 13th in the NFL in defense. From 1993-94, Haslett was linebackers coach for the Los Angeles Raiders. In 1993, the Raiders posted a 10-6 record, while current Saints linebackers coach Winston Moss had one of the best seasons. Haslett's contributions helped push the Raiders' defense to a top 10 ranking both years. From 1991-92, Haslett was defensive coordinator for the Sacramento Surge of the World League. In 1992, the Surge won the WLAF title. Serving on Haslett's staff that year as a defensive assistant was Rick Mueller, now the Saints' Director of Player Personnel. Haslett opened his coaching career in 1988, handling linebackers at the University of Buffalo. A year later he was promoted to defensive coordinator and served in that capacity for two years. The bedrock of Haslett's coaching principles was forged during his stellar playing career. After being drafted out of Indiana University of Pennsylvania in the second round of the 1979 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills, Haslett was voted the Associated Press Defensive Rookie of the Year. He played eight seasons with the Bills -- earning All-Pro honors in 1981 and finished his career in 1987 with the New York Jets. Haslett played defensive end at IUP, where he was a four-time All-American. He enrolled at IUP and joined the football team as a walk-on, yet still set school records with 20 sacks and five fumble recoveries in a season. As a senior Haslett even took over as punter and averaged 41.5 yards. His career was recognized with his induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2001.