After rough year, Saints ready for training camp

papz · 07-22-2012, 05:58 PM

After a tumultuous 144 days, a training camp like none other in the New Orleans Saints’ 46-year history gets under way this week.

When 90 players report Tuesday for a team meeting that night with conditioning tests Wednesday, coach Sean Payton won’t be there — the result of a season-long suspension from a bounty scandal that rocked the NFL this spring.

Assistant head coach/linebackers coach Joe Vitt will be in charge, as he has been since Payton’s departure from the team in mid-April. But Vitt, too, faces a six-game suspension that will commence when the regular season begins Sept. 9.

General Manager Mickey Loomis was also suspended for eight games, while middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma was banned, like Payton, for the entire season. Defensive end Will Smith will sit out the first four games.

Other offseason distractions — an allegation that Loomis listened in on opposing coaches from his booth in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome between 2002 and 2004, Payton filing for divorce and Drew Brees’ protracted contract talks — weren’t nearly as damaging as the bounty scandal.

Still, the Saints say training camp will be business as usual when the first practice — one of 12 scheduled to be open to the public — is held at 4 p.m. Thursday at the team’s Metairie training facility.

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After rough year, Saints ready for training camp | Saints | The Advocate — Baton Rouge, LA

07-22-2012, 05:58 PM	#1
papz Problem? Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: New Orleans Posts: 11,698	After rough year, Saints ready for training camp After a tumultuous 144 days, a training camp like none other in the New Orleans Saints’ 46-year history gets under way this week. When 90 players report Tuesday for a team meeting that night with conditioning tests Wednesday, coach Sean Payton won’t be there — the result of a season-long suspension from a bounty scandal that rocked the NFL this spring. Assistant head coach/linebackers coach Joe Vitt will be in charge, as he has been since Payton’s departure from the team in mid-April. But Vitt, too, faces a six-game suspension that will commence when the regular season begins Sept. 9. General Manager Mickey Loomis was also suspended for eight games, while middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma was banned, like Payton, for the entire season. Defensive end Will Smith will sit out the first four games. Other offseason distractions — an allegation that Loomis listened in on opposing coaches from his booth in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome between 2002 and 2004, Payton filing for divorce and Drew Brees’ protracted contract talks — weren’t nearly as damaging as the bounty scandal. Still, the Saints say training camp will be business as usual when the first practice — one of 12 scheduled to be open to the public — is held at 4 p.m. Thursday at the team’s Metairie training facility. Continue reading here. After rough year, Saints ready for training camp \| Saints \| The Advocate — Baton Rouge, LA Attached Thumbnails
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