Rugby Saint II

I believe that Anthony Hargrove is supposed to resign with the team today. Has anybody heard anything?......I don't even care if it's unsubstantiated. Just tell me something.

Srgt. Hulka

Posted: Tuesday, 06 April 2010 1:20PM
Humbled Hargrove back with the Black and Gold

Deke Bellavia Reporting

The Saints Super Bowl season will be remembered for many things. The stories within the stories are ones that all true "Who Dats" pay close attention to. The story of Saints defensive linemen Anthony Hargrove just keeps getting better and better.

This week Hargrove signed a deal that will keep him in a Black and Gold uniform next season. The Saints winning the Super Bowl was just icing on the cake for Hargrove who had taken a different road to the Big Easy.

The Saints gave Hargrove a second chance after a rough start to his NFL career. In 2004, the Brooklyn, New York Native was riding high after the St. Louis Rams picked him in the 3rd round of the NFL Draft out of Georgia Tech. Hargrove appeared in fifteen games with the Rams in his rookie season, starting two games.

He then moved up the depth chart and earned a starting role on the Rams D-line. He had a breakout season recording six and a half quarterback sacks. Hargrove had proven that he belonged in the NFL.

The Rams then traded Hargrove to Buffalo in 2006. From there things started going down hill. The NFL suspended Hargrove for the first four games of the 2007 season for violating the league substance abuse policy.

Then things went from bad to worse. The league suspended Hargrove for the entire 2008 season for once again violating the substance abuse policy. Hargrove need a reality check, and he needed one fast.

After sitting back and watching the game that he loved to play, and losing the chance to make a lot of money, Hargrove decided to get his life in order. He worked hard and then got reinstated by the NFL in February of 2009.

Bobby Hebert and I were able to talk to Hargrove prior to the season, and he seemed to be grateful for another shot in the NFL. He said that he felt honored that New Orleans would be the launching pad for his second chance in the league.

"I couldn't ask for a better organization to be with. The players here are great. They brought me in and accepted me as one of their own. I am really excited about playing football again," he told us. Little did Hargrove know that after all of the difficult times he had been through that he was about to be on the ride of his life.

Big #69 not only made a contribution to the Saints last season, but he gained the respect and attention of his teammates, coaches and the entire National Football League. Hargrove played in all 16 regular season games with six starts.

Anthony recorded 63 tackles (29 solo), and he became a force inside as he helped the Black and Gold D-line put pressure on opposing teams. He posted five sacks. Hargrove finished the season with a forced fumble and three fumble recoveries. He also returned one fumble for a touchdown in the Saints win over Carolina.

In that game Hargrove had arguably the best game of his five year career in the NFL against the Panthers. He went off on the Cats from Carolina as he made four tackles, forced a fumble, recovered two fumbles and returned one for a touchdown to seal the Saints win.

For his efforts, he was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week. WWL Sports Talk Host Bobby Hebert says that Hargrove has done a good job of turning his life around on and off the field of play.

WWL SportsTalk host Bobby Hebert says that Hargrove has done a good job of turning his life around on and off the field. "He came in, and the Saints really liked his ability. He worked hard and was key this season. I think he will only get better this season, and he is very versatile," Herbert said.

Hargrove also was recognized by the NFL as one of the top comeback players this season. The 2009 NFL Comeback Player of the Year award went to Patriots QB Tom Brady, but Hargrove also picked up a vote to finish among those recognized. Seven players earned votes for the yearly award, but Hargrove was the only defensive player to receive votes.

"I was very proud to be mentioned with those great players, and I just want to go out and continue to play hard and do well for the New Orleans Saints," Hargrove said.

After being recognized as one of the league's top comeback players, Anthony then helped lead the Saints to their first ever Super Bowl with his strong play in the post season.

Hargrove posted fifteen tackles in the Saints run to the Lombardi Trophy, and then he picked up perhaps the greatest honor of his career. Hargrove's teammates voted him as the club's winner of the Ed Block Courage Award.

So in a time when we seemingly always talk, write and harp on negative things... it sure is nice to see a player redeem himself the right way. Now Hargrove still has many miles to travel, but he has laid the foundation of what looks to be a solid career in the NFL. More importantly, he has control of his life again. That is the feel good story that all Saints fans just can't get enough of.

Deke: Humbled Hargrove Back With The Black And Gold - WWL - AM870 | FM105.3 | News | Talk | Sports

That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, ...

RockyMountainSaint

http://blackandgold.com/saints/25821...staying-3.html

Posted yesterday.

Calm, Grasshopper....

TY for the post Sgt H!

RockyMountainSaint

HATE this clown.

Mostly stopped listening to SportsTalk b/c of him. Absolute JERKWAD!

homerj07

Rocky Mountain - Love your avatar!!

QBREES9

Yeah it was in all the papers Hargrove is back !!!

RockyMountainSaint

Some dude was selling this on ebay.
A home-made McFarlane type thing.
It sold for some ridiculous amount so I didn't get it.
Funny though!

If there was one of "Lord Favre" getting pummelled by our D' then I would pony up the cash fo sho!