Does any one in the New Orleans news media really understand how important a role the head coach of the Saints team or any team for that matter really plays? One would never think so reading and listening to reports for the past several months prior to the first regular season game this past Sunday.
The reports from sports journalists the last several months have gone something like this: The Saints are united and ready; they have been there and done that; they have the players and motivition; they have a seasoned coaching staff; they know what Sean Payton wants; they have Drew Brees; they know what has to be done; etc, etc, etc. And finally when Sean Payton's picture was hung at training camp with the caption, "just do yur job" they became sure of the outcome. Every thing was just going to be great.
Then along came the Washington Redskins and the story lines of the sports journalists after the game began to change. They now had questions about Payton not being there on the sidelines and then hedged their bets with the worn out cliche of "its only one game, and that the Saints lost their first game last year also." There was all kind of second guessing going on by journalists, something they do well but have no objective value.
How could they have missed the opportunity to inform the fans before the season started that the Saints could very well be in for a long and rough season without their head coach. I wonder if Mr. Benson was buying any of this reporting. If he is on board, maybe he will be reducing Payton's salary when he returns, if he does return.
I feel sorry for the poor fans who get caught up in all this reporting and get high only to be brought back down because of reality. Reading the funny's for this writer is more entertaining than reading or listening to reports by sports journalists. There are many good assistant coaches and there are many of them who will never be head coaches. The Saints are operating without a head coach, that is the bottom line and it does really matter.
