Canal Street Chronicles: Front Page Posts

Joey Harrington, a Saint?

satchmo26 — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 23:53:17 -0000

Joey Harrington, a Saint?

The Saints are reportedly bringing him in for a visit. Since Palko was cut and Brunell is kinda up there in years, I figured they would eventually add a 3rd QB option. Hopefully, Brees will stay healthy and a 3rd QB will never be needed. Do you think Harrington is worth it? I'm kinda on the fence concerning him.

"They have to find out through maybe not meeting expectations," Brees says. "I can say that this...

Saintsational — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 23:07:47 -0000

"They have to find out through maybe not meeting expectations," Brees says. "I can say that this happened to me in 2003 (when) I get benched three times for five games and all of a sudden you look back and say, 'This is not the way I had it envisioned in my head.' So then you take the offseason to evaluate. … I had mentors. For any young player, you have to have a mentor, a set of mentors who have gone through this."

Drew Brees, on Reggie Bush
USA Today

New Orleans Starts Season with Huge Win

Saintsational — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 10:00:06 -0000

Will the Dome remain empty this weekend? (Photo Source)

In the wake of Hurricane Gustav there are still many question marks up in the air with regards to the current state of New Orleans, southern Louisiana and its residents. The situation appears to be much more positive and optimistic, as Hurricane Gustav begins to fizzle, then was previously expected before it made landfall. Evacuations went exceedingly well, the weakened levee system held its ground and overall destruction and damage has to be viewed as relatively minimal to what was once thought possible. If round one went to Katrina, round two most certainly goes to New Orleans. As we begin to turn our attention back to more epicurean matters, one question now remains: what to do about this week's home opener at the Superdome?

As it stands now the Saints and Buccaneers are scheduled to meet in New Orleans this Sunday while the Saints will travel to Tampa Bay on November 30th for their second divisional match-up. If playing in the Superdome doesn't appear to be an option as we learn more about Gustav's effects, the most likely and plausible alternative would be to switch the locations of those two games and have the Saints travel to Tampa this weekend while the Buccaneers would play in New Orleans in late November.

Assuming this could be worked out with the schedule of both stadiums, it is something that should be taken into serious consideration. Don't get me wrong, I would love to come back to the city this week and immediately be able to attend the Saints home opener as I have been planning for months now. Assuming a capacity crowd, the dome would surely be rocking and the atmosphere would probably be electric, bordering on the intensity that was present for the home opener against the Falcons following Katrina while also giving the Saints an increased home field advantage. To be sure, the team and the facility want to move on with life as planned. However, as much as we all love football and even more so, our Saints, we should all keep the bigger picture in sharp focus. Our families, friends and personal lives should all come first. Switching this first game to Tampa would give the team three away games to start off the season and give the city three weeks to get back on its feet and better prepare itself to play host for an NFL game. It certainly wouldn't be the worst idea to take this opportunity.

There a few factors to consider before holding such an event at the dome.

1.) Structural damage, if any, to the Superdome.

2.) The ability to get food products transported to the facility this week.

3.) Employee staffing.

4.) Security staffing.

5.) Fan availability.

-Doug Thornton, regional vice president of SMG, via the Times-Pic

As far as structural damage is concerned, certainly it should be taken seriously and checked thoroughly. Any glossing over in this area would put employees and fans at risk. With regard to the final three points, we must remember that Saints fans and it's employees come from not just New Orleans proper but all over the Gulf Coast region. While the city of New Orleans has fared well during Hurricane Gustav, other parts of the region did not and many people will need to return, check on their homes and family and deal with any necessary issues that linger from Gustav's path. With regards to the fifth point in particular, I am sure no one, fans and Mr. Benson alike, want the Superdome's seating capacity only half filled, for reasons both financial and fun. Let's take our time, gather our bearings and stay focused on the task at hand. As good as things are looking right now and as relieved as we may all feel, there is still a lot to be done and much more to stay focused on. There will be plenty of time in the near future to concentrate on football. You could take the Saints out of New Orleans anytime and the city would continue on, but take away the residents of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast and this Saints organization would be nothing. It is we, the fans, who support this team and make it what it is. Therefore, our recovery is imperative and should be the ultimate primary focus.

An argument might be made that keeping the game here in the city of New Orleans and hosting such an event so soon after such a powerful storm would be a great show of our cities resilience and strength while helping boost morale, and I think that would be true. Here is what Mickey Loomis had to say about the possibility of playing in the dome this Sunday.

"I think it's important for a couple of reasons. Competitively, it's a home game for us and we want to play at home and want to get off to a good start and we would be most comfortable in the Superdome. But more importantly, I think it's an opportunity for us to lift the spirits of our community after a tough week and that's really important to our team." - New Orleans Saints official website

If the decision is made not to return this Sunday, it should not be viewed as a sign of weakness or distraught. There is no need to rush this. We know they will come back eventually, and we will be here with open arms when they do. It won't take the Saints returning to show our citizens and the rest of the country that we are doing fine. That we did an amazing job, top to bottom, in preparing for and handling this storm. The sensationalist news channels were stymied, left only to discuss how smoothly everything went instead of pointing out gross governmental deficiencies as they are wont to do. I don't feel New Orleans has anything to prove. The lack of water in the streets, helpless, un-evacuated people at the Convention Center and widespread looting throughout the city should all speak for itself. Let's be sure take our time with this one and continue doing things right, finish the great job we have started and see this through all the way to the end. Though it wasn't hard to improve on the cities hurricane preparedness before Katrina, our city and its officials look much better in the national spotlight this time around. Now is not the time to risk any undoing of that good publicity. If the necessary officials decide to continue to host the home opener this Sunday, I surely hope that it is done well.

The fact of the matter is, this was the first test for post-Katrina New Orleans and the city passed with flying colors. Following 2005, I think I speak for many of the city's residents who returned to live in New Orleans when I say that since Katrina, there has always been a dark cloud in the shape of a question mark looming over all of our heads. Would our beloved city be able to hold up to another large storm? Would we do a better job of evacuating, particularly those who are in need? Would the levees be able to withstand significant pressure? We now have some answers. I have not had the opportunity yet to talk with my fellow New Orleanians, but I can safely say that I myself will return to New Orleans with a renewed sense of confidence and security. We know this wasn't "the big one." We know it could have been much worse. The fact of the matter is no matter how prepared New Orleans may be, or any city for that matter, a direct hit from "the big one" will be catastrophic and there won't be much anyone can do to prepare for or stop it. It's how the city handles the close calls and the near misses that define how prepared New Orleans truly is.

If 2008 wasn't our year before this weekend, it certainly is now. New Orleans residents will be back. The Saints will be back. Both will be better then ever!

Poll

Do you think the game this Sunday will be played in the Superdome?

Los Angeles Saints

Saintsational — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 02:38:10 -0000

Los Angeles Saints

Now this really pisses me off!!!

Mickey Loomis Monday press conference

satchmo26 — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 00:39:55 -0000

Mickey Loomis Monday press conference

Things are looking good so far. If no further problems develop tonight, looks like there will be football in the Dome this Sunday. Let's hope the good luck continues through the week.

CSC Pick'em Pool Party!!

Saintsational — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 13:41:18 -0000

Do you have what it takes?

Just wanted to remind all of you about the Canal Street Chronicles Pick'em league that we have started. It is open to anyone and everyone! Even Falcons fans! So tell your friends and family. The more people signed up, the better.

In conjunction with FunOfficePools, we will be running a NFL football pick'em game. Let's find out who is really the best prognosticator of the pigskin!

Each week we'll be predicting the winners of every NFL football game. We're picking straight up, but you get bonus points for correctly picking underdogs. You always get 1 point if you correctly pick the favorite to win. If the spread is less than 3, than whichever team you pick to win is worth 1 point. If the spread is between 3 and 7, you can earn 2 points for correctly picking the underdog. And if you correctly pick a 7 point or greater underdog, you get 3 points!

To participate, just join our pool . It's completely free to play, and FunOfficePools.com is spam-free as well. The pool is open now to join, and first picks are due by Sept 4th - so sign up now! The pool will run the whole regular season. There is no limit to the amount of people who can join, so let's get as many of you signed up as we can, and find out who really is the best at picking winners in football. You''ll first have to create an account, then join the pool. The pool name is Canal Street Chronicles and the password is WhoDat. If you've already signed up, click here to go to the FunOfficePools main page and log in.

"All this weather situation is out of our control. We're just making sure that we could do what's...

Saintsational — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 03:42:37 -0000

"All this weather situation is out of our control. We're just making sure that we could do what's in our control which is pretty much making sure our family, our friends, and our loved ones know that we're okay or if they're here, making sure they're okay while we just proceed on as business as usual,"

Mike McKenzie
WTHR.com

This site also has a video worth checking out.

Saints Sign Six to Practice Squad

Saintsational — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 03:18:38 -0000

Saints Sign Six to Practice Squad

The players signed were G Tim Duckworth, LB Jo-Lonn Dunbar, WR Skyler Green, RB Lynell Hamilton, TE Buck Ortega and DE Josh Savage.

This leaves two more spots still open for the practice squad. Running back Jermaine Allen is also a member of the practice squad as part of the teams international development programs.

Evacuating Gustav: Breaking It Down

Saintsational — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 22:47:46 -0000

Okay guys, it looks like I will be able to stay with you, at least for a little while, as Gustav heads toward the Louisiana coast. I am glad to see CSC readers who live in the area have gotten out of the area and are okay. I wish the best for you and your families. As of now, it looks like the actual city of New Orleans (where I am) may be okay but the West Bank and other parts west will see some serious damage. It will all be predicated upon the levees. If the storm tracks even slightly east, then I, and the city of New Orleans, may be in some serious trouble. Unfortunately, someone has to get it.

Now that I am outside of the New Orleans area, I am relying on the national media, the same as all of you. In case anyone cares, I will give you my in depth breakdown of my personal evacuation. For those who had to do the same, feel free to share your stories. I am also going to make this the official news thread for Gustav news as the storm plans to make landfall tomorrow. I will also be checking in often tonight and tomorrow.

Saturday morning I boarded up my store, moved all merchandise off the floor, shut everything down, grabbed important files and documents and locked up tight.
Erin and I left uptown NOLA yesterday evening and made it to Destrahan (west of the city) without hitting any traffic.
We all (Erin's family and I) left their house at 4am and took I-55 North. There is a very good chance her family's house will get a lot of water. It's a weird feeling leaving your home completely in tact knowing there is a good chance everything will be gone when you return. Their house has flooded twice.
Traffic wasn't too bad. Stop and go for a while. Completely stopped at certain points. Contraflow started after the I-12 merge and definitely helped flow. Having gone through Ivan and Katrina I can without a doubt say that this evacuation went incredibly smooth and I am glad to see our local officials have learned a lesson or two.
As soon as contraflow was merged back, we all stopped outside of Jackson, MS. So did the rest of southern Louisiana who decided to take I-55 North. If you're looking for an adventure, try getting breakfast at a roadside McDonald's filled with 75 stressed out hurricane evacuees and an unprepared, unmotivated McDonald's staff.
The soundtrack for the ride consisted of WWL 105.5FM and 870AM for continuous traffic and hurricane updates. These guys do a great job and I listen to them everyday. I was surprised how far we received their signal. After that it was Coldplay (Erin's choice) and Dane Cook (mine).
We made it all the way here on one single tank of gas. Gotta love Hybrid vehicles. If you don't have one, I highly recommend it. With gas prices at the level they are now, it makes financial sense.
Gas prices are about to rise. Plan on it. Because of the storms effect on the oil industry here in the Gulf, this is assured (see: Katrina).
After waking up from a nap, Erin informed me we had passed Deuce McAllister's Autos somewhere in central Mississippi. I am assuming it is THE Deuce McAllister. No picture. I'm angry.
We arrived at the Comfort Inn here in Olive Branch, MS, just outside of Memphis. The entire parking lot is filled with cars with Louisiana license plates.
Walking through the all you can hear everyone's television's tuned to CNN and Wolf Blitzer's voice from every room.
Wolf Blitzer is a moron and a drama queen whose only purpose is to scare and sensationalize news stories. I really, really, hate him. For those of you getting your Gustav info from him, please believe about 25% of what he say's.

Here are a few pictures for you guys.

My store all boarded up. If you notice the writing, it actually says "Benson Sucks" which someone spray painted on there after Katrina. Thought you guys would like that.

An empty uptown.

Sitting in early morning traffic. Pre-contraflow.

Erin catching some Z's before it's her turn to drive. She's not happy that I posted this.

Me! I figured some of you might be interested to see what I actually look like after reading CSC for so long. What better time then now. Haven't had time to shave in a few days.

The following pictures were all taken at random points on the trip northward. These are meant to show you not only the love this city has for the Saints, but also the mass exodus that has taken place the last two days.

I guess since this is a Saints blog I should mention a little about the team and what is in their future. The news seems to be pretty positive so far. The Times-Pic reports that the team is planning on being back in Metairie on Saturday and playing in the Dome on Sunday. You have no idea how much I am hoping I will be in that stadium to watch them play. Not sure how many people would actually make it to the game, but it certainly would be a great first step.

CSC and Saints Evacuate

Saintsational — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 11:00:08 -0000

Things to pack for evacuation:

Saints season tickets. Check

Colston jersey. Check

Saints t-shirt purchased in NYC on the way to the Saints "home" game at Giants stadium following Katrina. Check

Autographed Drew Brees/Mike McKenzie Saints football. Check

Incredibly high stress level. Check

Like the New Orleans Saints team itself, I'm gettin' out of Dodge. By the time you guys read this this morning, I will be sitting in bumper to bumper contraflow traffic on my way to a Comfort Inn outside of Memphis as Gustav prepares to impose it's will on the Gulf Coast. With a little luck, I will have access to a decent internet connection and still be able to give you guys the same quality Saints coverage you have come to expect. I will be honest with you, however, and say that my heart really isn't into it as much as it normally is right now. Faced with the threat of losing valuable possessions, not having a source of income and my life being turned upside down in general, I am finding it hard to write anything of substance.

If we are to believe the words of New Orleans officials and local newscasters, the situation is pretty grim. Worse, even, then Hurricane Katrina three years ago. In some way, shape or form,however, you will still be able to keep up to date with your Saints info here on CSC. In the event that I will be unable to access CSC, Dave the Falconer, whom you have all already met, will take over for a little while and enact "Operation F**k Gustav."

To any CSC readers who reside in the projected path of Hurricane Gustav, I wish you all the best of luck. Hopefully we will all be able to return promptly and meet again in the dome on Sunday to cheer on our favorite team and inevitable 2008 NFL champions, the New Orleans Saints.

Enough of the morbid talk. Let's throw it back to you guys. Do you think this will affect the Saints? If so, how?

Saints Make Final Roster Cuts

Saintsational — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 21:08:25 -0000

The Saints announced their final roster cuts this afternoon, per their official website.

The New Orleans Saints made 14 roster moves today to reach the NFL-mandated active roster limit of 53, it was announced by Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis.

The club has placed CB Greg Fassitt (knee) on Reserve/Injured. The Saints have waived G Andy Alleman, G Tim Duckworth, LB Jo-Lonn Dunbar, WR Skyler Green, RB Lynell Hamilton, DT Orien Harris, LB William Kershaw, K Taylor Mehlhaff, TE Buck Ortega, QB Tyler Palko, DE Josh Savage, FB Olaniyi Sobomehein and WR Joe West.

Beginning Sunday, the Saints and all 32 NFL teams may establish a practice squad of up to eight players. The Saints will open the regular season Sunday, September 7 when they host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 12:00 pm CT.

There ya go guys! What do you think? I see a few surprised on there for me. I really thought Dunbar and Harris might have had a shot. With Mehlhaff now gone, it is safe to say we wasted a draft pick. What do you guys think?

Poll

Are you surprised by any of these cuts?

Welcome Your New Falcoholic Overlord

Dave the Falconer — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 17:29:14 -0000

Hello, Saints fans.

For those of you who don't know, esteemed blogger saintsational may be out of commission for a bit because of Hurricane Gustav. As such, he has asked his sworn enemy to enact "Operation F**k Gustav" as he deals with possible evacuation or loss of internet down in Nawlins. That sworn enemy would be me.

For the next few days, I'll be putting up links to the biggest stories in the world of Saintdom and telling you all just how much I love Pierre Thomas. You may also hear how Reggie Bush is overrated and the Falcons are going to beat the Saints twice this year (this is a blatant lie).

As such, feel free to suggest posts you'd like to see dealing with the Saints and I'll do my best to stay on top of everything. Hopefully saintsational will return swiftly and you can pretend that the dorky Falcons fan was never here.

Thanks guys!

Dolphins @ Saints: Who Dat Say!?

Saintsational — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 11:00:08 -0000

Here is a collection of quotes from Thursday nights game and also regarding the Saints plans to evacuate. Sorry I can't hook you guys up with some meaningful, thought provoking post or in-depth analysis. My mind is elsewhere. I will keep you updated later today and let you know what you might expect from CSC. I will be making a decision today on whether I will be evacuating or staying based on the the latest Gustav path. The rest of the day will be spent preparing.

Adrian Arrington

"These preseason games that I'm missing are huge in my point," Arrington said earlier in camp. "I just wanted to really get out there and show those coaches what I can do out there. In my opinion, I think this is definitely hurting me."

-Sun Herald

Sean Payton

“I thought there were some things that were sloppy that bothered me a little bit tonight,” Head Coach Sean Payton said following the game.

“I am excited, though, about the team that we have and am looking forward to the season,”

- New Orleans Saints official website

Sean Payton

“I am encouraged,” said Payton of Ellis’ play. “He’s what we thought he was when we selected him (in the draft). He’s going to play a lot for us. He’s active, he’s strong, he has a nose for the ball and he’s smart.”

- New Orleans Saints official website

Deuce McAllister

“Obviously I’ll start with the negative and wish I could have punched it in on the goal line. Miami did a good job and showed us a different look,” McAllister said. “I am fine (health-wise). As I continue to get stronger, that’s what I am drawing on and I am looking forward to going out there and making plays."

- New Orleans Saints official website

Mike McKenzie

"It is preseason, but more than anything else it's just actually an opportunity to get out there in game-like plays and just really getting in the whole motion of getting back on the field in game-like speed,"

-Sun Herald

Sean Payton

"I thought (McAllister) looked pretty good," Payton said. "I don't know if he had 11 or 12 carries, but he was right there at that number, which is what we wanted. We're trying to gather as much information as we can."

-Sun Herald

Sean Payton

"We came out of the game relatively healthy," said Saints Coach Sean Payton. "Guys played a lot more than normally for preseason, it's because of how we approached it."

-Times-Pic

Sean Payton, on Jason David

"I was excited he competed," Payton said. "It ws good to watch him specifically for a whole half. What you saw tonight, we've been seeing in practice."

-Times-Pic

Jason David

“I had to convince the coaches and my teammates that I’m a good player with a good heart,” said David, who was beaten repeatedly in a 31-27 loss to Houston two weeks ago. “One thing I kind of live by is before there’s a resurrection, there’s a crucifixion, so I just had to go out there and make plays.

“I think it was my time, I was due. I just kept playing hard and just tried to do what I do out there and have fun while I was out there. It’s a boost whenever you make plays, whether it’s in practice or a game.”

-The Advocate

Sean Payton

“Without looking at the tape, in my mind it appeared to be poor,” coach Sean Payton said of Palko’s performance. “But you have to be given a chance. You’d like to see some things done better, but on some plays he just didn’t have a chance.

“Some of these young linemen are a play or two away from blocking for Drew Brees, so we have to do a better job there.”

-The Advocate

Sean Payton

"We have a great hotel space set up with meeting room space," Payton said. "We've got a great facility that's brand new that is not being used at all next week."

-Sun Herald

Mike McKenzie

"If we have to go, we have to go," said cornerback Mike McKenzie, who played for the Saints when they evacuated for Katrina three years ago. "We'll just have to take it as it comes.... That's the whole thing. You just don't want to even thin about it. It's going to be what it's going to be so I don't want to put any real thought into that."

-Sun Herald

Sean Payton

"What we do is really predicated on when it's supposed to arrive, and the good news with a hurricane is there's advance warning," said Payton, who was not with the Saints when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005. "So we'll have a plan. ... And having gone through this once before, we'll be thoroughly prepared."

-WISCTV.com

Sean Payton

“I want them at home taking care of their wives, their families, their girlfriends, their loved ones,” he said. “That’s a priority so (if and) when the relocation takes place, they feel comfortable that those closest to them are taken care of.”

-The Advocate

Sean Payton

“Essentially our players will fly there,” Payton said. “Some of our players are going to be out of town and will fly from where they’re at to Indianapolis and we’ll have a team meeting there on Sunday, if Sunday becomes the day we’re leaving.

“The dynamics for right now are going to be a little complex in that the next 24 to 48 hours in regard to the roster is important and with everything that’s going on with the potential problem, the storm coming. We’ve got to do our best to have a real good plan and possibly put it into place sooner rather than later.”

-The Advocate

Audio clips from WWL's Sports Talk with Bobby Hebert.

Sedrick Ellis
New Orleans Saints - SEDRIC ELLIS

Mike McKenzie
New Orleans Saints - MIKE MCKENZIE

Sean Payton
New Orleans Saints - SEAN PAYTON

Bobby Hebert
New Orleans Saints - BOBBY HEBERT

Poll

What do you think about this weekly post?

In the NFC, Saints head coach Sean Payton put it to me best during an early August stop at New...

Saintsational — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 03:53:08 -0000

In the NFC, Saints head coach Sean Payton put it to me best during an early August stop at New Orleans' training camp: In the NFL, you always try to bank on the motivated player. The guy who wants it a little bit more than anyone else. In terms of his Saints, that would be Jeremy Shockey, trying to prove to the Giants he was an asset, not a minus. That would be Jonathan Vilma intent on showing the Jets that they gave up on him prematurely. And that would be players such as Reggie Bush, Jason David, Bobby McCray, even Drew Brees, all of whom have a reason to play with a little bit of a chip on their shoulders this season.

So put me down for the Saints-Chargers in Super Bowl XLIII. New Orleans is hungry again after last season's expectations went unmet, and the Chargers, having finally ended their playoff-win drought with a pair of January victories, are poised to take the biggest step of all. The Chargers over the Saints next February in Tampa. In late August, before the games that count even begin, it all makes sense to me at this point. But let's see if the next five months changes everything.

Don Banks
Sports Illustrated

Saints Make Some Roster Moves

Saintsational — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 21:52:30 -0000

Thanks goes out to Super Dud and BayouRebel for posting the latest about the Saints roster cuts. That is exactly the help CSC will need to keep everyone informed as Gustav approaches!

Here is what the New Orleans Saints official website had to say.

The New Orleans Saints have made a series of personnel moves today, the first steps in getting down to the NFL-mandated maximum of 53 players on the roster by the deadline of Aug. 30, it was announced by Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis.

The club has placed seventh-round draft pick WR Adrian Arrington (toe) on Reserve/Injured, where he will spend the entire season. The Saints have also terminated the contract of veteran S Lance Schulters, and waived DE Jeremy Geathers, TE Ronnie Ghent, DE Marcus Pittman, S David Roach, G Isaiah Ross and T Brian Stamper.

The team’s roster currently stands at 67 players after today’s transactions. League rules stipulate that all NFL clubs must be at 53 players by 3 p.m. CT Aug. 30.

Poll

How do you feel about these cuts?

Dolphins @ Saints: The View from Section 108

Saintsational — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 11:00:08 -0000

I know pre-season games are usually sloppy and sometimes boring, particularly the final one, but man, this was awful. 99 total yards of offense?!?! Obviously this wasn't our real team, but c'mon! That said, the good news is that the defense still seemed to look pretty good and last weeks performance against Cincinnati may not have been a fluke. Heck, even Jason David played well. All of the attention and work the Saints have put into that side of the ball seem to be paying off. If that's the case and this continues, then we should definitely expect big things this season. I am officially excited again!

Here are my initial observations from tonight's game. Don't kill me if I am way off. This game was so hard to watch I stopped paying close attention. I did stay till the bitter end however, which I can't say for a majority of the fans.

Well, Payton lied to us again! No Shockey. He dangled that carrot in front of our face then took it away right at the last minute. I guess we will have to wait until next week to get a look at #88.
Deeeeeeuuuuuuucccceeeee! I said from the beginning that I wanted to see consistent improvement and growth in Deuce's play, and I think we have seen that these last three weeks. After catching a screen pass, he had a nice little run that included a shimmy and a shake to juke a defender. The knee must be doing pretty well. One thing we haven't seen from him though is that ability to bust up the middle and move the pile.
Staying with the running theme, the offensive line certainly wasn't giving our runners much help. Jamar Nesbit did not have a good game. I was frustrated when we couldn't punch the ball into the endzone on the goal line. Fortunately, Brunell hit Moore on 4th down.
I hate to tell all of you Jason David haters out there, but he may very well have saved his arse tonight. He actually looked pretty good. After one punt he brought down the returner after a few other Saints whiffed. Half the fans cheered and half of them booed following the play. On another punt, he timed his hit perfectly as the returner caught the ball. As I was typing my notes about his improved play tonight and his great special teams contributions on my iTouch, he intercepted the ball. As he walked off the field he pointed skyward and threw up his arms and hands. This was a different JD from games past. Does this mean it's simply a problem of motivation with him? Can he really play at a high level but choose not to because of laziness? We know the team would rather not take the cap hit by releasing him and tonight may give them reason to keep him around. Prepare yourself Saints fans. Hey, maybe this is the turning point and David will actually become the player we thought we were getting last year to help improve this defense.
In case you needed a little more reassurance about McKenzie's health, this game should have spelled your fears. He again looked good in the first quarter making a nice pass breakup and almost picking off a pass yet again. I know we acquired Ellis and Vilma and they will be important cogs in this defense, but I think McKenzie's contribution and value on this team is overlooked. Take away McKenzie and this defense looks a lot different and gives up a lot more big plays.
I noticed Aaron Glenn out on the field telling telling the other cornerback to adjust their position a couple of times immediately before the snap.
I am really excited about Sedrick Ellis. He may have a legitimate shot at being defensive rookie of the year if he keeps this up. Man Child knocked the ball loose to force a fumble and cause a turnover, which will be crucial in the regular season. He also got himself a sack. Not bad for one quarters worth of work.
Palko looked like crap (I am biting my tongue, not using the word I really want to use). With a limited number of roster spots up for grabs it wouldn't surprise me to see Palko put on the practice squad or cut outright. I would much rather keep a wide receiver or cornerback who is going to contribute on special teams then Palko.
Devery dropped another one. How much longer are we going to have to deal with this? I am hoping only another day or two.
Lance Moore looked solid. I said it last week and I will say it again, I think Lance Moore replaces Devery. He definitely deserves to be higher then Devery on the depth chart. He did what I believe is now his signature celebration, a double bow to the crowd, after scoring his touchdown.
Linebackers Marvin Mitchell and Jo-Lonn Dunbar both looked pretty good out there. Mitchell led the team in tackles tonight and also notched a sack. They both definitely helped their cause as far as making this team. Time will tell.
Not looking so great for Mehlhaff. His kickoffs looked okay but he missed his field goal attempt. I believe that is the first miss by either him or Gramatica, the later now having the slight edge. This game might have sealed his fate.
None of the receivers really stepped up and I think most of that has to do with Palko. Although Copper led the team in receiving, not sure whether he makes this team.
Lynell Hamilton didn't look as impressive as last week. Again, either did the offensive line's run blocking.
It was nice to get a chance to sort of forget about all the crap associated with the impending doom of Gustav for about 3 hours. I have been stressing out all day about it, but the second I got to my seat, all is forgotten. It's truly is amazing how that works. Saints football is the ultimate panacea. The Dome was significantly more empty then the last home pre-season game against Houston. Not sure if its because of the hurricane threat or whether everyone knew this game wasn't going to be too great.
Some teenage girl in the next section over was crying the whole game because she either got into a fight or broke up with her boyfriend. Either that or the reality of Jason David being on this team for another year and Devery dropping yet another pass finally sunk in and was too much to handle. I feel you sister.
My camera ran out of batteries so I couldn't take a picture of it, but they were selling these gigantic turkey legs still on the bone, medeival times style. I think that is new, as I haven't seen them before. Needless to say, it is hilarious to see people noshing on and waving around a giant turkey leg in the dome. Just plain weird.
There was this incessant buzzing noise during the game, like a flourescent light about to go out, that was driving my friend nuts all game. Didn't bother me.

Getting there!

Kinda hard to see but it was fairly empty last night.

UFO? Nah, it's the roof. This one's for Stu.

The one on the right is mine! They look a little lonely. I think we need to get them a friend this year.

Roll Wave!!

Pre-Snap.

Huddlin' up.

The bad guys.

Bad quality but it's actually the forced fumble by Big Sed.

Check out Payton in his "serious" stance again. They haven't even walked up to the line yet.

More Meachem.

I sit behind the whistle head guy.

The brass band walking through the concourse. I think this is so cool. I know a lot of teams probably have/do special, quirky and interesting things at home games that reflect the team and the city, but I am curious to know whether any of them are culturally relevant. Only in Nawlins!

Dude!? Really? Was your Aaron Brooks jersey dirty? You're killin' me!

Here is the roll call from last nights open thread. Glad to see NYSaint make his open thread debut.

Name	# of Posts
satchmo26	18
NYSaint	10
xen-cuts	10
Steve the fan	6
asaint	4
jjwest11	1
stujo4	1

On a much more serious note, I am not sure what is going to happen with Hurricane Gustav or what I will have to do. I am hoping to avoid evacuation. In the event that happens however I may not be able to post. Actually, I may not be able to post if I don't evacuate either. I will try and let you know what my decision will be and how it will effect CSC. If I can't do my job and post regularly, I ask that you all step it up and maybe try to put up FanPosts and FanShots to keep everything fresh. Between work, CSC and now Gustav, my stress level is through the roof. More on this later. Keep your fingers crossed. Happy freakin' Katrinaversary!

Poll

How do you feel about this game?

"In the event that Hurricane Gustav forces us to evacuate, the team will temporarily relocate to...

Saintsational — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 06:38:36 -0000

"In the event that Hurricane Gustav forces us to evacuate, the team will temporarily relocate to Indianapolis," said Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis. "If an evacuation is called for, we will fly to Indianapolis at that time and stay there for the entire week preparing for the Bucs. We will practice at Lucas Oil Stadium and we will return to New Orleans on Friday."

Mickey Loomis
New Orleans Saints official website

Dolphins @ Saints: Open Game Thread

Saintsational — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 23:30:06 -0000

Miami Dolphins (2-1)	GAME #4	New Orleans Saints (2-1)
	VS.

Date:	August 28, 2008	Location:	New Orleans, LA
Time:	7:00 p.m. CT	Stadium:	Louisiana Superdome
TV:	CST/Fox 8 WVUE	Favorite:	Saints by 1.5
Radio:	WWL 870AM/105.3FM	Over/Under:	35
Internet:	Justin.tv NFL.com's Game Center	Weather:	Praying to avoid Gustav!
SBN Coverage:	The Phinsider	Current Mood:	Shockeyrific!

Alright guys, this is it. The final game of the pre-season. The next time we do this...it's for real. So soak it up while you gain, because next weeks game against the Bucs is for keeps. This game ought to be interesting. Some of our starters won't be playing, but some of them, like Deuce and Shockey, may see some extensive time. I don't know about you, but I am scared and nervous all in one.

After the jump I have hooked you up with some audio from WWL's Sports Talk. That should make up for my lack of a game preview.

See you tomorrow with my recap.

Talking with Miami Dolphin play-by-play guy, Jimmy Cefalo.

Saints and Dolphins Part 1

SportsTalk - 6:00-Saints-Part 1

Saints and Dolphins Part 2

SportsTalk - 6:30-Saints-Part 2

Poll

Canal Street Chronicles: Front Page Posts

Joey Harrington, a Saint?

Joey Harrington, a Saint?

"They have to find out through maybe not meeting expectations," Brees says. "I can say that this...

New Orleans Starts Season with Huge Win

Do you think the game this Sunday will be played in the Superdome?

Los Angeles Saints

Los Angeles Saints

Mickey Loomis Monday press conference

Mickey Loomis Monday press conference

CSC Pick'em Pool Party!!

"All this weather situation is out of our control. We're just making sure that we could do what's...

Saints Sign Six to Practice Squad

Saints Sign Six to Practice Squad

Evacuating Gustav: Breaking It Down

CSC and Saints Evacuate

Saints Make Final Roster Cuts

Are you surprised by any of these cuts?

Welcome Your New Falcoholic Overlord

Dolphins @ Saints: Who Dat Say!?

What do you think about this weekly post?

In the NFC, Saints head coach Sean Payton put it to me best during an early August stop at New...

Saints Make Some Roster Moves

How do you feel about these cuts?

Dolphins @ Saints: The View from Section 108

How do you feel about this game?

"In the event that Hurricane Gustav forces us to evacuate, the team will temporarily relocate to...

Dolphins @ Saints: Open Game Thread

Do you think the defense will show up again tonight?