New Orleans Saints Forums - blackandgold.com - NOLA.com Sean Payton makes the rounds, maintains focus for New Orleans Saints

Before New Orleans Saints Coach Sean Payton met the media Friday, a handout informed us where he would be spending part of Saturday: "Don't miss the Pep Rally led by Coach Sean Payton and Drew Brees at Champions Square.''

Ted Jackson / The Times-Picayune
New Orleans Saints Coach Sean Payton holds up the Lombardi Trophy after winning Super Bowl XLIV against the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 7 in Miami.
Imagine that.

Here was someone preparing his football team for perhaps its biggest week of the season, an NFC coach also occupied with overseeing the final cut, trimming his roster from 75 to 53, and the man was still at it.
Once again, you will be able to find Sean Payton as you found him on many days during the past six months, in the company of the Lombardi Trophy, shaking hands with as many Who Dats as time and space allow.
"I've never been to Champions Square, '' he said. "I'm anxious to see it.''
It made me think: Can you picture Bill Parcells doing the same thing, doing it at such a time?
I can't.
But then Bill Parcells is not Sean Payton.
The coach who has had the greatest impact on Payton's career is cut more from the personality mold of Bill Belichick. Color him beige.
If Parcells had found a way to coach the 2009 Saints to a Super Bowl victory, I don't think you would have seen him riding a parade float with the vigor of the born-again Who Dat who actually did the job.
To me, the best piece of advice Payton received from Parcells came at the time the Saints had lost consecutive games, but had sewed up the No. 1 seed, and were about to close out the regular season against the Carolina Panthers.
Payton wanted to rest his regulars. What about it, Bill?
"You know your team better than anyone else, '' said Parcells. "Do what you think.''
Payton did. The Panthers won. And the Saints went on to become the first team to finish the regular season 0-3 and win a Super Bowl.

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