Another thing I wouldn’t gamble on? Seeing Sean Payton’s tough ass back on the sideline quicker than expected.

During the Saints-Bucs game yesterday, TE Jimmy Graham was forced out of bounds when he accidentally ran into his head coach, tearing Payton’s MCL and breaking his leg. The video of collision  is below.

The coach said he wanted to continue coaching from the box, but the pain forced him to stay in the locker room where he watched the remainder of the 2nd half.

For me, if I get hurt on the job, I’m just hoping I get a couple extra days off – Payton just wants to keep working. I wonder who likes their job more?

You think he gets worker’s comp for this s**t?

The Saints will be making their first Super Bowl appearance in franchise history, and the fans of New Orleans are finally getting to live out all Browns and Lions fans’ wet dreams.

Since the inaugural Super Bowl, which at the time was called the First AFL-NFL World Championship Game, there have only been 5 teams that have never made it to the Big Game. Well that list is going to get 1 team smaller when the Saints take the field tonight.

The Browns, Lions, Jaguars, and Texans are the last 4 teams remaining, but the Browns and Lions are by far the two franchises that have suffered the most since Super Bowl I in 1967. Both of these teams have been in the league since before the Super Bowl was originated, so it is difficult to keep the Jaguars and the Texans in the same miserable conversation. But who knows, the Cardinals and Saints will make it two years in a row that a first timer will get to play in the Big Game, so maybe next year will be the lucky year for one of these other lonely franchises.

So for all of you ‘Who Dat’ fans out there, please take advantage of the awesomeness that comes with going to the Super Bowl. There are Browns and Lions fans out there that have no idea what this day feels like, so please make sure you appreciate the fact that there are some people that would literally give a left nut to go to the Super Bowl.

Everywhere he’s coached, he’s produced; save for maybe a small dip in success in New York.

From 1997-1998, Sean Payton was hired for the role of quarterbacks coach for the Philadelphia Eagles. Under his tutelage the Eagles’ quarterbacks passed for 4,009 yards in 1997.

When he was in dallas from 2003-05 he was the quarterbacks coach, and later Assistant Head Coach to Bill Parcels. While there he tutored no-name Quincy Carter, and old guys Vinny Testaverde and Drew Bledsoe to 3,000 yard passing seasons consecutively.

Now in New Orleans, he’s got a stud in Drew Brees, and countless other weapons such as Reggie Bush, Jeremy Shockey, and Marques Colston.

You give him just anybody, he’ll produce. You give him stars, he takes his team to the biggest stage in sports. His style is creative, exciting, and most importantly, successful.

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2006, Payton lead the Saints to their first playoff appearance in 6 years with a 10-6 record while dealing with a tragedy unlike no other. He won Coach of the Year that season.

After two mediocre years in ‘07, and ‘08, Payton and the Saints have exploded back onto the scene with a 13-0 start. They are absolutely the feel-good story of the NFL.

After losing their chance at perfection, they have marched through the playoffs with a formula that spells doom for opposing defenses.

All the different formations, the spreading the ball around in the running and passing game. You can’t try to shut down any one player because 5 or 6 others will beat you.

Brees and his cast of stars deserve all the credit in the world, but let’s not forget the creator of the sequel to the greatest show on turf, Sean Payton.

Despite severely dissappointing fans and media, the Saints and Colts decided that matching the ‘72 Dolphins accomplishments were not as important as winning it all. 

The NFL is all about entertainment.  The entertainment part may have taken a back seat during the last few games of the season for these teams, but now we can see that it was for good reason. 

Imagine the entertainment value of these playoff games if Curtis Painter or Mark Brunell was at the helm.  Imagine these disappointed fans and media if Manning or Brees goes down during one of those meaningless games.  How would 16-0 feel then? Does the NFL want that type of scenario in their highly rated playoffs or would they prefer a couple regular season games at the end? 

We all know the answer to that.   XLIV is truly a clash of the titans.  It’s the first time we’ve had two #1 seeds make it all the way to the Super Bowl since 1993, when the Cowboys thumped the Bills.

All year long people have been debating who is better between these two teams.  The answer is almost upon us.  Something’s got to give, right? 

Will Indianapolis’ fast break, pass only offense and underrated defense prevail?  Or will the high octane, feel-good story Saints take home the Lombardi Trophy?

This years Super Bowl will be an awesome game to watch. Not to take anything away from the Steelers smash mouth style of great defense and balanced, clock draining offense, but its time for the scoreboard to light up a little in what should be one hell of a shootout.

The Jewish population is ready to follow a certain “saint” (Drew Brees) all the way until the end. Fans are pushing for a special prayer set to the tune of Dayenu (traditional song of passover, meaning “it would have been enough for us”) to be read on passover.

The idea for the prayer comes from Kosher Cajun New York Deli and Grocery in Los Angeles (http://www.koshercajun.com). The Jewish fans will find out if Brees is “enough for them” come February 7th.

Dayenu

Here is a special prayer that will be read throughout Jewish homes in South Louisiana this Passover.

Had he receded the floodwater and not given us our team back
Dayenu, It would have been enough for us

Had he given us our team and not provided a Payton
Dayenu, It would have been enough for us

Had he provided a Payton and not signed a Breesus
Dayenu, It would have been enough for us

Had he signed a Breesus and not drafted a Bush
Dayenu, It would have been enough for us

Had he drafted a Bush and not found a Colston in the 7th round
Dayenu, It would have been enough for us

Had he found a Colston in the 7th round and not provided the 2006 season
Dayenu, It would have been enough for us

Had he provided the 2006 season and not a win on Monday night home opener
Dayenu, It would have been enough for us

Had he a win on Monday night home opener and not a NFC South title
Dayenu, It would have been enough for us

Had he given us a NFC South title and not a trip to Chicago
Dayenu, It would have been enough for us

Had he given us a trip to Chicago and not given us two seasons to remind us they are still the Saints
Dayenu, It would have been enough for us

Had he given us two seasons to remind us they are still the Saints and not given us 2009 season
Dayenu, It would have been enough for us

Had he given us the 2009 season and not provided 10 straight wins
Dayenu, It would have been enough for us

Had he provided 10 straight wins and not a win on Monday night against New England
Dayenu, It would have been enough for us

Had he given us a win on Monday night against New England and not a NFC South title
Dayenu, It would have been enough for us

Had he given us a NFC title and not home field in the playoffs
Dayenu, It would have been enough for us

Had he given us home field in the playoffs and not a NFC Championship
Dayenu, It would have been enough for us

Had he given us a NFC Championship and not a Super Bowl versus a Manning
Dayenu, It would have been enough for us

Had he given us a Super Bowl versus a Manning and not a Super Bowl Title
Dayenu, It would have been enough for us

Had he given us a Super Bowl Title and not the world largest victory parade Mardi Gras!
Dayenu, It would have been enough for us

He has provided all of these things and for this we are grateful.

Become a black and gold convert.
Join Drews for Breesus today
Bless You Boys

Some fans tailgate.  Others decorate a man cave.  Some dudes won’t wear an article of clothing that isn’t in their team’s colors.  Thousands more shell out a fourth of their annual salary to buy season tickets.

Other fans show their love and commitment by getting their team’s logo tattooed on their f**king head.  Now that’s what I’m talking about.

SAINTS FANS

COLTS FANS

The game was a cluster-f**k to say the least.

The 1st quarter and beginning of the 2nd appeared to be the makings of a shoot-out, as both teams were able to score quite easily. But both defenses seemed to be able to adjust on the fly, as the quick scoring would come to a sudden halt.

The second and third quarters were nothing but a sloppily played game of “smear the queer”. (I feel like I need to mention that we played “smear the queer” when we were 9 years old, way before it would have had any homosexual connotation to us.)  <– Jp14 translation: “Calm the f**k down, it’s the name of a f**king game”

It seemed as though neither team could hold on to the ball, especially the Vikings who fumbled the ball 6 times, recovering only 3 of them. Reggie Bush muffed a punt for the only Saints turnover, but Peterson fumbled the ball right back soon thereafter. Peterson was actually involved in 3 different fumbles, while Brett Favre was being thrown around like beads at Mardi Gras as he added to the turnovers with 2 interceptions.

However, the second interception was obviously the most important. Favre was picked at the Saints 22 yard line with only 7 seconds left in regulation as the Vikings were trying to get in field goal range.

The Saints won the OT toss, as they did not waste any time, and Garrett Hartley kicked a 40 yard field goal to end Favre and the Vikings season.

This is the 2nd NFC Championship game in a row that Favre’s last throw was an interception. In 2007, against the Giants, his last pass was also an INT, which obviously is not the way that he wants to go out.

Let the Favre retirement talk begin…

This week in Sports Girls we are featuring random pictures of fans from the remaining four NFL teams still in the playoffs.  These were all scrounged from the depths of MySpace.  Some are hot, cute, funny, sexy, slutty and whatever else you want to call them.  If your daughter, sister, wife or girlfriend’s picture is up here and you don’t like it, tell her to stop posting pictures on MySpace.

Sports Girls Featuring: New Orleans Saints fans!!!

Fan favorite Deuce McAllister has been practicing with the Saints this week and should be activated for this weekend’s playoff game will be inactive and serve as an honorary captain.

The Saints dropped the Deuce shortly after last season, but his Deuceness has continued to stay in shape, hoping for another chance to play.

Ah, back in the day I remember Deuce and Donte Stallworth tearing things up in Madden 2003.

Saints bring back RB Deuce McAllister

The NFC’s top two teams have been really struggling lately.

The Saints, winners of their first 13 games and losers of their last 2, are fresh off a loss to one of the worst teams in football.  This is very worrisome to Saints fans entering the playoffs.  A few weeks ago people were wondering if this team could run the table. 

Just how bad was this loss?  According to STATS LLC, it was the first time a 13-win team lost to a team with only two victories.  In other, one of the most improbable losses of all time.

They seem to be misfiring on all cylinders and their timing couldn’t be worse with the playoffs looming ahead in a few weeks.

“You always find out more about a team when you start facing adversity. This is just yet another one of those situations that I feel we have the right character, the right type of leadership to bounce back from and help us become stronger going into the playoffs,” quarterback Drew Brees said.

I guess we’ll find out next week against the Bears, who seem to be playing better football now.

On the other side, we have all heard about the Minnesota Favrekings’ recent struggles.  Whether it’s Favre disagreeing with Childress, or the other way around, I think everyone is missing the point that Adrian Peterson has had 5 straight games without a 100-yard rushing game.  Either AP forgot how to run (unlikely) or the offensive line is really struggling (more likely). 

For the first time in many years, the Dallas Cowboys appear to be revving the engine just at the right time.  Of course, they could just as easily crap their pants and fumble a field goal hold at the end of their first playoff game.