Home Team: Coaching the Saints and New Orleans Back to Life Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Home Team: Coaching the Saints and New Orleans Back to Life? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Home Team: Coaching the Saints and New Orleans Back to Life. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Home Team: Coaching the Saints and New Orleans Back to Life ReviewThe whole world is well aware of the horror of Hurricane Katrina and due to the NFL's international appeal the whole world also knows about the New Orleans Saints winning Super Bowl XLIV in 2010. Because of the constant exposure of these two monumental events, I had first hesitated to buy this book... because I had watched the game... watched the news... read the papers... and I'm a sports fanatic... so I figured how many different ways can someone describe the same game... the same victory parade... and the same monumental havoc caused by Mother Nature? Man! Was I pleasantly surprised when I read this book. Saints coach Sean Payton traces his life from the emotional high... high atop a float in a Mardi-Gras-like victory parade before EIGHT-HUNDRED-THOUSAND-FANS-IN-NEW-ORLEANS back to his roots with not only an "everyman" type dialogue... but even more amazingly Sean delivers a no-holds-barred look behind the scenes at some of the sports well known individuals.
An example of his "everyman" approach... with all the varnish removed as he cast political correctness to the wind... is demonstrated very early on as the Super Bowl victory parade was in full swing when Sean writes: "I WAS SEVEN BUD LIGHTS IN. IT WAS MY TURN TO GREET THE MAYOR. MY WIFE SQUEEZED MY WRIST AND SAID," CONTROL YOURSELF HONEY." The reader is taken from his college ball to short stints in "pro ball" in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the Arena Football League that lasted as long as an average blink of the eye. His attempts to make coaching a career had him bouncing around like an out of control pin-ball machine. From graduate assistant-to assistant-to-position-coach from one side of the country to the next. He worked with coaches such as Jon Gruden, Bill Callahan, his most cherished mentor Bill Parcells, and Jim Fassel among others. Payton's tell-it-like-it-is-shoot-straight-from-the-chest-honesty is never more apparent than when he was an assistant and called the plays under New York Giant Head Coach Jim Fassel. The Giants got the ball back with a few seconds left in the first half in a game against the Cardinals and Sean wanted to just "take a knee" and end the half. Fassel overruled him after asking Sean more than once and Sean steadfastly said he wanted to down the ball and end the half. Fassel instead called a pass play that was intercepted and returned for a game-tying touchdown. After the game Fassel blamed Sean for the call to the media. Sean confronted Fassel "mano- y- mano": "UH, COACH," "WHOEVER TAKES THE BLAME FOR THAT CALL IS UNIMPORTANT TO ME. BUT YOU KNOW THAT WHEN WE DISCUSSED IT ON THE SIDELINE, I SAID, "WE SHOULD TAKE A KNEE." That season was Payton's last with the Giants. When Payton took over the Saints he made it clear that he was installing new goals and expectations. Some notable players didn't seem to "get" the message. "DONTE' STALLWORTH, THE SAINTS FIRST ROUND DRAFT PICK IN 2002 AND THIRTEENTH OVERALL THAT YEAR, SHOWED UP LATE FOR MANDATORY TEAM MEETINGS MORE THAN ONCE. I HAD A WORD WITH DONTE' AFTER THE SECOND TIME." I'M DYING TO TRADE OR CUT YOU, I TOLD HIM". ".YOU'RE MAKING IT EASY FOR ME." "HE WAS A SLACKER. IN THIS NEW SAINTS OFFENSE, SOMEONE WHO WAS UNRELIABLE WOULD HAVE A HARD TIME FITTING IN." "DEFENSIVE TACKLE JONATHAN SULLIVAN WAS ANOTHER PLAYER WHO SHOWED UP ON THE RADAR-AND NOT IN A GOOD WAY. HE TOO WAS A FIRST-ROUND PICK, SIXTH OVERALL. HE WAS OVERWEIGHT NOW AND DIDN'T SEEM EAGER TO EXPEND MUCH EXTRA EFFORT."
*BOTH PLAYERS WERE SOON ON OTHER ROSTERS.*
There is a chapter on Sean's interview for a head coaching position with the reclusive... mysterious... Hall Of Fame Legend... Oakland Raiders owner, Al Davis... that is absolutely a classic. From Al's constant habit of changing topics faster than Larry King changes wives... to his less than impressive choice of dinner. Where other potential employers wined and dined Sean in the fanciest restaurants... Mr. Davis eschewed such class establishments and instead sent an aid out for ten McDonald's kid's meal cheeseburgers and coleslaw from KFC. And for what it's worth Sean makes sure to let you know that despite the Super Bowl rings on Al's fingers... he was a sloppy eater.
There are countless insider tales such as these along with many "cold-ones" being thrown back. Along the way it's refreshing to read about all the motivational tools that Payton uses during training both before and during the season. Everything from paint ball wars... to water park contests... to Bill Belichick imitations... to charitable causes that brings tears to the players and coaches eyes. And of course the comeback of a team and a city. No football fan... regardless of your favorite team... will ever think the same way about Coach Sean Payton after reading this book!
Home Team: Coaching the Saints and New Orleans Back to Life Overview

Want to learn more information about Home Team: Coaching the Saints and New Orleans Back to Life?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now