QBREES9

New Orleans Saints Head Coach Sean Payton

Post-Practice Press Conference

Wednesday, December 15, 2010


Opening Statement:


“We’ll hit on the injury list first: cornerback Tracy Porter (shoulder) was full; Zach Strief (knee) was full; Malcolm Jenkins (rib) was limited; Jonathan Vilma (quad) was limited; Jeremy Shockey (groin) was limited; Chris Ivory (hamstring) was limited; Jermon Bushrod (ankle) was limited; tight end David Thomas (knee) did not practice; wide receiver Courtney Roby (head) did not practice; defensive tackle Remi Ayodele (ankle) did not practice; defensive tackle Anthony Hargrove (knee) did not practice. From a roster standpoint, we released practice squad cornerback Mark Parson; practice squad defensive tackle DeMario Pressley was signed by the Houston Texans to their active roster. So with those two spots, we signed tight end Tyler Lorenzen and defensive tackle Swanson Miller. We’re at 53 and eight.”

When two good teams get together that don’t play that often, does that bring anything extra to the game?


“It’s a cross-conference game and we just happen to be playing that division this season. You’re not as familiar because you don’t play them but every four years so it’s important to do the film study and pay attention to the uniquenesses of what they do defensively, offensively and in the kicking game. At this point in the year you have plenty of tape and the key is getting to the important games that you think are similar or will be similar in regards to how this game is played.”

Are you planning at this point to not have Courtney Roby and are you working toward filling that gap?


“We are. Our kick return emphasis will be in tomorrow’s practice and we’ll look at a few guys to replace him if he’s not available.”

According to the game announcers, at the end of their game against the Steelers and then again against Houston, the Ravens went away from their identity. Do you buy into the idea that teams have an identity? What would you say the Saints’ identity is?


“I think teams year to year have an identity and that would be what they do offensively and defensively. I think this is a team in Baltimore that plays very physical. It’s one of the elite teams in the AFC and their record indicates that. When you see them play, whether it’s Pittsburgh or New England, this is one of the top teams in the league and John (Harbaugh) has done a great job. They have great tradition there and they’ve won a lot of football games and they’re doing that again this year.

“In regards to the Saints, you hope that you create an identity in regards to how you play the game. You hope that it’s physical; you hope that you’re doing things the right way. A lot of it is around your own personnel and tailored towards your personnel. I would say that any team – winning or losing – will have some type of an identity and typically it starts with the personnel on the team.”

Other than physical, what would be some of the words that you would want to describe your team’s identity?


“You want to perceived number one as a winning organization, as an organization that is in contention each year to have success. Those would be the important things.”

What has pleased you most to this point about your team?


“Number one, we still have a lot of football left; three important games left, starting with this week. I think we’ve been resilient; I think our guys have handled some adversity early on in the season, be it injuries or losses and bounced back and played well. I like that aspect of it. I think we have good leadership in the locker room.”

At this stage of the season, do you educate yourself as to what your team needs to do to lock up playoff positioning?


“We don’t. We talk about the importance of this game. I think everyone understands how competitive both the NFC and the AFC are right now, when you look at the teams atop the divisions in both conferences, and we really turn the page to the opponent that we’re playing that week.”

It’s not uncommon for professional coaches to not have foundations. What motivated you to establish yours?


“Ours was an easy decision in that it came at a time where there was such a need and a demand post-Katrina. I think from our players and our organization there was just so much in demand – whether it was businesses, people, different groups needing help. With the position that we were in and the timing, it made a lot of sense and shortly after that first season is when we established Payton’s Play it Forward. I think a lot led to that. Would we have had a foundation had we been somewhere else, maybe where there wasn’t as much of a need? I don’t know. The answer is probably yes, but the timing here made the decision to that very simple. You’re also wanting to instill those lessons in your children and it gives us a chance to do that. Personally you get something from that. With the money raised, we’re close to a million-and-a-half dollars back to this community in the last three years so it just made a lot of sense.”

Is there anything in the past year that stands out and lets you know it’s really worthwhile the work that you do with the foundation?


“You get a chance to see hands on – whether it’s someone having a Christmas they wouldn’t normally have, whether it’s the fire and police departments here in the city… We just a month ago had the post-gala party for those people that helped contribute time and energy to the Black & Gold Gala and then we hand out the checks at that time of the money that has been raised and that’s always good because there are a lot of people that put a lot of time into this and volunteer their time and resources to help with this foundation. It doesn’t seem like you have time enough to thank them all but when you’re able to disperse the checks to the different groups, it makes it all worthwhile.”

New Orleans Saints Head Coach Sean Payton Post-Practice Press Conference Transcript

www.sportsshooter.com/johnjcoleman

" Anyone can take a picture Only a Photographer can take a photograph "