Level of Excitement (1 Viewer)

[Booker]

As a long time Saints fan, I’m not sensing too much confidence or excitement from the fan base. I think it’s because Dennis no personality Allen is the face of the team or that the team has no personality. Can you believe it went from Duece to Drew to … mediocrity. Payton had a way of keeping us all excited…I really hope we do great things this year but who knows. We’ll see.

For me the Allen regime feels a lot like the post-2000 Haslett days, where I remember going into each season thinking things would be better, but then they would end up being the same mediocre team as the year before. An early win against a quality team would go a long way in creating some excitement.

 

[SweetT]

I'm pretty stoked, but most fans who are stoked got shirt on for months on here so there's no point with all of the negative fans with loud parrot voices. I'd rather just be excited about the changes and enjoy the season without seeing umpteen threads about DA's personality. The narrative on DA has been debunked by the players, but there are still fans trying to advance it.

Not for nothing, but it’s a 2-way street. You may see some fans as negative, when they are actually being diplomatically accurate for what they have seen (if it can be proved by many occurrences and outcomes). Maybe some of these “negative” fans are wholeheartedly passionate enough to call a spade a spade. I’ve been on this board for a very long time. Many can attest that while I may joke a lot, post GIFs, etc…..that I have been a true WHO DAT through and through. With that being said, honestly, I think those who are “sunshine pumpers” or those who refuse to take off Black and Gold glasses, tend to “shirt” on those who are calling things like it is. I don’t mind optimism at all, but sometimes what I read is not true optimism. Sometimes it is the inability to see another’s perspective, with a blatant refusal to admit that things are not/have not been great. We all care about the team, I think we can all agree with that, but if I see people complain about things that transpire during games, while on the Gameday board, then switch up, and sunshine pump later on in the offseason, like nothing happened, and call someone else “negative” for essentially reliving those moments, that is not cool. How does someone complain in the moment and call someone else negative as time passed? Doesn’t make sense to me. Not one snap has taken place in this upcoming season. So, let them (and I’ll throw myself into tht camp bc I don’t run from smoke nor do I fall into the category of not admitting fault and I HAVE been critical of things) have their worries until things change for the better……bc until the actual change happens, then it’s still the same. Time heals and results are what matters with our team. Everyone is allowed a voice or opinion, if it falls into the rules of this board. Plus, if I am to go even further, I’ve seen more “sunshine pumpers” throw around more insults bc others have a difference of opinion. It’s freaking football. It’s never that serious in the grand scheme of life. If someone wants to vent about their football team, then how does that actually “hurt” someone? If I would let that affect my ability to function, cause myself to lose sleep, or get my feelings hurt (especially on a message board), then I would literally kick my own backside. Downvote, clown emoji, dead falcon emoji this post. Feel free if you feel it’s negative

 

[Clintonrebel]

Sad to see so many “fans” pulling for us to lose simply so they can be right about the coach.

 

[SweetT]

Sad to see so many “fans” pulling for us to lose simply so they can be right about the coach.

And there is the disconnect. I know I’m not rooting for us to lose. If that was the case, then I would be happy that has failed to get us into the playoffs the past two years. Yet that is not what I’ve been concerned about. My focus as a Saints fan is to see my team win. I will state this again and again, I was all for getting the job. My posts during his hiring proves that. He didn’t meet my expectations previously and I’m 100% on board with his decision to try and make things right by the hiring of the new coaching staff. No one wants to see this dude fail. I just ask for him to learn from his mistakes that’s all, but like I said recently, that I dated a crazy stripper for 2 too many years. That was on me for not making necessary changes sooner and his mistakes should be on him, as with anyone else in this world. That is fair. Now with all that being said, my hopes are the same now, as they were the past two seasons…….to win the division. I even have parlay betting slips I could show to prove that I’m picking our team to win the division this year, despite how I have critiqued (and I haven’t bet on our team in 5 years). Why is that???? Bc I am a dang Saints fan and I will always be a Saints fan despite who the HC is. My fan hood supersedes any HC. All degree of fans have one common goal and that’s to see our team win.

 

[El Caliente]

I'm always excited, even with tempered expectations. I'm a very old fan and have seen it all, winning the Super Bowl changed it all for me. It's all gravy now, no matter what happens.

This right here. I have been through the Mora, Ditka, Hasslett, Payton, and now DA years. I am no stranger to failure, so sign me up for whatever is coming down the pipe. We have won a Super Bowl in my lifetime so anything more is just lagniappe.

 

[BayouSAINTJoe]

Sad to see so many “fans” pulling for us to lose simply so they can be right about the coach.

Aint no can about it...we ARE right about DA.

5 seasons dude has been a HC...0 playoff berths.

Last 2 seasons should've been a cakewalk (about as close to one in the NFL) to win the NFCS and get into the playoffs but here we are. We already watched this dude strike out twice playing tee ball. But hey, new year...new chance to start slow, rattle off some wins towards teh end so we all can sit back and say "they did get better towards the end"

You guys don't remember about 3-4 years ago when we knew that a deep playoff run was pretty much guaranteed and with a few lucky bounces maybe a SB berth? Now we're hoping for a 9-8 record with a possible playoff berth <- and you're cool with that?

 

[Dago]

I'm excited, cautious and curious.

I'm curious about how Allen will decide to let this new strategy and offensive philosophy play out. Will he be lile Payton was with the defense and rely on his defensive coaches to do their job while he focused on managing the offensive and game play outcome decision making? If Allen sticks to the defense and in game decisions leaving Kubiak to manage the offensive playcalling and strategy, I think we may have something. Carmichael was a major part of the problem last year, yes, but I don't know if we yet know to what extent Carmichael was able to be independent. Carmichael's mentor's offense was as creative, impulsive and challenging as it comes. In Carmicheal's opportunity to call plays before Sean's departure, the offense looked and felt like Payton's. It's odd that it became so conservative. Either Carmichael's philosophy differed drastically from Payton's or he wasn't free to do some of the things he would've liked. So, I'm curious how much influence and freedom Kubiak will have. I'm guessing (hoping) it's all his, but this question nags at me. What's going to happen when the games start counting?

I'm cautiously optimistic because I'm higher on the talent on the team than most people here. We realize that the offensive philosophy and Oline play/strategy from last year was...subpar, let's say that, but then we're down on the offensive players. We have to divorce the players from their appearance in a poorly designed offense. How do I know the Saints still have good talent? Because in today's NFL which dramatically favors the offense, the Saints still managed to go 9-8 despite a bad offense. For example, I saw the Saints WRs make great plays despite being limited to route trees that didn't take advantage of the whole field. I saw Kamara still be Kamara even though it was obvious he was getting the ball and working with bad O line. I saw an offense that didn't use TEs well at all. People are questioning if Kamara is still good so I'm not surprised everyone is so down on the TE room. The room could be better, yes, but I don't think we've seen its full potential. As far as the offensive line goes, there's more talent invested there than any place on the team except maybe Dline where the team could be starting 3 or 4 positions with first rounders and rotating in another one. There's a better mix of talent competing at LB this year as well. The secondary may even be improved as odd as that sounds. The weakest link in the current secondary is probably the guy who has more than 30 interceptions.

Yeah, I'm excited. It's Saints football! Who Dat!

You pretty much summed up my feelings as well.

You had a guy in house (Carmichael) that supposedly spent the better part of 20 years learning from one of the great offensive minds in the NFL....of course you hand him the reigns to the offense. He got his chance, it didn't work, and the front office went out and got a guy that appears to have re-engaged the enthusiasm and chemistry of the players. Furthermore, I am very confident that DA is smart enough to be mostly hands off the offense. The only thing that is tempering my enthusiasm is that the offensive line is a major question mark (although I think Kubiak is smart enough to scheme to help them) and even the defensive line is a bit of a question mark.

I truly think Carmichael is content to stay in someone's shadow as an assistant. If he had real aspirations to be an OC, he could have gotten a job with another team pretty much anytime after 2010

 

[SWJJ]

Not for nothing, but it’s a 2-way street. You may see some fans as negative, when they are actually being diplomatically accurate for what they have seen (if it can be proved by many occurrences and outcomes). Maybe some of these “negative” fans are wholeheartedly passionate enough to call a spade a spade. I’ve been on this board for a very long time. Many can attest that while I may joke a lot, post GIFs, etc…..that I have been a true WHO DAT through and through. With that being said, honestly, I think those who are “sunshine pumpers” or those who refuse to take off Black and Gold glasses, tend to “shirt” on those who are calling things like it is. I don’t mind optimism at all, but sometimes what I read is not true optimism. Sometimes it is the inability to see another’s perspective, with a blatant refusal to admit that things are not/have not been great. We all care about the team, I think we can all agree with that, but if I see people complain about things that transpire during games, while on the Gameday board, then switch up, and sunshine pump later on in the offseason, like nothing happened, and call someone else “negative” for essentially reliving those moments, that is not cool. How does someone complain in the moment and call someone else negative as time passed? Doesn’t make sense to me. Not one snap has taken place in this upcoming season. So, let them (and I’ll throw myself into tht camp bc I don’t run from smoke nor do I fall into the category of not admitting fault and I HAVE been critical of things) have their worries until things change for the better……bc until the actual change happens, then it’s still the same. Time heals and results are what matters with our team. Everyone is allowed a voice or opinion, if it falls into the rules of this board. Plus, if I am to go even further, I’ve seen more “sunshine pumpers” throw around more insults bc others have a difference of opinion. It’s freaking football. It’s never that serious in the grand scheme of life. If someone wants to vent about their football team, then how does that actually “hurt” someone? If I would let that affect my ability to function, cause myself to lose sleep, or get my feelings hurt (especially on a message board), then I would literally kick my own backside. Downvote, clown emoji, dead falcon emoji this post. Feel free if you feel it’s negative

As a sunshine pumper, I do agree that optimists do seem to poop on pessimists. Gatekeeping "fandom" is ridiculous. I was never mad at the bandwagon fans when we were in our Offensive Hay-days. More bandwagon fans mean more coverage of my team.

If you care about the team, then I am glad your a fellow who dat. I don't care if you have a pessimistic outlook on them team, now I may try to change your mind, but the crapping on pessimists (or realists, or whoever) is not cool. I may clown around, but I don't question anyone's "fandom" or gatekeep being a who dat.

 

[UptownSaintsFan]

Not excited at all this year. I don't expect them to be very good. I also don't see much hope in the future right now. Not much of a core there. Hopefully i'm wrong.

Also, i don't see how being realistic about the team makes you less of a fan. Objectively the saints weren't great last year. Pointing that out isn't anything ground breaking or even being negative. It's being realistic. I don't think the saints did much this offseason to change that. i guess almost all hopes are on kubiak.

 

[livefromDC]

Not excited at all this year. I don't expect them to be very good. I also don't see much hope in the future right now. Not much of a core there. Hopefully i'm wrong.

Also, i don't see how being realistic about the team makes you less of a fan. Objectively the saints weren't great last year. Pointing that out isn't anything ground breaking or even being negative. It's being realistic. I don't think the saints did much this offseason to change that. i guess almost all hopes are on kubiak.

Your opinion is not reality. It's certainly welcome and differing ideas add value to a discussion. Some people are optimistic about the season, some people are pessimistic about the upcoming season. Being either doesn't make you more or less of a fan. But let's be clear here. Being pessimistic about the Saints chances doesn't make your opinion anymore "realistic" or valid than people who are optimistic about the season. It's just a different opinion as a Saints fan. We are all entitled to voice how we feel, but remember others are also entitled to have an opinion on what we post as well.

 

[Innotech]

cautious optimism in the new pieces and interest in new offense coaching

 

[RaginCajun83]

My expectations are rather low this season. Im interested to see how the new offense will look but as long as DA is coach this team will continue to be a .500 at best football team

 

[SaintsMan209]

I'll NEVER root for the Saints to lose. I always hope they win and I don't care who the head coach is as long as we win the Super Bowl. I actually think there would be something real special about Dennis Allen winning the Super Bowl because he came from the Payton tree. I think it would be a win for everyone.

 

[No2DC]

Fans are not stupid; most people know to keep their expectations low with the current regime until proven wrong.

 

[bobad]

I'm excited a little more about this season than the last 2. Carr is looking confident and could explode behind an effective running game. Our WR and RBs should be better. Our DBs could be really outstanding, and that's big time in this passing league. We also have 3 or 4 draft choices that will be very exciting to watch.

What if Chase is healed up, and Bresee plays well? That could be BIG. What if Penning plays up to his potential? What if K. Miller breaks out with that speed and Ingram-like energy? All those things are something to be excited about. If not, it means we are glass-half-empty fans.