I'm an OPTIMISTIC REALIST
 

So it was more of a shot at the poster himself more so than the content of his post. Hmmm, I see. ;) That seems fair. :casstet:

You are officially excused to go laugh uncontrollably now.

I'm an OPTIMISTIC REALIST
 

Seriously, I like to think we\'ll be better than last year. I can\'t say we\'ve really lost anyone significant (except maybe Pathon, and he\'s very replace-able). If the draft is conducted appropriately, we could end up situated to have a pretty good season. I\'m not a big fan of predictions in April, but I don\'t think 10-6 is unreasonable ... maybe even a little better.

Mayberry can only help the O-line, though how much remains to be seen. Smith was a nice pickup, both as an insurance policy and to back up Deuce. 3rd wide out is a concern, especially if Stallworth or Horn can\'t stay healthy, but hopefully Henderson will surprise. Meier is young, but seems to have promise.

As always, defense is the primary concern. The DT position really needs someone to step up and complement Young, but we should be pretty deep at DE even if Howard is traded. I\'m praying for a miracle at LB, as I\'m not totally sold on any player on the roster there. CB concerns me ... even if Brown proves ready to start, there\'s not alot of depth there. FS should be covered for the next few years ... not so much at SS. Defense is obviously where the \"appropriate drafting\" needs to take place.

In closing, I\'m not necessarily \"pessimistic\" about the season, it\'s FAR too early to feel that way. But we can\'t deny that serious needs must be met on the defensive side of the ball if we hope to get over the hump we\'ve been stuck on the last 4 years.

I'm an OPTIMISTIC REALIST
 

Actually, it\'s a shot at the notion that if you pick anything but a winning record for the Saints, you are a pessimist. And I am still LMAO thank you very much. ;)

I'm an OPTIMISTIC REALIST
 

I\'ve never heard anyone say that.
I have heard some people harp on everything negative they can possibly think of anytime anyone mentions anything positive about this team or any player on this team or any player we\'re thinking about drafting, i.e. a good looking CB prospect.
Oh, and you are welcome by the way. But have you really been laughing for 2 hours and 19 minutes about your belief that your sarcasm was somehow misconstured as pessimism?
I didn\'t really find it all that hillarious. ;)

I'm an OPTIMISTIC REALIST
 

Gumbo I think that was a great post. You made some really good points and I think it is easy to find reasons to be optimistic about this Saints team. Overall we have a good team, we just need to fill some key holes. I think that we are very close to the kind of team that could make a good playoff run. TD or DJ!!!!!!!

I'm an OPTIMISTIC REALIST
 

Who are these \"some people?\" I have not heard anyone be negative about EVERY aspect of this team. Let\'s name names. Anyone on this board? Who? Show me one person that has said NOTHING positive about this team at all ever, and also goes so far as to shoot down draft picks. I don\'t think you can. :P

Yup, still laughing. It will always be hilarious to me as long as these labels of optimist verse pessimist remains. That\'s just funny, funny stuff. I would consider a pessimist someone who predicted 0-16, haven\'t heard anyone say that. But even I can find good in 0-16, cause it equals Matt Leinart. So that\'s not pessimistic either. I am trying to discern where these pessimists are, and how drawing a conclusion based on ALL the history of this team can be considered pessimistic at all. Little help?

I'm an OPTIMISTIC REALIST
 

LOL. When was the last offseason that you didn\'t make this type of statement?


We sign ONE player who MIGHT be able to play at a top 5 position of need, and you\'re ready for us to go to the Super Bowl. We sign ONE PLAYER TO THE 32nd RANKED DEFENSE and that\'s major progress apparently. It\'s a good thing too - b/c our safeties are going to be doing a lot of tackling this year given out DTs and LBs.


Typical. 28 teams have gone to the playoffs in the last 4 years, but hey, we\'ve been close!! There\'s no reason to think we won\'t this year. Uh... REALITY CHECK - there are ALL of the same reasons as last season... and the one before... and the one before... er wait, did I miss where you said last season that if only the Saints had a new FS and RG they\'d be Super Bowl bound.


Faith (n): Belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence.

Yeah, that\'s about right.

I'm an OPTIMISTIC REALIST
 

Typical WhoDat. I\'m glad you\'r back. ;) It\'s never been about the players WhoDat. You yourself have said that before. So why harp on the players we didn\'t sign?
Typical. 28 teams have gone to the playoffs in the last 4 years, but hey, we\'ve been close!! There\'s no reason to think we won\'t this year. Uh... REALITY CHECK - there are ALL of the same reasons as last season... and the one before... and the one before...[/quote:91174a386c]Uh...FACT CHECK - Every year of the Haslett/Loomis/Meuller regime has actually been different. From total makeover to continuity/tweaking. Its been far from the same thing every offseason. In fact the only constant from day one has been the staff. And it appears that has changed this year, if the whispers of Venturi having less power are true, even if only slightly.

I'm an OPTIMISTIC REALIST
 

I think you know exactly whom I\'m referring. If the shoe fits...

;)

I'm an OPTIMISTIC REALIST
 

I\'m speechless --- bitter fans - I think not -- I think we are the realists on this forum. Every offseason I am optimisitc -- every offdseason I look back at the previous season and see reasons why we are a playoff team -- every offseason I look at our roster and say we have a playoff team -- every offseason I dream of bigger and better things for the Saints -- only thing is -- that is offseason -- noew let us look at every season -- I see huge inconsistency -- I see dissappointment at every turn -- I see a team that plays with no heart or passion -- I see a team that self distructs -- I see a team that blames the fans, the stadium, the weather, the stars -- just about anything that stops them from looking inside themselves for the answer -- and you know what -- every year I cheer -- every year I pay the price for season tickets -- every year = so forgive me if I do not enter the season wildly thinking they are going to the super bowl -- its good enough that I go out and cheer and hope -- I do not need to raise expectations