Reader Questions

Reader: Section629SaintsFan - "where the real fans sit"
WhoDatSay: Agreed. There's no place in America like the Terrace.

Section629SaintsFan: Now that the off-season is all but behind us, what was the single best move that the Saints made between the end of last season and now to improve our team?

WhoDatSay: The acquisition of Jonathan Vilma. No question.
For the longest time, the Saints “D” has lacked a heart and soul. Not since the days of Sam Mills have we really had a guy to look to as the “general” of the defense. Vilma could be that guy. First, he plays the right position. You can often look no further than linebacker to find a team’s inspirational leader (Urlacher, Lewis, Butkus, Singletary, Mills etc etc). Second, he’s good. He was the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2004, and, in 2005, he led the NFL in tackles and went to the Pro Bowl. Couple that with a 2006 season in which he compiled 114 tackles, and I think it’s safe to say that Vilma is a proven football player. Consider this: The Jets, with the 4th round pick that we gave them for Vilma, selected show-stopping, razzle dazzle, all-world, (not) First Team-All-American corner Dwight Lowery out of San Jose State. And we got a former pro bowler and a guy who many considered to be the best linebacker in football just a few years ago.

If Vilma is not haunted by the knee injury that he suffered in 2007, and returns to his old form, his acquisition could turn into the biggest steal of the NFL off-season.

Section629SaintsFan: Is there any possibility the Saints give the 350 pound gymnast Walter Thomas another shot this year, or will he be in Beijing competing in the uneven bars and floor exercise?

WhoDatSay: Thomas, unfortunately, is already headed to Beijing to participate in the 2008 Olympics. Payton and company desperately wanted to give him another shot, but Bela Karolyi had already snapped him up. He is currently rooming with Dominique Dawes and training full-time in Malaysia. When asked about his upcoming stint in the Olympics, Thomas said, “I tried to convince Hollis Thomas to switch from football to floor exercises, but Ed Orgeron ripped his shirt off, drank a Red Bull, and started to eat Coach Karolyi.” Thomas is now dating Nadia Comaneci, and the two plan to wed in June.