saintswhodi

Haslett backs off post-game tone
10/17/2005, 7:09 p.m. CT
The Associated Press

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — New Orleans coach Jim Haslett said Monday he went too far in his post-game comments after a penalty gave the Atlanta Falcons a second chance to win Sunday's game with a last-second field goal.

Haslett, who used the same expletive four times to describe the official's call of a defensive-holding penalty that allowed the Falcons to kick a 36-yard field goal on the last play of Atlanta's 34-31 victory, said Monday he has not been told by the NFL that he will be fined. That announcement could come Wednesday.

He backed off from the tone of his post-game rant Monday.

"I said some things in the heat of battle that I probably shouldn't have said," he said.

"I don't want to get into (officials') calls," Haslett said. "For the most part, NFL officials do a great job. I think Bill Carollo and his staff have done a good job for the most part. I just didn't agree with the timing of the last call."

Carollo was the crew chief for Sunday's game.

On Sunday, Haslett singled out side judge James Coleman for making the call. Atlanta kicker Todd Peterson missed a 41-yard field goal with two seconds remaining, but he got another shot five yards closer when the Saints' Tony Bryant was flagged for holding in an attempt to allow teammate Jason Craft to "shoot the gap" and block the kick. Craft didn't get to the ball.

Haslett compared the situation with an NBA player's drive down the lane for a try at a game-winning shot, contending that most referees wouldn't call a foul.

Haslett and his staff showed the game film to the players Monday, as is routine. Haslett said he'd stand by any of their comments about the officiating, which also included an offensive pass interference call against Az-Zahir Hakim that nullified a touchdown.

Offensive tackle Wayne Gandy and tight end Ernie Conwell contend the flag on the defensive holding call wasn't thrown until after the Saints celebrated the missed field goal.

"(The official) is looking and then he sees guys celebrating that it's a missed field goal and then the flag comes," Conwell said. "It's tough to watch that from the standpoint that as hard as we fought, as many good things that happened, and have it come down to a couple of calls. I know officials aren't perfect and they make mistakes like anyone else, but it's tough to swallow."

Conwell later said he wasn't blaming the officials. Like Haslett, he said the Saints should blame themselves for committing three turnovers or other mistakes that directly led to three Atlanta touchdowns.

Running back Antowain Smith fumbled and Falcons cornerback Deangelo Hall returned it 66 yards for a touchdown. Kevin Houser's high snap on a 47-yard field-goal try led to a blocked kick that was returned 59 yards for a score by Demorrio Williams on the final play of the first half. And two plays after quarterback Aaron Brooks was intercepted by Keith Brooking, the Falcons went ahead by a touchdown when Warrick Dunn scored on a running play in the fourth quarter.

The Saints outgained Atlanta 456 yards to 266 and picked up 11 more first downs. But the turnovers contribute to New Orleans being last in the NFL in take-away/give-away differential at -11, which is three turnovers worse than the next closest team.

"This was probably one of our better-played games," Haslett said. "But when you turn the ball over three times that lead directly to 21 points, those are the things that kill you. Those things are hard to overcome."
And that doesn't mention another penalty before the game-winning field goal. On the play prior to the New Orleans defensive-holding penalty, the ball was moved five yards closer because the Saints had 12 players on the field.

Defensive line coach John Pease approached the media Monday and took responsibility for the penalty.

Notes@: After missing two games because of a pulled hamstring muscle, receiver Joe Horn pulled himself out of the game Sunday in the first quarter because he said he was not effective and not comfortable with the injury. ... Dwight Smith, a starting safety signed as a free agent from Tampa Bay during the offseason, sprained a medial collateral ligament in a knee and will be questionable this week against St. Louis according to Haslett. ... The Saints are on a pace to commit 157 penalties, which would break the franchise record of 129 set last year.

http://www.nola.com/newsflash/louisi...list=louisiana

Wonder where I heard that before............................................................

BoudinSandwich

As much as I like Haslett, maybe they should bring someone else in if he continues to fall short of fixing the penalty and turnover problems. I would fine the bajeebus out of anyone who committed an unforced error (both penalties and turnovers.) I guarantee you that these guys would play cleaner football. If not, the depth of their pockets would represent how well they play. You may not be able to take money out of a contract, but you can fine them.

It makes perfect sense to me. If you can't do your job totally correctly, you don't deserve all of the money.

Season Ticket Holder Since 2005

saintswhodi

I agree 100%. In our two wins, we had oen turnover. In our 4 losses, 18 freaking turnovers. That's absolutely freaking ridiculous. Every team in the NFL except Cincy would have a negative turnover ratio if they had the amount of turnovers we did. That's pathetic. And there seems to be no punishment for it. There needs to be a more aggressive approach to cleaning up turnovers.

BoudinSandwich

Its not that Haslet is too dumb to notice the problem. He just can't fix it. I really think they should try fining the players. Maybe they'll shape up and stop trying to cheat. Maybe there wouldn't be any sloppy play.

Afterall, if play does not improve, these guys lose a rediculous amount of money. I think thats what they deserve. It should be a lesson to them. If they can't play right, they don't deserve to make money in this league. If you're going to suck, your pay will suck. You might as well go put an application in at Sonic.

Tobias-Reiper

2 comments:

... now a press conference is "the heat of battle"... hmmm... Jimbo, have some cojones ... don't start apologizing on Monday to lessen the fine on Wednesday... stand by your words and put your wallet where your mouth is; you make enough...

... as much as I hate it, the call at the end was legit... Conwell says that the ref threw the flag after he saw the Saints players celebrating, which insinuates that the ref threw the flag because he wanted to take the joy out of the occasion, whereas it easily could've been a case where the ref saw the penalty, and waited to see if the field goal was good or not.: it's good, everyone goes home... bad, throw the flag - of course, I'm positive 100% that the flag would not have been thrown if it weren't because of Haslett's verbal abuse and the personal insults he constantly throws at the refs.

Saint_LB

I have a litle trouble buying that theory for this reason. Being the old fart that I am, I have witnessed this Saints vs. Referees scenario for the duration of the franchise's existance. Haslett has only been here for the last six years or so. Unless all of the people that preceded him did the same thing, I cannot buy that Haslett's verbal abuse on the refs are what causes us to be penalized so much, and especially at the most inopportune times, often when the game is on the line. I've seen it over and over and over and over and over again. It is sickening. The only problem is that I don't know what is causing it. I have some theories. Is it the curse? Is it that we are in a small market and nobody would watch the Superbowl if we were in it? I don't know, but I can tell you that it has been going on since the beginning.

Tobias-Reiper

..LB, I didn't start following the Saints last year... while I have seen my share of bad calls go against the Saints, I've seen many bad calls go the Saints way. I think every fan of every team would say the refs have it against his/her team... you see a flag thrown against your team, you think the refs are wrong; you see a flag thrown against the opposing team, you assume they are right... there were at least 2 interference flags that went against the Falcons that should not have been called, and no one here is complaining about them...

As for the "historic" Saints vs. Refs scenario you mention, I would like you to consider a couple of things:

Between 1967 and 1986, the Saints didn't lose many games in the last minute, much less due to a bad call, or a call that wasn't usually called... Same would apply to the 3 years of Ditka and the last 2 years of Mora/Venturi. They lost games because they were bad, not because a bad call. Heck, even bad calls going the Saints way would not have helped them...

The amount of TV cameras utilized in games has increased since those days. Back in the day, you would see 1-2 angles on a play, and that's that. Nowadays, how many times, during a coach's challenge, have you seen 4-5 replays in super slo-mo from different angles of the same play, and, for example, say to yourself "it's NOT a fumble", just to watch the 6th super slo-mo replay from yet a different angle and say "wow, it WAS a fumble" '? So you cannot honestly say that all calls that you think were bad calls going against the Saints were truly bad calls. I tell you this, there would be no Immaculate Reception had it happened any time within the last 25 years...

.. and I will contend that no more"'inopportune" calls have been called against the Saints in all past regimes combined than in thelast 6 years during Haslett's tenure.

stockman311

[quote="Tobias-Reiper"][quote="Saint_LB"]Everyone knows that the refs have it in for certain teams. Look at the Raiders. They are the most penalized team of all time and are consistantly the most penalized team each year. Are you telling me that through all of the regime changes that not one coaching staff can teach those players how not to commit penalties? Give me a break. The league can't stand Al Davis and love stuffing him every chance they get. Look at the tuck rule game against New England for a example to this.
You can throw the Saints in the same boat with the Raiders. We consistantly get the BIG penalty thrown on us at the CRITICAL point in the game. This has been happening for 20+ plus years now. I haven't missed a Saints game for that period so I know what I am talking about. This is not accidental nor is it coicidental. These kind of calls never go against the Dallas, Pittsburgs of the worlds, but every year it is the same with us and I am just sick of it.

Tobias-Reiper

[quote="stockman311"][quote="Tobias-Reiper"]
..and I'll contend that "we" commit the BIG penalty at the CRITCAL point in the game and are flagged for it more often than the refs blow a call...

...again, you ask any fan of any team in any professional sport, and more likely than not, you'll get the same story, "the refs have it against us"...

..and the Raiders, well, that is a cultural thing, which Al Davis started much more than 20 years ago with his "Just win, baby" attitude... there is many a rule today because of the way the Raiders played the game between the mid 1960's through the 70's, maybe as late as the early 80's Not only they play(ed) dirty, but it was (is) something of a badge of honor for them to be the most penalized team in Football..

saintswhodi

Not to mention the fact Al Davis has previosuly sued the league.