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As a now 23-year Atlanta area resident (holy crap... when did that happen?!), I listen to a good bit of local sports talk radio. I'm a Hawks/Braves fan from childhood - nowhere near to the same degree as my lifelong Saints fanaticism - so I live through the Falcons talk to get those tidbits.
One thing I have noticed is a repeated theme here in the months leading up to this season: All of the local analysts seem to discount our Saints as the afterthoughts of the division. The general concensus is that Carolina will again be the class of the division, with Atlanta and a young, improving Bucs team fighting for second and a wildcard spot.
The exuberance for their own squad is understandable. If you're not going to prop up your team at this time of year, you're pretty downtrodden. I'm just wondering how they are discounting a team that has Drew Brees at QB and who finished only a game behind them despite another record-breakingly bad defense.
I don't watch very much national sports news - the focus on highlight moments rather than actual news/reporting drove me away years ago and the near-universal pillorying of the team during the Bountygate shenanigans put the final nail in the coffin - and I obviously don't have exposure to the coverage in other markets around the country/world. What are the rest of you seeing/hearing in these other markets, if anything?
I'm trying to figure out if it's anti-Saints bias here in our rival's hometown, widespread disregard, or just a lack of investigation. And also trying to suss what my own actual expectations should be for this year's squad. I'm almost always feeling 19-0 this time of year :snoopy2: but would like to mentally prepare myself a bit more realistically.
One thing I have noticed is a repeated theme here in the months leading up to this season: All of the local analysts seem to discount our Saints as the afterthoughts of the division. The general concensus is that Carolina will again be the class of the division, with Atlanta and a young, improving Bucs team fighting for second and a wildcard spot.
The exuberance for their own squad is understandable. If you're not going to prop up your team at this time of year, you're pretty downtrodden. I'm just wondering how they are discounting a team that has Drew Brees at QB and who finished only a game behind them despite another record-breakingly bad defense.
I don't watch very much national sports news - the focus on highlight moments rather than actual news/reporting drove me away years ago and the near-universal pillorying of the team during the Bountygate shenanigans put the final nail in the coffin - and I obviously don't have exposure to the coverage in other markets around the country/world. What are the rest of you seeing/hearing in these other markets, if anything?
I'm trying to figure out if it's anti-Saints bias here in our rival's hometown, widespread disregard, or just a lack of investigation. And also trying to suss what my own actual expectations should be for this year's squad. I'm almost always feeling 19-0 this time of year :snoopy2: but would like to mentally prepare myself a bit more realistically.