Yes, patience is clearly wearing thin. Payton's patience. And he did something about it. Payton isn't some spineless figurehead of a coach that can be pushed around. Do you seriously think that Payton is anymore satisfied than you with 7-9 records? Most likely he is far more dissatisfied and the greater difference is that HE can actually do something about it other than griping. Everything that I have read or heard about the relationships inside the Saints front office is that Payton runs everything that has to do with football operations. Loomis answers to him in everything outside of financial implications of contracts and the cap. This is pretty much the same way the Patriots operate. Could you ever imagine Belichick being told to do something concerning operations? Nope. Same structure as with Payton and the Saints.