| AsylumGuido |
01-26-2022 10:58 AM |
Re: Luke Johnson | Sean Payton steps down as Saints head coach, leaving a monumental legacy behind him
One excerpt from Trotter's article above dealt with a part of what Payton said yesterday that also stood out to me.
-------------------------------------------------------
As he met with reporters for one final time, he looked both comfortable and pained. He didn't have the visor on his head, whistle around his neck, or Saints shirt or pullover that seemed a daily staple. Instead he wore a collarless gray shirt, because, he said, his late mother once told him the color matched his eyes. Those eyes clouded during parts of his address, like when asked: Why now?
"I just felt like this season -- it was challenging for everyone -- but, man, I felt like it was time," he said. "I kind of knew heading into training camp, but you don't share that with anyone. You think, 'Let's see how the season goes.' And we're working hard and ..."
Payton paused and reached for a water bottle. He took a big gulp, then continued: "I felt the time was right for me. It's something I've been thinking about. You have close friends in the industry; I've lost a few close friends in this industry in the last two or three years. And forget football, there's a lot of other things (that are important). There's a lot of sacrifices you make. Not many get to choose their terms, and I looked at it as an opportunity to see my kids more, to travel more, to get in better shape. ... The attention to details are so important they can be exhausting, and so I felt as this season was winding down that it was the right thing. The last week and half I've gotten comfortable with that."
|
