I’m as big a Saints fan as anyone in the Slabbed Nation but after turning off sports talk last night in disgust I resolved to say a word on this topic unfiltered by the media gate keepers.
Anyone who has read the official statements made by the team, especially owner Tom Benson’s make it pretty clear Mr Payton has a major family problem at the house. Part of the charm of this area is that for all our problems everyone is invested here on a personal level in a way unlike many other areas of the country and especially after Hurricane Katrina. To the extent Payton and the Saints accepted accolades to which they did not deserve, such as the meme about winning the Superbowl being indicative of how the Saints literally brought us back after the storm they now face a torrent of questions after the Coach bugs out of the area. I think T-P sports writer Jeff Duncan did a great job on that aspect of this saga.
There is something else in play here though that causes me to lose patience with some of the media, in this case the Big Chief Deke Bellavia who last night seemed to flame every caller on the topic, one that has generated intense interest, page views, media ratings etc locally. The two simple truths are that the media including this blog favors subject matter our readers favor. The other truth is whatever the problem inside Team Payton which lead to this abrupt move to Dallas, the local media is trying their best to protect it as well. It is a tightrope Deke failed to negotiate last night IMHO.
I remember during last year’s playoff run CBS Sportline.com ran a series of stories online detailing the crappy way Sean Payton the football coach treated the local sports media, especially the dot coms. I personally do not see why Payton ran his mouth about the move period, especially to a national media outlet in ESPN. It also well illustrates the fact that Sean Payton is a public figure and while I have no desire to dig personal dirt on him I’d like to point out to everyone in the media that this topic, all of it, is fair game IMHO.
Will running away will solve the underlying problem? I think not.
sop
ps. The Dallas Cowboys still suck.
Very thoughtful, Sop. I never considered the possibility all was not well – probably because I’ve been so irritated to see this story getting top billing as “news”.
Fact: He is pulling his kids out of school in the middle of the 3rd quarter.
Fact: His family’s previous associations with the Dallas area ran 3 years total. His family has spent more time living here.
Fact. Moving his family to Dallas will not give him more total free time to spent with them IMHO. Maybe bigger chunks of time but not more.
People see all this and naturally wonder, epecially when the subject matter is someone who is held in such high public esteem as the Coach.
Fact: He and his family are human beings like the rest of us.
sop
Just read a post in TP by NOTSEAUX re Larry Sisung
“Larry Sisung and Chris Roberts have been joined at the hip for years.
Sisung is involved in the Byron Lee Not-for-profit debacle by way of a land deal.
FYI: Who cares anymore?
They are all no good, the deals are all cut in the back rooms and the citizenry is out of luck.
Move.
As the TP sportswriter noted : Dallas has great schools, safe and clean streets, robust enconomy… no wonder Coach Payton is relocating his family…anyone with any sense is getting out of the New Orleans Metro area.”
My sentiments exactly.
Since he is maintaining a home in St Tammany, why not buy another in a safe location in case of the need to leave due to a mandatory evacuation. He can surely do what he wants with his money. Education is important as well as environment for both wife and children.
Opportunities for a better education and involvement in sports as well as location away from violance may be the driving reason for the move. However, whatever the reason it is his to deal with and his future is his to determine and not anyone else.
“Fact: He is pulling his kids out of school in the middle of the 3rd quarter.”
-this is the biggest tell that there is a family issue here. no one would abruptly pull their adolescent kids out of school in this manner and move them to Dallas Bob Irsay style. sounds like a separation to me.
Anyone else remember Haz carrying on with the cheerleader?
Where is Kaare Johnson when you need him?
sop
I agree with JR
smells like marital discord to me
Sop:
Sorry I’m late to the party, but first let me agree with you on the Big Chief. The guy is a douche bag. This is not the first time he has berated callers. I’m sure you heard how he treated the nice lady whose kids go to school with Payton’s kids and who owns a neighboring home in Water Colors. Totally unacceptable. He’s an inarticulate bully. All the lady (I think named Ashley) did was comment on how the kids should not have been yanked from school.
I like how Payton kept referring to living in Dallas as their “dream.” Give me an f-in break. They’re not even moving back to the same suburb. Something is Rotten in Denmark. I doubt SP will be living in Dallas at all. His family will move there.
Anyway, all this says is that Payton thinks New Orleans (in his case Mandeville) is a substandard place to raise a family. Remember what happened when Tony Dungy lived in one place and his kids lived in another. As a lifetime New Orleanian/Metairieite, SP can go fork himself. I’m not renewing my season tickets next year.
No question that there are domestic issues. Sean, if you think the drive across the lake was a pain in the ass, I hear the commute from Big D really, really sucks. But, while the Ms. Mouse is away, the cat can play.
Bingo Sock. After he flamed that nice lady I turned the radio off. They should have let Bobby do all the talking last night.
IMHO there are not many places in this entire area as well suited for raising a family as Mandeville/Covington and the schools there both public and private are very good.
The truth will emerge in time.
sop
IMHO this is a purely personal decision. It would appear to be a family issue just because he is coach of the Saints it is not anyones else’s business. For those in the NOLA area who take it personally against the area indicates a paranoia about where they live.
Enough already . He is a NFL coach not my family member. I don’t give a rat’s ass what he does, where he lives…
IMHO Dallas probably told him to make a good faith showing by relocating the family before making him an offer he can’t refuse.
So New Orleanians just keep slamming him and his family: you’re giving him the perfect excuse to leave.
Well played Mr. Payton. You do have a surgeon’s precision and an ability to lay a trap and plan the plays. Love to watch you play Chess.
Fyi folks: Watch for Drew and family to follow suit.
Unslabbed I’m wondering if the Mrs is a little unbalanced if you know what I mean.
Given the way this unfolded I’m not as certain Coach is quite the PR tactician you fancy him. My own opinion is that Sean Payton knows better than most Jerry Jones is one of the least desirable owners to work for (along with Bud Adams and Daniel Snyder).
sop
Just watched the weather…snowing in Dallas so hard SP can’t even get home tonight, oh well!
IDK sop: are you insinuating Female Hysteria ? I thought that stinkin thinkin died centuries ago.
But seriously folks: Again I say unto you ” WHO CARES”? WHO DATS? They had bags on their heads already this past season. Theirs is the ” What have you done for me lately?’ mantra.
There are plenty other fish in the sea…new players, new coaches, new Husbands , new Wives…
Football crazy is one thing; this preoccupation with Soap Operas in the Lives of the Saints makes me wonder about the testostorone level in the male specie Saintaholicae.
But go ahead and get your Dat on…the Who will be apparent soon enough.