One Man

The New Orleans Saints football squad is not enduring the most memorable offseason. Let's be honest, worrying about whether the team is going to move is something you do not want to be thinking while doing line sprints. It's very possible that the Bums could move and no longer be tagged the New Orleans Saints. With all the controversy surrounding this issue, there is in fact one simple, but complicated solution. Win. If the New Orleans Saints win more games than not this year than I can pretty much guarantee that they will be staying in the Superdome. The one man who controls the destiny of this team and franchise is Aaron Brooks. The inconsistent quarterback has been the starter for New Orleans since the day he came in for an injured Jeff Blake and lead the team to victory over the St. Louis Rams. It seems ever since that postseason win in 2000 against the Rams, Aaron Brooks has not lived up to his billing. Sure he has thrown for many yards and touchdowns (let's not forget interceptions), but Brooks has not been to the postseason since that magical first year. More times than not the team falls short of the postseason time in and time out. Of course I could let my Saint pessimism kick in and say Brooks is a choke, the team will finish 6-10, and Haslett will get fired. Yet, for some reason I do not feel like thinking that. Why? I mean you have to think that one of these years the Saints will get the luck they have always wanted, and all that talent will go to use. So Brooks has had his troubles, but the guy has had some good success. You can make a strong case that Aaron Brooks is in fact the greatest quarterback the New Orleans Saints franchise has ever had. I mean look, the guy is the only man to ever direct a Saints team to a playoff victory. Sure Archie Manning had that 1978 MVP award, but he never won a playoff game (much less even get there). Brooks has also shown some John Elway-ish comeback skills. He has directed 16 four quarter comebacks. Pretty nice when you think about them. I remember a few years back the Saints were down by 10 against the 49ers with about 5 minutes left. The Saints squeaked it out because Brooks came to play. I will be frank, I get goosebumps sometimes when I watch NFL Primetime and I see Brooks back in the pocket firing rockets to our receivers. Though those comebacks have rarely mattered because most of those seasons he pulled them off the team failed to gain access to the enchanted postseason play. This year the Saints are once again loaded with talent, but talent does not always get you to the Promised Land. As I sit and wonder I really do not think I can imagine the record this year's team will achieve. It's a mystery. One thing that is not a brain teaser is in fact Aaron Brooks's play. If he plays well this season than success is very possible, but if he goes Billy Joe Hobert on us than chaos can and probably will erupt in New Orleans. So there you have a it. One city held in the palms of one man. It's a due or die season for Saints and if there is one person who knows that, it's Aaron Brooks.