Monday Sports Page

First the good news. In a shocking display of good sense, the new AP top 25 rankings do not list Notre Dame ahead of LSU as some predicted. I won't go too far into it this morning but everything I said immediately after the game stands. Yes, the officiating was bad but the fact remains, the Tigers mostly beat themselves on Saturday through untimely mistakes, horrible clock management at the end, and an ineffective running game. Peter Finney, who has always written much better stuff about college than he has about pro-football is on target today in assessing LSU's strengths and weaknesses. He also makes the following fun observation regarding Auburn.

Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville knows better than anyone he's blessed with the kind of schedule he rode to 13-0 two years ago, only to get shut out by a USC-Oklahoma championship game. This time it could be Ohio State-USC.

Thankfully, the Tigers will get a week off to try and right the ship before being tested again by an actual football team.

Have you seen this man?
His name is Joe.. something and it says here that he's three touchdown receptions away from becoming the Saints' all time leader. Maybe somebody should throw him the ball a few times. Yesterday it took Drew Brees seemingly all day to find the man who has been this offense's go-to guy for nearly six years. And, yes, he still makes things happen. Keep it in mind.

Otherwise, the Saints offense continues to impress. Drew Brees overcame three first quarter turnovers to bring the Saints back from a 13 point deficit and put them in position to almost blow a late game lead for the second consecutive week. In fact, this is the first time in franchise history that a Saints team has managed to almost (but not quite) stupidly squander a late fourth quarter lead for two consecutive road games at the start of a season. So that's something to be proud of. Also Brees's arm has not yet fallen off.. while former Saints literacy advocate and quarterback Aaron Brooks's apparently has... so that's something as well.

Season TD Tally: Donte Stallworth 2 Marques Colston 2. Our money is still on Colston. Note: Stallworth's team actually did stupidly squander a late lead yesterday. We hope he enjoyed that.

Unlike last season, this Saints team has an all-pro caliber running back who must be accounted for on every play. His name is Deuce McAllister and he scored two touchdowns against the Packers including what we could have called the game clincher.. were it not for the subsequent attempt by the team to stupidly squander the lead. What about that Reggie guy? Yeah he's pretty good but he mostly plays wideout.


Promising Saints rookie receiver Reggie Bush evades a tackler. Bush caught 8 passes for 68 yards.

It looks like the three-game 2006 season is an unqualified success. Most Saints fans were hoping for at least one win before the home opener. Now the Saints will return undefeated to the Superdome to face the hated Atlanta Falcons in a battle for first place. They won't win... but.. for the millionth time, who cares?