TallySaint

Sean Payton, the silver king

Times Picayune
Monday, 12:50 p.m.




JACKSON, MISS. - Back in Dallas, Sean Payton was a workaholic, energized by caffeine and game-planning.

“(Bill Parcells) would say ‘high-strung, high-maintenance,’ � said Payton, who was Parcells’ assistant head coach.

The product of this indomitable work ethic? A head coaching job and a nickname.

“Dennis the Menace,� the Saints' coach said with an embarrassed and honest grin. “That’s where that came from. And I think I had a haircut one day where it was sticking up in the back.�

We’re a few weeks into Payton’s first training camp - tonight, of course, Dennis the Menace will face his mentor in a preseason game – and what we’ve seen from Payton is, well, more Mr. Wilson.

Like Dennis’ disgruntled neighbor, Payton is serious, unwavering, occasionally gruff and perpetually tough. Dennis the Menace, it seems, has no time for Dennis the Menaces.

“He’s a big-time disciplinarian,� said Joe Horn, the Saints' veteran receiver. “I don’t think he wants too much to be liked – he wants to be respected. And I can understand that. He’s a cool dude – I understand what he’s trying to do. I bought into the system he’s running here, and he keeps telling us that at the end, we’ll see the light at the end of the tunnel. And that’s what I’ll definitely be waiting on.�

“I think he’s just a no-nonsense type-of-guy,� said tight end Ernie Conwell, who played in two Super Bowls with the St. Louis Rams. “He’s kind of a combination – from my personal experiences – of a Dick Vermeil and a Mike Martz. Both coaches ran tough, disciplined camps – yet he also is an extremely sharp offensive coordinator. He has a brilliant mind for the offense. Not just calling plays, but he understands everything. He can come out and coach every guy on that field. It’s tough to find a guy like that, who’s as smart as he is. He just demands excellence.�

He is, if you will, an austere general; he doesn’t want to know about the soldier’s girlfriend and favorite sitcom – just if the solider can catch a pass in traffic. He’s not a big smiler. He is one of those coaches who values – and cherishes - every single second as an opportunity to improve his team.

“There’s no reason to let his guard down,� running back Deuce McAllister said. “You look at the team – it went 3-13 last year – you can’t really afford to let your guard down.�

It’s fascinating to watch Payton at his daily press conference. He knows that meeting with the media is an obligation that's important for the franchise. But you can tell that Payton yearns to be cramped in a video room, not surrounded by microphones. Yes, describing the press conference as a singular look at a coach is an easy way out for sports writers. That said, media sessions are an opportunity for coaches to splash a little personality – Parcells, at times, is splendid. But we in the media see the same Payton the players do. Straight to the point. Again, unwavering. He’s not going to let his guard down to Deuce McAllister, and he’s not going to let his guard down to the beat writers, either.

This is the Sean Payton Sean Payton wants to exude.

“That’s the persona that I’m sure he wants to have,� Horn said. “I haven’t talked to Coach Payton that much to really know what he likes, or what kind of jokes he likes to tell at different times. He looks at me and speaks, I look at him and speak and give a salute and keep going.�

Here at the Hochman Report, we love to give nicknames. Surely, you can’t walk into a restaurant or grocery in New Orleans without hearing a reference to “The Golden Child.� Nevertheless, we’re going to take a stab at Payton’s nickname, because Dennis the Menace is just OK.

This came from a Times-Picayune colleague. Noting that Parcells, his mentor, is The Tuna, Payton should be The Tarpon.

It’s the prize catch. And in Louisiana, he’s now the Kingfish. The fish is part of our state’s culture.

“And it’s the ‘Silver King,’ � my co-worker said. “Does he have any silver in his hair?�

Not yet.



http://www.nola.com/saintsbeat/hochman/


8)

My Guardian Angel wears a hard hat.