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)

Winner of "off-season cancer" award
 

Consider Hubbards resume , he has been around and made talent everywhere he has been . He is the true professional in his coaching field and he has worked at his position all his career .

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Horn\'s emergence as one of the league\'s top targets over the last three years is an indication of Alexander\'s coaching talents and the wide receiver\'s drive. After recording 53 catches in his first four NFL seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, Horn has posted 265 catches for 3,917 yards and 24 touchdowns under Alexander\'s guidance since 2000. Horn has been voted to the last three Pro Bowls and is the only player in franchise history to record three-straight 1,000-yard seasons.

In 2001, Horn and Willie Jackson combined to give New Orleans its first pair of pass-catchers with over 1,000 receiving yards in the same season. In his two seasons with Minnesota, Alexander developed one of the league\'s most dangerous units. In 1999, both Moss and Carter were voted to the Pro Bowl, with Moss leading the NFC in receiving yards (1,413) and Carter finished second in the NFC in receptions (90). In 1998, Alexanders first season with the Vikings, that same tandem set an NFL record with 29 touchdown catches.

Alexander spent nine seasons (1989-97) with the Cowboys. From 1992-95, Dallas dominated the NFL with a 49-15 regular season record and won three Super Bowls. Alexander also coached Irvin to five consecutive Pro Bowl appearances (1991-95).

Prior to his arrival in Dallas, Alexander coached 10 seasons (1979-88) at the University of Miami and won National Championships in 1983 and 1987. After coaching tight ends from 1979-84, he moved over to coach wide receivers and molded one of college football\'s most prolific receiving units with Brian Blades, Brett Perriman, and Irvin. All three were among the first 52 players selected in the 1988 NFL Draft.

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Now look at the back ground and expertice of Mc Carthy , the one the Saints kept . Please note any prior Offensive coordinator experience .

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While coaching quarterbacks at Green Bay in 1999, the Packers ranked seventh in the NFL in passing and ninth overall in total offense, with quarterback Brett Favre passing for 4,091 yards.

McCarthy also spent six seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, serving as quarterbacks coach for the last four years. As an offensive assistant in 1993-94, he worked closely with Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana. As QB coach from 1995-98, McCarthy\'s signal callers threw just 52 interceptions the lowest total in the AFC during that period despite Kansas City using three starting quarterbacks over that span (Steve Bono, Rich Gannon and Elvis Grbac).

Before joining the Chiefs, McCarthy coached at the University of Pittsburgh from 1989-92 under head coach Paul Hackett, renowned as an innovator in West Coast offenses. McCarthy spent his first three years working with the quarterbacks before tutoring the wide receivers during his final season at the school. McCarthy\'s top pupil at Pittsburgh, NFL veteran QB Alex Van Pelt, broke Dan Marino\'s school records for career and single-season passing yards.

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Notes :

Haslett - No prior Head Coaching experience before coming to New Orleans .
Mc Carthy - No prior Offensive Coordinator experience before coming to New Orleans .

Hubbard - A veteran position coach , with a back ground of building some of the most powerful receiving corps in the N.F.L. ... He is the one released .

Saints fans

The inmates have taken over the Asylum ............

Winner of "off-season cancer" award
 

Hilarious!! LMAO!

You think? I have to wonder if the players still believe in Haslett. Of course AB does, he\'s Haslett\'s golden boy. Deuce is soft spoken and won\'t say much. But the Gandys, Horns, Turleys, Roafs, Glovers, Johnsons, R. Williams-type players ALL said the same thing when they left. Haslett played favorites, and the organization is Mickey Mouse. Frankly it starts with Mr. Benson. If it\'s my team, I cut bait and drop Loomis and Haslett and get some professionals in here. Try, maybe just for once, going with the pros on the field and off that actually PRODUCE. Interesting concept huh?