Should The Saints Go Ahead and Fire Payton and Move On?

[Hostile]

It has to be in their minds to do that. This is an opportune time to find a permanent replacement. Who might they target?

[Galian Beast]

The only mistake bigger than firing Sean Payton would be keeping him.

[irvin88]

Bill Parcells for one year
.

[Aikbach]

How can you fire the best coach in your history for something less egregious than what Bill Bellicheck did, and on par with what Buddy Ryan disciples have always done.

[Aikbach]

PS someone posted an article recenlty about Payton buying a house in Westlake, Texas. i guess we know why, get away from N.O for the year.

[Shadowy329]

They could fire him I guess though after the NFL goes through with their punishment on the players, if they do it this year, it will very likely be a total throw away season for the team anyways. Not having your head coach there wouldn't really matter as much. Though if they had any thoughts previously to get rid of him now would be the perfect time to do so and not get the backlash from the fanbase.
If they did change coaches I don't know who they could talk into adopting the mess that is there. If they did manage to talk someone into it they would have a perfect time to redirect the team. Expectations are going to be in the basement so no 1st years blues for the new coach and he could pretty much approach the season as a very extended training camp and preseason to get his system firmly rooted. At least with the backups that will be playing a good chunk of the season after the punishments are handed out@

[big dog cowboy]

Should The Saints Go Ahead and Fire Payton and Move On?
I don't know if they "should" but they won't. That Super Bowl victory will buy him a get out of jail free card.

[Yakuza Rich]

No.

He's by far and away their best coach in history and still a top-5 Head Coach in the game who recently won a Super Bowl with a franchise that was probably at the lowest point a franchise can be.

Put it this way, the Saints were in FAR WORSE shape after Katrina than they are now. It's not even close.

Hey, I would love to see them fire him only because that would mean if Garrett doesn't work out, we would have a good shot at him in 2013. I also think that Tom Benson is one of the league's worst owners, who got plum lucky and everybody started to view him as a good owner and now with the Brees situation, it's showing that a leopard doesn't change its spots.

But still, Payton's punishment was ridiculous and hypocritical overkill Mara and Kraft (they run the league now, not Goodell) and he'll be back in a year. Do you take a *possible* down year for a coach like Payton? I think so. Plus, if they are bad in 2012, they'll get a higher first round pick in 2013 when Payton comes back.

That being said, please Benson...be an idiot and fire him! :)






YR

[Doomsday101]

I wouldn't fire him. Given the condition of that team before he took over to where they are has been big. I think the Saints will take the punishment and move forward. If we were talking about a franchise with a long succesful history then maybe you fire him but we are not we are talking about a team who was one of the most losing franchise in the NFL and Payton helped turn that around.

[The30YardSlant]

Hell no, Sean Payton is one of the best coaches in football. If they fired him half the league would be pursuing him the second he became eligible to coach again.

HELL no...

[BraveHeartFan]

I wouldn't fire him. He's going to pay his due here with time and I don't see why you'd fire him. If they were a marginal team prior to this then you'd take this chance to unload him.

That's not the situation the Saints are in though.

[joseephuss]

How can you fire the best coach in your history for something less egregious than what Bill Bellicheck did, and on par with what Buddy Ryan disciples have always done.

They wouldn't be firing him for those reasons. They would be firing him or moving forward without him because he is going to be gone for a full year. Consistency and continuity can be very beneficial to a franchise. They can throw this year away and hope Payton comes back and they hit the ground running in 2013. Or they can consider just starting anew right now. Not an easy decision especially when you consider there aren't a bunch of great candidates just sitting around waiting to take over.

The Drew Brees contract situation also comes into play. If they don't think they will be able to lock him up long term, then you can bet he won't be a Saint in 2013. You get Payton back, but lose your QB. Maybe you can just start the next regime right now. Something to consider. Tough choice. Right now I lean toward keeping Payton, but I could be persuaded to fire him.

[yesfan]

I don't under stand how the GM got off so easy and yet the head coach
loses a full year's salary to boot.Clearly he should be held to the same
standard.If Payton should have known and must be held accountable,the
same should apply with the GM.

[Romo 2 Austin]

Exceptionally hard decision. Feel bad for whoever has to make it.

[cowboy_ron]

I don't under stand how the GM got off so easy and yet the head coach
loses a full year's salary to boot.Clearly he should be held to the same
standard.If Payton should have known and must be held accountable,the
same should apply with the GM.
If Benson had a set he would fire Loomis for disobeying HIS direct order to stop the bounties and he didn't

[DBOY3141]

Fire Payton and Loomis and bring in Cowher to do both roles. Fans wouldn't be too upset since Cowher is a big name.:p:

[sacase]

I almost think as an owner you have to fire Loomis and Payton. They pretty gave the owner the finger and said we are going to do what we want, we don't care what you say. You can't have that kind of insubordination and mistrust going on in an organziation. No man is greater than the team and keeping payton would say just that.

[newlander]

I wouldn't fire him. Given the condition of that team before he took over to where they are has been big. I think the Saints will take the punishment and move forward. If we were talking about a franchise with a long succesful history then maybe you fire him but we are not we are talking about a team who was one of the most losing franchise in the NFL and Payton helped turn that around.



......it'll blow over in N.Orleans: as for WIlliams? He should be canned asap

[Doomsday101]

......it'll blow over in N.Orleans: as for WIlliams? He should be canned asap

Everything blows over in New Orleans. I'm sure the fans are mad but I don't think many fans want to see Payton go after all he did what others never did for a franchise who has not know much success in this history.

As for Williams I think that is likely to happen.

[Aikbach]

They can fire him, but the Saints won't attract a better coach than Sean Payton.
He is their football credibility.

[cajuncocoa]

Everything blows over in New Orleans. I'm sure the fans are mad but I don't think many fans want to see Payton go after all he did what others never did for a franchise who has not know much success in this history.

As for Williams I think that is likely to happen.

Judging from callers on local sports shows and from my local friends on FB, everyone is rallying behind Sean Payton.

Those who support the Saints' bounty program here can show your support by buying a "Free Sean Payton" t-shirt (http://www.dirtycoast.com/store/detail/938/FREE-SEAN-PAYTON):

http://wafb.images.worldnow.com/images/17227383_BG1.jpg

[dwmyers]

It has to be in their minds to do that. This is an opportune time to find a permanent replacement. Who might they target?

I don't know who the Saints would replace SP with, but the talk in Atlanta is that Jerry Jones would be the one to hire him as a head coach if he is fired.

[cajuncocoa]

I don't know who the Saints would replace SP with, but the talk in Atlanta is that Jerry Jones would be the one to hire him as a head coach if he is fired.
:banghead:

If Jerry wanted SP as a coach, he should have hired him in 2006. Maybe it's just me, but I wouldn't want him as the Cowboys' coach now.

[ABQCOWBOY]

If they do, I hope we are first in line. I'm not even kidding a little bit. I think he is one of the best HCs in Football.

[Doomsday101]

Judging from callers on local sports shows and from my local friends on FB, everyone is rallying behind Sean Payton.

Those who support the Saints' bounty program here can show your support by buying a "Free Sean Payton" t-shirt (http://www.dirtycoast.com/store/detail/938/FREE-SEAN-PAYTON):

http://wafb.images.worldnow.com/images/17227383_BG1.jpg

when I said mad I should have said mad at the league. Payton will have the support of most saints fans I would think. Again for many who have followed the Saints for 30 or 40 years they knew losing and that was it. They have made a few good showings along the way but nothing to the level they have had with Payton as the HC. They will support him pretty much on anything.

[casmith07]

Bill Parcells for one year
.

Sign Parcells for a 1 year deal and he'll quit on you in Week 12.

[Dallas]

Huge Saints fan who works for me told me today he had to find a new team to pull for this year.

He says..

Lucky my son is a Niners fan, so I will be a Niner fan this year. I was like....


Hrmmm.... :rolleyes: But I didn't say what I wanted to say. :D

[cajuncocoa]

Yes, they would support him on anything. Literally. I think many here still see themselves as "loveable losers" and are still in shock that the Saints won the Super Bowl in 2009/10...that's why they continue to act like victims when something like this happens.

On a related note: is Sean Payton really that good, or did he get a lot of help from the NFL by way of some questionable calls at crucial points in the games?

He was the QB coach for the Cowboys from 2003-05...what did he do for the Cowboys that was so special during that time? Serious question.

I don't think I'm the only one who feels the NFL took pity on the NOLA area after Katrina. The Saints benefited from very questionable calls (and some non-calls) that turned out to be drive-killers for the opposition (or maintained a drive for the Saints in other cases). If the calls went the other way, would this have an effect on Sean Payton's reputation as a coach?

I guess you could make that argument about anyone, but it's clear to me that the Saints had the NFL refs on their side... from 2006-2009 at least.

[Rogah]

Sign Parcells for a 1 year deal and he'll quit on you in Week 12.Parcells only goes to teams that are absolutely abysmal. That way everyone kisses his arse when he wins 9 or 10 games and ignores the fact that, without Bill Belichick, he has never won a single playoff game in his entire career.

[Hostile]

I don't know who the Saints would replace SP with, but the talk in Atlanta is that Jerry Jones would be the one to hire him as a head coach if he is fired.They must have a lot of halucinogenic drugs in Atlanta right now. There is a 0% chance of that happening.

[Cowboys&LakersFan]

Huge Saints fan who works for me told me today he had to find a new team to pull for this year.

He says..

Lucky my son is a Niners fan, so I will be a Niner fan this year. I was like....


Hrmmm.... :rolleyes: But I didn't say what I wanted to say. :D

Aints fans are the worst.

[yimyammer]

It has to be in their minds to do that. This is an opportune time to find a permanent replacement. Who might they target?

Seems like I remember you posting something a while back about Payton being a GM in Dallas one day. If I am remembering correctly, how do you think recent events will effect this possibility?

[Luckenbach]

As far as if he is fired, at the very least I want Payton to come in and call the plays, Garrett is so so bad at it that if only a magic 8 ball or a hobo on the street would call the offense, I feel we'd make great strides in that department...

Payton > Garrett

Though I'm a Garrett hater, based purely on my opinion of his piss poor play-calling capabilities.

[hsfolk]

Everything blows over in New Orleans. I'm sure the fans are mad but I don't think many fans want to see Payton go after all he did what others never did for a franchise who has not know much success in this history.

As for Williams I think that is likely to happen.

the only thing the fans in NO are mad at is that they got caught. Looking like Pete Carmichael will be the HC this season & that will make Brees very happy

[Doomsday101]

the only thing the fans in NO are mad at is that they got caught. Looking like Pete Carmichael will be the HC this season & that will make Brees very happy

I expect Brees will be the more or less the OC. I know he is already involved in the game planning I would expect him to be more relied on now

[joseephuss]

I expect Brees will be the more or less the OC. I know he is already involved in the game planning I would expect him to be more relied on now

This whole mess gives Brees more leverage in contract negotiations in my opinion. Partly for what you described as him being more heavily relied on during this season.

[Doomsday101]

This whole mess gives Brees more leverage in contract negotiations in my opinion. Partly for what you described as him being more heavily relied on during this season.

I agree. However despite all the fussing that has taken place I have always felt that a deal would end up getting done. This situation may hurry the process along quicker and give Brees more leverage but I have never felt a deal would not get done.

[ABQCOWBOY]

the only thing the fans in NO are mad at is that they got caught. Looking like Pete Carmichael will be the HC this season & that will make Brees very happy

No, I suspect they are upset because they feel as if they have been punished severely for something that most, if not all, teams in the NFL are practicing in one form or another.

Right or wrong, I'm sure that's probably how they feel.

[cajuncocoa]

No, I suspect they are upset because they feel as if they have been punished severely for something that most, if not all, teams in the NFL are practicing in one form or another.

Right or wrong, I'm sure that's probably how they feel.
You are correct, judging from my conversations with Saints fans.

[goliadmike]

You are correct, judging from my conversations with Saints fans.

That is the feeling I am getting from my Saint fan friends.

[Red Dragon]

Huge Saints fan who works for me told me today he had to find a new team to pull for this year.

He says..

Lucky my son is a Niners fan, so I will be a Niner fan this year. I was like....


Hrmmm.... :rolleyes: But I didn't say what I wanted to say. :D


This "huge Saints fan" probably only started rooting for the Saints in 2006 or so, right?

[yimyammer]

Seems like I remember you posting something a while back about Payton being a GM in Dallas one day. If I am remembering correctly, how do you think recent events will effect this possibility?

Bump..

[Cowboys&LakersFan]

Yeah they should fire him so we can hire him. http://www.clublakers.com/images/smilies/man1.gif