joe horn on board

[spkb25]

thought he was candid

'I think we can have a Super Bowl team' Seventh-year Saints receiver is on board with the coaches' no-nonsense approach
Saturday, June 10, 2006

Joe Horn is heading into his seventh season in New Orleans, but his first without Coach Jim Haslett and quarterback Aaron Brooks.
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The four-time Pro Bowl receiver sat down with Times-Picayune beat writer Mike Triplett this week to offer his perspective on all the changes taking place with the Saints, from his new coaches and teammates to their return to the Superdome after a difficult 2005 season.

This has been the first real makeover you've gone through here. Do you like what's happened this offseason?

Yeah, I think it's good. I think it's great. Change is good sometimes. And obviously a change was needed for the Saints. So that's what happened, and I'm looking forward to it.

Do you think the team has made good decisions with the coach, the quarterback and the draft?

We'll see. We'll see.

Do you like Sean Payton and everything he has brought to the team so far?

Oh yeah, I like him. I respect him, and I like what he brings to the table so far. And I think we can win, with the path that we're on right now, with the things that are happening right now. I think that's some of the winning formula that every NFL team needs.

Do you think the zero-tolerance policy, difficult practices, are those the kind of things this team needed? Or can that be a difficult way to get the team on board with you?

It depends on who you're dealing with. It depends on what different athletes you're dealing with. And I'm sure Coach Payton doesn't know everybody personally and know their backgrounds. But it's a system that you have to either buy into or get out. So I'm sure Coach Payton is doing the best he can to find out who those people are.

What about you? You're a veteran who's had success, who's been around and seen it all before. Are you buying in?

Well, I think I had a choice to either tell him when I sat down with him that I wouldn't want to deal with the hard practices or whatever you want to call it, or just go ahead and find a way to get rid of me. And to be honest with you, to tell you the honest-to-God truth, I sat at home before I met with Coach Payton and thought about it. Should I go in his office and just say, 'Look, coach. You're a new coach. I'm pretty sure I know what you're going to come in here with. I've been through it before with three, four head coaches. And I'm at the latter part of my career. I know I've got about two or three years left. And go ahead if you guys can get rid of me to let me go somewhere where I can help a team win, because right now I don't want to get in your way of what you're trying to do.' I had to contemplate that, and I had to say, 'Joe, you know what you can do. This might even help elevate your game, this change.'

And I decided to just buy into it and do it. Whatever he has to do, I have to respect the man. I can't come in and blame him because he's the new coach and he has a way to do his system, and because I'm Joe Horn and I've been in the league for 10, 11 years. It can't all be for me. So I'm cool with it. I just want to win. And I'm sure that's all he wants to do.

Have there been any negatives or difficult adjustments for the players with an all-new coaching staff?

Well, everything is new. Some of the players that were here are gone, so there's new faces. Different coaches, different players. So I don't even know if they have that stage to say if they don't like what's going on. Like our receiver coach, Coach Johnson, the way he talks and the way he trains the players is no-nonsense. He yells, he fusses at them, and he does it to me, too. It's funny to me. But you know what, whatever. That's the attitude I've taken. Do what you have to do to be the best coach you can be. I'm going to do what I have to do to be the best receiver I can be. And hopefully on Sunday that will all come together and get us to Miami. That's what we're all here together to do, and I've bought into that system.

What are the most positive changes that have been made, whether it's the system or the personnel or just an attitude?

Well, something positive for me, I like the offensive scheme. Coach Payton has brought in different angles to this offense. He's kind of juiced up his own little thing. And I just think change is good. I like change. I'm not discrediting our offensive coordinators of the past. They've gone on. I'm sure they'll do well in life. And I'm glad I went through what I went through with them. But I felt like sometimes I was underachieving as far as my abilities. I don't feel like all my abilities were brought out. And I feel like this offense is giving me the opportunity to say, 'Hey, here it is.' There are some things out there that I'm doing that I haven't done in the past five years here. There's verbiage, and there's things that I'm asked to do that I didn't do in the past. And in doing that, it's a challenge and it's great.

In my heart and in my mind, I feel like I'm having the best year I've had since I've been in New Orleans. That's just the way I feel. And the way the system is going and the way we're practicing and the way the players are being put in, it looks like it's going to happen that way. But it may not.

Do the additions of Drew Brees and Reggie Bush help you?

Of course they will. Because Drew Brees is a phenomenal quarterback. He's a great leader, and his past speaks for itself. Reggie Bush is a new, bright talent that has ungodly ability. And he has an opportunity to make everybody around him great. So Reggie's great, Drew's great, Joe Horn's going to be great. If Joe does what he has to do, Reggie's going to look good. So it works hand in hand. If everybody does what they're supposed to do and does it the right way and keeps a mental disoriented attitude away from here and from the football field, I think the Saints can win a lot of games. I'm talking I think we can have a Super Bowl team.

So many people have called Drew and Reggie the new faces of the Saints. That's been your role for a long time here.

You know what, here's the deal with that. I'm not a player hater, number one. I love Drew, I love Baby Matrix. They deserve it. And you know the guy is coming out of college, he should have been the first pick, he should get the attention. And Drew deserves it, too. He's worked his ass off for his new contract. He's proven to the world what he can do. So coming to the Saints, that's great. I'm going to feel good getting off the bus knowing Reggie Bush is going to get off and everybody can hold him up for an hour. I'm going to wait for Drew and Reggie to get off the bus, and when they get off, I'm going to run to my room.

I love my fans, they know how much I care about them. But we're all in this together, man. Because I know ultimately I'm going to need Drew Brees to win games. Reggie Bush is going to need Joe Horn to win games. Drew Brees is going to need Reggie Bush and Deuce McAllister to win games. You feel me? I don't care what your status is. There's a lot of player haters in the game, but I'm cool with it.

What about the media? Are you going to let them do all the talking, or will you still be easy to find?

You know, I might sit back and let them get their shine on. That's one thing about Joe, man. It may seem like the way I play on TV and the things that I do that I like a lot of attention. Dancing, pulling the cell phone out, that Joe loves attention. But I don't go out much. I go to the golf course, man, then I go home. But the way I play makes people think I'm like an outgoing type, out in the club. So I don't have to get in front of the camera and do the interviews. If the media wants to go to Drew's locker, to Reggie's locker, that's cool with me. And if they want to talk, that's cool, too. I'm going to keep it real and try to be honest as I can without getting fined.

Does it feel good to be past the hamstring injuries from last year?

Yeah, without a doubt man. You get so many people saying, 'Joe's getting older now. He's losing a step or two because of his hamstrings.' Guys 19, 20 years old pull their hamstrings. So it hampered me, it hampered my season. I've never had a hamstring pull, and when it happened I used to cry in the locker room before the games because I couldn't play. Last year was probably the first time I missed a game, or missed two or three games since I've been here. So it was unreal, man, having to go through all we went through and trying to nurse a hamstring injury. But I'm cool now. I haven't missed a practice, still running, still catching balls. It's refreshing.

Would you have expected when things were at their ugliest last year that the fan base would get so re-energized this quickly?

I knew it. I knew that they would. They were just hungry for us to come back and give them something that they've been having here since the Saints were in Tulane Stadium. So, oh yeah, I knew they would be excited, and I knew they would support us like they always have once we returned.

You were one of the most vocal supporters for returning to New Orleans. What has it meant for you personally to be back?

Well, as far as the fans are concerned, I've always had love for the fans. As far as the rebuilding process, there's a lot that has to be rebuilt. And it's ugly in some places, and it's getting beautiful in some places. But as far as the fans, I was always looking forward to coming back, and it's always been good for me. However, the place that we were, San Antonio, is a beautiful place, also, that maybe if we would have started there, I'd have liked to stay there. But like I always said, just the way we left here wouldn't have stayed in my heart right through my retirement if we would have left like that.

Are you expecting a level of excitement in the Superdome that maybe hasn't been there in a few years?

Man, let me tell you, on Sept. 25, there will be laughter, there will be tears. I'm quite sure I'll get choked up. And the game will be nationwide, so everyone can get to see how much better New Orleans is doing that night. So it will be exciting for a lot of people.

http://www.nola.com/saints/t-p/index...480.xml&coll=1

[wheelman]

Joe always has something to say, and I always tune him out. STFU and put your money where your mouth is.

[saintswhodi]

Originally Posted by wheelman

Joe always has something to say, and I always tune him out. STFU and put your money where your mouth is.

WTF?!?!? If ever a statement was out of place. What did he say wrong? And when has JOE not proven it on the field? Any other players on our team have 4 pro bowls out the last 6 years? That's a short list, one.

[spkb25]

yeah i agree whodi. i thought he said he was doing whatever he had to to make the team better. i don't get the negative comment either

[LSUJeremy]

I love Joe's attitude. He might talk, but his talk is ALWAYS about the team being better, and he's always being positive about his teammates.

Those that want to compare him to an Owens or other prima donna couldn't be more wrong.

The guy's an asset to the team and the city.

[LongTimeFan]

Some people are always negative no matter what...
Myself I like Joe and, spkb , I can wait for the first game myself..

[AllSaints]

Originally Posted by wheelman

Joe always has something to say, and I always tune him out. STFU and put your money where your mouth is.

Are you kidding me you need to STFU!!!!

Besides that insane comment I loved when he called Reggie Bush "Baby Matrix" ! thats awesome name !

[D_it_up]

Wow! I don't even know if you were reading the same article, wheelman. It seemed pretty on-the-level. I'm glad he's on the same page with the new coaching staff. I don't know if he'll ever be what he has been for the team in the past physically, but I pray that he proves me wrong.

[NewMexSaint]

Originally Posted by AllSaints

Originally Posted by wheelman

Joe always has something to say, and I always tune him out. STFU and put your money where your mouth is.

Are you kidding me you need to STFU!!!!

Besides that insane comment I loved when he called Reggie Bush "Baby Matrix" ! thats awesome name !

I think the "You need to STFU" comment is a lil out of hand....JMO

[spkb25]

well doesn't that make you equally as idiotic newmex