themightyduck

So what happened? Jones lines up 10 yards deep, Culpepper says "thank you" and completes a short throw to Nate Burleson -- 6 yards on the pass, 5 on the run -- for a game-clinching first down.

"We had the perfect defense called," Haslett said, "but we didn't execute."

In other words, Jones lined up too deep to make a play that would have forced a punt.

Here's the rub. When the Saints signed Jones before the 2003 season, his package -- a $6 million bonus, an average salary of $3 million a year -- made him the highest-paid free safety in the league at the time. Also, in the trade with New England, the Saints gave the Patriots three draft choices -- picks in the third, fourth, and seventh rounds.

All in all, a tall price.

Why, you might wonder, would Patriots coach Bill Belichick trade Jones, a key performer in the coach's first Super Bowl victory?

According to what Belichick said in a book recently published, Jones was not playing up to his salary. The coach hints at tackling problems and mistakes in the defensive scheme.

Simple as that.

Some coaches don't tolerate mistakes. Some coaches learn to live with them.

But keep this in mind: While it's true the player makes the mistake, the responsibility for the mistake always rests with the coach.


http://www.nola.com/sports/t-p/finne...3922150260.xml

Another boneheaded move by the front office. This is a shot at both the coaches and Jones.

The coaches prove that they are tolerant of mistakes and penalties. Do the Patriots coach that way? NO! He pays attention to the smallest details and punishes players when they screw up.

Even if you set up "perfect plays," they'll all mean nothing if the players mope around, confident that they'll still be on the field next week.

[Edited on 10/21/2004 by themightyduck]

WhoDat

MAN! That\'s terrible. Overpaid, underperforming. Get rid of this guy quick. What a stupid move... what\'s sad, is I actually thought it was an OK move when they made it. Yikes!

jbutts

i was excited too when we went out and got a (what i and some others thought) upper tier player.
the pedigree was there; a good team with a winning attitide.

anybody know who the patriots took with those picks?
anybody want to go out on a limb and say the players we would have picked would be starting for another team?

saintswhodi

1 word.......................................WOW. Nuff said.

themightyduck

It certainly is a wake up call to all those who thought that coaching was the only problem with the Saints. Bringing in overpaid and overrated players is not how wins are generated.

fact-o-bake

Hey Duck, Do you know if it was 2004 draft picks involved with the Tebucky trade? I\'m really curious who they picked.

BiggPoppaFro3

Actually I think those picks were the basis of their moves to get Corey Dillon and then to trade up and get that 2nd 1st rnd. pick. Generally no real super standouts from the draft for them this year (last year I think everyone was a contributor), but come on, adding Dillon to that team is a pretty good move.

bayouking318

78 — Miami, from Kansas City through New Orleans and New England. (The Saints acquired this pick in a March 2002 trade in which the Chiefs received T Willie Roaf. He was traded for a conditional fourth round pick that would be elevated to a third if Roaf played in a certain percentage of offensive snaps, which he met. On April 13, the Saints turned around and traded this selection to New England [along with a seventh round choice, selection #239, plus a fourth round pick in the 2004 NFL Draft] for S Tebucky Jones. In a draft day trade, the Patriots dealt this selection to Miami for the Dolphins\' second round pick in the 2004 NFL Draft.)

#78 OT Wade Smith

#239 — New England, from Indianapolis through New Orleans. (The Saints acquired this pick in last September\'s deal for RB Ricky Williams, formerly from Texas Tech. The pick was conditional on Williams staying on the roster for the entire 2002 season, which he did. On April 13, the Patriots acquired this pick as part of a deal sending S Tebucky Jones to the Saints for a fourth round choice in the 2004 NFL Draft as well as this pick and selection #79.

#239 DE Tully Banta-Cain

2004 Safety Dexter Reid

http://www.ourlads.com/transactions03.html