Solo Shot (B. Viddy's Take)

Editor's note: We here at the TPC apologize for not getting any new columns out to you recently. Basically, we have all been sucked into other endeavors. This does not mean we were not hard at work for the TPC. In fact, the following is one side to a question posted a few weeks ago. Sorry its old, but it should still hold some water. With two writers it is just a bit difficult to coordiante availibility. It's tough to write a coulmn only to have it not make it to the board because the other writer can't find the time to complete his half. We have all done it, but it still gives you the same feeling as fathering a child only to have your irrate spouse dump it in a trash can, or at least I'm guessing. Regardless, I am instituting the "Solo Shot" here at the TPC. This is where either Luke or I post a written column even if the other writer is too lazy to respond. Kind of like contesting a traffic ticket and having the officer not show up, but we won't hold this against you like the cops will. In the meantime, we have spent a great deal of our time watching football and getting key-holed with booze. Anyways, we're back. Hopefully. Just thought you should know that.

THE NEW ORLEAN' S 'AINT BADS

Blake:
Monday night, Saints vs. Falcons: What happened? Did we find out the Saints are for real, did Atlanta get exposed, or was this one of those "emotional win" kind of situations?

Are the Saints for real? Well no. But yes. I don’t know. Honestly, I think the season is still too young to be making predictions that hold any water. Was the win over Atlanta emotional? Yes, I think that had a great deal to do with it. Just think, they are back home from playing a season in stadiums where they were about as welcome as a lazy, apartment-less friend sleeping on your couch all day. Never paying rent and leaving your living room covered with popcorn and dirty underpants, while you come home from work every day to find him sitting shirtless on your sofa, and they haven’t made a single effort to get off the couch and search for a job. Next thing you know you walk in to find him and a local mid-50’s hippie bartender sitting on your couch, high on opium, with no pants on (true story). These are the things that happen when you don’t have a home, and its how I imagine the Saints felt too. Minus the whole guy on opium with no pants part. That stuff only happens to me.

Well, just like that homeless friend who now has a job (thank God), the United States Saints (they are everyone’s team now according to the MNF crew) now have a home back in the Superdome, and the seem to have a whole new mentality to them. That said, are they for real? I think so, but not in the sense that they are among the ranks of the NFL elite, but they are very much improved. First, they made a huge move this off-season by not taking a flier on Daunte Culpepper. Daunte has wreaked havoc on fantasy teams everywhere for nearly two years and even has increased his devilish reach by ruining the fantasy careers of such promising stars as Chris Chambers and Randy McMicheal, both who I mistakenly drafted this year. Consequently, I am now 0-4 in my league (Ed note: Now 2-5. Woot!). In fact, I think Culpepper may be the first NFL player to have the ability to ruin not only the team he is on, but ruin the teams his teammates are on too. Even more impressive, is that he is the first quarterback in history to play so poorly that fans start chanting for the coach to put Joey Harrington in. Now that’s saying something. I mean I don’t think I would want Joey Harrington on an intramural team with let alone as my NFL quarterback. Regardless, big move by New Orleans to let that sinking ship sail by. Instead, they threw their name in then hat for San Diego QB Drew Brees. Brees has an impressive resume of one great season while losing the franchise tag that San Diego placed on him in order to promote a rookie with no NFL experience. Lucky for them, it worked out. Basically it was like playing a game of franchise Russian roulette with the most important position on the field. The Saints got a lucky ‘click,’ while Miami only heard the gun shot, followed by a thud.

The other big thing the US Saints did was take the best player on the board with the second pick in the NFL draft by taking Mario Williams to improve their defensive front. Williams will be a great pick up for the team that could use some help up front to stop the run and help the pass rush, in fact he…wait…Williams was taken first? They got Bush? What the? Who would be so stupid as to pass on Bush? Houston? Did the fans revolt? Wow, there is no God if you are a Texan fans (Sorry, had to get one more joke in before it got too old). So the Saints got Bush. I’m not saying he is the second coming of Bo Jackson in Super Tecmo Bowl, but I do think that combined with Deuce McAllister, the Saints have a tandem of runners that will make any defense think twice. Add the fact they got disgruntled wide out Donte’ Stallworth out of there, and the team has better players and a better attitude. So are they better than Atlanta? Maybe. I’m not convinced; just look at the Carolina game. But are they in the upper half of the NFC? Absolutely. Look for them to make a run at the wild card, maybe the division if they can stay healthy. Their emotions took over last Monday night and helped them to a win along with their much-improved team.

Also, the fact that the NFL rigged that game so the Saints would win might have had something to do with it too. I’m just saying.