Respect For Each Other Will Be The Glue That Holds Saints Together

Now when we’re talking about respect for the New Orleans Saints, I’m not talking about what is coming from outside influences such as fans or the media.

Which, by the way, if you ask the fanbase for the Saints they feel the media doesn’t give them any regardless, but that’s neither here nor there.

No — when respect is brought up by members of the Saints, it’s more about respect from within that is going to matter moving forward.

Yes — respect from your coaches means a lot to the players, but it’s respect from fellow players that will strengthen the bond of the roster.

Feb 7, 2010 ; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) celebrates after his team defeated the Indianapolis Colts 31-17 in Super Bowl XLIV at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

It’s something that the team had starting in 2006 that eventually lead them to winning the Super Bowl in 2010.

It was as evident then as the obvious extreme lack of it was this past season that puttered them to a 7-9 finish.

In fact it was so obvious that questions arose long before the season hit the halfway point and injuries began to mount.

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You could see and hear the frustration in members of the Saints squad as more questions than answers piled up about why the team was taking a nosedive following a dominant 2013 season.

Offensive tackle Zach Strief spoke about this following the Saints first training camp practice where he said there was actually a loss of respect among the players last year.

WDSU’s Clint Durrett quoted Strief as saying that “you don’t have to be buddies in the locker room but you do need to have respect for each other.”

ESPN’s Mike Triplett also said Strief mentioned that players don’t have to be “Kumbaya” but there still needs to be that respect amongst each other.

Sep 8, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; The New Orleans Saints players celebrate with defensive coordinator Rob Ryan and head coach Sean Payton following a fourth down interception against the Atlanta Falcons during a game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Saints defeated the Falcons 23-17. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Also a key for this year is Triplett mentioning that Strief said that there will be more accountability among leaders in the locker room moving forward, specifically voicing their concerns openly and early on before the problem gets out of hand.

Strief is likely referring to the botched passing of the torch to some players last year that were supposed to step up with the absence of departed players like Will Smith, Jonathan Vilma, and Malcolm Jenkins.

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Recently released outside linebacker Junior Galette, voted a team captain last year, famously failed at an attempt to rally his teammates with a widely circulated notion that the defense in 2014 was better than previous one’s including the 2009 Super Bowl team that featured Smith, Vilma, and Jenkins.

Not agreeing with Galette but I understand his attempt to pump his deflated teammates up with confidence, but he just didn’t come across as he should.

Instead of “we have to step up and be better because they set the bar high” Galette countered more with a “we’re way better then they are and have arrived”, thus began the ensuing backlash and fool’s gold confidence.

It’s the reason why veteran cornerback Brandon Browner was brought on board for not only his skill but to be one of those voices to remind his teammates that they just weren’t that great last year and will have to work for respect.

May 28, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints cornerback Brandon Browner (39) during organized team activities at the New Orleans Saints Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Strief’s comments about speaking up give the impression that sadly many of the true leaders on the 2014 roster saw the train wreck happening but chose not to voice their concerns or did so after it was too late.

A friend of mine has a great mindset that he uses for people that he supervises:  “If I see you need help we’re gonna take care of it while we’re still in the air, not after we’ve crashed and burned.”

Unfortunately it appears that’s exactly what happened last season where it got the point the team was simply damaged no matter how many “let’s win one for the Gipper” speeches or rear end chewings happened.

With the exit of players like Galette, it essentially rewinds the clock back to the 2006 season where the Saints still had the “laughingstock of the league” label and everyone wondered what this group of misfits would accomplish with a rookie head coach and supposedly damaged quarterback.

That only served to fuel the Saints into becoming a tight group, a mantra that served them well until recently but thankfully players like Strief see that it can be fixed.

But in order to do that they’ll have to use the glue that held them together as a team close to a decade ago which is each other…..

Next: Starting Today, Training Camp Will MAKE OR BREAK These 5 Saints