WhoDat!656

Think about what it must be like, when your boss comes up to you at your job, the same job that you’ve been working at for the last 25 years since you were in your early 20’s, and tells you: “Hey, meet ‘such and such’. He’s the new guy, and I want you to train him”.

Now of course, you don’t want to do or say anything to make you boss unhappy or to jeopardize the job you currently have that’s paying for your rent, your bills, and the food you eat; so you simply say in response: “okay, sir / ma’am, no problem”.

Except there is a problem. A BIG problem.

That’s because ‘such and such’ is there to TAKE your job, as the person who was hired to REPLACE you.

Now take that scenario, and apply to to the one that 10th year Saints veteran Zach Strief is experiencing right now, and I think you’ll know exactly how he must feel at this moment, as the Saints head into mandatory Mini-Camp starting this Tuesday morning.

TEACHER VS. STUDENT: Saints RT Battle Could Be Epic

"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."

Danno

The analogy is a bit flawed. Strief knows he's on the downside of his career and will be replaced over the next 2 or 3 seasons. He's gonna get paid one way or another.

He seems like the kind of man that would take pride in mentoring a young player that has all-pro potential.

Besides, you're really only out of a job when all 32 teams decide not to hire you.

saintsfan1976

Love Strief.

Reminds me of Stinchcomb (who also played his entire career with N.O.)

Did you know Stinch was a backup for 2 years? And Strief for 5 years?

Barring injury, Peat will be a back up this year and that's o.k.

TXGSP

Sounds more like what is happening in IT. Bring in someone that is cheaper, has less skill and have current staff train them so you can get fired/laid off.

Have had it happen at two jobs... Both jobs are still there it just took 2 guys in India to do what I did for less than what I made.

saintsfan1976

Sounds about right. If your skill essentially becomes a commodity, I'd learn a new skill.

dizzle88

Agreed, I watched the interview he had with the Nola.com reporters and he seemed one of the more gracious athletes I've heard.

He let it be known that he wasn't backing down from the position, but if the coaches give the starting role to someone else then Strief will give that person all the knowledge he has to help them be successful.

That's a true team player.

ScottF

I still feel that if Peat beats out Strief then the loser will be Lelito

Rugby Saint II

"Tackle eligible." Be prepared to hear that a lot.

saintsfan1976

This.

ChrisXVI

Ugh I still hate the fact that we used the #13 pick on potentially a back-up right tackle.