Randall Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 Associated Press Sean Payton might have had the toughest coaching job in football this season, making his selection Saturday as The Associated Press NFL Coach of the Year that much more impressive. Payton, in his first year as a head coach, didn't just lead the New Orleans Saints to a 10-6 record, the NFC South championship and a first-round playoff bye. He helped revitalize a battered city's spirit. With New Orleans ravaged by Hurricane Katrina in late August 2005, the Saints became nomads that year, winding up 3-13 under Jim Haslett. Payton, an assistant coach in Dallas, was hired to revive one of the NFL's historically unsuccessful franchises. Payton and his team gave the city -- indeed, the entire Gulf Coast -- something it desperately needed: a reason to smile. And hopes for the Saints' first Super Bowl appearance. "It's just been the right mix of guys who believe in each other," said Payton, who ran away in the balloting by a nationwide panel of 50 sports writers and broadcasters who cover the NFL. "Players putting the team ahead of everything else. I think that's the biggest thing that we've been able to do to date. That's what's most important. That's what we were looking for in the offseason: character, toughness, those are things you win with." Payton received 44 votes in a season when there were a half-dozen outstanding coaching performances. Eric Mangini of the New York Jets, another first-year head coach, got three votes, while San Diego's Marty Schottenheimer, the 2004 winner, received two. Jeff Fisher of Tennessee got one. Payton became the third Saints coach to win the award, joining Haslett (2000) and Jim Mora (1987). Last year's winner was Chicago's Lovie Smith. No coach ever was faced with rebuilding a roster while his community was recovering from such devastation. Football might seem trivial under such circumstances, but Payton and his players understood how uplifting their success could be to those struggling to put together their lives again. "It was a new coach. He wanted to put his foot on the ground and establish that this was a new beginning," veteran wide receiver Joe Horn said. "In our profession, football, you don't start a new beginning by coming in and making it easy. It has to be hard. "Fortunately for us we won football games. It worked out well." So well that the Saints had their best regular season thanks to a potent offense and strong special teams. Give Payton credit for those units, too. He signed free agent quarterback Drew Brees even though Brees was coming off delicate surgery on his throwing shoulder. Brees responded with a Pro Bowl season. Payton lucked out when Reggie Bush was bypassed at the top of the draft by Houston, and Bush was a dynamic rookie as a runner, receiver and punt returner. Even more dynamic was seventh-round pick Marques Colston, a receiver from Hofstra who had a questionable work ethic and concentration lapses in college. Under Payton's guidance, Colston became an elite rookie. Payton wisely alternated running back Deuce McAllister, coming off a serious knee injury, with Bush, and McAllister finished with 1,057 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns. "We have a great head coach in Sean Payton, and his system," Brees said. "I think we all believe in it, and I think it suits us all very well. I think we take a lot of pride in it." Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLAYER Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 much deserved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowboutthemCowboys Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 much deserved. I agree. I only wish he'd have stayed in Dallas until Bill left.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocknrobn26 Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 Well deserved! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLAYER Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 I agree. I only wish he'd have stayed in Dallas until Bill left.... He did he stayed last year and when bill came back, The funny thing is that IMO I feel Payton knows how to use Romo as a starting qb better than bill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cordo Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 He did he stayed last year and when bill came back, The funny thing is that IMO I feel Payton knows how to use Romo as a starting qb better than bill. Wonder if he has any second thoughts about turning down the OAK job 2 years ago? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtomicCEO Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 He deserves it. I don't think that takes anything away from Mangenious though. He'll probably have other chances to win it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chavez Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 He deserves it. I don't think that takes anything away from Mangenious though. He'll probably have other chances to win it. It was pretty clearly between Mangini and Payton. No quibbles either way, though I'd say Mangini did more with less. Fisher and <homer alert> Mike McCarthy did good jobs as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vet Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 (edited) I understand Payton winning this award. Sympathy carries a lot of weight in this poll. The City of New Orleans has gone through so much. The ruined, delapidated buildings...the chaos...the unrest...all the crime that was fueld by that sense of desperation...the corruption, stealing, cheating, lying...the pestilence the disease. Just awful. Then Hurricane Katrina came through and made things that much worse. So, yeah, I can understand giving this award to Sean Payton. Edited January 6, 2007 by Vet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Posted January 6, 2007 Author Share Posted January 6, 2007 Wonder if he has any second thoughts about turning down the OAK job 2 years ago? And how do the Giants feel about hiring Coughlin? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
broncosn05 Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 No surprise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myhousekey Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 Well deserved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skins Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 yep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ebartender Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 I can't believe Andy Reid didn't get any votes. He lost his franchise QB and turned the team around. I do agree that Payton deserved COTY. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rajncajn Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 I understand Payton winning this award. Sympathy carries a lot of weight in this poll. The City of New Orleans has gone through so much. The ruined, delapidated buildings...the chaos...the unrest...all the crime that was fueld by that sense of desperation...the corruption, stealing, cheating, lying...the pestilence the disease. Just awful. Then Hurricane Katrina came through and made things that much worse. So, yeah, I can understand giving this award to Sean Payton. I'm sorry Vet, but sympathy had absolutely nothing to do with it. They both did outstanding jobs IMO, Payton just deserved it more than Mangini did, simple as that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PantherDave Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 Very well deserved, had Mangini won the division-then maybe, but WC vs NFCS Champ and 1st round bye-Payton did a little bit more and as said JUSTILY deserved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conrad Mazian Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 Payton deserved this award without a doubt. Honorable mentions to Mangina and Fisher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMD Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 Absolutely deserved Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chavez Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 Very well deserved, had Mangini won the division-then maybe, but WC vs NFCS Champ and 1st round bye-Payton did a little bit more and as said JUSTILY deserved. This is quibbling, since as said previously, I have no issue with Payton winning, BUT: They finished with the same record, and I think it bears mention that the Jets played in a tougher division, in a tougher conference. And as stated above, where Payton was masterfully using Brees, Bush, and McAllister, Mangini was making chicken salad out of the chicken mess of Pennington, Houston, Barlow, and L Washington (I'd say NO's WR corps is deeper, but Coles/Cotchery compare pretty well with them). And the improvement is a horse apiece - NO improved by one more game, but the Jets sad-sack '05 team didn't have to deal with 1/8th of the mess the Saints did. Crap, now I'm convinced that Mangini got robbed.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PantherDave Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 This is quibbling, since as said previously, I have no issue with Payton winning, BUT: They finished with the same record, and I think it bears mention that the Jets played in a tougher division, in a tougher conference. And as stated above, where Payton was masterfully using Brees, Bush, and McAllister, Mangini was making chicken salad out of the chicken mess of Pennington, Houston, Barlow, and L Washington (I'd say NO's WR corps is deeper, but Coles/Cotchery compare pretty well with them). And the improvement is a horse apiece - NO improved by one more game, but the Jets sad-sack '05 team didn't have to deal with 1/8th of the mess the Saints did. Crap, now I'm convinced that Mangini got robbed.... Talked yourself right into it did'nt ya? Way to go Captain Waffle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conrad Mazian Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 Talked yourself right into it did'nt ya? Way to go Captain Waffle He voted for Payton before he voted for Mangina. He is the John Kerry of the huddle... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chavez Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 Talked yourself right into it did'nt ya? Way to go Captain Waffle Don't make me lay the smack down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chavez Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 He voted for Payton before he voted for Mangina. He is the John Kerry of the huddle... I didn't vote at all. Piss off, limey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PantherDave Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 Don't make me lay the smack down. Watch it or it's Clobberin Time Bucko!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isleseeya Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 good choice ...if Mangini won , would have been a good choice as well both are great stories Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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