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Coach knows time may be up

TAMPA, FLA. -- To the end they fought, even when there was nothing left to fight for, even when there was nothing left to gain by fighting.

Not always wisely or effectively or consistently, but the Saints kept putting up their gloves and exchanging blows all the way to the conclusion, a 27-13 loss to Tampa Bay on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium. And as trite and meaningless as that might sound, it undoubtedly is a fact that they can inscribe onto the headstone for the 2005 season, one of the few things for which they can be proud.

But that, alone, isn't enough.

Not in the NFL, where the bottom line counts for most, if not all. And not for Coach Jim Haslett, who sounded like a man who knew he'd led the Saints out for the final time.

"I'm ready for whatever happens," he said. "Whatever happens, I'm fine with."

That kind of inner peace should serve him well because, indeed, it's time for the Saints to make the hard decision, to sever ties a year early with the only head coach in franchise history with a playoff victory on his rÃƒÆ’Ã‚Æ’Ãƒâ€*Ã‚â€™ÃƒÆ’Ã‚â€šÃƒâ€šÃ‚Â©sumÃƒÆ’Ã‚Æ’Ãƒâ€*Ã‚â€™ÃƒÆ’Ã‚â€šÃƒâ€šÃ‚Â©.

It's not a simple, easy deal, because for all the things that can be said of Haslett, the belief here still is that whatever his shortcomings may be, he's an effective coach. No NFL coach ever has been asked to preside over a season like the one Haslett finished Sunday.

None ever has been handed such a script -- relocating on the eve of the season, playing more road games than home games, not having a solid home base even in the city where home was supposed to be based -- and edited it into an award winner.

But that doesn't mean he should get another crack at it in New Orleans, and not just because the finale against Tampa Bay gave the Saints a 3-13 record, their worst in his six seasons.

Because, too, it's the fifth consecutive non-playoff season, and that's a streak that can't be allowed to slide to six without some obvious attempt to grasp it. Because eventually, there has to be an accountability beyond accepting blame and saying, and maybe even believing, the team is brushing cheeks with a playoff berth when, to the untrained eye, there appears to be enough clearance to park a fleet of space shuttles, nose to tail, between the two.

Because there has to be more control exercised over peripheral things, like the childish whining of players over the lack of a visit from the commissioner and over the quality of life upon their return to a city that few, if any, of them actually reside in.

"I don't know," was Haslett's answer to the question of what he thought would happen. "I really don't know. One thing you learn, the only thing that's for certain in life is you're gonna die and you're gonna go to hell or heaven."

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