Well, it all came crashing down us yesterday. The ball-stripping Bears defense. The snowy conditions. The obviously biased referees. Even Sean Payton got away from us yesterday. And so it ends, 39-14 in the NFC Championship Game victory Sunday at Soldier Field.
A remarkable journey it was. It all came down to two schoolyard bullies, one in blue the other in black, whacking the mess out of each other. New Orleans was smacked first, then smacked again. Then the Saints wallowed the Bears across the head and you saw the knees wobble. Then this:
New Orleans running back Reggie Bush breaks off a scintillating 88-yard reception, zigging and zagging and finally pointing in joyful scorn to Chicago lineback Brian Urlacher.
Oh, and then somersaulting into the end zone.
“When I saw it, I thought what an idiot, just a young idiot,” Bears center Olin Kreutz said. “He hasn’t done enough in this league to do anything close to that, pointing at a guy like Brian Urlacher. That’s just ridiculous.”
Defensive end Adewale Ogunleye had words with Bush before leaving the field.
“I told Reggie that was unprofessional of him to do that,” Ogunleye said. “To point back and taunt was to have no class. He just pointed to the ref like, ‘Get the guy out of my face,’ but I swear I was a second away from punching him.”
Bush’s play cut the Bears’ lead to 16-14, but it was one of the last highlights for the Saints.
“I just got caught up in the emotion of the game,” said Bush, the No. 2 pick in the NFL draft. “Obviously, I was wrong for doing that. I was just happy to make a big play for my team at a crucial moment.”

All this talk is ... overbearing

Chicago is talking big noise as Sunday's knock-down drag-out fight to go to the SuperBowl approaches.
"We definitely want this Cinderella story to end," coach Lovie Smith said, of the Saints.

"It has been like, all year," tight end John Gilmore said. "Even when we were ranked No. 1, the national media was always saying something like, 'Who's No. 1 this week, the New Orleans Saints or the Dallas Cowboys?'

The Bears' top two wide receivers, Bernard Berrian, of the Bears' wide receivers, says: "You feel disrespected a little bit."
Quarterback Rex Grossman, visibly irritated with questions implying that the Bears can't move the ball, says: "I'm looking to score more points than they do. I'm not looking to hold the ball. That just seems to make sense to me. We're going to try to do every single play the way we're coached and not 'hold the ball.' ... We look at it as we're a pretty good offense ourselves so we're going out there ready to attack."

"You can only give one of them the ball," defensive tackle Tank Johnson reasons when told of the Saints offensive weapons.

"Who cares?" center Olin Kreutz demanded. "We'll find out on Sunday."
YES, WILL WILL.

BUSH GETS 'DAT LUV' BROUGHT TO HIM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHe5aV-THpQ

The wonders of Bush

rams.aolsportsblog.com/2007/01/14/sheldon-brown-jacks-up-reggie-bush/

The beauty of Reggie Bush is the wonders of athletic improvisation. Every play can be a spectacular touchdown, with Bush improvising his way around the field.

On second-and-goal from Philadelphia’s 4-yard line in the second quarter:
Bush gets a handoff, runs a couple steps and — POP! — smacks into the back of Saints left tackle Jammal Brown. Like a pinball, he bounces to the right, then sprints past his pursuers to the corner of the end zone for a touchdown.
He jogs to a life-size poster of himself that hangs on the wall behind the end zone, below the first row of seats, and starts boxing with his likeness. The manboy Reggie Bush toying with his poster-child likeness.

EAGLES: SAY IT 'TAINT SO

Consider this: Why did the New Orleans Saints on Saturday night defeat, run over and just demoralize the ever-dangerous Philadelphia Eagles? Was it because of the run-stuffing Saints defense (Brian Westbrook had 11 yards at the half.) Was it the penalties called on the Eagles? Or was it that they couldn't stop the Saints running game? (Duece McAllister grounded out 143 yards). Below are the top 5 reasons why the Eagles lost, according to the Philadelphia newspapers.
1. The guy that was supposed to stop the run on the series, the first round draft pick the Eagles rewarded with a six-year, $17.5 million contract including $10 million guaranteed, Broderick Bunkley, was garbage all game.
2. Deep down inside, the Eagles knew the defense wouldn't be able to hold the Saints. New Orleans had just one three-and-out the entire second half and had 13 points at halftime but 27 by the end of the third.
3. The punt on fourth and 15. Andy Reid admitted twice afterward that he should have gone for it. But he did the right thing. He knew the Saints would try to keep running the ball because that kept the clock moving. And Reid would rather them run it than run AND pass, because they'd be unpredictable. In a way, he was trying to limit the Saints offense into one dimensional.
5. Saints runner Reggie Bush lost the football TWICE, once after being stripped of the ball after a 10-yard run. The ball was pursued by 3 Eagles defenders and one Terrance Copper. Copper won, but barely. Then, Bush lost a pitch out from Drew Brees that the Eagles recovered and led to their 4th and 15 debacle. And all this was before a bone-rattling hit on Bush on the second play of the game. Bush was dazed and walked on all fours for about 10 seconds (like Mike Tyson after Buster Douglas rocked him), but he got up.
6. The Eagles were lucky to be in the game. The Saints should have been up by more points; Marques Colstoncame down with the ball for a split second after a hail mary pass at the end of the half. The play was not reviewed.
7. Several key calls killed Eagles drives. Jeff Garcia bolted through the Saints defense once for about 30 yards only to see a yellow flag for holding. Another big one was an Illegal contact call with 2:15 left in the third quarter, Eagles Trent Cole made an inside move on tackle Jammal Brown and dropped quarterback Drew Brees for a 7-yard loss that would have put the Saints in a second-and-27 situation from the Eagles' 46-yard line. Instead, the Saints had a first-and-10 situation from the 34. Two plays later, McAllister scored.
8. Eagles had third and 1 from the Saints 4-yard-line early in the fourth quarter. The play the Eagles ran on third and 1 was the same third-and-1 play the Eagles used to get a huge first down when they held the ball for the final 4:52 to run out the clock against Washington in Week 14. The play resulted in a 4-yard reception by Thomas Tapeh and a first down against the Redskins. Saints linebacker Scott Fujita was all over it though (maybe from watiching game film?), and he splayed Tapeh for a 2-yard loss.
9. An obvious holding call. Saints center Jeff Faine got away with numerous holding calls against Eagles defensive lineman Jeremiah Trotter. The most obvious was on the Saints' final series when McAllister ran for 5 yards on a second-and-6 play. As Trotter stepped up and started to fill the hole where McAllister chose to run, Faine grabbed the middle linebacker around the neck. it gave McAllister enough room to squeeze past defensive end Juqua Thomas.
10. Fox Sports aired a profanity during the game; right in the second quarter. Is that why they lost?

4TH ... AND FOREVER?

What Would Jimmy Have Done?
Saturday night, the Philadelphia Eagles were at their 39-yard-line with 1:56 left in the game. Fourth and 15 yards to go.
The post-game went like so:
'You're going to punt the football?'' Jimmy Johnson wondered afterward on Fox's postgame show. ''You're banking on stopping 'em. Well, why not stop 'em on the 39, because if you stop 'em, they have to punt.''

Michael Irvin: ''I was a bit surprised that with 1:40 left, your boy Andy Reid would try to punt that ball and not go for that fourth-and-15.''

Jaworski: ''You had access to the result, so it's easy to say. All season long in the NFL, there's only been one fourth-and-15 converted. Andy said, 'Hey, it's a low-percentage play either way. Either try for it or put it in the hands of your defense.' He chose to put it in the hands of his defense.''
Irvin: ''But Andy also knew that Deuce [McAllister] had been gutting him. Andy also knew that if I give the ball back to [Saints coach] Sean Payton, he'll give it back to Deuce and Deuce will continue to gut me.''

Jaworski: ''That part I'll agree with. They were running the football, but it's still low-percentage either way. ... One all season long.''

Irvin: ''Stat man. Stat man. Stat man. Who had the most big plays of the season?

Jaworski: ''The Philadelphia Eagles.''

Irvin: ''Well, come up with one of those big plays. Right now is the time.''
not.

Cajun Colts

When the Indianapolis Colts suit up Saturday at 4:30 p.m. (Manning vs. McNair) for their divisional playoff against the Baltimore Colts there may very well be some gumbo in visiting locker room. The Colts have 3 stellar Louisiana natives on their offense starting with none other than prototype de jour quarterback Payton "Money" Manning. Sixth-year receiver Reggie Wayne, like Manning, hails New Orleans native, is in his sixth year with the NFL. Also, from Da Boot is slot receiver Brandon Stokely, who hails from Cajun Country, Lafayette. Obviously, I'll have to roll with the homeboys, the Colts, on this one even though my boy Ed Reed, Baltimore's All-Pro safety, is from the Big Easy as well. The backstory here is that these two teams were once one franchise. The owner snuck the Colts out of Baltimore in the middle of the night in the 1980s and now Baltimore wants some getback. I say, what James Bond said: Die Another Day.

YARD BIRD FOR DINNER?

SCOUTING REPORT
Well, when the "Underdogs-in-their-own-town" Eagles come to the SuperDome on Saturday night to play the Saints, their defense won't blitz New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees as much as they did the Giants' Eli Manning. Brees is no novice quarterback and can recognize schemes quicker and betteer. The Eagles will be without cornerback Lito Sheppard, so they will try to mask that by beefing up the coverage.
Look for big games for Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush (See this position breakdown).
The Saints will play conservative early but will take shots downfield at the cornerback who is taking Lito Sheppard's place. Although he has started before, he'll be in over his head against the noisy Dome.
The Eagles are slow starters but the offensive coaches will both have wrinkles. They allowed 48 first-possession points (six touchdowns and two field goals) this season. In their earlier meeting, the Saints had a 17-3 lead before the Eagles came roaring back.

DRAWIN' IT UP IN THE SAND

"I mean, from a confidence standpoint and all those things, to have the head coach look at me and say, 'If you like [the play], it's in. If you like it, it's going to get called. If you don't like it, it's out.' I mean, wow."
That's what Saints QB Drew Brees said of the arsenal they have in their playbook. Naysayers are saying the two-week bye may make the Saints rusty. Don't plan on it.

New Orleans is "bout to Explo-o-o-Ode," as Mary J. once sang. This Saturday night, the SuperDome will be rockin' as the Saints take on the dangerous Philadelphia Eagles in the playoffs. But Saints are getting ready for war. It'll bring former Saints wideout Donte Lamar Stallworth back to the Big Easy in a big way. Joe Horn has gone on record to bring the love.
"That's my little bro," Horn said of Stallworth. "All I tell Donte is, 'Do your job as a professional. Be a professional because there's a lot of people watching.' He's grown up. I just hate that when he was here, he didn't take advantage of the opportunity that he had. Now he's taking advantage of it — and change is good."
Yada, yada, yada, Stallworth didn't catch the ball nearly enough when he was in New Orleans. Of course, his quarterback, Aaron Brooks, regressed in a big way and that hurt them both.
Stallworth, a first-round pick in 2002, had 70 receptions for 945 yards and seven touchdowns last season. He and first-year coach Sean Payton didn't see eye-to-eye after Stallworth violated team rules at practices.
"There is one little personal situation I would have liked to have handled," Stallworth said, speaking about Payton. "I felt I was prejudged. All that's behind me. I don't care about that anymore. I'm doing my thing here. They're having a pretty good year."


Speaking of a good year, there's already a buzz to remove Payton if he stumbles this weekend.
Anyway, Payton is focused. "Our players understand the significance of a home playoff game to this town and what it means," Payton said. "It's the same approach we've tried to take all season. ... Our plan is to put together a good work week of practice and focus on all of the little things, like we have done in all of the games we've played so far."

ROLLING WITH RUSH

The talented JaMarcus Russell has declared himself eligible for the NFL draft this spring. Dude is the new version of Duante Culpepper with his arm strength. But can he play in the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen? Not yet. I think he prolly wasn't as appreciated at LSU as he should have been, but hey that's water under his Bentley now. He can't read defenses yet (Vick, anyone?), and never had the mobility of a Vince Young. Still he's a been known to sling the ball with such velocity he has broken fingers of some of the LSU wide receivers.

Dallas done in by its holder: Romo

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Antonio Ramiro Romo dropped the ball.
No, he literally dropped the ball.
You talk about choke. And this dude replaced the very accomplished Drew Bledsoe?
Romo is garbage and now the world has seen. Dude can't even hold the football on a kick! ON A KICK! He was rattled all game by the inferior Seahawks secondary , which included at least one loan officer as of last month, and made a Seattle defender with the last name Babineaux (Louisiana heritage — YEP — dude's bio says he's of "Creole descent") a household hame. Truth be told, Babineaux, who also was the culprit in October when Seattle nipped Dallas with a last-second pick against Bledsoe, wasn't even supposed to be part of the play.
Seattle was stacking its defense on its right side, opposite Babineaux, in a desparate attempt to block the gimme-field goal. Then, Romo sold it out.
"I just had to keep going!" Babineaux said of his run. "I grabbed him by the ankles. It was real huge."

Get behind me Sata, um, Saban!

"I'm not going to be the Alabama coach."
Yes, it's true. Football coach "Slick" Nick Lou Saban has gone back on his word.
Is he a liar? Not anymore than the rest of us. Is he a politician? No, he's a football coach. Coaches, like players, come a dime a dozen. People are pooh-poohing on him now that he's gone and taken the top football job at the University of Alabama. They say he weaseled his way out of the bayou and he has done it again to the Miami Dolphins.
Maybe so. Now, along with Louisiana, he's got all of Miami mad at him. And he deserves it. He took LSU to a championship in 2003, and recruited a lot more kids who wanted to ride with a champion. Alot of kids on the 2006 squad were recruited by Saban and came here on the premise that they would play for him. That's true, but you know what? Les Miles went 11-2 TWICE because of Nick Saban. That's right. No way a dude like Les Miles can do what he did without the wood frame, the foundation, the whole house already built for him by you know who. You saw LSU run roughshod over Notre Dame? Saban's kids did that.
They handed the tail to a very good Arkansas team this year; Saban's kids did it.
To be fair, Saban would have beat that depleted, starry-eyed Auburn team this year.
Saban also would have snuck out of Gainesville with a win this year too, Tebow or no.
As this reporter mentions here, Saban would not have handled Katrina as well as Miles. No, Saban would have got ghost right before Rita was coming.
But the truth is, Saban changed his mind. $32 million dollars has that effect on people. If I told my wife I was picking her up for work; for $32 million, I would stand her up and maybe throw tomatoes from an overpass. My mind would change quick, but I'd play it off as if it was a long, drawn-out decision. And you know what?
Saban will change his mind about Alabama. Alabama is one of the poorest states in the nation, and they got 32 notes to hand a ballcoach? Well, hope they don't expect loyalty. Oh, there will be another job that will come along for Saban; or another cause to rescue, and he'll jump there. That's just what this cat does. He's a jumper. But, alas, the bayou got something for him though. Yeah, he'll hafta come see us later this year. Actually LSU will come to see him in Tuscaloosa. The purple-and-gold will line up against the red-and-white and it'll be on as fast as you can say: RIP TIDE.