Payton rules with punishment, paintball

By Darrell Laurant  |   Monday, June 19, 2006  |  Comments( 1 )

New Orleans Saints
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Last week, the New Orleans Saints players took a few shots at new head coach Sean Payton. But it was all in fun.

As part of a "team-building exercise," Payton took his team to the New Orleans suburb of Mandeville to a pro-sized paintball course. And he made it to the final game before he was plugged (or splattered) by strong safety and special teams leader Steve Gleason.

"When we got there, we already knew what teams we were going to be on," said DE Will Smith on the Saints' Website. "I've been paintballing before, but I've never been on a course that big, so it was a lot of fun."

As far as football is concerned, however, many of the Saints still don't know what teams they'll be on -- first, second, third or out on the waiver wire. Payton makes no apologies for that.

"Upsetting the apple cart when you're 13-3 is one thing, but upsetting it when you're 3-13 is another," said Payton, who served as the Dallas Cowboys' offensive coordinator last season.

He mentions that 2005 record a lot, because it serves as instant validation to any changes he decides to make. As Albert Einstein once said: "The definition of insanity is someone who keeps doing the same thing expecting a different result."

When questions were raised about drafting Alabama safety Roman Harper in the second round of the draft when the Saints were apparently well-stocked at that position, Payton pointed out: "We were 3-13 last year. We're not set anywhere."

Nor was anyone concerned that the feelings of star running back Deuce McAlister might have been bruised by the Saints' drafting Reggie Bush.

The depth chart provided on the Saints' web page is full of empty spaces, some of them on the lines marked "first team." As far as Payton is concerned, it's all up for grabs.

A lot was written after Payton's hiring about how he was a Bill Parcells disciple and thus stressed discipline and preparation -- all of which is true. But he's also one of the youngest coaches in the league at 42, and his major at Eastern Illinois (where he threw for the third-most career yards in NCAA history) was communications.

Like all new coaches, Payton knows he has to walk a fine line in his first interactions with his players. Parcells-like, he instituted rigorous practices and chastised more than a few Saints for being out of shape. Wide receiver Donte' Stallworth, one of the team's few productive wideouts besides veteran Joe Horn, was benched for showing up late to a workout.

But players will tolerate toughness if they think the coach dispensing it can help them win. And the Saints are starved for that.

Already, Payton has begun putting his mark on this team. As a respected quarterback coach, he was one of the main factors luring Drew Brees to New Orleans. In spring drills, he gave his team a taste of some new offensive sets and a somewhat different philosophy than his predecessor, Jim Haslett. He moved right tackle Jamaal Brown to the left side.

"I think we need this," Horn said. "We needed a fresh start."

Spring drills were taxing and pre-season workouts in the wilting August heat of South Louisiana promise to be even worse. Payton has established his philosophy and his authority. So perhaps the paintball excursion was a way of letting the players know that he's not without a sense of humor and fun.

For the New Orleans Saints, after all, last season was anything but fun.

- Get more on Sean Payton and his Saints at Realfootball365.com
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