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Why I'm Rooting for the Saints

No its not because of the D-Cup to cheerleader ratio. No its not because that media whore Kim Kardashian is banging Reggie "I didn't accept money while at USC" Bush. No its not because I feel bad about the whole hurricane thing.

However, being a Browns fan, I want to believe that Cleveland can turn things around as the Saints have in the span of just a few short years.

Lets take a look......

2005 record: 3-13
2006 record: 10-6, 1 playoff win.
2007 record: 7-9
2008 record: 8-8
2009 record:13-3, SuperBowl 44 appearance.


Key Free Agent Signings

Drew Brees Acquired UFA '06.
Drew was a decent quarterback on a better than average team. He had a good coach, the leagues top running threat in LaDainian Tomlinson and some good young talent. But Drew had a subpar year and his season ended with a bum shoulder, a young, talented rookie in Philip Rivers, and Drew was due a good portion of next years salary cap. Drew then becomes a free agent.

Darren Sharper Unrestricted Free Agent (Min) '09.
Was a staple in Green Bay for many years before signing with conference rival Minnesota. Multiple Pro Bowl nods, playoff experience and many other honors not mentioned. You just can't draft experience. Right now 31 other teams are kicking themselves for writing off this 34 year old playmaker, who by the way finished tied with a league leading 9 int's.

Trades

Jeremy Shockey Acquired via trade from NY Giants '08.
A talented, in your face TE from "The U" (who I would probably forget about in just another year or two if it were not from that play during the Hall of Fame game where he ran over the Texans CB). He was drafted high by the NY Giants and within just a few years wore out his welcome in the Big Apple. The WWE's Rowdy Roddy Piper "wanna be" was traded to the Saints.

Jonathan Vilma Acqured via trade (NYJ) '08.
A tackling machine while in New York who just lacked that "charm" that Eric Mangina likes so much. A 2005 Pro Bowler and 2004 defensive rookie of the year. Led team with 151 tackles in 2008.

Drafting
No I'm not going to base this off of the Saints drafting Reggie Bush. But I will praise them for drafting the following players:
2005 Jammal Brown 1st Rd Tackle Oklahoma
2006 Reggie Bush 1st Rd RB USC
Marques Colston 7th Rd WR Hofstra
2007 Robert Meachem 1st Rd WR Tenn
2008 Sedrick Ellis 1st Rd DT USC
2009 Malcolm Jenkins 1st Rd CB The Ohio State University.
Five years of drafting and I could only pull up a handful of names.

Look at that......just a few free agents, throw in a couple top 10 draft picks, two trades and you get to play in the SuperBowl.

If this isn't encouraging with the trades Mangina was able to pull of in '09, an owner who is starting to show signs of life in terms of committing himself toward building a winning franchise, and a possible uncapped season, we may not have to worry about blackouts in 2010.

Lets hope tomorrow's game is another good one and GO SAINTS!
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