Greg Schiano, Carl Nicks Discuss Facing Saints in Tampa Bay
 

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

What has Carl Nicks meant to your team in his first year with the team?

“Carl has been a great addition. He is a physically dominating player. He has been a great guy to have in the organization. He has been a leader on the offensive line. He has really been a positive addition.”

It looks like your offense has played at a high level the past two games. You won one game and should have won the other. Can you talk about how they have improved?

“The offense is getting better that’s for sure. ‘Should have won’ I don’t know. When you are the team that wins, you feel you should have won. I think we are getting better there. As we progress, we need to keep a balance with the running game and the passing game. I think Josh (Freeman) is becoming more comfortable with what we are asking him to do schematically. The new receivers Vincent Jackson, Tiquan Undnerwood and some of the other new guys are starting to get accustomed to what we are doing as well.”

What about your defense?

“With the exception of a half against New York and Washington, I thought we have played very well on defense but you can’t take halves out. We are looking for consistency on defense. Last week I thought the guys played very well. We need to continue doing that. It’s certainly a huge challenge now coming to play the New Orleans Saints and what they bring. It’s going to be a tremendous challenge.”

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Re: Greg Schiano, Carl Nicks Discuss Facing Saints in Tampa Bay
 

yeah... Nicks left for the cash. Loomis offered him 56 mil, but he preferred to go to Tampa Bay for 60 mil. Of course they had Grubbs in here right when the FA period started; why? Because Nicks had made no indication he was willing to sign the "very respectable offer" (as he and his agent put it) from the Saints.

Ass clown.

Re: Greg Schiano, Carl Nicks Discuss Facing Saints in Tampa Bay
 

Let nicks take the money, it's obvious that he wanted it because he's prepared to go to a mediocre team with a bust for a QB

7 seasons of below .500 records will make him realise his mistake

Re: Greg Schiano, Carl Nicks Discuss Facing Saints in Tampa Bay
 

It's all whatever drives you. He is obviously all about the $.

Re: Greg Schiano, Carl Nicks Discuss Facing Saints in Tampa Bay
 

Nicks looked out for himself. I won't blame him for that.

Re: Greg Schiano, Carl Nicks Discuss Facing Saints in Tampa Bay
 

Don't they all though?
We all would too.

Re: Greg Schiano, Carl Nicks Discuss Facing Saints in Tampa Bay
 

That's my point. Why some folks calling him an a$$ is beyond me.

Re: Greg Schiano, Carl Nicks Discuss Facing Saints in Tampa Bay
 

No issue with Nicks looking out for himself. But let him be honest and say "the Bucs had 4 mil more in salary cap and I took it", and not this crap about the Saints "letting him go" or "sending him packing" or that the Saints "didn't look at him as a premier player that could be a leader".

Re: Greg Schiano, Carl Nicks Discuss Facing Saints in Tampa Bay
 

He took the extra four million over staying with a winner. I hope that money can buy him happiness, because losing ain't much fun.

Re: Greg Schiano, Carl Nicks Discuss Facing Saints in Tampa Bay
 

I agree with this....don't make it seem like the Saints just never tried to offer you anything and told you to kick rocks....he went to the Bucs because they offered him 4-5mil more than the Saints did plain and simple. Not saying he has to praise the Saints or allude to that... just don't S*** on the Saints to the media because YOU decided to take the highest bidder.


But thats the gift & the curse with the Saints....you turn them into superstars, or in Reggie's case a perceived one, and they lose respect for the team that made them because of their inflated ego. Reggie wanted to get paid like a RB that was better than he really was. We couldn't do it based off of his production in the system. You trade him to somewhere he can shine and get paid....then he goes to the media first chance he can get and S***s on the Saints..

Carl Nicks wants to be paid more than Evans....Saints can't give him every penny in their bank account because 1. the other guy next to you is already breaking the bank. 2. The guy your protecting, the bread & butter of the team, HAS to get paid first. We want him tho, try to make him a good fair offer. He scoffs and runs to the highest bidder. Soon as the media asks why he came to a division rival....he S***s on the Saints instead of acknowledging the fact that we did try to keep him and made him an offer any OG except himself would take.

It doesn't happen all the time with the Saints because most of these guys we've made high caliber players, especially from the lower rounds, really do appreciate playing with this team. (i.e. Marques Colston, PT, Lance Moore) Its not all about money with most of these guys. Which is nice....but sometimes you get the guys that get that big head mentality....it is what it is I guess.

Re: Greg Schiano, Carl Nicks Discuss Facing Saints in Tampa Bay
 

Before I read this, I really missed Carl.

I am 100% for him looking out for his best interest, but don't make the Saints look like the bad guys and make it seem like they offered you peanuts. That's B.S. in my book.

Re: Greg Schiano, Carl Nicks Discuss Facing Saints in Tampa Bay
 

I love me some Carl Nicks in a Saints uniform, I never get tired of watching him blow defenders up in slow motion in his highlights... but people tend to forget that he got benched in preseason in 2010 for an attitude problem, he got in a huge fight/tantrum with the coaches during the Rams game in 2011, and he was basically never the same for the team, attitude-wise, after Evans got his deal.

So this was no surprise to me when all this went down, the way it did. Go with Grubbs, for a LOT cheaper, and save that money for people who really do want be here instead of grumbling. Plus the Grubbs deal happened so darn fast after Nicks left (they had Grubbs in Loomis' office in the facility, roughly 24 hours later) that it makes me think it was premeditated, it wasn't unexpected, that they knew this was coming.

Nicks is trying to rationalize his decision, in his own head, so like the fox and the grapes, he needs to make it seem like it was a good decision, so that he can continue to sleep at night with his 4-5 extra million. So of course, that means putting down the Saints.

Re: Greg Schiano, Carl Nicks Discuss Facing Saints in Tampa Bay
 

Wouldn't the Saints offer have made him one of the highest paid OG's in the entire NFL?

Great OG, but truly a moron.

Re: Greg Schiano, Carl Nicks Discuss Facing Saints in Tampa Bay
 

It's an easier business decision than some of us give credit for. Four million dollars........how long would it take to spend four million dollars if you were handing out $100 bills as fast as you could?
That's alot of money. I don't see where it would be an easy decision to leave your Superbowl winning franchise.......however, I'd take the money and run.

Re: Greg Schiano, Carl Nicks Discuss Facing Saints in Tampa Bay
 

But thats the thing tho...I don't think anyone is saying he shouldn't have taken the money....just be a man about it and say it. Dont make it seem like the Saints didn't give a S*** about you.

Re: Greg Schiano, Carl Nicks Discuss Facing Saints in Tampa Bay
 

After watching the 30 for 30 show about Pro athletes and their money; my eyes were opened a little. The way those guys pi$$ money away is just crazy.

(I fully expect some backlash for watching an ESPN show. But those 30 for 30 shows are pretty good.)

Re: Greg Schiano, Carl Nicks Discuss Facing Saints in Tampa Bay
 

I like some of those shows

Especially the one about Marcus Dupree, he could have been the best RB ever but burned out really young

And ofcourse the Matt Hoffman one because he pushed his already frail body to the limits everyday

Re: Greg Schiano, Carl Nicks Discuss Facing Saints in Tampa Bay
 

When you're deciding between 56 million, and 60 million, that 4 million isn't nearly as much money as you think.

He left for a measley 7% increase in salary, then wants to say that we sent him packing?

Re: Greg Schiano, Carl Nicks Discuss Facing Saints in Tampa Bay
 

I would not go so far as to call Freeman a bust. And they have pretty much given us hell for the past couple of years.

Re: Greg Schiano, Carl Nicks Discuss Facing Saints in Tampa Bay
 

Grubbs is the better player at this point this year anyway.

Re: Greg Schiano, Carl Nicks Discuss Facing Saints in Tampa Bay
 

????

They give us hell IN MEANINGLESS GAMES. When the games count, or when the teams are lined up on the field at equal strength, we pretty much kinda own them.

L 20–26 @ Tampa WITH Sean Payton freakishly injured mid-game, still was a close game
W 27–16 @ home, we defeated the Bucs handily

W 31–6 @ Tampa BLOWOUT
L 13-23 @ home, meaningless, Drew pulled from the game a bit after halftime

W 38–7 @ Tampa, ridiculous beatdown
L 20–17 (OT) remember this was the game where Payton closed the playbook and the whole 2nd half we did nothing but hand off to Lynell Hamilton. Wound up being a meaningless game.

Re: Greg Schiano, Carl Nicks Discuss Facing Saints in Tampa Bay
 

Its amazing how everyone seesm to know how exactly the front office handled Carl Nicks.
Yeah he left for 4 millions dollars more and that bad?
Wasn't Drew offered a few contracts that he turned down? Missed all of training camp too? Who knows had he shown up on time the offense might have been better the 1st 4 games.

Don't hate on Nicks, he doen wahtw as asked while he was paid. Can't fault a guy for that

Re: Greg Schiano, Carl Nicks Discuss Facing Saints in Tampa Bay
 

I guess I'll copy and paste from my previous post:
No issue with Nicks looking out for himself. But let him be honest and say "the Bucs had 4 mil more in salary cap and I took it", and not this crap about the Saints "letting him go" or "sending him packing" or that the Saints "didn't look at him as a premier player that could be a leader".

How he was handled? He was offered $56 mil, highest contract for a guard at the time, I beleive. That's how he was handled. He left for TB because they had enough cap room to offer him $60 mil.

You want to chase the money, fine. Be honest and say so. Not this crap about "letting you go" or "sending you packing" or "not thinking you were good enough."

Re: Greg Schiano, Carl Nicks Discuss Facing Saints in Tampa Bay
 

That was the first 30 for 30 show that I watched. It was awesome. He really was a man amongst boys. It's a shame to see "the next big thing" turn into "what could have been". Now I have every episode that Netflix has to offer on my instant queue.

Re: Greg Schiano, Carl Nicks Discuss Facing Saints in Tampa Bay
 

Exactly. THATS what evryone is pissed about. I don't blame him for chasing a few extra bucks, but don't piss on my leg and tell me its just raining.

Re: Greg Schiano, Carl Nicks Discuss Facing Saints in Tampa Bay
 

That interview didn't really do him any favors, and I did lose some respect I have/had for him because of some of his answers, but regardless - I do think he is a great guard and I hope he finds success in his future career.

Anyway, I'm glad the Saints have Evans, because if it came down to choosing one of the two, I'd choose Evans over Nicks every time. And that decision is more based on the mental side, since Nicks had some clear problems with authority as was evidenced by the verbal fight he had with Kromer on the sideline last season.

I think Grubbs has been a good replacement for Nicks, the lack of running game isn't his fault and the pressure on Brees hasn't been coming from the interior of the O-line... and they saved some money by signing him.

:bng:

Re: Greg Schiano, Carl Nicks Discuss Facing Saints in Tampa Bay
 

And Grubbs graded out as the best LG in the NFL (2 weeks ago) according to PFF, and Nicks was 15th. I think Evans was 8th.

Added, from a few weeks ago...

Re: Greg Schiano, Carl Nicks Discuss Facing Saints in Tampa Bay
 

Thanks for that info!

The Saints' tackles are a liability, but that won't change until next offseason when Bushrod probably leaves or takes a big pay-cut in the next contract, and Strief shouldn't be a starter to begin with, so I can't be too harsh on him.

I'm still hoping that Marcel Jones could be coached/groomed into a good RT, since the scouting reports on him do indicate that he has the physical requirements to be a good RT if he just improves on the technical side.