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Eye ON THE SAINTS |
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June 2009
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July 2007 ArchivesTaken from the 'Eye on Saints' Training Camp Newsletter: Reggie Bush said he's focusing more on slowing the game down, rather than hitting the hole at blazing speed when on a run. That means "being more patient before you get to the hole, slowing the game down...slowing down your steps, your footwork, and then once get to the hole, explode through it," Bush said. So much has been written and said about Reggie having a "... Taken from the 'Eye on Saints' Training Camp Newsletter: Linebacker Scott Fujita banged knees with another player during practice and had to have the knee iced down. Fujita said his knee swelled up quickly, but added that he'd be back at practice tomorrow. ...Sure, several past moves were shown to have worked in the Saints' favor (drafting Will Smith and Deuce McAllister, for example), but the big reason for team's turnaround is one guy, according to the Mobile Register: that'd be Coach Sean Payton. Wide receiver Lance Moore, who sat with the Saints' practice squad since October after making a handful of appearances for the team last season, is eager to prove he belongs on the roster full time. He's had some nice catches in training camp and said his goal has always been to make plays. "Whenever the ball goes up in the air, I'm trying to get it," said Moore, who understands that every catch shows the coaching staff that he should... While he was still a free agent, tight end Eric Johnson said he had offers from the 49ers and other teams, but ultimately signed with the Saints because he sees bright things in the team's future. Read more. ...Though Colston knows he'll be the focus of opposing defenses this coming season, the wide receiver's focus and determination has not waivered. ...Toward the end of his Q&A session with the media this morning, Brees took a shot--albeit in jest--at Reggie Bush's off-season workout program, 'Free Flo Do.' When it was suggested to Brees that his fitness level had something to do with Reggie passing along his training program to him, Brees responded: "...If anything, I'm turning Reggie on to stuff. Reggie's not turning me on to anything. I don't know what that Free Flo Do is, but t... Drew Brees says he's ready to get out and play Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio, but don't expect to see #9 for too long. The quarterback thinks he'll play one or two offensive series in the game. ...From the 'Eye on Saints' Training Camp Newsletter: Good news from Saints camp regarding Rob Ninkovich. The injury to his left knee was not as severe as had been first thought, Coach Sean Payton said. Ninkovich suffered a sprained MCL during the closing minutes of Monday afternoon's practice and had to be carted off the field. Payton said Ninkovich should be back on the field in approximately four weeks. Surgery will not be necessar... Courtesy of the Associated Press: While the Saints worked on their so-called "red zone" offense, or on plays within 20 yards of the goal line, quarterback Tyler Palko was in uniform but not taking any snaps. ...Courtesy of the Associated Press: First David Beckham comes to the United States, then the Cajun Cannon, Bobby Hebert, shows up at Monday's Saints practice wearing a soccer jersey. ...Skip Wood of the USA Today profiles Reggie Bush the superstar athlete and the entrepreneur. ...Mike Karney believes the NFL should hold more rookie symposiums, to educate, inform and warn the newcomers about the trappings of their new found fame and fortune. ...From the 'Eye on Saints' Training Camp Newsletter: Defense end Rob Ninkovich was carted off the field near the end of afternoon practice Monday. Sean Payton said Ninkovich injured his left knee, and while it's still too early to tell just yet, the injury does not appear serious. Ninkovich was knocked out for the 2006 season after injuring his right knee against Atlanta on September 25. ...Courtesy of the 'Eye on Saints' Training Camp Newsletter: Coach Payton closed his Q&A session with the media today with comments on the passing of coaching legend Bill Walsh. Payton learned of the news during practice and was saddened by his death. Though he did not know Walsh personally, Payton spoke of his influence on young coaches through his immense accomplishments. "There’s a lot of trees and a lot of systems out there ... From the 'Eye on Saints' Training Camp Newsletter: Roman Harper was held out of afternoon practice due to swelling in his surgically repaired knee, Coach Sean Payton said. He’s expected to be fine. ...From the "Town Talk Alexandria-Pineville": Coming off a 10-6 season in which the New Orleans Saints won the NFC South Division title and advanced to the NFC Championship game, expectations are at an all-time high for Saints fans. This time, the organization's "Wait until next year" rally cry actually has a little meaning as fans are hoping the team improves on last year's run and takes it one step further. But, as the S... Hey, it's amazing what a seven-year, $63 million deal will do for a man's morale...Read more. ...After the first few days at Saints Training Camp, I can say, without question, that the talent and character levels are the highest I've ever seen for a Saints team. Read more. ...Taken from the 'Eye on Saints' Training Camp Newsletter: Aaron Stecker will be excused from camp the next few days while his wife gives birth to his second child, a son. ...Taken from the 'Eye on Saints' Training Camp Newsletter: Defensive end Anton Palepoi has a mild ankle sprain and will be out for Monday. Jon Hamm, another defensive end, remains sidelined with a quad injury. Wide receiver Jamal Jones' knee was still swollen and thus kept out of morning practice. "His knee is irritated enough to where he doesn’t have full strength to cut on it," Payton said. ...From The Associated Press: With the influx of Latino workers in post-Katrina New Orleans and all those sometimes controversial mobile taco stands, it seems only fitting that two players on the current Saints would have nicknames that would appear on most Mexican menus. ...Safety Roman Harper had a promising rookie season cut short but he's back, with some needed extra weight. ...Some of the longest shots on the Saints training camp roster hope to impress coaches and get some time playing time. ...Taken from the 'Eye on Saints Training Camp Newsletter': Play of the day belongs to backup kicker Brett Bergstrom. With special teams on the field performing drills for field goals on short notice, Bergstrom nailed a kick between the uprights from about 50 yards or so. The ball traveled about another five yards in the air and hit the top of an overhang leading to the locker rooms, bounced off the overhang and went through the rim of ... Taken from the 'Eye on Saints Training Camp Newsletter': Usama Young came back from a quad injury in a big way Sunday, picking off Jamie Martin during 11-on-11 drills at afternoon practice. "It was good to see (Young) full go. I think he's done a good job with the rehab. That was encouraging," said Coach Sean Payton. ...Graham Bensinger had a one-on-one interview with Drew Brees. Here are the highlights: --The theme of rebuilding (the team and the town). ESPN's Len Pasquarelli says the Saints gifted all-purpose runner wants to turn the team into such a formidable force that opposing fans (and teams) fear them. Read more. ...Second round draft pick Usama Young was back at practice Sunday morning after nursing a quadriceps injury the first couple days. The cornerback out of Kent State had spent that time riding the stationary bike alongside Brian Young and Jon Hamm, who remain sidelined with foot and quad injuries, respectively. Wide receiver Jamal Jones missed the later part of Saturday's afternoon practice, as well as the following morning practice, acco... Receivers coach Curtis Johnson called Marques Colston the poster boy for what's right about football players: flies under the radar, shows up and busts his butt, etc. Colston said he would not let the praise get to his head. "I've definitely got a lot to prove to myself, if no one else. I would definitely love to come out and have another great year and I know that starts on the field...I just gotta keep doing what I’m doing,"... Coach Sean Payton said he intended to make this year's camp more physical, according to "The Clarion Ledger." Read more. ...Courtesy of The Associated Press: A year ago, backup quarterback Jamie Martin was excused from the opening practices of training camp because his wife, Kelly, had recently been diagnosed with breast cancer. ...From the Associated Press: Don't count Aaron Stecker out just yet. The versatile veteran running back said he wasn't about to assume his time in a Saints uniform was up when New Orleans traded up in the fourth round of the NFL draft to take Ohio State running back Antonio Pittman. ...From the Associated Press: Brees and coach Sean Payton often talk about how well their philosophies mesh when in comes to game planning and play-calling during the game. Saturday afternoon, they appeared to be like-minded in community relations, too. ...Cornerback Jason David, acquired by the Saints through free agency in the off-season, said one of his biggest priorities has been gelling with his new teammates. ..."Earn It." Those are the prevailing attitudes at Saints training camp at Millsaps College. Sean Payton, Drew Brees and the gang are focused on the here and now and seem to have moved past last season's accomplishments. Read more. ...Courtesy of "The Bilox Sun-Herald": All of the Saints rookies signed contracts before training camp started. No player is under federal indictment. Players have not been arrested during the off-season nor have they been suspended. The silence coming out of Millsaps is almost deafening. And that's a good thing. Read more. ...From the Associated Press: JACKSON, MS -- The Saints' return to the campus of Millsaps College is the talk of Jackson and the crowds have been big. ...Free agent tight end Eric Johnson missed this afternoon's practice with a migraine headache and nausea, according to Coach Sean Payton. Johnson slept this afternoon and is doing much better. ...Quarterback Drew Brees said after practice today he was happy not to have to limit his throws like he did at the beginning of training camp last year. "Last year I had a pitch count at this time...this year I'll throw as many times as I want," he said. "That feels a lot better. I can really focus now on some of the little things. I've set goals for myself for this camp, just things that I want to work on." Brees would not el... From the Eye On Saints newsletter: --Jamar Nesbit and Jon Stinchcomb missed this morning's events "from an injury standpoint," according to Coach Payton, but would be back at afternoon practice. --Payton was asked about Hollis Thomas, who appeared to struggle during practice. "If you're at a point where your body's carrying more weight than it's supposed to, then you're going to struggle in the heat or ... Pro Football Weekly has the Saints ranked second among all NFC teams and fifth among all NFL teams in their preseason power rankings. ...Taft Coghill Jr. of the Fredericksbug Free Lance-Star says that fourth round pick Jermon Bushrod feels he has something to prove after a pre-draft snub by the NFL combine. ...The Biloxi Sun Herald has five questions for fans as the Saints enter 2007 Training Camp: 1. What can be expected of Robert Meachem? Sports Illustrated online has '10 Burning Questions' about the upcoming season...one of them asks about the player most likely to have the biggest impact in his second season. Guess who that was? Read more. ...John Czarnecki of FOX Sports picked ten storylines for fans to follow during training camp. One of the questions: "Are the Saints really better than the Bears?" Read more. ...During the off-season, the Saints asked Millsaps College to make improvements to accomodate the team during their stay for training camp. The result? Millsaps student-athletes will see long-term benefits when the Saints are no longer in town. Read more. ...ESPN.com reports that Robert Meachem has signed his contract, which means the Saints now have all their draftees under contract. Read more ...Both Archie Manning who is still considered by many the most famous player in Saints history, and his son Peyton, say they are looking forward to an emotional opener with the Saints in September. Archie said he will be torn. ...The Advocate's Sheldon Mickles, has his five reasons that the Saints will be better in '07. ...Oddsmakers have the the Saints pegged at 9.5 wins for the coming season. Of course, they won't win nine and a half games, unless a tie, which never happens, is considered a half a win, but it's interesting that - given that the NFC is considered the weaker league - the Saints number isn't higher. ...If Fantasy football ratings are any gauge, the Saints Reggie Bush is set for a breakout year. ...According to a Tampa Bay Bucs unofficial site the Saints top priority in training camp should be to establish a receiver rotation with linebacking as the second choice. ...Even though he is still relatively early in his NFL career, Devery Henderson is now one of the grizzled Saints veterans. He is profiled in the Opelousas newspaper. ...Reggie Bush is the focus of at least nine major ad campaigns, which has him pushing Peyton Manning as the league's top pitchman. ...Peter King of CNNSI.com has the Saints as the NFC's top rated team, but they are only fourth overall. King also says he expects Reggie Bush's yards per carry to increase by at least one yard from last season. ...The city of New Orleans, perhaps on the outs as a potential Super Bowl host is seeking perhaps the NFL's second biggest prize. ...Sporting News rated all of the NFL training camps on a scale of '1' to '5,' with 5 being the toughest and 1 a walk in the park. The Saints were one of four teams that got a '5.' ...USA Today's Tom Weir says the Saints, who went from a 3-13 season in 2005 to a miraculous playoff run the following year, should expect to be counted among the teams to beat in the NFC. Read more. ...Tom Curran of NBCSports.com ranks Reggie Bush as the eighth best all-around back in the league. While that may be true for now, look for his stock to rise. ...Three Saints offensive players are among the Top 20 most desired fantasy football players for the coming season. Either Deuce or Reggie might rank higher if they didn't share carries with each other. The next Saint on the list is Marques Colston at 40. Among defenses, the Saints are listed as 24 out of 32. While that may alarm some, it's not based on yards allowed, as muc... ESPN's Insider, which says it is offering a free preview, has the Saints running game ranked 6th in the league. Previously, they rated the Saints receivers 12th (mea culpa, I had taken it as the entire passing game and was called on it by a viewer) and Brees w... Bucky Brooks takes an extended look at the Saints, Falcons, Panthers and Bucs, highlighting the challenges facing each team. Read more. ...ESPN.com's Insider - free at the moment - has the Saints passing game only rated as the league's 12th best! That's barely above average. Former Eagles' linebacker Dhani Jones will join the Saints parade at linebacker. ...A quick look at the NFC South by FOX Sports' Brian DeLucia. ...Jim Corbett of USA Today followed Brees and his wife as they pledged millions to repair local schools and athletic fields, including $670,000 to turn a divot-filled field into a combination football/soocer/track field that will ultimately service four schools and several community rec leagues. Read more. ...Michael Silver of Sports Illustrated says Bob Kraft, Jerry Jones and Jerry Richardson are among the best owners in the NFL, while Bill Ford Jr., Tom Benson and Mike Brown are among the worst. Read more. ...Several preseason predictions are already available, and USA Today spotlights the Super Bowl forecasts of five prominent national sports mags. And the Saints are predicted to appear in the final game by three of the five magazines: Lindy's, Pro Football Weekly and Street & Smith's. Read more. ...CNNSI's expert ranks the NFL's top 25 receivers. And while Marques Colston does check in at #25 one has to wonder if that is too low, and one has to wonder how this team made the NFC Championship. Yes, they had Joe Horn too, but he isn't even on the list. ...Merrill Hoge says the Saints are the NFC's best team, even though he doesn't rate them as the top offense. This while the guy who does rate them as the best offense, doesn't rate them as the best team, but sees an NFC championship rematch. ... |
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