Question for the Pessimists?
 

Okay ... so maybe you're not a pessimist. Maybe you're a "hopeful realist".

To me, though, a "pessimist" by any other name is still the same. ;)

Just ask ol' man Webster!! :D

Enough small talk. I have a question for you pessimists. I mean "hopeful realist".

Okay ... here goes!!

If a 16 oz. glass has 8 oz. of water in it ... Is it half empty or half full?

Just kidding. But feel free to answer?! LMAO!! :D :D

Enough kidding around:

Is there any one player the Saints could draft this weekend that would make you think the Saints are a true playoff contender?



[Edited on 22/4/2005 by GumboBC]

Question for the Pessimists?
 

Billy, you should know there\'s no such thing as a pessimist. There all realists.

There\'s only two kinds of people on this board, stupid optimists and realists.

Question for the Pessimists?
 

Yes.

No, not just one. However, if they drafted one of the \"killer B\'s\" (Barron, Barnes, or Brown) to play OT so Mayberry can play his natural guard spot, and a solid LB that pans out...and that is the critical part...then I would be less \"pessimistic.\" I am not sold on DJ, however, for the LB spot. From the little bit of video I\'ve seen on him, he appears to lanky to be successful in the NFL. I have read in this forum that he has bulked up, but I have not seen that myself, and my Dad always told me not to believe any of what I hear, and only half of what I see.

Question for the Pessimists?
 

No. I think it\'s going to take both a stud LB and a stud DT to pull that off. The Saints seem to be pinning their hopes on Sully, who hasn\'t delivered anything close to his potential yet.

SFIAH

Question for the Pessimists?
 

Just for the record, and I could be wrong, but I believe the word \"stupid\" was something that you came up with on your own. I may have missed something, but I don\'t recall anyone calling anyone else stupid. I apologize in advance if I am wrong about this.

Question for the Pessimists?
 

they don\'t need anyone to be a playoff \"contender\". they already are. they got as close as you could without making it last year. if they didn\'t have one draft pick i think they could make the playoffs. making the cut to playoffs in the nfl isn\'t much above the nhl anymore. heck, by that grand scale, probably 75% of the nfl contends for the playoffs. i just want more than a schizophrenic performing mediocre team that flirts with or just makes it into the playoffs though. single players can push ya to another level but single players do not make championship contending teams.

Question for the Pessimists?
 

How many optimistic pessimistic thread can there really be? GOODNESS.

Question for the Pessimists?
 

Neither one, the problem is you have twice as much glass as you need.

I\'m not sure that any 1 player puts us in the playoffs. But if we got a smart contributing offensive tackle and a quality smart, starting linebacker, then I like our chances to at least play in a wildcard game.

But we have to stop making stupid decisions.

Question for the Pessimists?
 

I must respectfully disagree.
I think the Saints feel that someone will emerge as a decent compliment to Bryant out of Green, Bryant, Leisle, Sullivan, Whitehead, and maybe a 1st day draft pick.
I think if we had any inclination of pinning our hopes on him he would have at least been activated towards the end of last year and certainly would have played some.
I think the only reason he\'s still on the roster is because its too big of a cap hit to cut him.

Question for the Pessimists?
 

The glass contains 50% of its potential. Interestingly, the Saints win 50% of their games, so this is a nice analogy.

Let me ask you a follow up question. Is there any reason to believe that the water will grow without something else being added? Is there reason to think it will decrease? LOL


No. No one player does it for the Saints. There are a number of issues. The Saints, once again, already missed their best chance to improve significantly at key positions. That was Free Agency. They took a pass at LB and DT. Nice move.

They need better smarter play out of the middle of the defense. They need existing players to step their game up. They need a scheme that utilizes the skills of their players, puts them in the right position, and teaches them to play their roles more effectively. They need better in-game coaching and adjustments. etc, etc, etc.

Question for the Pessimists?
 

I think some immediate help could come from several players.

1. RT, Brown or Barnes would immediately start and excell at RT, which would allow Mayberry to replace Jacox. HUGE upgrade to the O-line. Like getting two players.

2. A bid run stuffing clogger at DT (maybe 2nd-4th rounder) would be like drafting two players. It would provide a significant boost to our porous run defense and allow Young to shoot the gaps created by the clogger taking up double teams., which is his main strength. Luis Castillo, Travis Johnson, and Shaun Cody are my early favorites with Anthony Bryant as a late round prospect.

The knock on Anthony Bryant is he fatigues too fast. But in Pease\'s rotation scheme this may not be as big an issue as it was with Hand and Jackson.


3. A solid WLB (1st or 2nd round) would help for obvious reasons. Thomas Davis (or some others) would provide solid run support, a ferocious smash-mouth attitude, and flat out scary pass rush. Davis, DJ, and Burnett are my favorites.

4. A MLB (2nd or 3rd round) could help in that it would allow Watson to replace Bockwoldt at WLB and we\'d have 2 out of 3 decent LB\'s. Crowder, Ruud or Thurman are my favorites.



[Edited on 22/4/2005 by Danno]

Question for the Pessimists?
 

i don\'t know what i am...........but i like the first question better.........
i don\'t care if the glass is half empty or half full as long as it\'s filled with beer...............smitty

Question for the Pessimists?
 

..great, this forum is turning into another sainstresport....

Question for the Pessimists?
 

Indeed ... and there\'d better be more in the cooler! :cheers:

It\'s almost insane to believe ONE player would make us a real \"contender.\" I agree with LKelly that we\'re already a \"playoff contender,\" but we\'ve got a few holes to fill before we could really make a deep run.

Quality, team-oriented players. Just ask the Patriots...

PS: Nice to see you back, BMG.



[Edited on 22/4/2005 by mutineer10]

Question for the Pessimists?
 

i think the question should be put another way. can we draft one guy to get us to the super bowl. i understand our first step is the playoffs. but we almost made the playoffs last year. and we really played bad through the first 12 games. but if we almost made it last year its not a stretch that we can make it this year. i dont think we have been that far from the playoffs the last few years. outside of us just not performing well or at all at times. i think our team right now has the ability to make the playoffs. the question is can we really contend. that i think were a few players away from achieving. but if we can draft well and keep our main guys we could really be something in two years. just my thoughts. im not covinced we can make the superbowl next year regardless of our draft. doesnt mean i dont think its at all possible. just not likely. but hey some teams catch a rhythm. so anything is possible.

but i will admit this. i cant wait until tomorrow. im optimistic. how can you not be. this is the year we will do it. a few months, some preseason games and then 17 weeks later we might be 8-8 again. but right now i have the fever. gets me every year. if you dont get caught up in it then what the hells the point. im sure by preseason ill be predicting some wild idea of how we can go 12-4 win the division and make the superbowl.
emotion throws out all reason

Question for the Pessimists?
 

Right there with ya, spkb25. Against my better judgment, I have big expectations for the draft. Every year I get teased with \"almost\" making the playoffs, and it was especially troubling last season because we were actually playing pretty well (whether Mora threw Haslett a bone or not).

That\'s why I kinda wonder about the optimism / pessimism debates. I can\'t see how any pessimist would EVER be a Saints fan... ;)

Question for the Pessimists?
 

Hey Billy stop playing the fence dude, you were once a sunshiner and now you scare me ALOT.

Question for the Pessimists?
 

im with you mut. really i think were all optimist. every football fan of every team thinks the impossible is possible right now. we can all put whatever spin on it we want to but were all hoping. you know its funny how you brought up last year and how that hurt. i would agree because that rythm i was talking about i think we had found somehow the way to win. i also think the possibilities in the playoffs were endless. as well as we were playing last year i dont think we would have made the superbowl. but i do honestly believe if we had made the playoffs last year we could have made the championship. i really do. i think it has to hurt because we havent played that well in a long time.

Question for the Pessimists?
 

One rookie player? No. I can name three FAs that would\'ve elevated our stature. Simon, Sharper & Dyson. We could\'ve dealt Howard, Freddy & Boo, then drafted at our leisure. Freddy would be a good move, since he\'s at his maximum value, and starting his decline. Davis at SS would\'ve been my first pick. Then get the best OT and OLB available. Now, you\'re looking at 11-5 easy.

By the way, we couldn\'t get some sort of pick for Pathon? I said a while bac k that I was impressed with the Vikes. Now, the Chiefs & Hawks are making major moves.