Mickey Loomis Dicusses the Decision to Fire Rick Mueller

New Orleans Saints General Manager spoke with Bobbie Hebert and Hokie Gajan on WWL AM870 sportstalk about topics including his decision to fire the V.P. of Player Personnel, Rick Mueller, the hiring of salary cap guru Khai Harley, and the status of Will Smith's contract extension. Have a listen -- Loomis on sportstalk

Who Dat News: Budget Committee Agrees to Pay Saints, Hornets

News: On Thursday, the House budget committee agreed that Louisiana should pay the New Orleans Saints and Hornets $26 million in state surplus cash to meet the state's contractual obligations. The contract states that if the State fails to make these payments, the teams could opt to move out of New Orleans.

Who Dat News: The State negotiated these deals with the Saints and Hornets in order to allow the teams to compete financially with teams in larger markets. This was before either team was as successful as it is now, though. We would all like to see Tom Benson open his books (something he has never done) and prove to us that the Saints are in need of this payment. Speculation is that even without the payment, the Saints would rank in the middle of the pack of NFL teams in terms of profitability. Regardless, the State made a wise financial decision in leaving Benson no opportunity to move the Saints. In terms of economic stimulus, a payment of $26 million to keep both the Saints and the Hornets in New Orleans generates enormous dividends for New Orleans and for the entire State in helping the city land events such as the NCAA National Championship Game and the NBA All Star Game of this past year – and hopefully a Super Bowl for 2013.

Who Dat News: Break-In Spurs Rash of Copycat Crimes

News: After Green Bay Packers Running Back Noah Herron fended off would-be home invaders with a bed post last week, a wave of copycat crimes has broken out in the city of New Orleans. Although details are thin at the moment, we have received the following information:

One Unidentified Man Broke into the home of Saints Cornerback, Jason David: Reports indicate that David watched the man break into his front door, kept a close eye on the man as he rummaged through his belongings, but let the man run right past and out the back door, thinking Josh Bullocks was going to make the arrest. No arrests were made.

Two Unidentified Men Broke into the Home of Deuce McAllister: This story is still breaking, but indications are that Deuce was able to creep up on the men in dark of night while carrying a baseball bat. As Deuce hid behind a corner, waiting to spring out and catch the burglars, the invaders noticed Deuce's red no-contact robe and were able to escape the house. Police on the scene tell us these men out-ran Deuce by cutting back and forth and generally not running in a straight line, a feat Deuce was unable to accomplish. No arrests were made.

Two Men Break into Home of Former Saint Jonathan Sullivan: Sullivan, who was awake eating chicken wings and drinking gravy, caught the men at the door and was able to block the entrance. However, the robbers ran right around him and sacked the rest of the house before Sullivan could adjust. No arrests were made.

Three Men Break into Eric Johnson's Home: Johnson was in a great position to catch the burglars as he called the police to tip them off. Sadly, the burglars had wire-tapped his phone, and were able to catch the tip. No arrests were made.

Four Men Broke into the Home of Saints Quarterback Drew Brees: A frightening story for any Saints fan, early indications are that Brees realized his arm might not be strong enough to stop the intruders, so instead, he sat them down and had a talk with them and convinced them to participate in the Drew Brees Dream Foundation instead of a life of crime. No arrests were made.

Three Men Broke into the Home of Mark Simoneau: The first robber ran straight at Simoneau, and he had no problem taking him to the ground. However, learning from their partners' mistakes, the final two robbers chose to throw the stolen goods back and forth around Simoneau's home as they exited, and Simoneau could not contain the two. He tried to make a final play on his belongings, but could not intercept one pass, nor could he force a fumble of any of the stolen goods. Luckily, the security guard at the gate, Johnny Vilma, had no problem covering the area and apprehending both suspects.

Who Dat News: QB Troubles Brewing in Tampa

News: Jeff Garcia discussed the possibility of not even playing in 2008 if Tampa Bay does not give him a new deal, according to buccaneersgab.com. Garcia discussed the situation on Siruis NFL Radio, saying that he might quit before the season begins if something is not done soon. "If it doesn't work itself out, if a contract is not presented as far as a renewal to finish my career, then I will seriously think about what my alternate options may be," Garcia said today. "And it may come to not playing football anymore." Garcia went on... "I feel like when you mistreat people there comes a time when it doesn't matter how much you are paid, it's going to lead to some drastic decisions."

WhoDatSay: Although we hate to laugh at the misfortune of others, this is great news for Saints fans. The Bucs are damned either way. We can certainly understand why Tampa Bay does not want to commit long-term money to a 38-year-old quarterback who threw only 13 TD's all year and who showed signs of slowing down at the end of last season -- that would be a poor investment. However, if a deal doesn't get done, Brian Griese or Luke McCown would be forced to take the reigns. [brief pause to laugh]. Thank the lord for Drew Brees. This is exactly what we meant when we said that the Saints future looks much brighter than the others in our division. We have our top 5 QB. How about you, Tampa?

Who Dat News: Saints Fire Rick Mueller

News: The New Orleans Saints have fired Rick Mueller, the team's vice president of player personnel, according to CBSsportsline.com. Mueller was with the Saints for the past eight seasons and was a big part of the the Saints giant turnaround in 2006. According to CBS, Mickey Loomis will now have the team's director of college scouting (Rick Reiprish) and the director of pro scouting (Ryan Pace) reporting directly to him.

WhoDatSay: The Saints did something similar to Randy Mueller (Rick's brother) several years ago. However, we can't imagine why Loomis would get rid of a man who was given so much credit for putting together the 2006 draft class that included Reggie Bush, Roman Harper, Jahri Evans, and seventh-round steal, Marques Colston. On the other hand, he followed that class up with a less-than-stellar 2007 draft haul. No reason was given for the untimely firing, and at this time the team has no plans to repace their V.P. of player personnel.

Who Dat News: Mitchell To Compete For Starting Gig?

News: According to the SunHerald.com, second-year linebacker Marvin Mitchell could compete with Scott Shanle for the starting spot at weak-side linebacker this upcoming season. At the Saints' first minicamp this past Saturday, Mitchell saw some action with the first team at middle linebacker. Sean Payton also noted that he likes Mitchell's hard-hitting ability, and additional opportunities could exist for the Saints' seventh round pick in 2007.

Who Dat Say: While Mitchell may have had an opportunity to impress at middle linebacker this past weekend, we all know that the Saints' middle linebacker position is cast in stone and will be filled by their prize offseason acquisition, Jonathan Vilma. However, Mitchell very well could fill in when Vilma rests for a play or two. Also, Scott Fujita has a firm grasp on the strong side, which leaves only the weak side up for grabs. While that position is Scott Shanle's to lose, Mitchell may be able to push for some playing time. At the University of Tennessee, Mitchell was the middle linebacker, a position that requires more strength in order to stop the run. If he is to convert to a weak-side linebacker, he's going to have to prove to Sean Payton and staff that he has enough athleticism, speed, and skills to cover tight ends and running backs coming out of the backfield. Although the SEC may be the premier league in college football, covering NFL running backs is a different story. Shanle dodged one bullet with the retirement of Dan Morgan, but may be challenged by Mitchell for this spot. There's no doubt that Mitchell can hit, as Sean Payton has mentioned, but his 40-time of 4.95 may be holding him back from becoming a playmaker on the weak-side.

Who Dat Hearsay: Henry to Saints a Possibility?

News: The Denver Broncos released Travis Henry yesterday after questioning his commitment to the team. “We did not feel his commitment to the Broncos was enough to warrant a spot on this football team,” head coach Mike Shanahan said. “Although Travis has the ability to be one of the top running backs in the NFL, we have to make decisions that are in the best interests of our organization and its goal of winning a Super Bowl.” Henry missed the first week of the Bronco’s passing camp. Despite Shanahan’s wishes that Henry would be healthy enough to return to the field last Tuesday for minicamp, the running back missed the rest of the week as well.

WhoDatSay: What Shanahan may not have known is that his former starting running back was in New Orleans last month on two separate occasions and was seen playing blackjack at a downtown casino. According to an inside source, Henry commented several times about how much he loved the city (New Orleans). To our knowledge the running back did not meet with team officials during his two May visits, and both trips could have been for vacation only. Two vacations in the span of one month to New Orleans when your current team is battling through OTA’s and minicamp in Denver… hmmm. We all know the Saints have been in the market for a bigger running back to place in their stable should Deuce have another setback, and Henry (at 230lbs.) would fit that bill. That said, the Saints would have to buck their trend of signing high-character players if they were to bring in this guy.

Every Tuesday we want you to "go off" on whatever Saints-related topic is bothering you. Tell us how you feel and don't spare any expense. To submit your rant, send an e-mail to whodatsayteam@gmail.com. We will sift through the garbage and post the best stuff every Tuesday. If we get 5 good ones, we'll post them all. Happy complaining.

Last week, we brought you a report (from CBS columnist Pete Pricso) tabbing Reggie Bush as the most overrated player in the NFL. Prisco’s statement got us wondering just what Saints’ fans think of the ultra-talented, somewhat controversial running back. We asked you to send us your opinions. Here are a few we received:

Stan C.
Metairie, LA
-With my wife manning the remote control last night, I reluctantly watched the TV show Keeping up with the Kardashians. That crew, what a bunch of clowns! Anyway, it was the episode that was filmed partly in New Orleans where they tour the 9th Ward and eat at Brennan's restaurant. My wife really likes the show, so I have seen parts of several episodes. I was hoping to watch the Spurs-Lakers series, but my lobbying efforts were unsuccessful. The whole show, but mainly this most recent episode, has really struck a nerve with me. After thinking about the Reggie Bush situation, I can’t help but wonder, will Reggie ever become the superstar running back/ playmaker in the NFL that we fans all hope for, that the Saints need him to become? With Reggie, I feel there is too much glitz and not enough grit. That he is a cream puff, a pretty boy. I mean, seriously, it must be hard to focus on football with all the extracurricular B.S. that he is involved with. I know, you’re thinking, what about Peyton Manning, he is involved with all types of off-the-field distractions? My response is, Peyton is focused and he has proven himself ON THE FIELD. He can do whatever he wants. You say, “what about Tony Parker?” My response, sure he has a famous wife, but he also has championship rings. Is football Reggie’s top priority? I think it is, but the margin between football and his other priorities may not be wide enough. As a Saints fan, I really hope to be proven wrong because our team is better when Reggie is doing his thing. I hope to be eating crow after the 2008 season. But, so far, Reggie has lived off of his reputation at USC and his PRO DAY. Reggie has NOT gotten it done in the NFL!

Jonathan B.
-Hey, thanks for putting it out there, I'll keep reading it. and if my job didn't restrict me from posting, I'd do that too. Anyway about Reggie, if media hype equals what you are supposed to do, then he is a bust. But I don't care what the media had anticipated Reggie would do. His stats are low, especially YPC, but you can't name a Defense that says "Oh, we don't really need to be concerned with him." If he continues to play decoy, I don't give a shit, fine by me. But may God be with any corner on an island that's looking at him one-on-one

“RCR”
Reader Comment
-While Reggie hasn’t produced quite like we all hoped, he’s far from the most overrated player in the NFL.

Prisco doesn’t exactly give his criteria for the most over-rated player, but it seems like he’s really saying that Bush is the biggest bust.

Saying he’s overrated now means that he’s currently being hyped as something he’s not. At this point in the game, that’s not true. We all know that Reggie is more of a complement back at this stage of his career; nobody’s expecting him to carry the load without a power back like Deuce. So I don’t think it’s fair to call him overrated.

As for being a bust, that’s not fair either. He’s an integral part of our team, and played a HUGE part in our success in 2006.

So, using Prisco’s definition of “overrated,” who should win? My vote would be Mike Williams, now of the Titans. He was drafted #10, and has been an overweight bust. He has 44 catches in 3 years. According to him, he’s slimmed down to 242lbs. in order to try and compete again.

So let’s recap – Bush has been a major part of a successful team and has been a role player with the potential to be much more. Mike Williams is fat, slow, and has been on 3 teams in 3 years.

Who’s more overrated? Who’s more of a bust? Screw Priso. The shot at Kardashian’s huge ass just goes to show that this guy is writing more for jokers that would rather watch E! than real football fans.

Who Dat News: Reggie as the Punt Returner?

News: The Baton Rouge Advocate reports that Sean Payton will be zeroing in on special teams throughout this preseason in the hopes of dramatic improvement in that area. "We have to get our return game going; we really haven't been very effective in two years in that, be it kickoff return or punt return," Payton said. "We finished last in the league in field goal percentage (68); that's something that we need to address and improve on." Included in those plans is a more active role for Reggie Bush in the punt return game. Payton said Bush will be involved as a punt returner, something he was limited in last year after Deuce McAllister was lost to a knee injury and Bush became a bigger part of the running game.

WhoDatSay: It only makes sense to use Reggie in the return game. It's clear that he will not be an every down back for this club, and that means the coaches must find a way to get him more touches (especially since Payton said in the same article that he wants more 20+ yard plays this year). Allowing Reggie to return punts is a great way to get him those additional touches. It still remains to be seen the extent to which he will be used in the return game -- will he be "the" punt returner or "a" punt returner? This news also begs the question about Lance Moore and his future with the club. With the acquisitions of Tracy Porter and Tuff Harris in the off-season, who also figure to battle for the return spot, one wonders if Moore will find a spot on the final roster. Our readers seem to think he won't (see our current poll), and we agree. The spot that Moore would occupy on the final roster will be absolutely essential, especially considering the fight at the wide receiver position, and if Moore won't be the exclusive punt returner, it makes little sense to keep him.

Who Dat Say Minicamp Update

Members of the Whodatsay team attended Saints minicamp this past Saturday and are pleased to bring you this mincamp update. Present for Whodatsay were Vern, Mrs. Vern, Little Vern (the biggest 7-month old Saints fan you will ever meet), Section123, Section123 Girlfriend, and Joseph, the winner of our first annual Take a Fan to Minicamp Contest. Joseph was declared winner when he passed out on my couch the night before, leaving us no other choice than to bring him along. With six sets of eyes hard at work for our readers, we’re fairly certain we took everything in.

We don’t want to brag but….

We’re finally getting some of that well-deserved, hard-earned, respect and admiration from our peers and fans alike. Below, you will see some of the shots we took from our exclusive, roped-off, very VIP, Whodatsay area.

Jump on board while you still can folks, we’re headed for the big time.

Our exclusive press credentials gave us access to fans and players alike; at one point, we even managed to get up close to this guy:

Although we are still unsure what Panama Jack was doing at Saints mincamp, we at whodatsay have always welcomed Saints fans of all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds. Plus, we’re hoping that he sends us a few pairs of sunglasses so that we can avoid being blinded by the light reflected off Todd Blythe’s legs.

What we saw:

The date was May 31, and because summer typically starts some time in late February around here, it was hot. New Orleanians know to avoid the dark colors in the summer heat, but not today – today was a Saints day, and that meant the Black and Gold had to be proudly displayed, regardless of weather conditions.

We watched with the masses (what appeared to be several thousand) as Devery Henderson caught a simple pass in the flat and was cheered as if he had just completed the Immaculate Reception. We saw Deuce taking handoffs up the middle, a sight that can’t help but bring a sense of normalcy and rightness to the mind of any Saints fan; it was certainly a sight for sore eyes, and one which we hope to see a lot more of. We watched as David Patten abused Usama Young on a deep route, faking him out of his shoes and making a catch in the end zone. All the while, the general, clad in his long sleeves and visor, walked the ranks of his players, looking for something, a well-run route, a vicious block, a well thrown ball from Palko or Brunell.

Vern’s Take:

Vern focused his attention mostly on receivers and defensive backs, and had the following to report: Although it is par for the course, Drew Brees looked good. Really good. He threw with consistent accuracy and velocity. Together, Brees and Colston make even the most difficult routes look effortless.

Tyler Palko… well, pretty much the exact opposite of everything we just said about Brees. He under-whelmed and under-impressed us with his accuracy all morning long.

Deuce Mcallister still has a long way to go. It appeared that every handoff he took was straight up the middle, and it looks like he is a long way from being able to move laterally at full speed. We’re not expecting Deuce to be 100% when training camp opens.

Reggie Bush seemed to show no ill effects from last year’s injury, and moved quickly and confidently with the ball. Early indications are that he will be used in much the same way as last year, despite the entire Who Dat Nation calling for some new looks with Reggie in 2008.

Marques Colston is truly in a class all his own on our team. His routes always looks smooth, and he catches every ball with his hands, even when it looks like it would be easier for him to catch it with his body.

Although there has been a lot of positive talk about Robert Meachem lately, he failed to impress at minicamp. Despite his straight line speed, he still seems to be a little slow in and out of his breaks, and he catches too many balls with his body. Meachem doesn’t drop many balls, but he needs to make more of an effort to extend his arms to the ball and not just let the ball come to him. At times, he almost looks lazy running routes.

Despite running mostly with the third team, Adrian Arrington managed to impress us. Arrington just appears to be a complete receiver, with a quick first step and the ability to get separation, despite what the scouting reports said about him. He catches the ball well with his hands, and with his large frame, he really has the potential to develop into a red-zone threat. If Arrington learns the playbook and continues to improve, he could have a bright future with the Saints.

Tracy Porter looked good. He’s definitely raw, and that showed when he bit on a few moves and got beat a few times. His recovery speed, however, appears to be excellent, and he mostly did a good job of keeping receivers in front of him. We’re looking forward to watching him develop.

With Mike McKenzie walking around pad-less, Randall Gay was the most consistent defensive back on the field. He blanketed Colston on an out-route and covered receivers tight on deep balls. It’s obvious that Gay has been playing under Bill Belichick when you see how impressive his footwork is.

What it all means…

Depending on who you ask, attending minicamp is either a great way to pick up subtle clues regarding the staff’s mindset, or a nice way to get a jumpstart on that farmer’s tan you will be sporting all summer. However, no one will argue that mincamp isn’t a great place to hang out with other Saints fans, support the Boys in Black and Gold, and start getting excited about the 2008 season. We’ll see you in Jackson.