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Atlanta radio hosts fired for segment making fun of Steve Gleason's battle with ALS Posted By: mvtrucking Posted On Yesterday 10:49 AM

Full Story – Nola.Com

Atlanta radio hosts associated with "Mayhem in the AM," a sports talk show on WQXI-AM, "790 The Zone," have been fired after running a segment poking fun at former New Orleans Saints player Steve Gleason, who is battling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. ALS is a degenerative disease that attacks motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord, atrophying the muscles and eventually causing paralysis.

The three show hosts, Nick Cellini, Steak Shapiro and Chris Dimino, were initially handed indefinite suspensions by their station following the airing of the segment. In an updated statement on 790 AM's website, the station announced that everyone involved with the incident were fired.

"We suspended the three individuals involved immediately following their comments and have since terminated their employment," the statement read. "790 The Zone, our owners, sponsors and partners in no way endorse or support this kind of content. We sincerely apologize to Mr. Gleason, his family and all those touched by ALS."

By Katherine Terrell / Times-Picayune

Full Story – Nola.Com

New Orleans Saints offseason: all eyes on Mark Ingram Posted By: mvtrucking Posted On Yesterday 10:37 AM

Full Story – ISports Web.Com

Coming off a disappointing season, much of the blame was laid on the historically atrocious defense that took the field last season, and rightfully so. However, this doesn’t mean the offense is completely free of blame. Drew Brees, for one, threw a league high 19 interceptions, and the offense was close to the bottom in time of possession. Though the time of possession can also be blamed on the defense, the 25th-ranked running game didn’t help.

Even though the New Orleans Saints are defined by a prolific passing game, the running game is what ultimately leads to team success. Since the Brees-Payton era began, the Saints two most successful seasons, the Super Bowl run in 2009 and the 13-3 2011 season, both featured running games ranked in the top 7. And in seasons where the Saints didn’t make the playoffs (2007, 2008, 2012), the running game was ranked in the bottom 5. The lack of a running game also has a residual effect on Brees. In the years Brees hasn’t had a running game, he has posted at least 17 interceptions, including a career high 22 in 2010.

By Bijon L Banerjee / ISports Web

Full Story – ISports Web.Com

Atlanta radio hosts suspended for making fun of Steve Gleason's battle vs. ALS Posted By: mvtrucking Posted On 06-17-2013 02:17 PM

Full Story – Nola.Com

Atlanta radio hosts associated with "Mayhem in the AM," a sports talk show on WQXI-AM, "790 The Zone," have been suspended indefinitely after running a segment poking fun at former New Orleans Saints player Steve Gleason, who is battling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. ALS is a degenerative disease that attacks motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord, atrophying the muscles and eventually causing paralysis.

The segment came on the heels of Gleason guest writing Peter King's Monday Morning Quarterback Column, which went live Monday morning. Gleason, who is paralyzed, described his battle with the disease in a 4,500 word column written entirely by a computer that tracked his eye movement.

The radio show's hosts apparently pretended Gleason was a caller to the show, played a robotic voice that gave responses (Gleason uses a synthetic voice to speak) and wondered if Gleason would still be alive by next week.

By Katherine Terrell / Times-Picayune

Full Story – Nola.Com

Atlanta Radio Station Mocks Steve Gleason On Air And Is Appropriately Catching Hell Posted By: Waymer Posted On 06-17-2013 12:42 PM

Sports Illustrated’s Peter King is on his annual summer sabbatical. As usual, King recruited several pinch hitters for his weekly MMQB column. First up this week was former Saints’ player, Steve Gleason, who continues to fight for his life while battling ALS.

And on the day Gleason’s column debuted, the “Mayhem in the AM” crew on 790 The Zone out of Atlanta took it as the perfect time to mock Gleason.

According to multiple reports, the radio station created a mock interview with Gleason where they asked the former NFL’er questions, which were answered with knock-knock jokes and included a reference that he didn’t know whether he would be alive next Thursday.

Fortunately for the radio station, there is no audio of the bit. They have since apologized with one representative stating that they “took a shot and it backfired.” Rightfully so, the station is catching hell across Twitter and the rest of the airwaves of the Internet.

Keep it classy.

Read more from ThirdDownConversion.com.

Ranking the New Orleans Saints' players: No. 25, Kenyon Coleman Posted By: mvtrucking Posted On 06-17-2013 12:39 PM

Former Saints player Norman Hand remembered by son on Father's Day Posted By: mvtrucking Posted On 06-17-2013 12:25 PM

Full Story – WWLTV.Com

All the across the nation, families celebrated Father's Day, but for some the day is bitter sweet. Eyewitness News sat down with one family who is part of the Saints family as they honored the life of a great football player and a great father.

"The first thing I asked Trey was, 'What do you want to do for your father? It's Father's Day. What do you want to do?'" said Trey's mother Toni Charles. "He said he wanted to bake him a cake. It's bitter sweet. I wish he were here."

Unlike other young boys, 10-year-old Trey Hand is growing up without his father, who died from a massive heart attack when Trey was just six-years-old.

By Jaclyn Kelley / Sports Writer / WWLTV

Full Story – WWLTV.Com

Atlanta radio station targets ex-Saint, ALS sufferer Steve Gleason Posted By: mvtrucking Posted On 06-17-2013 12:05 PM

Full Story – Examiner.Com

Those that follow the NFL know that trash talk goes a long way between fans, players, coaches, announcers, radio stations, television networks, and so much more. Still, trash talk needs to be kept about teams and the play on the field. An Atlanta radio station appears to have crossed a line as SBNation reported on June 17, 2013, that they targeted former New Orleans Saint and ALS sufferer, Steve Gleason.

It appears as if the morning gang at 790 The Zone in Atlanta recently decided to attack a rival team of the Atlanta Falcons in the New Orleans Saints. The only problem there is that they launched a verbal attack on former Saints player Steve Gleason.

Gleason is suffering from ALS.

By Danny Cox / New Orleans Saints Examiner

Full Story – Examiner.Com

Steve Gleason's Son Rivers Fuels His Motivation to Continue to Fight ALS Posted By: mvtrucking Posted On 06-16-2013 11:21 AM

Full Story – New Orleans Saints.Com

The start and end of each day is a challenge for Steve Gleason since he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in January 2011.

The disease continues to take away Gleason’s muscular functions and voice, which has forced him to rely on others to help with most daily tasks.

Friends and family help Gleason get out of bed each day. He is then stretched for 25-30 minutes. Showering usually takes 45 minutes, which he does at home or at the Saints facility.

In addition, it takes an hour or two for Steve to be dressed, fed, his wheelchair mounted computer ready and seated in his wheelchair to start the day.

By Alex Restrepo / New Orleans Saints.Com

Full Story – New Orleans Saints.Com

Chamberlain, Butler endure mirror-like stories of woe as new Saints Posted By: mvtrucking Posted On 06-16-2013 11:19 AM

Full Story – SportsNola.Com

First Chris Chamberlain, now Victor Butler.

It's probably nothing more than a cruel coincidence, but for the second consecutive year, a linebacker who followed his coach to the New Orleans Saints in free agency has blown out his left knee before the season started.

On Tuesday, newly-acquired outside linebacker Victor Butler reportedly suffered a torn left ACL after colliding with running back Mark Ingram during team work in OTAs. Butler played the past two seasons in Dallas for Cowboys defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, who joined the Saints in February in a similar capacity and is charged with making the switch to the 3-4.

By Brian Allee-Walsh / SportsNola.Com

Full Story – SportsNola.Com

From the Coach’s Office: Saints Off-Season 2013 Coaching Points Posted By: mvtrucking Posted On 06-16-2013 10:52 AM

Full Story – SportsNola.Com

The New Orleans Saints' off-season of 2013 is now in the books. The coaches, players and many staffers now can enjoy a short break before the start of Training Camp at the end of July. We are salivating and anxious for the upcoming season to start while you cannot blame the players for experiencing some trepidation.

The best an NFL player feels the entire season is the first day of training camp. It goes varying degrees of downhill from there.

Here are some coaching points I picked up by observing the Saints in their Organized Team Activities and Minicamp:

1. The off-season program is necessary

Forget any nonsense that an NFL off-season is unnecessary. OTAs and Minicamp serve a valuable purpose making players and teams better. If players were not participating in these programs, what would they be doing?

By Rick Gaille / SportsNola.Com

Full Story – SportsNola.Com

The Saints Top 20 Posted By: mvtrucking Posted On 06-15-2013 11:30 PM

Full Story –Daily Comet.Com

The NFL Network is finishing up its list of the Top 100 players in the league and some of the selections and non-selections are head shaking. So I thought I would give you my list of the Top 20 players on the 2013 New Orleans Saints roster.

1. Drew Brees — The signing of Brees and the earlier selection of Sean Payton as head coach in early 2006 changed the course of this franchise. Brees is the best player to ever wear the black and gold, and he is the main reason this football team is looked at as a Super Bowl contender since that signature 2006 season.

2. Jimmy Graham — If there is a superstar player on this team other than Drew Brees, it is Graham. Over the past two seasons Graham has caught 184 passes for 2,292 yards and 20 touchdowns. Only Jason Witten (Dallas Cowboys) has caught more passes at the tight end spot over the past two years, but Graham has more yards receiving and more touchdown receptions than Witten.

By Mike Detillier-NFL Analyst / Daily Comet

Full Story –Daily Comet.Com

The Advocate: Saints roundtable Posted By: mvtrucking Posted On 06-15-2013 12:24 PM

Full Story – The Advocate.Com

Advocate sportswriter Ted Lewis and Advocate contributors Gary Estwick, Brian Allee-Walsh, Guerry Smith each answer a random question about the Saints' recent OTA's.

Question: Name a Saints player that impressed you during OTAs?

TL: WR Nick Toon. He spent his rookie season on IR, but at 6-foot-4, 218 pounds he's practically a Marques Colston clone size-wise and seemed to catch everything thrown his way in stride. I don't know where Toon fits into the offense, but he's going to find his way on the field.

GE: Toon's a nice pick, but I'm going with TE Jimmy Graham. He's healthy again, which was evident not only by his catches, but ability to run after the catch. As spectacular as Graham was last season, we didn't see that.

By Gary Estwick- Sportswriter / The Advocate

Full Story – The Advocate.Com

Former New Orleans Saints DE Joe Owens Passes Away Posted By: mvtrucking Posted On 06-14-2013 09:41 PM

Full Story – New Orleans Saints.Com

The New Orleans Saints extend their heartfelt thoughts and prayers to the family of former defensive end Joe Owens, who passed away this week at the age of 68.

Owens was a 6-3, 250 pound native of Columbia, Miss. who was originally selected in the ninth round of the 1969 NFL Draft out of Alcorn State where he was an All-Southwestern Conference selection. Overall in seven NFL seasons, Owens appeared in 87 games for the Saints, San Diego Chargers and Houston Oilers.

Although Owens spent his career with three teams, it was with the team that originally drafted him where he enjoyed his greatest success. Owens first played minor league football in Richmond, Va. as a rookie, while the Saints held his rights. He was then traded to the San Diego Chargers in 1970 where he first became a starter on their defensive line. He returned to the Saints though in 1971 when he was claimed off of waivers by New Orleans and would go on to appear in 70 games over the next five seasons, not missing a contest, as a stalwart on their defensive line.

By New Orleans Saints.Com

Full Story – New Orleans Saints.Com

New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham a stunning snub on NFL Network Top 100 list Posted By: mvtrucking Posted On 06-14-2013 02:55 PM

Full Story – Nola.Com

The NFL Network revealed Thursday night that New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham didn't make its annual list of the top 100 current players, which is determined by a league-wide vote of NFL players. Obviously that's absurd - especially considering that eight other tight ends made the list (Heath Miller and Dennis Pitta?!)

But it's also a sign of how far the Saints' reputation fell with their uncharacteristic 7-9 season in 2012. The NFL Network also revealed that quarterback Drew Brees will rank somewhere in the teens this year after being ranked No. 2 overall in 2012. Guard Jahri Evans was also left off the list entirely after ranking No. 32 last year. Linebacker Jonathan Vilma (No. 58 last year) and tailback Darren Sproles (No. 86 last year) also fell off the list.

By Mike Triplett / Times Picayune

Full Story – Nola.Com

New Orleans Saints Training Camp Profile: Drew Brees Posted By: mvtrucking Posted On 06-14-2013 12:16 PM

Full Story – Rant Sports.Com

After three spectacular record-breaking seasons in a row, Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints cooled off a bit in 2012. The loss of Head Coach Sean Payton for the entire year due to the bounty gate allegations was a huge part of the team’s struggles. 2013 brings optimism from that standpoint with Brees having his offensive guru around for the entire year, but can that alone propel this team back into playoff contention in a tough NFC South division?

It’s not like Brees himself was the reason why the Saints failed to reach the playoffs a year ago. All he did was follow up his 5,476 yards from 2011 with 5,177 in 2012. Unfortunately Brees can’t play defense, and that is where his teammates let him down last season as they allowed the most yards in the history of the NFL (7,042).

The defense has nowhere to go but up in 2013, but Brees will still likely have to outscore opponents to get wins. This bodes well for you if you own him in a fantasy football league of course, but if you are a Saints fan there comes a point where winning games 49 to 45 just isn’t going to cut it.

By Anthony Blake / Rant Sports

Full Story – Rant Sports.Com

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Original Stories

Mike Detillier's Top 32 Prospects for the 2014 NFL Draft
Posted On 05-19-2013

Mike Detillier's Top 32 Prospects for the 2014 NFL Draft

1. Jadeveon Clowney- Defensive End South Carolina

My highest ranked defensive end prospect since Bruce Smith came out of Virginia Tech in 1985. Clowney's defensive playmaking skills are off the charts and the 6-5 ½, 270 pounder has great edge speed and closing skills to the ballcarrier. Despite constant double-team blocking he recorded 54 tackles, 23 ½ tackles for losses, 3 forced fumbles and 13 quarterback sacks in 2012.

2. Teddy Bridgewater- Quarterback Louisville

Bridgewater is a tremendous overall athlete who has excellent size, a strong arm and he has 1st rate accuracy skills in the pocket. His ability to move around outside the pocket is outstanding and he buys extra time for his receivers to get open downfield. The 6-3, 220-pounder completed 66.9% of his passes in 2012, he threw for 5,847 yards and 41 touchdowns.

3. Tajh Boyd-Quarterback Clemson

Boyd reminds me in so many ways of former Tennessee Titans QB Steve McNair. The Clemson standout passer is one tough dude hanging in the pocket until the last second to make a throw, he throws accurately from the pocket, he has excellent mobility skills and he is dangerous running with the ball. He completed 67.2% of his passes in 2012. Boyd passed for 3,896 yards and 36 touchdowns as a junior. He would have been the first QB off the 2013 NFL draft board, had he decided to come out early.

4. Marqise Lee- Wide Receiver USC

The 2012 Fred Biletnikoff Award winner caught 118 passes for 1,721 yards and 14 scores for the Trojans. The 6-0, 200 pound Lee has very sure hands, great foot speed and explosive openfield moves. Lee is not only a gold chip "stretch" receiver, but he also excels in the return game averaging 28.5 yards per runback on kickoff returns.

5. Jake Matthews-Offensive Tackle Texas A&M

Jake has some strong football genes in him being the son of former Houston Oilers NFL Hall of Fame offensive lineman Bruce Matthews. The 6-5, 305 pounder is a very good technician, he is a strong in-line run blocker and a very good pass protector. Has started for the Aggies since... Read More...

What to expect with the move to the 3-4: Personnel and Scheme
Posted On 02-12-2013

What to expect with the move to the 3-4: Personnel and Scheme

by TCUDan

I have held off on giving my assessment of our move to the 3-4 until now because there simply was not enough information out there. And there still may not be. But before now, everything was speculation--who would be playing where, who would be cut, 2 gap vs. 1 gap, etc. Now that there has been a little more information put out there, directly from the coaches, I'm going to extrapolate and break down my vision of what this means for the team.

The Base Scheme

Under Rob Ryan, the Saints are moving to a 3-4 defense, as we all know. Ryan comes from the same coaching tree as GW, so the concepts are going to be quite familiar to the players. The difference is going to start with base alignment and go from there.

There's been a lot of speculation on the forum about whether we're going to run a 2-gap or 1-gap 3-4. What's the difference? Simply put, it's what you're asking your defensive line to do. In a 2-gap scheme, you're asking your DL to ANCHOR. To hold their ground, create push, and force a double team to hold long enough for the LB’s to stay clean and move to the action. It's called "2-gap" because they are playing 2 gaps. Their POA is the chest of the OL in front of them... they read and react to the gaps on either side of them.

1-gap, you're asking your linemen to penetrate and disrupt. A lot has been made over how JJ Watt and Justin Smith before him have revolutionized the 3-4 DE position. Well, that's because they're being asked to play like 4-3 lineman. They're being asked to beat the guy in front of them, shoot gaps and make plays... not to just eat up space so everyone else can get in on the action.

We will be 1-gapping. How do I know this? Because Payton said specifically that we will be using 4-3 concepts like Over and Under fronts. This is the best course of action, as it will give our young, talented DE's... Cam Jordan, in particular... a chance to make plays like Watt and Smith.

The Sub-packages

Like GW before him, Rob Ryan makes his living off his sub-packages. Ryan, in particular, gets really creative with his alignment on passing downs and brings guys from everywhere to get the QB. Whereas the advantage of the 3-4 vs. the 4-3 is that... Read More...

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