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The Saints Are Definitely NOT Coming

Man, that was the hardest game yet. The Saints snatched victory right from their own hands. This week the Defense, Offensive line and RBs looked pretty good but Brees, Henderson, and especially Olindo Mare looked pathetic at times. Special stinky award goes to Sean Payton, whose horrific play calling is climbing to epic levels of badness.

These Saints are looking pretty bad, but at times their potential still shines through. If Payton wises up and starts using Pierre Thomas, Reggie Bush and Aaron Stecker in tandem we might actually get something started.

There's always next week and then there's always next year. Looking out onto all of the empty seats today I think I'll definitely be able to increase the number of season tickets I hold after this season. We'll also end up with a decent draft pick; maybe we can use it on a Kicker that can actually make field goals.

Go Saints Go!

Tonight is the home opener of my beloved New Orleans Saints. They take on Tennessee, a tough opponent, but I expect them to come alive for the home crowd.

This is just another in the thousands of cheers that will fill the air in New Orleans tonight, GO SAINTS GO! WHO DAT?

No matter what happens this season, I'll be cheering all season long! I STILL BELIEVE!

image ht Jeremy Vigreux

A Prayer to the Saints

When you go to Heaven after you die, tell St. Peter you're a Saints fan. He'll say, 'C'mon in, I don't care what else you done, you suffered enough.' -- Buddy D, "The Point After," 10-03-04

This is an open prayer to the Patron Saint of Saints, Buddy D, and the Patron Saint of Lost Causes, St. Jude. Please intercede on behalf of all Saints fans in New Orleans and living in exile, to turn the season around. I don't know how this terrible start has happened but please get our players back on track.

At this point I don't know what else us Saints fans can do.

P.S. Saints players, please snap out of it. What's going on guys?

The Saints Are Coming!

Tonight is the night we've all been waiting for. The 2007 New Orleans Saints will finally take the field against the World Champion Indianapolis Colts. I predict the Saints will pull it out in a high scoring squeeker. Tonight's difference makers will be Will Smith and Charles Grant who I believe will go on to this year's Pro Bowl.

To all my Saints, I salute you. Bless You Boys! WHO DAT?!?

Don't Dream It's Over

Damn, that was a terrible letdown to the magical Saints season. As I've said 20 or so times before, "There's always next year."

Tour de Merde

Jan Ullrich and Ivan Basso are among a slew of riders that will not be competing in this year's Tour de France due to Spanish doping allegations. This really breaks my heart, as Basso is one of my favorite riders. I was really hoping he could pull the Giro-Tour double this year. I sincerely hope that he is not guilty.

Having the two top contenders suspended from the Tour puts a severe stain on the race and on cycling in general. I'm sick to my stomach about this.

In lieu of my usual, jubilant pre-tour post where I pick the top contenders and the dark horses I will only offer two predicitons:

1. Floyd Landis, Alejandro Valverde, and George Hincapie are my new favorites to win. I would have mentioned Alexandre Vinokourov but it looks like at least half of his team will be suspended, and we all know that you need a full team to defeat a well organized machine like the Disco train.

2. Whatever the outcome, this year's results will be marred by this scandal. This race will always be remembered as the battle of the titans that could have been. So sad and confounding.

U.S. Fails to Advance

Our team played another weak game today. The lack of enthusiasm and their blowing of every opportunity is just so dissapointing. I think it's time to rethink our soccer program. We need to bring in fresh blood in the coaching department, maybe a foreign coach.

Also, our finest players should be encouraged to play abroad. I hate to say it but I think that MLS is detrimental to their development. You can see it in the way that they handle the ball compared to the other top players. Our guys just can't control the ball and get it up front. They don't create plays or opportunities at all.

Hats off to Ghana, the only African team to make it through to the knock out rounds. I hope they go far.

Jose +10

During each World Cup there's always one advertising campaign that really captures the essence and spirit of the event. In 2002 it was the Coca-Cola ads that showed friends around the world meeting up in the middle of the night to watch the matches. In 1998 it was a tie between the Adidas Footballitis spots and the awesome Nike Mas Que Nada commerical.

This year it's all about Jose +10. These commercials perfectly capture the wonder of the game in all of its internationalist glory.

Part 1:

Part 2:

Futbol Italiano = Mal Carne

Barring two totally ridiculous calls, the USA v. Italia game was one of the best of the tournament so far. What a complete and total turnaround for our team! Those guys left their hearts on the field today. Keller and Onyewu were especially amazing.

Screw that ref! I hope they suspend his ass for life. The Pope call was by far one of the worst calls I've ever seen.

Now we just have to beat Ghana on Thursday. It should be a great match, especially if they play like they did today.

World Cup Essays & Articles

Slate finally answers the question of why so many Brazilian players only have one name. Apparently it's tied to illiteracy, class pride and slavery.

Also, this month's National Geographic magazine is running a top notch feature called The Beautiful Game, Why Soccer Rules the World. It features about a half dozen fantastic essays including one by consumate football nut Nick Hornby, as well as stories about the importance of Football to countries in times of strife including Cote d'IVoire and Angola. Most of the essays are online but the magazine has some amazing photos that need to be seen.