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Payton revives city, Saints on way to Coach of the Year
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| Payton revives city, Saints on way to Coach of the Year
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| KingOfAllWhites |
Sean Payton might have had the toughest coaching job in football this season, making his selection Saturday as The Associated Press NFL Coach of the Year that much more impressive.
Payton, in his first year as a head coach, didn't just lead the New Orleans Saints to a 10-6 record, the NFC South championship and a first-round playoff bye. He helped revitalize a battered city's spirit.
With New Orleans ravaged by Hurricane Katrina in late August 2005, the Saints became nomads that year, winding up 3-13 under Jim Haslett. Payton, an assistant coach in Dallas, was hired to revive one of the NFL's historically unsuccessful franchises.
Payton and his team gave the city -- indeed, the entire Gulf Coast -- something it desperately needed: a reason to smile.
And hopes for the Saints' first Super Bowl appearance.
"It's just been the right mix of guys who believe in each other," said Payton, who ran away in the balloting by a nationwide panel of 50 sports writers and broadcasters who cover the NFL. "Players putting the team ahead of everything else. I think that's the biggest thing that we've been able to do to date. That's what's most important. That's what we were looking for in the offseason: character, toughness, those are things you win with."
Payton received 44 votes in a season when there were a half-dozen outstanding coaching performances. Eric Mangini of the New York Jets, another first-year head coach, got three votes, while San Diego's Marty Schottenheimer, the 2004 winner, received two. Jeff Fisher of Tennessee got one.
Payton became the third Saints coach to win the award, joining Haslett (2000) and Jim Mora (1987). Last year's winner was Chicago's Lovie Smith.
No coach ever was faced with rebuilding a roster while his community was recovering from such devastation. Football might seem trivial under such circumstances, but Payton and his players understood how uplifting their success could be to those struggling to put together their lives again.
"It was a new coach. He wanted to put his foot on the ground and establish that this was a new beginning," veteran wide receiver Joe Horn said. "In our profession, football, you don't start a new beginning by coming in and making it easy. It has to be hard.
"Fortunately for us we won football games. It worked out well."
So well that the Saints had their best regular season thanks to a potent offense and strong special teams.
Give Payton credit for those units, too. He signed free agent quarterback Drew Brees even though Brees was coming off delicate surgery on his throwing shoulder. Brees responded with a Pro Bowl season.
Payton lucked out when Reggie Bush was bypassed at the top of the draft by Houston, and Bush was a dynamic rookie as a runner, receiver and punt returner.
Even more dynamic was seventh-round pick Marques Colston, a receiver from Hofstra who had a questionable work ethic and concentration lapses in college. Under Payton's guidance, Colston became an elite rookie.
Payton wisely alternated running back Deuce McAllister, coming off a serious knee injury, with Bush, and McAllister finished with 1,057 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns.
"We have a great head coach in Sean Payton, and his system," Brees said. "I think we all believe in it, and I think it suits us all very well. I think we take a lot of pride in it."
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press |
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| Pussah2 |
I agree he deserves it but so does Mangini. Payton winning in a blowout is a joke.
Do the Jets have Drew brees, a Reggie Bush or a Joe Horn. The answer is absolutely no.
Also they finished with the same record. The NFC sucks that is why the saints have the second seed |
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| KingOfAllWhites |
| The Jets had a joke schedule. |
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| A.Lang=Crazy |
Quote: Originally posted by KingOfAllWhites
The Jets had a joke schedule. |
Exactly who did they play this year. The only winning team they beat was the Patriots and they got lucky. The Jets season ends tomorrow. Payton deserves it with the problems New Orleans has had and I think he did a better job coaching. |
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| Pussah2 |
Quote: Originally posted by KingOfAllWhites
The Jets had a joke schedule. |
they beat the teams they were supposed to. |
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| mjbags |
| You can't blame a team for it's scedule. How about Andy Reid? He lost his best QB and won his conference. I'm not a Eagles fan but that's pretty good. Everyone thought Jeff Garcia was done. |
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| Il Gatto |
| Saints played a pretty tough schedule too. Payton deserves it by far over Mangini. |
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| tommyp |
Quote: Originally posted by Pussah2
they beat the teams they were supposed to. |
Except maybe Cleveland and Buffalo at home. |
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| Pussah2 |
Quote: Originally posted by Il Gatto
Saints played a pretty tough schedule too. Payton deserves it by far over Mangini. |
Philly and Dallas were their only big wins this year. I did not say he did not deserve it, it should have been much closer.
1 Sun, Sep 10 at Cleveland W 19-14
2 Sun, Sep 17 at Green Bay W 34-27
3 Mon, Sep 25 Atlanta W 23-3 5
4 Sun, Oct 1 at Carolina L 18-21
5 Sun, Oct 8 Tampa Bay W 24-21
6 Sun, Oct 15 Philadelphia W 27-24
7 BYE WEEK
8 Sun, Oct 29 Baltimore L 22-35
9 Sun, Nov 5 at Tampa Bay W 31-14 -
10 Sun, Nov 12 at Pittsburgh L 31-38
11 Sun, Nov 19 Cincinnati L 16-31
12 Sun, Nov 26 at Atlanta W 31-13
13 Sun, Dec 3 San Francisco W 34-10
14 Sun, Dec 10 at Dallas W 42-17
15 Sun, Dec 17 Washington L 10-16
16 Sun, Dec 24 at NY Giants W 30-7
17 Sun, Dec 31 Carolina L 21-31 |
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| Pussah2 |
Bottomline is this
Saints finished with the same record with far superior talent in a much worse conference. And the Jets lost Curtis martin right before the year started and they only have one player at the pro bowl (special teams)
Who would you rather have:
Drew brees, Reggie Bush, Deuce Mccallister, Joe Horn
or
Chad Pennington, Leon Washington, Kevin barlow and Laverneaus Coles |
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| KingOfAllWhites |
Bottom line is the Jets played the most cupcake schedule in the league and suffered zero injuries.
Saints played a much tougher schedule, had to deal with injuries and still got a first round bye.
The right decision was made, no doubt.
I also think Mangini getting 3 votes is right on target, I mean he did finish in 2nd place not 5th. |
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| Pussah2 |
Quote: Originally posted by KingOfAllWhites
I also think Mangini getting 3 votes is right on target, I mean he did finish in 2nd place not 5th. |
this is the only thing that is bullshit. The jets were expected at best to finish 4-12. They were worse than the cupcakes you said they played. I actually think they played similar schedules as everyone in the nfc is overrated or sucks. I said Payton deserves it but so does Mangini. I have no problem with payton winning it but 44-3 is a fucking joke.
Do you agree that the Saints have far superior talent? Isn't it the coaches job to bring the talent out on inferior players.
Sun, Sep 10 at Tennessee W 23-16
2 Sun, Sep 17 New England L 17-24
3 Sun, Sep 24 at Buffalo W 28-20
4 Sun, Oct 1 Indianapolis L 28-31
5 Sun, Oct 8 at Jacksonville L 0-41
6 Sun, Oct 15 Miami W 20-17
7 Sun, Oct 22 Detroit W 31-24
8 Sun, Oct 29 at Cleveland L 13-20
9 BYE WEEK
10 Sun, Nov 12 at New England W 17-14
11 Sun, Nov 19 Chicago L 0-10
12 Sun, Nov 26 Houston W 26-11
13 Sun, Dec 3 at Green Bay W 38-10
14 Sun, Dec 10 Buffalo L 13-31
15 Sun, Dec 17 at Minnesota W 26-13
16 Mon, Dec 25 at Miami W 13-10
17 Sun, Dec 31 Oakland W 23-3 |
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| KingOfAllWhites |
Quote: Originally posted by Pussah2
this is the only thing that is bullshit. The jets were expected at best to finish 4-12. They were worse than the cupcakes you said they played. I actually think they played similar schedules as everyone in the nfc is overrated or sucks. I said Payton deserves it but so does Mangini. I have no problem with payton winning it but 44-3 is a fucking joke.
Do you agree that the Saints have far superior talent? Isn't it the coaches job to bring the talent out on inferior players.
Sun, Sep 10 at Tennessee W 23-16
2 Sun, Sep 17 New England L 17-24
3 Sun, Sep 24 at Buffalo W 28-20
4 Sun, Oct 1 Indianapolis L 28-31
5 Sun, Oct 8 at Jacksonville L 0-41
6 Sun, Oct 15 Miami W 20-17
7 Sun, Oct 22 Detroit W 31-24
8 Sun, Oct 29 at Cleveland L 13-20
9 BYE WEEK
10 Sun, Nov 12 at New England W 17-14
11 Sun, Nov 19 Chicago L 0-10
12 Sun, Nov 26 Houston W 26-11
13 Sun, Dec 3 at Green Bay W 38-10
14 Sun, Dec 10 Buffalo L 13-31
15 Sun, Dec 17 at Minnesota W 26-13
16 Mon, Dec 25 at Miami W 13-10
17 Sun, Dec 31 Oakland W 23-3 |
Before the season started I would say the Saints did not have SUPERIOR talent over the Jets.
How about that Jets Defense that is talked about as second to none. Between Vilma and Robertson and all these other guys people definately had some expectations.
I wont even bring up the NO defense because most people before the season started probabaly could not name 1 of their starters.
Nobody thought that Brees would have the type of season he did and their best WR was injured pretty much the whole season. Nobody expected guys like Colston and Henderson to step up the way they did.
Anybody who predicted the Jets to go 4-12 doesnt know shit about football. With all the parody in the league it takes alot to go 4-12. If the Jets had lost Coles the way the Saints lost Horn, the Jets would have shit the bed, big time.
And then look at the schedule and the Payton deserves it.
I thought the vote was right on, but to each their own. :D |
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| Il Gatto |
Quote: Originally posted by Pussah2
Bottomline is this
Saints finished with the same record with far superior talent in a much worse conference. And the Jets lost Curtis martin right before the year started and they only have one player at the pro bowl (special teams)
Who would you rather have:
Drew brees, Reggie Bush, Deuce Mccallister, Joe Horn
or
Chad Pennington, Leon Washington, Kevin barlow and Laverneaus Coles |
Brees was supposedly washed up and Payton convinced him to sign in N.O., Reggie Bush fell in their lap because the Texans are idiots, MacAllister was coming of his second knee surgery(rebuilt this time), and Joe Horn has been on the sidelines for the last third or more of the season.
Let's not forget who picked Colston from Hofstra almost last in the draft, put together a linebacking corps in training camp, partially by trading Stallworth away(who many thought was a mistake). The Saints didn't have shit at the end of last season, except for Horn.
Someone brought all these players together and coached them to 10-6 against a tough schedule. So you don't give credit for off season acquisitions to Payton either? C'mon, pull your homer self away and realize what Payton did was far superior to Mangini, who played against relatively weak competition. |
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| Il Gatto |
Quote: Originally posted by KingOfAllWhites
Before the season started I would say the Saints did not have SUPERIOR talent over the Jets.
How about that Jets Defense that is talked about as second to none. Between Vilma and Robertson and all these other guys people definately had some expectations.
I wont even bring up the NO defense because most people before the season started probabaly could not name 1 of their starters.
Nobody thought that Brees would have the type of season he did and their best WR was injured pretty much the whole season. Nobody expected guys like Colston and Henderson to step up the way they did.
Anybody who predicted the Jets to go 4-12 doesnt know shit about football. With all the parody in the league it takes alot to go 4-12. If the Jets had lost Coles the way the Saints lost Horn, the Jets would have shit the bed, big time.
And then look at the schedule and the Payton deserves it.
I thought the vote was right on, but to each their own. :D |
Well if I'd have read that, I could have just said I agree. :D |
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