SaintFanInATLHELL

...when the recap in the local paper has 10 paragraphs about the game, and all 10 paragraphs are about the Chargers. Not one mention about the Saints anywhere.

So let's move on and ask some of the big questions:

1. Will Benson clean house?

2. Will Benson suck it up enough to find good football people. Where's Ron Wolf when you need him?

3. Will Benson finally get rid of Venturi?

4. Anyone thought of a fan's campaign? Benson may not get the hint with empty seats. How about printing up tee shirts that reads "I'm a replacement fan. The season ticket holder is at home. They will not be renewing next year." 50000 of those in the Superdome the rest of the year may bring a stronger message than just empty seats because Benson believes they'll come back.

5. We've kicked coaches around before but... should we wait for Crennel? Or should we go with a proven coach like Jim Fassel for example? BTW I'll puke if I ever hear anyone associate Dave Whineystaat with the Saints in any way again.

SFIAH

[Edited on 8/11/2004 by SaintFanInATLHELL]

biloxi-indian

Let\'s first get rid of Benson, and the rest of the questions you pose would have more positive answers.

4saintspirit

No doubt that Haz and the rest of the staff willl be gone. Even Benson knows that the Saints are being outcoached --- embarrassing isn\'t even saying enough about this team this year. As much of an optimist as I am --- as much as I like and hope the Saints turn it around -- as much as the schedule gets easy after Denver (2 games against the Panthers, 2 against Atlanta - Dallas and Tampa) I cannot find any reason to expect a turn around -- I cannot even find the spirit to say \"Wait until next year\". I hope its just the Monday blues but I am more disheartened than any other time in Saints history. Even in their 1st few years at least they played hard each and every week.

\"I have a photographic memory -- I just don\'t have any film.\"

dberce1

I actually wouldn\'t mind Jim Fassel. The guy\'s got heart, and was well respected by his players. He only got the boot from NY b/c 2/3 of their team was injured, including the entire offensive line. Plus, he\'s a QB guru, working with Elway and others.

blackwidows

I don\'t know, I think after the giants disaster Fassel should not be given another chance. I would be happy with someone we never heard of before to be honest. To the person that says get rid of Benson. Well at least we know Benson is for the most part loyal to keeping the Saints in New Orleans. New Orleans is a very bad Market for football. Needs to start winning. A advertisement consultant would be great also. It is sad when you live in Ohio and have to go online to get Saints gear.

[Edited on 8/11/2004 by blackwidows]

spkb25

what about the d coord. of pittsburgh. boy he\'s made things work there again. if not i wouldnt mind one of the guys from new england. n i dont think i\'d mind fassel.

BlackandBlue

Fassel will be a head coach again in the NFL. Mark my words. I don\'t think he would be a good fit in New Orleans, however.

WhoDat

No thanks - been there, done that. It was nothing to write home about. I seem to remember something about a lot of 8-8 seasons, unfulfilled promise, locker room cancers.... nah, let\'s stay away from Pittsburgh this time.

BlackandBlue

Rape Iowa

GMDirector of Athletics Bob Bowlsby is in his 14th year as the head of the University of Iowa intercollegiate athletics program.

As the chief administrator for Iowa\'s athletic department, Bowlsby has earned a reputation as one of the most respected, energetic and ambitious athletic administrators in the nation. Over the past four years Bowlsby has guided and supervised the merger of the women\'s and men\'s athletics departments. The combined entity encompasses 24 varsity sports and an annual budget in excess of $40 million.

As the head of Iowa athletics, Bowlsby has been involved in the hiring of new head coaches in football, men\'s and women\'s basketball, wrestling and volleyball, enabling Iowa to maintain its standing as one of the most visible and successful Division I athletic programs.

Head CoachKirk Ferentz is in his sixth year as Iowa’s head football coach. The Hawkeyes, under Ferentz, have put together the greatest two-year run in school history. Combine the 11-2 record in 2002 with last year’s 10-3 campaign and you have a two-year mark of 21-5.

No Iowa team had ever won 21 games in consecutive years. Iowa is one of only 12 teams to have won 21 games over the last two years and one of six teams to be ranked in the top eight in the nation at the end of the season in each of the last two years. Those 21 victories include a current record 12-straight wins in Kinnick Stadium and a perfect 8-0 Big Ten record in 2002 that earned the Hawkeyes a share of the conference title.

Most pre-season polls picked Iowa somewhere in the bottom third of the 2003 Big Ten race. But the Hawkeyes fooled the experts by rising into the nation’s top ten four times during the year, getting as high as eighth in the season-ending poll. It’s the first time since 1957-58 that Iowa has finished consecutive seasons in the top ten. Iowa also finished eighth in the final 2002 rankings.

This was mentioned on ESPN radio this morning, so I thought I would bring it up here.

The waiting drove me mad....
I don't want to hear from those that know...
Everything has changed, absolutely nothing's changed

Eddie is a....draftnik?

WhoDat

Just in case there was any question who the leading candidate SHOULD be.


Romeo Crennel is recognized as one of the top assistant coaches in the NFL. Last season, Crennel served as the coordinator of a record-setting defensive unit while celebrating his fourth Super Bowl championship. He was recognized by the Pro Football Writers of America as the NFL’s Assistant Coach of the Year in 2003.

Now in his 24th season in the league, he returned to the New England Patriots when he was named the defensive coordinator on Bill Belichick’s staff on Feb. 1, 2001. The hire reunited the two coaches, who began coaching together as assistants on Ray Perkins’ staff for the New York Giants in 1981. This season will be their 18th campaign together, during which time they have earned four Super Bowl titles, five conference titles and seven division titles. While with the Patriots, Crennel and Belichick have contributed to victories in Super Bowls XXXVI and XXXVIII in addition to New England’s AFC title in 1996.

In 2003, the New England defense was among the best units in NFL history, propelling the Patriots to a 15-game winning streak that culminated with a victory in Super Bowl XXXVIII. New England allowed a league-low and franchise-record 14.9 points per game, while also leading the league with 29 interceptions. The dominance of the defense was evidenced by the team’s three shutouts, equaling the franchise shutout total from the previous 17 seasons combined. The Patriots defense was at its best at Gillette Stadium, where it allowed only 9.6 points per game and surrendered just four touchdowns in the regular season. Over one stretch, the Patriots did not allow a touchdown on 62 consecutive opponents’ possessions in Foxborough, a streak that spanned more than five games worth of clock time. New England was the first team in 65 years to keep its opponent out of the end zone in four consecutive home games in a season. While proving adept at stopping opponents’ offenses, the Patriots defense provided some potent offense of its own, leading the NFL with six defensive touchdowns, including five interceptions returned for scores, tying a team record.

Crennel began his latest tenure with the Patriots in 2001, and in that season - much like it did in 2003 - the defense played an integral role in propelling the Patriots to a season-ending win streak to claim the first Super Bowl title for the franchise. The 2001 Patriots surrendered just 272 points (17.0 ppg), ranking sixth in the league and fourth in franchise history for fewest points allowed. By the end of the season, the defense was in a zone, especially in the \"Red Zone.\" In their last five regular season games, the defense surrendered just seven field goals and one touchdown. The Patriots won all five of those games and qualified for the playoffs for the first time in three years.

The Patriots defense created opportunities for the offense in 2001 by recording 22 interceptions (second in the AFC, sixth in the NFL), 12 more than they had in 2000. Five of those interceptions were returned for touchdowns, setting a single-season franchise record. In the playoffs, Ty Law added another interception, which he returned 47 yards for a touchdown in the 20-17 victory over the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI.

Crennel, who was the defensive line coach for the Patriots from 1993 to 1996, returned to the Patriots sidelines in 2001 after three seasons with the New York Jets (1997-99) and a season as the defensive coordinator with the Cleveland Browns (2000). During his season in Cleveland, the Browns recorded 42 sacks, a 17-sack improvement from the 1999 season.

In his three seasons as the Jets’ defensive line coach, the New York defense was among the stingiest in the NFL, never allowing more than 20 points per game for a season. In 1997, he successfully incorporated a rotation of six new defensive linemen on a unit that allowed just 287 total points (17.9 points per game), second in the AFC and sixth in the NFL. The following season, he added four new linemen to his rotation, and the formula contributed to an improvement from the year before as the defense allowed just 16.6 points per game, finishing second in the league.

His first tenure in New England was a four-year assignment as Bill Parcells’ defensive line coach, beginning in 1993 and ending with an AFC Championship and Super Bowl XXXI appearance in January of 1997. In 1994, the Patriots qualified for the playoffs for the first time in eight years after winning their last seven games of the regular season. The defense allowed just 13.3 points per game during that seven-game stretch. In 1996, the Patriots defense allowed just 12.8 points per game in the final five contests of the regular season to propel the team back to the playoffs. The Patriots were victorious by scores of 28-3 and 20-6, respectively, in two playoff games to claim their second conference title in franchise history and advance to Super Bowl XXXI.

Crennel began his professional coaching career in 1981 as a special assignments/special teams/defensive assistant coach with the New York Giants. He became the special teams coach in 1983 and was assigned the defensive line position in 1990, a position he has since coached for 14 seasons. In 12 seasons in New York (1981-92), the Giants qualified for the playoffs six times, won three division titles and two Super Bowl championships. In his first season in New York, the Giants qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 1963 with a 9-7 record. It was their first winning record in nine seasons.

He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, Western Kentucky, in 1970. He was named defensive line coach the following season in 1971. In 1975, he started a three-year tenure at Texas Tech as a defensive assistant on Parcells’ defensive staff. In 1978, he was named the defensive ends coach at Mississippi. After two seasons at Ole Miss, he accepted a position at Georgia Tech in 1980, where he spent his final season in the collegiate ranks before being hired by the Giants in 1981.

http://cachewww.patriots.com/team/in...chbio&bio=9766

\"Excuses, excuses, excuses. That’s all anyone ever makes for the New Orleans Saints’ organization.\" - Eric Narcisse


\"Being a Saints fan is almost like being addicted to crack,\" he said.[i]\"You know you should stop, but you just can\'t.\"