Crusader

They wanted the Super Bowl so much they were willing to sell their souls to get it.

Never did a city long for a championship more than New Orleans in those years after Hurricane Katrina, when rebuilding came slow and inspiration ran dry. And rarely did a coach lust after a title more than Sean Payton, scorned previously as a boy wonder in over his head. Just like Mickey Loomis, the man who hired him, Payton ached to hold the Lombardi Trophy – touch it, caress it and feel the confetti as it spilled down all around.

And so they paid the price.

Sean Payton, with Gregg Williams in the background, ultimately crossed the line.

This isn’t about Gregg Williams, the defensive coordinator who ran the bounty program that brought the Saints down, although his hiring was the final piece that delivered a title. What happened to Payton and Loomis and the Saints, who are now ruined as an NFC force, goes deeper than one man and a few thousand dollars thrown around some adrenaline-filled meeting rooms. Rather it lies in a culture – one nurtured by the coach but ultimately endorsed by everyone – of a frenetic, win-at-all-costs mentality.

It began with Payton, who burned with such intensity on a tape made by the league of possible head coaching candidates that Loomis was immediately taken by his fire. At the time it seemed like an odd hire, giving the task of remaking the Saints in the months after Katrina to a man who had never been a head coach. But it turned out to be such a brilliant selection that oversight disappeared and everything became the Payton tornado that tore through the team’s practice facility.

There might not be a better play-caller in the NFL than Payton, who found ways to get take obscure players such as Marques Colston and Jimmy Graham and turn them into stars. But along with the film-room wisdom came wild motivational speeches and the constant appearance of Mike Ornstein, the former marketing manager for Reggie Bush who has since twice been convicted of fraud yet moved as freely about the locker room as any coach. A feeling this could all roll out of control always lingered around the team. So thick was the hubris. But so desperate was the will to win big.

Sean Payton and the Saints traded their souls to bring New Orleans a Super Bowl title - NFL - Yahoo! Sports


Totally worth it!

W.T. Sherman is my favorite General. After all he did order Atlanta to be burned to the ground.

RockyMountainSaint

Really?
hy·per·bo·le   [hahy-pur-buh-lee]
1.obvious and intentional exaggeration.

lee909

The press are loving this,it allows them to look like they actualy care about the players,the fake anger etc etc.
Nothing like trying to nail the coffin lid shut before we have even taken our last breath.


I can't say I have been through the dark days the Saints had as I only threw my lot in last year.Personaly I don't think this is anything like the end of the line for Peyton or the Saints.We will heal our wounds and come back stronger than ever.Ill be here though wether it was the end or not.

"Two receivers to the left, Garcon to the right. Manning in the shotgun, puts Collie in motion. Looks in his direction...it's picked off! It's picked off! It's Tracy Porter again! He's runnin' free! He's gonna go all the way!

dizzle88

If it was up to me, I'd wouldn't think twice about doing it to get a super bowl it was totally worth it

Get ready for a year of announcers saying is that hit a bounty hit? We'll just prove to everyone we are the best team even with all the added suspensions etc

hagan714

yeah yeah is still say show me the hits

Saint_LB

Payton's arrogance caught up with him.

xan

And Payton's a Nazi, too.

Nice self marginalization, Les.

Turbo Saint

my god...those last 2 sentences. lucky i'm just waking up or i would have spilled my coffee all over. what a sensationalistic douche...what's new.

Rickh

Just get ready for more crap like this...

Get ready to be the most hated team in the league among many fans (maybe players too but that is our players problem)

Get ready for more of this "selling their souls" hyperbole

Just remember:

1. It was worth it
2. Nobody is taking away the Lombardi trophy
3. We're gonna get another one

SloMotion

"traded their souls?" ... whatever ... the media was all over New Orleans' jocks when they won the SuperBowl post-Katrina, now they want to taint it? There will be no asterick.