Who Dat Say News: Saints getting National Pub (Sort Of)

News: ESPN.com writer Pat Yasinskas predicts that the Saints are the team most poised to make a turnaround this year. Calling the Saints the "best 7-9 team in the league last year," Yasinskas says that the 2008 Saints will make a run "deep into the postseason." His reason for the turnaround? A much improved defense. "The big reason the Saints will fare a lot better than last year is their defense. They jumped up in the draft to get USC defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis, and that's going to turn out to be one of the biggest moves of the offseason. Ellis is going to jam the middle, giving the Saints a chance to have some defensive playmakers for the first time in coach Sean Payton's tenure. Ellis' presence will allow linebackers Jonathan Vilma and Dan Morgan to jump-start careers that had stalled elsewhere because they'll be able to roam untouched from sideline to sideline. That's going to jump-start the defense and make the Saints one of the league's best teams."

WhoDatSay: We would like to thank Mr. Yasinskas for recognizing that the Saints were the best 7-9 team last year, and that our beloved Black and Gold are the most likely candidate for a "turnaround" this year, but unfortunately we learned the hard way last season that it doesn't matter what they say about you in the preseason. If the Pat Yasinska's of the world would have had their way last year, the Saints would have made their first Super Bowl in franchise history. That's not to say that we don't agree with Mr. Yasiska about the 2008 Saints. We think Sedrick Ellis and Jonathan Vilma will do wonders for our defense as well. Rather, we recognize it is healthy for purposes of our life expectancy to point out that Mr. Yasinskas' prediction is neither a revelation nor a prophecy, but just a prediction.