In my 42 years of Saints fandom, I've learned a valuable lesson borne of maturity (ok, stop laughing about my maturity....) The lesson is this : to shake off and forget a Saints loss.
But last night's bone-numbing loss to the hated Falcons is a pill so bitter that I literally could not sleep and will taste for a long, long time.
With the entire season in the balance and hanging by a thin thread of playoff hope, the Saints will rewind the tape of 2012 and this one game will sum up their "what if" frustrations.
It was a night bursting with "what if" missed opportunities that had the over-rated Falcons primed for defeat.(Seriously, has there ever been a worst 11-1 team?)
But as my 14-year-old son Kyle said of the first offensive play of the game, "I think that tells me how this game is going to go.The Falcons are so lucky."
How it went was on the very first offensive play of the game, noodle-arm Matt Ryan threw a simple hook pattern to Saints-killer Tony Gonzalez at the 29-yard line, Malcomb "Almost make a big play every time" Jenkins broke under the pattern perfectly, yet somehow completely missed making the interception and Gonzalez made a 9-yard reception.
What then ensued was what many of us thought was an "uh oh here we go again" matador defensive effort, allowing a Falcons 6-play,80-yard TD drive.
Then on the Saints' subsequent 4th offensive play, Brees gave us a what we now know was an ominous foreboding of his night:
With great protection, Brees threw a deep post route to Colston, who broke open behind the cornerback at the goal but Brees both waited too late to make the throw and also completely misread the other corner sneaking to the middle of the field. INT in the endzone.
I'll save us all the pain and not recount the next FIVE INTs, and spare gory details of what might have been Brees' worst game as a professional.
From that first drive until the last unexplainable INT, Brees - completely uncharacteristically - never seemed settled, seemed too amped up and showed little-to-no patience in his throws and reads.
Unlike the previous game vs. the 49ers, Brees had time and was rarely even touched throughout the entire game, yet looked uncomfortable and forced throws all night. As great is Brees has been in his Hall-of-Fame bound career, when he's bad, wow, he's horrifically bad. Last night, was one of those horrifically bad nights.
Speaking of horrifically bad, Brees time management of the first half's last minute.. yikes.
First, by a split second, Graham commits offensive pass interference that wipes out a beautifully-called screen pass TD to Sproles.
(Oh, the irony: Sproles caught Brees' record breaking yards-in-a-season pass vs. Falcons last year, and Sproles' TD here would have continued Brees' consecutive games with TD streak....)
After a 12-yard pass to Sproles to ATL 5 , Brees inexplicably huddles team and lets 23 seconds run off clock, then - with no timeouts remaining - checks down to Sproles to the 3-yard line.
Freeze.
At this moment, how does Brees or coaches chirping in his helmet, not know to either spike football to kill clock or throw ball to endzone?
Clock expires. No FG, no TD. Momentum lost.
To magnify the gaffes, the Saints also get the ball to start the 2nd half.
The Saints come out in 2nd half, and DOMINATED the Falcons on both sides of ball.
The Saints maligned defense turns in by far it's most complete game, giving up only around 50 yards of offense from end of 1st quarter until almost final 3-4 minutes.
But Brees' Interception-palooza and Saints' dumbfounding play-calling in second half wasted a rare-defensive night of excellence.
Saints first drive of 3rd quarter - 14 plays, 5 runs/9 passes. Pierre Thomas, rarely used in last few games for some unexplained reason, was gashing the Falcons, and on this drive netted 38 yards on 5 carries. Only get FG.
Next Saints' drive, 7 plays, 3 runs/4 passes. Pierre Thomas, 3 carries for 24 yards. Only get FG.
Next drive, 2 plays, 2 passes, Brees' INT.
Three 3rd quarter drives: remember (who can forget...) Brees' is still struggling, 23 plays total, 8 of which are runs for 62 yards, a average of a whopping 7.75 per carry. And this was a true average, not skewed by a long run (longest run was 13 yards.)
So, in 4th we keep running it, right?
Three 4th quarter possessions, game still in reach, ATL D gassed and being gashed... 2 runs out of 16 total plays. Huh?
A dubious call and a bone-headed play doomed the Saints early in 4th: facing 3rd and 5 at ATL 36 - FG range - (and Falcon D remember being gashed by run entire 2nd half....) - Saints go shotgun, Strieff whiffs on block, and Abraham sacks Brees, taking Saints out of FG range.
Morstead then lays down beautiful backspin punt, which bounds straight up at ATL 1.
Johnny Patrick runs under ball, has time to LOOK DOWN WHERE HE IS!!!, bats ball back to teammate at 1-yard line, but Patrick still somehow steps on goal-line!!!
Instead of limited play access at 1, Falcons start at 20, and methodically march down to kick a put-win-out-reach 55-yard FG by "I never miss vs Saints at home" Bryant.
Ultimately, this was a team loss - both coaches' decisions and players performance, as the cliche goes, but for all the bouquets we lay at Brees' feet, this defeat lands squarely on #9's shoulders.
Brees' epic fail last night was the final sour note in a dreadful, dreary and dysfunctional 2012 season.
Somewhere Sean Payton is looking at that pill called the 2012 season, and wishing it was a amnesia prescription.
Friday, November 30, 2012
Monday, November 5, 2012
Miles to go and I cannot sleep...
The extra hour of sleep LSU fans got Sunday morning from "falling back" an hour did not lessen the shock and pain of LSU's devastating and sickening 21-17 last-minute loss to Alabama Saturday night.
In fact, extra sleep won't lessen for LSU fans the haunting feelings of this loss for a long, long time. Much of the fiery angst and blame will be spewed by LSU fans and national media directly at one Les Miles. Much of it justifiably so. Oh, Les, how did you blow this game?... Let me count the ways...
Leading up to this epic showdown, from all sides - friendly and enemy pundits - the Bama best-ever, LSU doesn't have a chance coronation was taking place.
What seemed like the entire college football universe bowed at the feet of Nick Saban. Every media outlet reveled in the ridiculous notion that Bama was so dominant it could beat some NFL teams (despite fact Vegas oddsmakers said the Tide would be a 24-point underdog to the Jacksonville Jaguars.)
If you listened to the slobbering media, Bama's QB A.J. McCarron was the second-coming of Joe Namath, Kenny Stabler, Payton Manning and every other great QB in NCAA history.
Fuel to the fire was LSU's love/hate relationship with Saban, and an undeniable undertow of distrust for Miles by LSU fans. And boy, the Miles' doubters were in for a treat.
As expected in big games, Miles uncorked some wild tricks from under his oddly perched white LSU cap, but this go-round they all backfired like those Wiley E. Coyote ACME tricks.
Down 7-3, LSU offense imploded after a fumbled punt recovery, faced a 4th & 12 and lined up for a career-long 47-yard FG attempt by a struggling all-season Alleman.
Shockingly (and stupidly), Miles calls for fake where holder Brad Wing pitches to Alleman, despite fact Bama was in a "safety" formation with three defensive backs spread equally across back of the field.
43 seconds later, McCarron cakewalks for a TD, leaving LSU trailing and looking left for dead trailing 14-3 at halftime. Load the crimson and white confetti into the cannons, cue the ESPN analysts smuggly "I told you so" grins.
Hold the coronation ceremony... LSU stuffs Bama (which they did the entire 2nd half), scores to make it 14-10. Cue Miles' ACME moment #2.
With total control of game and all the much needed momentum, LSU runs an on-side kick, which is executed perfectly except one big uh-oh: the kicker touches the ball within the 10-yard, illegal touch zone. Momentum gone.
The next Piano falling from the sky trick: LSU has a 4th and 1 at the Bama 24, and instead of trying a 41-yard FG, Miles fumbles, stumbles and late in play-clock decides to go for it. The offense rushes back on field, Spencer Ware goes under center, rushes the snap, fumbles with handle and gains zero yards.
Why not call timeout, and get play set up, Les? Why run Wildcat with Ware when your best back all-night is Jeremy Hill off-tackle?
The last ACME dagger was Alleman missing a 45-yard FG with 1:58 remaining.
My head started spinning, and a swore I saw a crimson and white Roadrunner zip on the screen, and Roadrunner sees ACME safe precariously hanging from sky and ready to fall.... That safe is LSU inexplicably going into the dreaded prevent defense.
With no timeouts, Bama in 52 seconds drives the length of the field, and for reasons no one can explain, LSU allows Bama receivers to run sideline patterns which stop the clock.
(Note to McCarron groupies: at this point in game, he was 1-7 for ZERO yards. )
As clock ticked away, I only wished someone would just cut the rope and that safe (aka Bama scoring...) would fall on my head.
And to pour salt all over the wound, Bama scores easily on a screen pass where LSU blitzes from that side. The salt? Not the score, but the fact that post-game, LSU players say freshman CB Miles wasn't supposed to blitz on that play, a call he missed and subsequently left that screen pass void.
A friend said it very well: Miles and his staff basically coached LSU out of a win.
If you were to pick up the stat sheet and not known score, you would see every LSU dominated every statistical category that points to winning. Not some, all.
And one post-game analyst made a great, and very painful, point: LSU deserved to win and dominated Bama.. except for the last two minutes of first half and second half.
In crunch time - at the end of each half, when all the marbles were there for the taking, LSU's defense simply didn't execute.
In this one, Saint Saban didn't outcoach Miles. Saban simply sat back and let Miles fall into his self-made traps.
Les simply outsmarted Les, though many would say this statement is oxymoronic.... or simply moronic.
In fact, extra sleep won't lessen for LSU fans the haunting feelings of this loss for a long, long time. Much of the fiery angst and blame will be spewed by LSU fans and national media directly at one Les Miles. Much of it justifiably so. Oh, Les, how did you blow this game?... Let me count the ways...
Leading up to this epic showdown, from all sides - friendly and enemy pundits - the Bama best-ever, LSU doesn't have a chance coronation was taking place.
What seemed like the entire college football universe bowed at the feet of Nick Saban. Every media outlet reveled in the ridiculous notion that Bama was so dominant it could beat some NFL teams (despite fact Vegas oddsmakers said the Tide would be a 24-point underdog to the Jacksonville Jaguars.)
If you listened to the slobbering media, Bama's QB A.J. McCarron was the second-coming of Joe Namath, Kenny Stabler, Payton Manning and every other great QB in NCAA history.
Fuel to the fire was LSU's love/hate relationship with Saban, and an undeniable undertow of distrust for Miles by LSU fans. And boy, the Miles' doubters were in for a treat.
As expected in big games, Miles uncorked some wild tricks from under his oddly perched white LSU cap, but this go-round they all backfired like those Wiley E. Coyote ACME tricks.
Down 7-3, LSU offense imploded after a fumbled punt recovery, faced a 4th & 12 and lined up for a career-long 47-yard FG attempt by a struggling all-season Alleman.
Shockingly (and stupidly), Miles calls for fake where holder Brad Wing pitches to Alleman, despite fact Bama was in a "safety" formation with three defensive backs spread equally across back of the field.
43 seconds later, McCarron cakewalks for a TD, leaving LSU trailing and looking left for dead trailing 14-3 at halftime. Load the crimson and white confetti into the cannons, cue the ESPN analysts smuggly "I told you so" grins.
Hold the coronation ceremony... LSU stuffs Bama (which they did the entire 2nd half), scores to make it 14-10. Cue Miles' ACME moment #2.
With total control of game and all the much needed momentum, LSU runs an on-side kick, which is executed perfectly except one big uh-oh: the kicker touches the ball within the 10-yard, illegal touch zone. Momentum gone.
The next Piano falling from the sky trick: LSU has a 4th and 1 at the Bama 24, and instead of trying a 41-yard FG, Miles fumbles, stumbles and late in play-clock decides to go for it. The offense rushes back on field, Spencer Ware goes under center, rushes the snap, fumbles with handle and gains zero yards.
Why not call timeout, and get play set up, Les? Why run Wildcat with Ware when your best back all-night is Jeremy Hill off-tackle?
The last ACME dagger was Alleman missing a 45-yard FG with 1:58 remaining.
My head started spinning, and a swore I saw a crimson and white Roadrunner zip on the screen, and Roadrunner sees ACME safe precariously hanging from sky and ready to fall.... That safe is LSU inexplicably going into the dreaded prevent defense.
With no timeouts, Bama in 52 seconds drives the length of the field, and for reasons no one can explain, LSU allows Bama receivers to run sideline patterns which stop the clock.
(Note to McCarron groupies: at this point in game, he was 1-7 for ZERO yards. )
As clock ticked away, I only wished someone would just cut the rope and that safe (aka Bama scoring...) would fall on my head.
And to pour salt all over the wound, Bama scores easily on a screen pass where LSU blitzes from that side. The salt? Not the score, but the fact that post-game, LSU players say freshman CB Miles wasn't supposed to blitz on that play, a call he missed and subsequently left that screen pass void.
A friend said it very well: Miles and his staff basically coached LSU out of a win.
If you were to pick up the stat sheet and not known score, you would see every LSU dominated every statistical category that points to winning. Not some, all.
And one post-game analyst made a great, and very painful, point: LSU deserved to win and dominated Bama.. except for the last two minutes of first half and second half.
In crunch time - at the end of each half, when all the marbles were there for the taking, LSU's defense simply didn't execute.
In this one, Saint Saban didn't outcoach Miles. Saban simply sat back and let Miles fall into his self-made traps.
Les simply outsmarted Les, though many would say this statement is oxymoronic.... or simply moronic.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Saints 1:37, v 86
Brothers and sisters, we are gathered here today for a thing called mourning. (Apologies to Artist formerly known as Prince...)
Mourning the loss of a great season yesterday to a numbers team, the 49ers.
No, the title of this sermon is not from the Good Word.
Saints 1:37, 86 are a series of painful numbers that are seared into my Who Dat soul, along with a bevy of other numerology we will cover.
But we'll get to those title numbers later.
First, the most glaring:
5.
Five turnovers in one game, three of them lost fumbles. Mind numbing when you consider the Saints set an NFL record for least fumbles in an 16-game season with 5 lost fumbles. To almost equal your SEASON total in this one divisional playoff game is hard to believe.
23 at 1.
Pierre Thomas catches pass, turns and is about to score, when he is hit violently helmet to helmet, fumbles at one-yard line and Niners recover.
Painful enough Saints get zero points on spectacular opening drive, but more painful Saints lose their all-purpose back to apparent concusion on helmet to helmet hit.
Thomas' loss was three-fold: one, he's a tough inside runner, two, he gives you run/pass option and third, is very good blitz pick-up blocker and DE chip blocker.
And with Thomas' loss, Payton was down to only two running backs, Sproles and Ivory, each a specialist, not all-purpose like Thomas.
15.
Being down to only two running backs, Payton - on next Niners kickoff- had to let Roby, #15, return kickoff, instead of Sproles.
Ball stripped, fumble and inexplicably, Roby tries to pick ball up instead of falling on ball. Niners recover, and kick FG.
472, 32.
As my 13-year-old son Kyle asked, "Dad, how many teams have scored 32 points and lost in playoffs?"
I'd guess less than that cursed, previously mentioned number 5... maybe never.
And to put up 472 total net yards against Niners #2 defense, and not win is absolutely hard to comprehend.
85.
The Niners' passing game consisted of one player, Vernon Davis.
So, in last four minutes and Niners having to pass the ball, you must at all costs guard one player, and one player only, Vernon Davis.
Instead of double-covering him or playing zone, the Saints stunningly and stupidly single-cover Davis.
Covering TEs was Achilles' heel all year (and last year) of this team, and Niners' had one weapon, TE Davis.
Why would you not bracket cover him, aka Calvin Johnson, or at least jam him at line on EVERY play, and more specifically in the two drives? Inexcusable that they didn't do either.
1:37, 86.
Niners had ball at their own 14 yard line, 86 yards from a winning TD with only 1:37 left in game, and only 1 timeout.
99% of defensive coordinators play prevent defense here, not allowing offense to get ball deep, and keeping ball in middle of field to run clock.
The Saints did just this for first 3 plays, and the Niners clumsily managed the clock, taking 57 seconds to move 19 yards.
Saints fans could taste the sweetness of a miracle comeback, an NFC Championship.
40, 67.
40 seconds was all that stood between Saints miraculously moving on to the NFC championship, as Niners lined up at their own 33, 67 yards from scoring a TD.
Logical thoughts whirled through every common-sense fans' brain: Let them catch short ball. Rally to the ball. Tick tock tick tock. Game over. Simply do not give up a long-gainer. Keep everything in front of you.
Before these thoughts could be processed, like a slow-motion horror movie scene, Alex Smith throws a crossing pattern to Vernon Davis, who has easily beaten Malcom Jenkins. 99 yards later (felt like that long...), Davis is tackled inside the 10-yard line.
Watching live was painful. Watching replay was excrutiating agony. Why?
Because for reasons Saints fans - and Gregg Williams - will have to live with during a painful off-season, Williams called a blitz, leaving Jenkins man to man, with closest help being Roman Harper, who was 20-25 yards back in centerfield.
Cliche is "Numbers don't lie." No sir, they surely don't lie here. Because in the end, the truth is, all the numbers mean nothing and don't take away one ounce of the searing pain and hurt of this crushing loss.
Mourning the loss of a great season yesterday to a numbers team, the 49ers.
No, the title of this sermon is not from the Good Word.
Saints 1:37, 86 are a series of painful numbers that are seared into my Who Dat soul, along with a bevy of other numerology we will cover.
But we'll get to those title numbers later.
First, the most glaring:
5.
Five turnovers in one game, three of them lost fumbles. Mind numbing when you consider the Saints set an NFL record for least fumbles in an 16-game season with 5 lost fumbles. To almost equal your SEASON total in this one divisional playoff game is hard to believe.
23 at 1.
Pierre Thomas catches pass, turns and is about to score, when he is hit violently helmet to helmet, fumbles at one-yard line and Niners recover.
Painful enough Saints get zero points on spectacular opening drive, but more painful Saints lose their all-purpose back to apparent concusion on helmet to helmet hit.
Thomas' loss was three-fold: one, he's a tough inside runner, two, he gives you run/pass option and third, is very good blitz pick-up blocker and DE chip blocker.
And with Thomas' loss, Payton was down to only two running backs, Sproles and Ivory, each a specialist, not all-purpose like Thomas.
15.
Being down to only two running backs, Payton - on next Niners kickoff- had to let Roby, #15, return kickoff, instead of Sproles.
Ball stripped, fumble and inexplicably, Roby tries to pick ball up instead of falling on ball. Niners recover, and kick FG.
472, 32.
As my 13-year-old son Kyle asked, "Dad, how many teams have scored 32 points and lost in playoffs?"
I'd guess less than that cursed, previously mentioned number 5... maybe never.
And to put up 472 total net yards against Niners #2 defense, and not win is absolutely hard to comprehend.
85.
The Niners' passing game consisted of one player, Vernon Davis.
So, in last four minutes and Niners having to pass the ball, you must at all costs guard one player, and one player only, Vernon Davis.
Instead of double-covering him or playing zone, the Saints stunningly and stupidly single-cover Davis.
Covering TEs was Achilles' heel all year (and last year) of this team, and Niners' had one weapon, TE Davis.
Why would you not bracket cover him, aka Calvin Johnson, or at least jam him at line on EVERY play, and more specifically in the two drives? Inexcusable that they didn't do either.
1:37, 86.
Niners had ball at their own 14 yard line, 86 yards from a winning TD with only 1:37 left in game, and only 1 timeout.
99% of defensive coordinators play prevent defense here, not allowing offense to get ball deep, and keeping ball in middle of field to run clock.
The Saints did just this for first 3 plays, and the Niners clumsily managed the clock, taking 57 seconds to move 19 yards.
Saints fans could taste the sweetness of a miracle comeback, an NFC Championship.
40, 67.
40 seconds was all that stood between Saints miraculously moving on to the NFC championship, as Niners lined up at their own 33, 67 yards from scoring a TD.
Logical thoughts whirled through every common-sense fans' brain: Let them catch short ball. Rally to the ball. Tick tock tick tock. Game over. Simply do not give up a long-gainer. Keep everything in front of you.
Before these thoughts could be processed, like a slow-motion horror movie scene, Alex Smith throws a crossing pattern to Vernon Davis, who has easily beaten Malcom Jenkins. 99 yards later (felt like that long...), Davis is tackled inside the 10-yard line.
Watching live was painful. Watching replay was excrutiating agony. Why?
Because for reasons Saints fans - and Gregg Williams - will have to live with during a painful off-season, Williams called a blitz, leaving Jenkins man to man, with closest help being Roman Harper, who was 20-25 yards back in centerfield.
Cliche is "Numbers don't lie." No sir, they surely don't lie here. Because in the end, the truth is, all the numbers mean nothing and don't take away one ounce of the searing pain and hurt of this crushing loss.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Hornets' Salary Hell
We can all in hindsight scream and kick the Hornets' management for the sad state of affair this team finds itself in.
But when Posey, MoPete and Peja were signed, if we were all honest, 99% would at THAT time have said they agreed with these moves .
The true blame is on The Creaky 3 directly.
Posey has done nothing, and has in fact, been a huge liability on defense and even worse on offense.
In one recent 20 game stretch, Posey was shooting 16% from 3-pt land.
He is really good at something though that's hard to put a price on (though I'll value it at.. zero...): Posey is excellent at meeting the starters at mid-court, smiling,hugging them and whispering in each starters' ear.
My guess on what's being whispering goes like this: "Yo, playah, I'll only be scoring 2 points tonight in 25 minutes, but still get my $68,109 paycheck for tonight's game.(1/82nd of his $5,585,000 annual salary)"
In his 22 minutes per game, NoShot Posey is averaging a staggering 4.5 points per game on 35% shooting, 30% from 3-pt land.
So over 66 games, the Hornets' are getting banged for their buck at a $18,804 per point clip.
MoPete has contributed nothing to this team since his signing. Has any players shot more bricks and airballs?
And his out-of-control, off-balance heaves driving to the goal look like something out of a YMCA pickup game.
NothingPete's statistical contribution for his $6.21 million salary? 42% FG, 37% 3-pt FG, 6.33 pt a season scoring average.
And when he does score, the PA system should play "Mo Money, Mo Money, Mo Money" because that's all NoPete is doing: taking mo of Hornets' money, mo of Hornets' money, mo of Hornets' money.
At least Peja, when healthy, gives you an occasional offensive "explosion" of 20+ points.Peja unfortunately just physically fell apart over the last 3-4 years.
But for every 20 points he scores, Peja forfeits at least that scoring total in his complete defensive liability.
Yet more painful than his injuries is his 2009-10 salary: $13.392 million.
Yes, these contracts were too high, but that's hindsight.
So, when you want to do the typical "management sucks" tirade.. remember this:
The Creaky 3 continue to steal paychecks from the Hornets' organization, and because of the backward A** guaranteed salary structure of the NBA, the Hornets are literally stuck in salary hell.
But when Posey, MoPete and Peja were signed, if we were all honest, 99% would at THAT time have said they agreed with these moves .
The true blame is on The Creaky 3 directly.
Posey has done nothing, and has in fact, been a huge liability on defense and even worse on offense.
In one recent 20 game stretch, Posey was shooting 16% from 3-pt land.
He is really good at something though that's hard to put a price on (though I'll value it at.. zero...): Posey is excellent at meeting the starters at mid-court, smiling,hugging them and whispering in each starters' ear.
My guess on what's being whispering goes like this: "Yo, playah, I'll only be scoring 2 points tonight in 25 minutes, but still get my $68,109 paycheck for tonight's game.(1/82nd of his $5,585,000 annual salary)"
In his 22 minutes per game, NoShot Posey is averaging a staggering 4.5 points per game on 35% shooting, 30% from 3-pt land.
So over 66 games, the Hornets' are getting banged for their buck at a $18,804 per point clip.
MoPete has contributed nothing to this team since his signing. Has any players shot more bricks and airballs?
And his out-of-control, off-balance heaves driving to the goal look like something out of a YMCA pickup game.
NothingPete's statistical contribution for his $6.21 million salary? 42% FG, 37% 3-pt FG, 6.33 pt a season scoring average.
And when he does score, the PA system should play "Mo Money, Mo Money, Mo Money" because that's all NoPete is doing: taking mo of Hornets' money, mo of Hornets' money, mo of Hornets' money.
At least Peja, when healthy, gives you an occasional offensive "explosion" of 20+ points.Peja unfortunately just physically fell apart over the last 3-4 years.
But for every 20 points he scores, Peja forfeits at least that scoring total in his complete defensive liability.
Yet more painful than his injuries is his 2009-10 salary: $13.392 million.
Yes, these contracts were too high, but that's hindsight.
So, when you want to do the typical "management sucks" tirade.. remember this:
The Creaky 3 continue to steal paychecks from the Hornets' organization, and because of the backward A** guaranteed salary structure of the NBA, the Hornets are literally stuck in salary hell.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Hornets Menu - stick a fork in 'em, they are done
As a huge Hornets fan and season ticket holder, I must proclaim with honesty,full factual analysis ... The 2009-10 Hornets are done. Stick a fork in them now.
Credit is due on many levels:
Effort: This team plays hard, scraps and does much with little.
Playing better than .500 ball without CP3 for more than 20 games now is a huge accomplishment.
Rookies Shining: As ESPN agreed, Collison and Thorton are the best rookie combo in the NBA this season, hands down.
Aside from Collison's turnover propensity at times, he has been - dare I say it - as good as CP3 as a starter.
Thorton is a cold-blooded scorer. Once he masters the finer points of the NBA game (drawing contact going to goal and earning more free throws, for example), this stud will be unstoppable.
Okafor: many doubted and questioned the swap of Chandler for Okafor. I never did, and Okafor has proven me right. Aside from being overmatched against bigger centers, he is a double-double machine, and intimidates with his shot-blocking more than Chandler ever did. Problem is he can't defend the post and subsequently gets in silly foul trouble.
There you have you shiny, happy news.
Now, back to reality.
As it stands at this moment, the Hornets' are at best a .500 team right now. Why? They are horrible defensively. When is last time they held a team under 50pts in a half and/or 100 pts in a game?
The number of uncontested layups and wide-open shots every game is unexplainable.
Check that.. I can explain: Lack of effort and discipline, more so effort. Defense is about intensity and effort, and to allow uncontested shots at the rim is (no pun intended) indefensible.
Anyone with knowledge of this team also knows, they are in a straight-jacket when it comes to contracts.
The heavy contract shackles of Peja, MoPete, and Posey have left needle eye's room to improve the roster.
And even worse about The Creaky 3 (my copywright is pending on this name) is their on-court performance.
(Following names have been changed to protect the innocent)
No-Shot Posey looks like he has cement in his shoes on D. All he takes are 3s, and my guess is he's hitting 25% of those.
Pejunk scores 20+, then can't hit a shot for 2-3 games.
NoPete... someone, anyone explain to me how he's getting a quarter worth of playing time????!!
Watch how often he gets beat defensively, I dare you. It's ugly.
And it's laughable how often he shoots an air ball or complete brick every game.
I've been screaming at TV for a month now --- how can this staff steal minutes from Thorton and play a washed-up MoPete??
One of the local sports guys, Mackel I think, said it best:
Aside from CP3, Collsion, Thorton, Sanguilla (sp?)and Okafor, and maybe Peja, the rest of the Hornets roster is garbage. Well said.
Finally, will this team make playoffs?
I pray NO.
Best course of action: Miss the playoffs, save the embarassment and get the lottery pick.
Then go into off-season, pick your new head coach and re-mix this whole team recipe, because this current menu has some very very unappetizing ingredients.
Credit is due on many levels:
Effort: This team plays hard, scraps and does much with little.
Playing better than .500 ball without CP3 for more than 20 games now is a huge accomplishment.
Rookies Shining: As ESPN agreed, Collison and Thorton are the best rookie combo in the NBA this season, hands down.
Aside from Collison's turnover propensity at times, he has been - dare I say it - as good as CP3 as a starter.
Thorton is a cold-blooded scorer. Once he masters the finer points of the NBA game (drawing contact going to goal and earning more free throws, for example), this stud will be unstoppable.
Okafor: many doubted and questioned the swap of Chandler for Okafor. I never did, and Okafor has proven me right. Aside from being overmatched against bigger centers, he is a double-double machine, and intimidates with his shot-blocking more than Chandler ever did. Problem is he can't defend the post and subsequently gets in silly foul trouble.
There you have you shiny, happy news.
Now, back to reality.
As it stands at this moment, the Hornets' are at best a .500 team right now. Why? They are horrible defensively. When is last time they held a team under 50pts in a half and/or 100 pts in a game?
The number of uncontested layups and wide-open shots every game is unexplainable.
Check that.. I can explain: Lack of effort and discipline, more so effort. Defense is about intensity and effort, and to allow uncontested shots at the rim is (no pun intended) indefensible.
Anyone with knowledge of this team also knows, they are in a straight-jacket when it comes to contracts.
The heavy contract shackles of Peja, MoPete, and Posey have left needle eye's room to improve the roster.
And even worse about The Creaky 3 (my copywright is pending on this name) is their on-court performance.
(Following names have been changed to protect the innocent)
No-Shot Posey looks like he has cement in his shoes on D. All he takes are 3s, and my guess is he's hitting 25% of those.
Pejunk scores 20+, then can't hit a shot for 2-3 games.
NoPete... someone, anyone explain to me how he's getting a quarter worth of playing time????!!
Watch how often he gets beat defensively, I dare you. It's ugly.
And it's laughable how often he shoots an air ball or complete brick every game.
I've been screaming at TV for a month now --- how can this staff steal minutes from Thorton and play a washed-up MoPete??
One of the local sports guys, Mackel I think, said it best:
Aside from CP3, Collsion, Thorton, Sanguilla (sp?)and Okafor, and maybe Peja, the rest of the Hornets roster is garbage. Well said.
Finally, will this team make playoffs?
I pray NO.
Best course of action: Miss the playoffs, save the embarassment and get the lottery pick.
Then go into off-season, pick your new head coach and re-mix this whole team recipe, because this current menu has some very very unappetizing ingredients.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Are you infected with Who Dat Fever?
No temperature. No nausea. No headaches.
Strange.. I feel 100% healthy, but I know I still have the Who Dat fever.
And truth is I don't want to get over this sickness.
From all reports too, this fever has spread throughout the nation, maybe the world.
Evidence: the Saints-Colts Superbowl was THE most-watched TV show in the history of television. More than 106 milions viewers was last count I saw.
My independent study (do not ask how I derived at this.. super-double probation kinda stuff) shows that a whopping majority of this 106 milllion were infected with mild cases of Who Dat, but upon Porter's game-ending INT for TD they were all full-blown Who Dat infected.
Symptoms you ask?
- Daily need to wear black-and-gold shirts, feather boas, Saints championship hats
- Now own an authentic Saints jersey and believe wearing it at all functions is appropriate
- Search for anything mentioning or showing Drew Brees, his wife or his son, Baylen
- Attended the Superbowl in Miami and now have several new Who Dat friends on Facebook
- Re-read The Times Picayune stories on Mondat
- Have forwarded countess priceless pictures of Saints Superbowl photos, ie Payton sleeping with the Lombardi trophy
- Have recounted multiple stories of someone you know who has seen Payton holding the Lombardi Trophy at Ruth's, parades, on floats, in hotel lobbies, at post-parade parties, etc
- Have waited in line for hours post-Superbowl to get a Saints player autograph
- You have renamed the days of the week: Mondat, Truedat, WeDat, Drewdat, Fridat, Saintsdat, WhoDat
- Endlessly planning where you will hang the framed front-page headline, "Amen!" and other Superbowl stuff
- Keep "Get Crunk" on your iPod and in your car CD player, and when played must roll down windows and blare at ear-splitting decibels
- Have created an iPhone "Get Crunk" ringtone (guilty...)
- Have watched the NFL reply of the Superbowl no less than 3 times
- Every time you see Porter's INT, you jump up, scream and re-live that feeling like it's happening in real time
- Weeks later, still ask yourself constantly, "The Saints are the World Champions, aren't they?"
- When any Jim Henderson Superbowl play-by-play is re-played, stop whatever you are doing, listen, get goosebumps and tears as if you're hearing it for first time
- Have held a Superbowl Replay Party (I will be doing this soon!)
- Counting the days til Sept. 9 Thursday night Opening Game
- Thank God you are a Season Ticket holder
- Pray to God a Season Ticket holder offers you tickets to game's next year
If you are experiencing these symptoms, don't panic, don't schedule a doctor's appointment... just remain calm.. unless of course "Get Crunk" starts playing, then you must bob up and down, wave arms in the air, sing the words and chant "Who Dat Who Dat!!!"
Strange.. I feel 100% healthy, but I know I still have the Who Dat fever.
And truth is I don't want to get over this sickness.
From all reports too, this fever has spread throughout the nation, maybe the world.
Evidence: the Saints-Colts Superbowl was THE most-watched TV show in the history of television. More than 106 milions viewers was last count I saw.
My independent study (do not ask how I derived at this.. super-double probation kinda stuff) shows that a whopping majority of this 106 milllion were infected with mild cases of Who Dat, but upon Porter's game-ending INT for TD they were all full-blown Who Dat infected.
Symptoms you ask?
- Daily need to wear black-and-gold shirts, feather boas, Saints championship hats
- Now own an authentic Saints jersey and believe wearing it at all functions is appropriate
- Search for anything mentioning or showing Drew Brees, his wife or his son, Baylen
- Attended the Superbowl in Miami and now have several new Who Dat friends on Facebook
- Re-read The Times Picayune stories on Mondat
- Have forwarded countess priceless pictures of Saints Superbowl photos, ie Payton sleeping with the Lombardi trophy
- Have recounted multiple stories of someone you know who has seen Payton holding the Lombardi Trophy at Ruth's, parades, on floats, in hotel lobbies, at post-parade parties, etc
- Have waited in line for hours post-Superbowl to get a Saints player autograph
- You have renamed the days of the week: Mondat, Truedat, WeDat, Drewdat, Fridat, Saintsdat, WhoDat
- Endlessly planning where you will hang the framed front-page headline, "Amen!" and other Superbowl stuff
- Keep "Get Crunk" on your iPod and in your car CD player, and when played must roll down windows and blare at ear-splitting decibels
- Have created an iPhone "Get Crunk" ringtone (guilty...)
- Have watched the NFL reply of the Superbowl no less than 3 times
- Every time you see Porter's INT, you jump up, scream and re-live that feeling like it's happening in real time
- Weeks later, still ask yourself constantly, "The Saints are the World Champions, aren't they?"
- When any Jim Henderson Superbowl play-by-play is re-played, stop whatever you are doing, listen, get goosebumps and tears as if you're hearing it for first time
- Have held a Superbowl Replay Party (I will be doing this soon!)
- Counting the days til Sept. 9 Thursday night Opening Game
- Thank God you are a Season Ticket holder
- Pray to God a Season Ticket holder offers you tickets to game's next year
If you are experiencing these symptoms, don't panic, don't schedule a doctor's appointment... just remain calm.. unless of course "Get Crunk" starts playing, then you must bob up and down, wave arms in the air, sing the words and chant "Who Dat Who Dat!!!"
Sunday, February 7, 2010
It is futile...You cannot resist the Who Dat Nation Force
(Fort Lauderdale, FLA)
I keep saying aloud, "Denise, can you believe this.. that we're in Miami, going to the Superbowl to watch the Saints!?"
I've been blessed with lots of Wow moments in my life, but this one tops them all.
My latest stop in this surreal, whirlwind Saints season is one I'll never forget. So many snapshots (and some of those snapshots will remain locked away forever...):
- The unbelievable Who Dat Nation invasion.. Last night we returned to SoBe (it's not cool to call it South Beach...), and I told Denise let's count the number of people wearing Saints black n gold until we see a Colts fan. No kidding, we stopped counting at 27.
- We didn't get the memo: Clothing is apparently optional on SoBe. Not for the faint of heart (or faint of conviction) Nuff said.
- P.S. to above point: And apparently when guys go out in SoBe, they leave their shirts at home. Men bare-chested every step of the way.
- I'd conservatively put the Who Dat to Colt ratio at 25:1. And that might be generous.
- Last night at The Clevelander, a "Where to be" uppety outdoor bar on SoBe, I sat at bar drinking a bottle water (with that fact I shoulda been wearing donkey ears.... Drinking water at this bar?! What's wrong with you!?) and a guy orders 2 normal bar-brand drinks. "$22?!!" he said incredously. Yep, $22 for 2 drinks. His friend said,"That's freaking ridiculous.. and they could at least put them in something bigger than a Dixie cup."
- Cover charge to Fat Tuesday = $10. Cover charge for Clevelander= $30. Garage parking = $40. Jello shots at Clevelander= $5 (bikini models walk around non-stop with them)
- Collins Drive = total gridlock. We found a back way out that cut drive time by 30 minutes. And we didn't even have to ask, "Excuse me Holmes how do I get back to 856?" (shout out to Clark Griswold)
- Jack Bauer and CTU aint got nothing on these guys.... We have seen caravans of black Escalades all over SoBe. Brand new, totally spotless ones with totally blacked out windows.
- 99% of people here have never seen a "Who Dat" second umbrella, as evidenced by the non-stop photo requests for Denise to pose for them.
Well gotta go for now. It's time to drive to the first of 2 pre-game tailgate (inside a casino, the other by the stadium...) parties.
Geaux Saints!!!! finish strong!!!!
-
I keep saying aloud, "Denise, can you believe this.. that we're in Miami, going to the Superbowl to watch the Saints!?"
I've been blessed with lots of Wow moments in my life, but this one tops them all.
My latest stop in this surreal, whirlwind Saints season is one I'll never forget. So many snapshots (and some of those snapshots will remain locked away forever...):
- The unbelievable Who Dat Nation invasion.. Last night we returned to SoBe (it's not cool to call it South Beach...), and I told Denise let's count the number of people wearing Saints black n gold until we see a Colts fan. No kidding, we stopped counting at 27.
- We didn't get the memo: Clothing is apparently optional on SoBe. Not for the faint of heart (or faint of conviction) Nuff said.
- P.S. to above point: And apparently when guys go out in SoBe, they leave their shirts at home. Men bare-chested every step of the way.
- I'd conservatively put the Who Dat to Colt ratio at 25:1. And that might be generous.
- Last night at The Clevelander, a "Where to be" uppety outdoor bar on SoBe, I sat at bar drinking a bottle water (with that fact I shoulda been wearing donkey ears.... Drinking water at this bar?! What's wrong with you!?) and a guy orders 2 normal bar-brand drinks. "$22?!!" he said incredously. Yep, $22 for 2 drinks. His friend said,"That's freaking ridiculous.. and they could at least put them in something bigger than a Dixie cup."
- Cover charge to Fat Tuesday = $10. Cover charge for Clevelander= $30. Garage parking = $40. Jello shots at Clevelander= $5 (bikini models walk around non-stop with them)
- Collins Drive = total gridlock. We found a back way out that cut drive time by 30 minutes. And we didn't even have to ask, "Excuse me Holmes how do I get back to 856?" (shout out to Clark Griswold)
- Jack Bauer and CTU aint got nothing on these guys.... We have seen caravans of black Escalades all over SoBe. Brand new, totally spotless ones with totally blacked out windows.
- 99% of people here have never seen a "Who Dat" second umbrella, as evidenced by the non-stop photo requests for Denise to pose for them.
Well gotta go for now. It's time to drive to the first of 2 pre-game tailgate (inside a casino, the other by the stadium...) parties.
Geaux Saints!!!! finish strong!!!!
-
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