WhoDat!656

Just wrapped up a series of interviews with the various New Orleans Saints players participating in guard Ben Grubbs' charity softball game at Zephyr Field. The energy among the group is extremely impressive, with so many guys fired up to start fresh in 2013.

We'll roll out plenty of videos and stories tonight and over the next couple days. Among the interviews that stood out most were those with Saints linebackers Jonathan Vilma, Victor Butler and Martez Wilson for a variety of reasons.

Vilma is excited to be fully healthy for the first time in two years (and past the bounty distractions). He seems pleased with his first impressions of defensive coordinator Rob Ryan's new 3-4 defense. And I also talked to Vilma about taking a significant pay cut to stay with the team, and he had a great response, saying that being a part of the team is more important to him than the money.
Wilson thinks the 3-4 will be a great fit for him after he bounced around from linebacker to end trying to find the right fit in the 4-3 the last two years.

And Butler stole the show with a motivational speech that had everyone within earshot ready to sign up with the Saints.
"Yeah, they had the worst defense (statistically) last year. But you look at the roster, and these aren't the worst players," said Butler, who signed as a free agent from the Dallas Cowboys. "They've got Pro Bowl players here. And you add people like (cornerback) Keenan Lewis, Rob Ryan, myself adding new energy. You're gonna see a hell of a defense. ... I wouldn't be surprised if we're No. 1 in all categories next year."

OK, maybe Butler overreached a bit. But it was a good example of the attitude permeating this team right now.


New Orleans Saints Football NFL News - NOLA.com

"A Veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America" for an amount of "up to and including my life."