Looking Back 2005 Season
 

Was thinking how the Falcons must feel today - am thinking Schadenfreude!

In 2005 post season (2004 Season), nearly every team I genuinely hate was in the playoffs with the exception of the Colts (Manning fan) and Patriots (Boston teams)...

I was watching Michael Vick lead the Falcons to the NFC Championship; being tortured by the McNabb-Owens Drama; and yet another dosage of the Steelers...

And all we had was Jim Haslett and our own personal purgatory with, little did we know, Katrina and Tom Benson to San Antonio was waiting for us later that season...

And all I had was the fresh memories of a Red Sox World Series to get me through it...

Sean Payton and Drew Brees came just a year later and...

Wow, have things changed or what?

Think about how many coaches come into a decent team, TOMLIN was handed down the STEELERS, they screwed DUNGY and handed the once good BUCCANEERS over to CHUCKY, Jim Caldwell was just ONE NECK short of having another contending team with the COLTS. But look at the task SEAN PAYTON took on.a 3-13 washed out team without a quarterback and to clean house of some good talent but poor attitudes (STALLWORTH) and make it almost to the SUPER BOWL in your first year!!! I think these PHIL JACKSON coaches need to take a look at SP and see how building YOUR OWN franchise is REALLY DONE!!!!!!!! TWO DATT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

See I hate that knock on Phil (I'm no Bulls or Lakers fan) because yes he had the best player of that era on his team, OK. He had to get those players to buy into his system and go execute it for him. I've seen teams with talent in both the NFL (Eagles) and NBA (go look at late 80 Golden State teams) go no where due to many factors.

This will bring up some of those old hated feelings!

But to think, SEAN PAYTON had NO players to build around. He had to start from GROUND ZERO on all levels. thats what you call not only coaching but also building a team!!!!

Kudos to both Mickey Loomis and Sean Payton. They've done an outstanding job turning this franchise around.

Agree that Payton deserves alot of credit; but Loomis was GM with Haslett when good players were sent walking out the door...