Winner of "off-season cancer" award
 

http://www.nola.com/saints/t-p/index...2363316070.xml

Horn blasts Saints, says receivers coach was made scapegoat
Wednesday December 31, 2003
By Jeff Duncan

An emotional Joe Horn fired several shots at the Saints organization Tuesday after learning that his position coach, veteran wide receivers coach Hubbard Alexander, is one of two assistants who will not return next season.

"I don't know who made the decision, but it is absolutely uncalled for," Horn said. "Hubbard was not the reason we didn't make the playoffs. He was not the reason we were 8-8. He doesn't call the plays.

"If you're going to fire the receivers coach, then every coach should be fired. (Offensive coordinator) Mike McCarthy should be fired. (Head coach) Jim Haslett should be fired. The whole damn coaching staff should go. It's wrong that Hubbard was made the scapegoat. That's crazy. That's cold-blooded. I feel like the head of a snake was cut off, and it wasn't even poisonous." ...

Horn said he knew his reaction to the firing would probably result in repercussions.

"Who cares?" Horn said. "I don't want to hear from them. I can't even look at him (Haslett) in the face. If they fire my coach, then they might as well fire Joe Horn or trade me, because he (Alexander) ain't the problem, in the locker room or on the field."

It's a real shame too, I always liked Joe. Too bad it's only the good players that get labeled "cancers" and get shipped out to playoff teams.

Winner of "off-season cancer" award
 

I\'m no miss Cleo, but I think we have a problem here.

Winner of "off-season cancer" award
 

The article also had this to say

I agree with Horn that the two assistants were scapegoats and don\'t blame him for letting off steam at the end of and awful year. It would supprise me to see Horn shipped off however. He made it clear he will work hard here next year and Haslett is beating the drum of roster consistancy now. Even he seems to relize his cancer theory is a part of his problem here now.

Winner of "off-season cancer" award
 

Well, that\'s just peachy. All of our problems are now solved. Haven\'t we all been blaming Hubbard Alexander for all the problems? I now predict a 15-1 season for next year. :casstet:

What the *&T^???

Winner of "off-season cancer" award
 

Maybe Joe is showing us the way. Our only hope of getting to the real problem is open rebellion by the players. Benson is content with another year of mediocrity at the helm, it obviously will take something that drastic to see the changes this team needs to climb out this talent wasting hell come about. Fat chance but it is fun to dream.

Winner of "off-season cancer" award
 

When a Pam Oliver says during a game, paraphrasing of course, \"The veteran players complain that there is no discipline or maturity on this team\", in the last week of the season, on has to take pause. Why was Grady Jackson canned? Because of a lack of discipline (missed meetings, surgury, etc.) and a bad influence on the younger players, right?! Now he\'s dominant on the Green Bay defensive line.

What this tells me is Hazlett plays favorites with some and loathes others and it doesn\'t matter how they play on the field, if he doesn\'t like \'em, they\'re gone. Remember Turley?

BTW...Jackson still looks big as a house and still draws the double-team. So they get rid of a presence on the defensive line and then complain that they can\'t stop the run.

Go figure...

Winner of "off-season cancer" award
 

Everyone commented that Grady is dominant \"when he wants to be\".
After getting canned by the Saints you think his motivation went up a bit?

I said when he was cut that he\'d do well for whichever team gets him because he\'ll play motivated...for a little while.

I can see him starting off good for GB next year and tailing off as the season progresses, just like he\'s done every single year of his NFL career, with both the Raiders and Saints.

Winner of "off-season cancer" award
 

Bloody obvious Haz his favorites.

When AB and even magic man Deuce made errors, there was no (evidence of) Haz outburst.

But when Boo couldn\'t get that extra yard or Craver messed up a return, there was very visible (frankly humiliating) criticism.

Fortunately both Boo and Craver had the mental strength to get on with (and continue to improve) their game. And - at the moment - they are not gone.

As a fan I want to see that the coach recognises and highlights gr8 play. But as a fan, I also like to see fairness.

Winner of "off-season cancer" award
 

Not sure why Horn is pissed , It was evident Mon. when I posted this... :P

New Orleans

With the Saints missing the playoffs again this season, there figures to be a lot of fingers pointed at head coach Jim Haslett and his coaching staff this offseason. Sources say even owner Tom Benson is becoming frustrated with the underachieving ways of the team, although there is a good chance there won’t be a major shake-up of the coaching staff. The way we hear it, Haslett, offensive coordinator Mike McCarthy and defensive coordinator Rick Venturi likely will be retained, but there are a couple of areas that could see changes. Considering the disappointment of the receiving corps this season, WR coach Hub Alexander could retire to avoid being fired, and DL coach Sam Clancy might not be retained. If that duo is let go, Benson likely will give the rest of the coaching staff one more season to prove they deserve their jobs.

Winner of "off-season cancer" award
 

saintz08

What did you expect Joe Horn to say - when he was asked for an opinion (= red rag to a bull)