Thunder and Lighting: Saints Style

Reggie Bush would seem to be a no-brainer for most any NFL team. The Houston Texans were not one of those teams.

Houston's loss is New Orleans gain (which is ironically opposite of the post-Katrina pilgrimage). Passing on Bush is akin to passing on Labron James. You just don't do it.

As the ESPN talking heads have said, if both of the top two picks in the 2006 Draft live up to their hype, Mario Williams will never have as big of an impact, on or off the field as El Presidente, Reggie Bush.

Where does this development leave the Saints?

With past and future Pro-Bowlers at the biggest skilled positions and one seriously exciting offense!

A source close to the Drew Brees rehab here at Birmingham's St. Vincent's Hospital (Dr. Andrews' and Dr. LeMack's offices) says that Brees is coming along smoothly and that he should be physically back to his Pro Bowl form before the preseason gets ramped up.

Just imagine:

Brees under center calling an audible...

Bush and McAllister shift from an I-back to a one-back with Bush now moving into the slot, flanked by Joe Horn, Donte Stallworth and Michael Lewis on the outside.

As a defense, what do you do? Who do you key on? What can you expect?

It doesn't sound like fun for D-coordinators, but Deuce seems to enjoy the thought of sharing the backfield with another dynamic athlete.

Some say it will take the pressure off his shoulders and extend his career by a few years. All I know is that if these guys can get along and share the ball like I think they will, the possibilities are endless for this offense. The Saints now have two explosive backs that can catch as well as they run. While one of them will lower his shoulder and run over you, the other will juke and run around you.

This is what New Orleans Fans are really getting excited about...


The New Thunder and Lightning:


Thunder - Deuce McAllister - 6'1", 232, 4.41 speed (2 Pro Bowls)




Lightning - Reggie Bush - 5'11", 200, 4.35 speed





Can The Saints find a way to screw this one up? Sure, but they may be in the best position, at least offensively, that they've ever known.

Like new H.C. Sean Payton said, "It's a good problem to have."

Mark it down: Monday Night Football - Sept. 25th - Falcons @ Saints

This Homecoming just got a lot bigger!

Out Of Stock?



In the wake of recent rape charges filed against a few Duke student-athletes, ESPN reports that Lacrosse merchandise is flying off the shelves. The official Duke athletic website confirms that all Lacrosse Tees are sold out for the time being.

It seems that taking advantage of a stripper has made these fancy, Yankee boys some kind of pop culture icons. Sickos nationwide are scrambling to hop on the bandwagon with these alleged rapists. Frat boys can be so silly sometimes!

No word yet on the popularity of the "I SEXUALLY ASSAULTED A STRIPPER" Tee Shirts.

Logan Young Watch...



What could possibly be more interesting than The Duke Lacrosse Team and Natalie Holloway combined?

It's gotta be Logan Young's absurd life parlayed into his seemingly inexplicable death. The drama unfolding in Memphis plays out like a Grisham novel according to one notorious sports writer.

Oh, what a captivating novel it would be! Sounds like a job for Warren St. John.

What do you think?

Legends of The Fall

A collection of videos that make me long for autumn :



AUBURN




ALABAMA




OLE MISS - RIP Coach Vaught




FLORIDA - notice how the words match up just right!




LSU



All thanks to youtube. Can you tell I learned a new trick?

Tommy West Pulls One Over on
The U of M


Word is that West is getting a $925,000 base through 2010!

Sorry, but that's insane.

An athletic department that is self proclaimed to be strapped for cash needs to realize who their sugar momma is. (note: it's not football)

Don't get me wrong, Tommy is an extremely likable guy and I think he is good for the program, but I just don't think he's worth that kind of dough. Call me old fashioned.

This is a business right?

Supply and Demand

Where's the demand?

I would relate this to Ole Miss giving Cutcliffe a raise (as they did) after Eli's senior season when the Rebs went 7-1 in the SEC. Is this a case of a great coach or a great player? (note: The Rebels were 3-8 quicker than you could say Hotty Toddy) *


Lets wait and see what the Tommy can do without the NCAA career leader in all-purpose yards!

"Thanks DeAngelo!"

Something tells me Memphis is going to regret throwing $1 Mill at a coach who's career hightlight is a hard fought victory over Akron in the Motor City Bowl.

* A lot of folks might have given Ole Miss hell for firing Cutcliffe, but in the wake of his firing I didn't exactly see athletic directors tripping over themselves to offer him head coaching jobs.

Is Calipari Gone?

The Memphis coach that resurrected the basketball program over the last six years is looking to sweeten the pot. NC State means business with a damn-near $2 Million offer. Memphis folks are already talking replacements, because The University can't pony up that kind of green. John took home $1.2 this year, but those in charge know they must do better than that.

"Sweaters like this come at a price!"

My Take:

Nolan Richardson would be a nightmare.

Brady from LSU will get his. He's at a university with much, much deeper pockets than Memphis.

Memphis needs to do what it can to hold on to Calipari.

I think Calipari's personality is the X factor. While he is a relentless self promoter, he is also greatly increasing the stock of the program, school and city even when he's not coaching games.

By guest hosting "Best Damn" and inviting ESPN's cameras into damn-near ever practice, he is satisfying his own need to be in the spotlight, but he is also legitimizing a program that was all but forgotten seven years ago. Don't underestimate what Cal has done. He is quite the public relations guru.

The economic impact of his tenure in Memphis is far greater than the couple hundred thousand he is hoping for.

True, it would be refreshing if Cal would take a more Joe Patero-esque view of compensation, but that is not his personality.

That said, I don't think he should be paid more than $1.5 and that figure should include incentives for making it deep in the tourney.

If that's not enough to keep him around, then so be it.

P.S. - Memphis doesn't need to worry about compensating Tommy West! Until he takes the Tiger Football squad to A BCS Bowl (equivalent status: Top 8 in the nation), and suitors come round offering him $2 mil a year, they need not lose sleep over it.

Update: Officail word on the street is that Cal is passing on the $2 Mill from NC State. Good News for Memphis.

Do Scientologists believe in Reincarnation?

Ole Miss Backup QB Billy Tapp (sounds strangely like a movie QB)

Cruise in 1983's "All The Right Moves" (Billy Tapp sounds a lot cooler than Stefen Djordjevic)

Their face is where the similarities end. Cruise tops out at about 5'7" and Tapp is close to 6'5". Oh yeah, and I'd be willing to bet that Tapp is not Bat S*%# Crazy!

Photo Credit to Rebelsports.net and IMDB. Thanks ranchreb!