Wow.. just found this one... (1 Viewer)

[Father Markus]

And I'm surprised nobody's run with it... admission from a _player_ that the 2002 season was on Haslett's head for stubborness and lack of leadership...

I mean we'd all been saying it around here, but this is the first time that I KNOW of that it's come out from a player. (Anyone else remember any other comments similar?)

Special teams leader Steve Gleason, another member of the 2002 team, said he would be surprised to see this year's squad fall apart. His reasons have less to do with talent than intangibles.

There team was split in 2002 when Haslett stuck with quarterback Aaron Brooks, whose throwing shoulder was hurt and who rarely seemed comfortable with a leadership role in the locker room to begin with. Meanwhile, Jake Delhomme watched the losses mount from the bench. After the season, Brooks needed surgery and Delhomme left for Carolina, which he then led to a Super Bowl.

New quarterback Drew Brees, among the NFL's leading quarterbacks with 2,206 yards and 14 TD passes, is an unquestioned leader in the Saints locker room now. And many players say Payton has fostered a culture of discipline, fairness and unity that did not exist in recent years.

"There's more leadership at the leadership positions -- the head coach and the quarterback specifically," Gleason said. "As a group, this is much more of a team atmosphere. All that being said, it's up to us whether we want to win more than six games this year, which we have the potential to do. We have the pieces in place to be much better than that 2002 6-2 team."

 

[Deuuuuce]

Look it's obvious that Brees is more comfortable as a leader than Brooks was here. All players are different. Brooks had his strengths and weaknesses and Brees has his.

Brees is a better QB, but we didn't tank that season just because of Brooks and Haslett. Our defense was one of the worst in the league that year. That team wasn't going anywhere with a defense that couldn't stop the run to save their lives. I think Fred Thomas was our number one corner too. That just won't cut it.

 

[Frank The Rat]

Look it's obvious that Brees is more comfortable as a leader than Brooks was here. All players are different. Brooks had his strengths and weaknesses and Brees has his.

Brees is a better QB, but we didn't tank that season just because of Brooks and Haslett. Our defense was one of the worst in the league that year. That team wasn't going anywhere with a defense that couldn't stop the run to save their lives. I think Fred Thomas was our number one corner too. That just won't cut it.

He is just confirming what we already knew. Despite what you are stating we were in a position still to get to the playoffs. Had Haslett made the choice that probably any other coach in this league would have made and played delhomme that year we probably would have made the playoffs. Would we have won...maybe not. But AB was clearly hurt and playing him instead of delhomme wasn't won of Haslett's Brightest moments.

 

[JRead2]

I read the same thing yesterday and found it very interesting. Hats off to Gleason for saying it.

 

[AARPSaint]

So many times, the opinions on this board have proven corrrect in contrast to the official word from the team sources. Whether or not that has changed under Payton remains to be seen because the team hasn't had any major crises, fortunately. Payton does seem much more up front and less uptight than Haslett. Maybe there will be more candor coming from Saints headquarters under the new regime.

This news is a prime example. EVERYONE knew what was going on back then, but the team clammed up about the internal problems that seemed obvious. It's a good lesson: put your ego aside (that is, play the QB who can win for you) and do what's right for the team (that is, stop putting all of your faith in Aaron Brooks just becuse he's "your" quarterback). And stop insulting the intelligence of the fans. As Jim Henderson would say, the whole culture of this team seems to have been transformed. No wonder they're 6-2.

 

[MLU]

First of all, unless you consider barely missing the playoffs as a tanked season, then you should really try to lower your standards a bit. Secondly, yes Brooks and Haslett are responsible for how that year ended as they were the starting QB and head coach.

Now the Saints were not about to win a Superbowl that year, but they should have made the playoffs.

 

[urajincajun01]

who cares who posted it first...this is a good read either way

 

[Wahoo]

First of all, unless you consider barely missing the playoffs as a tanked season, then you should really try to lower your standards a bit. ...

Just what would you call a season where you are sitting at 9-4 (with the 2 eventual wild card teams at 7-6 [Giants] and 8-4-1 [Falcons]), then lose your final 3 games, one of which was to a team that was 1-13 at the time you played them ?

 

[Guitarzan]

First of all, unless you consider barely missing the playoffs as a tanked season, then you should really try to lower your standards a bit. Secondly, yes Brooks and Haslett are responsible for how that year ended as they were the starting QB and head coach.

Now the Saints were not about to win a Superbowl that year, but they should have made the playoffs.

I couldn't have said it better myself.

Oh wait... Idid say it about 1000 times.

 

[rlemieux]

There team was split in 2002 when Haslett stuck with quarterback Aaron Brooks, whose throwing shoulder was hurt and who rarely seemed comfortable with a leadership role in the locker room to begin with.

Be careful how some of you interpret this. These are the writers word's not Gleasons. He may have expressed this to the writer (which he does not say), but this is not a quote from Gleason.

 

[Father Markus]

That's why I didnt' focus on that part Rl... however, from the way the article is written, it sounds like that was Gleason's opinion, albeit not quoted.

It was more of the fact that Gleason is the first one we've seen to call Haslett's leadership in question...

 

[st. jon's]

let it go! it's all in the past, guys. man, it's like griping about an ex-girlfriend that did you wrong 4 years ago. IT'S A COMPLETE WASTE OF BREATHE AND ABSOLUTELY POINTLESS!

 

[rlemieux]

That's why I didnt' focus on that part Rl... however, from the way the article is written, it sounds like that was Gleason's opinion, albeit not quoted.

It was more of the fact that Gleason is the first one we've seen to call Haslett's leadership in question...

I understand that, but I just wanted to point it out to make sure it wasn't mis-concieved. However, I do agree it is possibly something that was either said (that couldn't be quoted) or led to be the truth.

 

[mRex]

Well 68,000 fans yelling WE WANT JAKE!

Should of been a hint to Haslipp.
Can't belive he lasted as long as he did.
He was going to prove AB was his man no matter what.
Glad Jake got out of the mess he was in and got the chance
to prove himself.

 

[Dre]

Father, I am glad you posted that...it is at the least interesting to hear it from a player's mouth who can tell the difference between the two teams (old Saints versus new).