CheramieIII

They called him Bum, but he was no bum. At least, not in the way most people meant when referring to members of the New Orleans Saints in the early to mid 1980s. No, when Bum Phillips moseyed into town in 1981 as the eighth head coach in Saints history, he was seen as a hero -- maybe even a savior.

Faith, hope and Bum Phillips: The New Orleans Saints' cowboy coach | NOLA.com

jeanpierre

F*ck Bum Phillips...

With the great draft picks we had made, he killed our chances with the Snake and a wore out Earl Campbell...

44Champs

Bum was a bum in NOLA. Shouldve hung up his boots in Houston.

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Rugby Saint II

I disliked him when he was in Houston and dammit if he didn't follow me to New Orleans.

QBREES9

Almost forgot about him.

skymike

Big fan of Bum here.
Yall are forgetting that at the time he was here, Bum was the winningest coach in Saints history. Not saying much, I know, but he did raise the Saints up from the BagHead Era, into a respectable team that could, on any given day, beat playoff teams like the Rams, Raiders, or Dolphins, and even the 49ers.

He gave the Saints their first sniff of playoffs, and dont tell me you didnt think we had a shot at the Postseason. Just do a little YouTube, and look again at the Saints Mania that had taken over. Or have you forgotten Harrison Ave/"Go Saints all the Way, I believe?" Remind me, when the WhoDat chant began? Remember the huge caravans of fans who took over Fulton Co, Texas Stadium (It sounded like a Saints home game there), and the Astrodome? Even the national pundits, again, youtube it, we're, for the first time, giving the Saints some love, and were loving New Orleans.

Bum was a super-respected defensive innovator, and his ideas are still used in today's NFL, in, for instance, well, the LATEST SUPER BOWL. I used to think Buddy Ryan was the greatest defensive innovator, with Bum a close 2nd, but if we look how it's played out with Ryan & Phillips progeny, Bum is the clear winner. He came into two cities with hopeless teams, and turned them around immediately, changing the culture, players, and fan bases too.

We owe Rickey Jackson, Frank Warren, and a good number of players who went on to help Jim Mora win, to Bums personnel skills. I was not a fan of Stabler, either, but he really was a great offensive leader, just had no juice left. Also there was no way to know Earl Campbell had a degenerative disorder that would take him from, I believe the greatest runner ever, into an ordinary man.

Bum's Oilers had already beaten the Cowboys in '78, and he would have had a Super Bowl Ring, if not for the Steelers-- the only team in the NFL, he, nor anyone else, could master. He laid the groundwork for Bobby Hebert, (also needlessly maligned IMO), who at one time was our winningest QB, and the first real shot we had, since Archie had no support. I think had Bum stuck it out long enough for Bobby to develop, we would have won it all, with that world class defense, plus a solid, game management, ground it out offense.

Bum's the reason I'm a Saints fan, and agree with me, or not, at one time, he brought respectability to the NFL's worst team. But the#1 reason you should re-think Bum, and take a knee TONIGHT to thank the Lord for his tobacco chewing self. Wade. If Bum doesnt bring his great defensive innovations to the NFL, pass them along to Wade, along with his work habits, and leadership. If it wasnt for Bum, people, Cam Newton would have won the Super Bowl, and he would still be dancing around in our face.

You might think I'm full O' Crap. I like you anyway.
WhoDat! (which btw, began in '83. Remind me who was the Saints head coach?)

jeanpierre

Bum Phillips and Jim Mora owe a great deal of success to Rickey Jackson; a testament to how good Jackson truly was.

Phillips was a horrible personnel man, just look at some of his moves

Right out of the gate he was outplayed in the draft by Bill Parcells (sound familiar) and Bum selected George Rogers first overall when everyone knew Lawrence Taylor was the best player available in the draft.

Phillips who had brought in a past his prime Stabler to the Oilers and got beat by the Raiders whom Bum had traded to get Stabler REPEATED that mistake and brought in Snake again to the Saints...

Bum then traded Manning to the Oilers for another past his prime player in Leon Gray, turning the reigns over to the interception master, Ken Stabler...

Bum traded the Saints first round pick (No. 11 overall) in 1985 for a wore out Earl Campbell, even though he had George Rogers on the roster; of note, Jerry Rice was selected with the 16th pick (CB Jerry Gray, OL Jim Lachey, RB Herschel Walker, DE Simon Fletcher, LB Freddie Joe Nunn were also available)...

Whatever defensive innovator Bum may have been, he limited his success with his bonehead personnel moves...

Jim Finks came to town shortly after that and set the Saints house in order...

I'd say our best personnel days were under Jim Finks until he fell ill as he was able to keep Jim Mora in check on draft days...

Kind of a familiar theme?

But Bum was horrible and got more credit than he deserved because the team had no where to go but up and he could only manage 8-8...

It's not that my way is the right way, I just make the right way my way...

hagan714

1981
1 1 George Rogers * Running back South Carolina
2 29 Russell Gary Defensive back Nebraska
2 51 Rickey Jackson * † Linebacker Pittsburgh
3 57 Frank Warren Defensive end Auburn
3 71 Hoby Brenner * Tight end USC
5 112 Louis Oubre Guard Oklahoma
5 128 Jerry Boyarsky Defensive tackle Pittsburgh
6 139 Nat Hudson Guard Georgia
6 144 Johnnie Poe Defensive back Missouri
6 166 Glen Redd Linebacker BYU
7 167 Kevin Williams Wide receiver USC
8 214 Gene Gladys Linebacker Penn State
8 215 Kevin Evans Defensive back Arkansas
9 222 Toussaint Tyler Running back Washington
10 249 Hokie Gajan Running back LSU
11 277 Lester Mickens Wide receiver Kansas
12 305 Jim Wilks Defensive end San Diego State

1982
1 13 Lindsay Scott Wide receiver Georgia
2 30 Brad Edelman * Guard Missouri
3 58 Rodney Lewis Defensive back Nebraska
3 66 Eugene Goodlow Wide receiver Kansas State
3 68 Kenny Duckett Wide receiver Wake Forest
3 76 John Krimm Defensive back Notre Dame
4 86 Morten Andersen * Placekicker Michigan State
5 114 Tony Elliott Defensive tackle North Texas
6 142 Marvin Lewis Running back Tulane
8 198 Chuck Slaughter Offensive tackle South Carolina

1983
2 38 Steve Korte Center Arkansas
3 65 John Tice Tight end Maryland
3 66 Cliff Austin Running back Clemson
4 98 Gary Lewis Defensive tackle Oklahoma State
8 206 David Greenwood Defensive back Wisconsin

1984
2 42 Jumpy Geathers Defensive end Wichita State
3 68 Terry Hoage Defensive back Georgia
3 69 Tyrone Anthony Running back North Carolina
4 97 Joel Hilgenberg * Center Iowa
5 123 Jitter Fields Defensive back Texas
6 156 Don Thorp Defensive tackle Illinois
8 210 Clemon Terrell Running back Southern Miss
9 237 Brian Hansen * Punter Sioux Falls
10 264 Paul Gray Linebacker Western Kentucky
11 291 Michel Bourgeau Defensive end Boise State
12 324 Byron Nelson Offensive tackle Arizona

1985
1 24 Alvin Toles Linebacker Tennessee
2 38 Daren Gilbert Offensive tackle Cal State Fullerton
3 68 Jack Del Rio * Linebacker USC
4 95 Billy Allen Defensive back Florida State
7 179 Eric Martin * Wide receiver LSU
8 206 Joe Kohlbrand Linebacker Miami (FL)
9 236 Earl Johnson Defensive back South Carolina
12 320 Treg Songy Defensive back Tulane

Now how can you slam bum and not give him credit for the foundation that built the dome patrol.

George Rogers over Lawrence Taylor? say what? close your eyes and just imagine Jackson and Taylor on the same field together. Old timers remember screaming and yelling at the pick and Bums love of the run game and his desire to find the next Earl Campbell. Right out of the gate Bum was in a corner with the fans and the media. It took a few years to see what else we got but he never really stood a chance. The microscope was upon him from that point on

But some of those FA moves and loyalty he showed to aging former players is a huge black eye.

Trading for Kenny Stabler and dumping Archie Manning was a huge mistake that many old timers still do not forgive the saints for. Kenny was the Gambler while he was a saint. Kenny the snake was long gone by the time he got here. No one played with a point spread like Kenny.

But he drafted the bulk of the front 7 that made the dome patrol what it was.

good FA
Bruce Clark
Bobby Hebert
Joel Hilgenberg

He did add my favorite name to the saints. Buddy had a ball with him
Guido Merkens

Frank Warren, Tony Elliott, Jumpy Geathers and Bruce Clark still do not get the credit they deserve.

Bum just could not change his ways and his love for days gone by. Lived and died with the run.

"We may have lost the game, but you'll be hurting tomorrow." Doug Atkins

jeanpierre

Well you made my case...

But while we did have some good drafts, look at what was on the boards when he selected...

I can't imagine not having Rickey Jackson in B&G, but Russell Gary was taken BEFORE Rickey...

Guess who was on the board and selected between Russell Gary and Jackson?

DL Howie Long, LB Mike Singletary and QB Neil Lomax (For those old enough to remember, Lomax was a helluva QB on some bad St. Louis Cardinal teams)...

Bum (like someone else we shall not name) threw picks around carelessly, traded picks for 30+ year old, broken down veterans...

Man was just too f*cking sentimental when it came to personnel decisions...

He wanted to make his job easier by having as few rookies as possible - and that's lazy coaching...

It's not that my way is the right way, I just make the right way my way...

triman

Man I loved me some Bum
I had a great night ,one year when Bum was coach I attened the TD clubs Super Boil.
It is a long tale just take my word that Bum made it a special night for two faithful SAINTS FANs. Great guy.