Sean Payton Head Coach Extraordinaire

Boy do I love Coach Payton.  No sooner have the Saints won the Super Bowl than the gutsy play caller is already planning for 2010.  I remember on Super Bowl night, about 10 minutes after we had seen the coach lifting the trophy, thinking (in my inebriated state) 'I love this feeling and I'm sure Payton is hungry for more'.  Well no doubt given his comments on NOLA.com from the 27th Feb.  

"I think the key is to not lose sight of the journey it takes to get there (the Super Bowl), how much work it takes to get in that game," Sean Payton said. "And in every aspect of the program, from the evaluation of talent, the decisions in regard to your roster, the decisions in regard to what we're doing as coaches and evaluators, you know, all those things, it's easy to be critical when you don't have success. What's more challenging is to be that same objective voice of reason, or have that same objective evaluation process, when you do have success."

Now that is a born winner.  To win once is great but to be considered legends in your own time you need to win it again and again and with the team we've got at the average age they are I think that is a real possibility.  A Saints Dynasty, now that really would be something.

Speaking of which he also said Mr Soap Opera himself, Reggie Bush, is definitely in his plans and coming back.  Now I've made clear all along that I'm a big fan of Reggie's.  He is a game changer at his best and at his worst he is a major distraction for the opposing D as someone needs to be tracking his every move.  That leaves room for other players to get open so it's a great early statement of intent by coach Sean Payton to say he is definitely on his way back.

I also like the news they've made tender offers to Mike Bell and Pierre Thomas.  Both were integral in getting the Saints to the Super Bowl with their combination of inside power running, outside and screen play.  To keep this group of runners togethers would be a real coup and send a message to the rest of the league that we really mean business.

Coach Payton also rates Lynell Hamilton very highly so we could also see more from him this coming season.  It's little wonder therefore that the gutsy Saints head coach is willing to forgo the opportunity to sign LaDainian Tomlinson.  As great a player as he has been Tomlinson definitely looks to be in the twilight of his career and would most likely force out one of the younger bucks from the Saints roster.  Better me thinks to invest in the youth and leave some of that money free to get my main man Scott Fujita signed up for one more year.

Finally, whilst I'm glad to hear he's already busy planning for next year I am hoping Sean Payton Head Coach Extraordinaire takes some time to recharge the batteries.  He more than deserves it and will need all the energy he can get come the big time play calls he will no doubt make again in next years Super Bowl.