Darren Sharper

JoanieNTX · 08-11-2011, 02:57 PM

I dunno....maybe last season was tough for a lot of our players...coming off the Super Bowl high. That would have to be hard! You're getting hype, hype, hype....you go in and WIN for the first time!!!! Then.....offseason...training camp.....and come into the next season with big BULLSEYES on your back. The reigning SB Champs CANNOT come in under the radar with all the media hype. Much better chance of a comeback for us this season...maybe this goes for the players individual play, too???

Budsdrinker · 08-11-2011, 03:27 PM

For the home opener last year, I was sitting in a resturant in the quarter and in walked or should say limped Sharper with his family. He told me he would be back last year and he was but you could see his knee was still bothering him. He pushed his knee to be ready by the 6th week when he was eligible to come off of the PUP list and I don't think he ever was 100% I think his knee is now 100% and he has 1 good year left in him. He is probably asking for too much money right now and I believe once there isn't any takers for what he wants he will settle for less and play 1 more year with the Saints.

alexonfyre · 08-11-2011, 03:33 PM

Originally Posted by FinSaint

I wonder if - him not already being signed with another team - has more to do with the salary he is asking for or if it's the uncertainty about his
capabilities after last season... or a combination of the two?

We are trying to get Malcolm Jenkins to be our guy sooner rather than later, that won't happen if he is sitting on the bench and missing out on first team reps, we do want Sharp, but only in certain packages, and as an insurance policy in case one of the two starters goes down. He has already stated he wants to be a starter somewhere, and we aren't willing to pay him starter money when we know he will only be a back-up/role player/mentor type of guy.

Luda34 · 08-11-2011, 03:47 PM

I thing the longer he doesn't sign with anyone we will sign him back.

SaintsBro · 08-11-2011, 04:11 PM

I kinda could see him playing a Mike McKenzie style role this year -- Youtube videos of him in the locker room with the guys, occasionally seen on the sidelines on gameday (in street clothes), but it he on the roster? Nah, not really, unless somebody else goes down. And then I figure he would probably have one amazing lights-out game left in him, just like McKenzie did against New England, and then he would probably start to look less impressive after that, then retire for good, just like Mike McKenzie did. I really don't see another team signing Sharper right now either - I do love the dude, but it's a young man's game after all.

alexonfyre · 08-11-2011, 04:19 PM

I just hope Sharp retires in New Orleans and becomes a part of the community, he seems like a great guy who could add a lot to the city.

FinSaint · 08-11-2011, 04:44 PM

I miss McKenzie... he always seemed to be more energetic than the other guys, but I guess in hindsight maybe the DB corps at the time was just
making him seem that way.

Which NFL team do you guys think is the most unskilled at safety? I would think that even if he's 85-90% of what he was during the SB run, some
teams out there could use such skill?!

neugey · 08-11-2011, 04:45 PM

I've admired Sharper since his days with the Vikings (get stuck watching a few Viking games up here in SoDak) and I really miss #42 like crazy. If we didn't have Sharper two seasons ago I don't think we'd have made the playoffs let alone win the big one. He made tons of big plays and it was easily his best season. Better yet, his big-play ability rubbed off on the other players - Porter, Meachem, Reggie, etc.

If he can't come back (which might be for the best), then when I think of the Super Bowl XLIV season, the player I will always think of first is #42.

JoanieNTX · 08-11-2011, 05:05 PM

Yep, gotta give Darren his props, for sure! He has done nothing but positive things for the team and the city! One of my favorite all-time players, and I hope we do get him back for one more good season. I'm "feelin' it" again, y'all....could be another....ok, not gonna say it out loud!

Beastmode · 08-11-2011, 05:19 PM

The defense has improved to the point that even if he was a little younger, 32-34, I still think it would not be in the Saints best interest unless it was an injury situation. If we have the division locked up before the last game It would be nice to see him in uniform one more time. He was a huge factor in the SB run.

08-11-2011, 03:33 PM	#13
alexonfyre Site Donor Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Black Pearl University Posts: 799	Originally Posted by FinSaint I wonder if - him not already being signed with another team - has more to do with the salary he is asking for or if it's the uncertainty about his capabilities after last season... or a combination of the two? We are trying to get Malcolm Jenkins to be our guy sooner rather than later, that won't happen if he is sitting on the bench and missing out on first team reps, we do want Sharp, but only in certain packages, and as an insurance policy in case one of the two starters goes down. He has already stated he wants to be a starter somewhere, and we aren't willing to pay him starter money when we know he will only be a back-up/role player/mentor type of guy.

08-11-2011, 04:19 PM	#16
alexonfyre Site Donor Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Black Pearl University Posts: 799	I just hope Sharp retires in New Orleans and becomes a part of the community, he seems like a great guy who could add a lot to the city. JoanieNTX likes this.

08-11-2011, 04:45 PM	#18
neugey Hu Dat! Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 6,697 Blog Entries: 13	I've admired Sharper since his days with the Vikings (get stuck watching a few Viking games up here in SoDak) and I really miss #42 like crazy. If we didn't have Sharper two seasons ago I don't think we'd have made the playoffs let alone win the big one. He made tons of big plays and it was easily his best season. Better yet, his big-play ability rubbed off on the other players - Porter, Meachem, Reggie, etc. If he can't come back (which might be for the best), then when I think of the Super Bowl XLIV season, the player I will always think of first is #42. JoanieNTX likes this.

08-11-2011, 05:19 PM	#20
Beastmode 5000 POSTS! + Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 9,126	The defense has improved to the point that even if he was a little younger, 32-34, I still think it would not be in the Saints best interest unless it was an injury situation. If we have the division locked up before the last game It would be nice to see him in uniform one more time. He was a huge factor in the SB run.
Beastmode 5000 POSTS! + Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 9,126

08-11-2011, 02:57 PM	#11
JoanieNTX 500th Post Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Conroe, TX Posts: 825	I dunno....maybe last season was tough for a lot of our players...coming off the Super Bowl high. That would have to be hard! You're getting hype, hype, hype....you go in and WIN for the first time!!!! Then.....offseason...training camp.....and come into the next season with big BULLSEYES on your back. The reigning SB Champs CANNOT come in under the radar with all the media hype. Much better chance of a comeback for us this season...maybe this goes for the players individual play, too???

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08-11-2011, 03:27 PM	#12
Budsdrinker A Cajun Transforming TX Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: The Woodlands, Texas Posts: 2,787	For the home opener last year, I was sitting in a resturant in the quarter and in walked or should say limped Sharper with his family. He told me he would be back last year and he was but you could see his knee was still bothering him. He pushed his knee to be ready by the 6th week when he was eligible to come off of the PUP list and I don't think he ever was 100% I think his knee is now 100% and he has 1 good year left in him. He is probably asking for too much money right now and I believe once there isn't any takers for what he wants he will settle for less and play 1 more year with the Saints.

08-11-2011, 03:47 PM	#14
Luda34 1000 Posts + Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Houston Tx Posts: 1,219	I thing the longer he doesn't sign with anyone we will sign him back.

08-11-2011, 04:11 PM	#15
SaintsBro Site Donor Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: in line with my ridiculous CLEAR PLASTIC BAG Posts: 3,650 Blog Entries: 3	I kinda could see him playing a Mike McKenzie style role this year -- Youtube videos of him in the locker room with the guys, occasionally seen on the sidelines on gameday (in street clothes), but it he on the roster? Nah, not really, unless somebody else goes down. And then I figure he would probably have one amazing lights-out game left in him, just like McKenzie did against New England, and then he would probably start to look less impressive after that, then retire for good, just like Mike McKenzie did. I really don't see another team signing Sharper right now either - I do love the dude, but it's a young man's game after all.

08-11-2011, 04:44 PM	#17
FinSaint Site Donor 2015 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Finland... formerly Southern Virginia Posts: 4,961	I miss McKenzie... he always seemed to be more energetic than the other guys, but I guess in hindsight maybe the DB corps at the time was just making him seem that way. Which NFL team do you guys think is the most unskilled at safety? I would think that even if he's 85-90% of what he was during the SB run, some teams out there could use such skill?!

08-11-2011, 05:05 PM	#19
JoanieNTX 500th Post Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Conroe, TX Posts: 825	Yep, gotta give Darren his props, for sure! He has done nothing but positive things for the team and the city! One of my favorite all-time players, and I hope we do get him back for one more good season. I'm "feelin' it" again, y'all....could be another....ok, not gonna say it out loud!