GumboBC

I've heard rumors that Rich McKay, former GM for the Bucs and current GM for the Falcons, started the rumor about Horn getting traded to stir up trouble for the Saints....



Horn headed to ... nowhere
Saints deny all reports that their star receiver will be traded.
Nick Deriso
nderiso@thenewsstar.com

June 23, 2004

A New Orleans Saints off-season usually sees as many trade rumors as it does afternoon showers.

But this particular rumor was different.

It had credibility, coming as it did from Sports Illustrated's Peter King.

It had legs, spreading to several other media sources over the past couple of weeks.

And it had what could only be called the Inescapable Wow: The Saints were shopping Joe Horn? Their No. 1 receiver?

It also had no basis in reality. So, Saints general manager Mickey Loomis had a problem.

"I talked to Joe the day that that stuff came out," Loomis said. "I told him: 'Joe, we are not trying to trade you. If I ever trade you, or if we are ever going to cut you, I'll come to you first and look you right in the eye, then tell you what we are doing.' I didn't want it to affect Joe."

It was Horn himself who was OK with it, true or not.

"I know the business," he said. "I understand this business. Teams do what they have to do. If that would have happened, I would have understood. But so far, so good."

Horn chuckles.

Indeed: Since being signed as an unheralded free agent out of Kansas City in 2000, Horn has posted the top three seasons in Saints receiving history.

Then there's the fact that he will earn just $700,000 of his three-year, $13 million contract extension in 2004.

Whatever the so-called distractions, Horn isn't going anywhere.

"Joe's got some things about him you don't like," Loomis admits.

The cell-phone incident. The comments in the media when Horn's position coach was let go. That famous holdout over a contract

For the rest >>> http://www.thenewsstar.com/saints/ht...8175899D.shtml


[Edited on 23/6/2004 by GumboBC]