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***phocis850*** · 01-02-2013, 12:00 PM

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000...nts-player

Improvement was expected from the New Orleans Saints' defense this season under defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. It didn't happen, and at least one Saints player thinks a change is necessary.

An anonymous player ripped Spagnuolo to Larry Holder of The Times-Picayune, saying Spanguolo is a "control freak" that should be fired.

"Trust me, all the guys were being politically correct this season when answering questions," the player told the newspaper. "It's bad."

The numbers for the Saints were not great, although we thought they played much better in the second half of the season. Still, they set the NFL record for most yards allowed this season with 7,042. The unit was 31st in scoring this season, giving up 28.4 points per game. The player's bigger problem was with Spagnuolo's management style, saying he treats players like "crap."

"Players have no say in anything," the player complained. "... Nothing ever changed. It was his way only.

"Don't even get me started on lack (of) ability to adjust during games. Bad, bad, bad."

There are a lot of veterans on the Saints defense that know they probably won't be back this season. This sounds like a player that knows he might be on the way out the door. They are the type of comments that Saints players never made about former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams. No matter how ugly things ended between the Saints and Williams, the players were always wildly loyal to him until the bounty scandal erupted.

"Players have no say in anything," the player said. "It was (a) complete opposite from before where it was a simple D that players had lot of control and say. We couldn't suggest (expletive)...Nothing ever changed. It was his way only."

Whereas Williams was seen as a leader, Spagnuolo was called a phony.

"He does have that good-guy persona, but he is a control freak and treats people like crap," the player said. "(He) has no patience and zero personality.

"(He) has a way of pissing players and our defensive coaches off with how he says and does things. (I) think it's even harder after having (former defensive coordinator) Gregg (Williams), who guys enjoyed."

We don't know what player made these comments, but we do know Spagnuolo is a lot more likely to be with the team next year than the player who tore him apart.

Follow Gregg Rosenthal on Twitter @greggrosenthal.

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https://twitter.com/JonVilma51/status/28...0252085248

"@LarryHolder:Saints player: Steve Spagnuolo should be fired | http://NOLA.com http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/201..._stev.html …" dont give me "anonymous source" bs

AsylumGuido · (This post was last modified: 01-02-2013 12:17 PM by AsylumGuido.)

Why did you say Vilma is a complete douche? He simply said the same thing everyone has been saying about that "story" ... name the person that said it. It is likely that it was someone that knows they are getting cut.

Here is his next tweet:

Jonathan Vilma ‏@JonVilma51

"@LarryHolder:Saints player: Steve Spagnuolo should be fired | http://NOLA.com http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/201..._stev.html …" say who said it

mdrake34 · 01-02-2013, 12:38 PM

Guys, guys, guys . . . it's ok. Payton will fix this with his magic.

***phocis850*** · 01-02-2013, 01:30 PM

Vilma will take him to court over this. What a douche bag.

RnB · (This post was last modified: 01-02-2013 01:59 PM by RnB.)

Anonymous sources suck, but I wouldn't doubt it if Spag's doesn't fit in in NO.

Coming from a very disciplined and talented defense a few years ago, failing as a HC, then on to a scandalous and shitty defense; I am sure he didn't get what he signed up for and is pissed. I don't see how any coach could be happy working with those douche bags every day, while also having his first season overshadowed by the entire FO and Coaching staff being outed as dirty.

AsylumGuido · 01-02-2013, 02:30 PM

(01-02-2013 01:56 PM)RnB Wrote: Anonymous sources suck, but I wouldn't doubt it if Spag's doesn't fit in in NO.

Coming from a very disciplined and talented defense a few years ago, failing as a HC, then on to a scandalous and shitty defense; I am sure he didn't get what he signed up for and is pissed. I don't see how any coach could be happy working with those douche bags every day, while also having his first season overshadowed by the entire FO and Coaching staff being outed as dirty.

The Saints organization is no different than any other in the league. The players all across the league are more or less the same. Free Agency insures that. And the front office and coaching staff have not been outed as anything. They have been accused of something that has not been supported by any facts. The truth will come out when Vilma vs. Goodell goes to court and Cerullo is exposed.

RnB · (This post was last modified: 01-02-2013 02:47 PM by RnB.)

(01-02-2013 02:30 PM)AsylumGuido Wrote: The Saints organization is no different than any other in the league. The players all across the league are more or less the same. Free Agency insures that. And the front office and coaching staff have not been outed as anything. They have been accused of something that has not been supported by any facts. The truth will come out when Vilma vs. Goodell goes to court and Cerullo is exposed.

For now, the evidence suggests that the FO and Coaching staff like to break the rules and/or ignore requests from the NFL, and that the players followed their lead in lockstep.

Please don't turn this into another whine fest about the Saint's franchise being disciplined for ignoring league policy or about how the "courts" will absolve the Saints of any wrong-doing. The thread for that is elsewhere; rather, the thread for that was closed for a reason.

Jesus · 01-02-2013, 03:23 PM

Well they were the worst defense of all time, so there is some logic in that.

I'm glad we got Nolan...

Drathdon · 01-02-2013, 03:34 PM

(01-02-2013 12:16 PM)AsylumGuido Wrote: It is likely that it was someone that knows they are getting cut.

So, ANOTHER disgruntled ex-Saint?

Damn those disgruntled ex-Saints and their meddling ways, ruining a fine, outstanding franchise with their meddling and their... disgruntlement!

AsylumGuido · 01-02-2013, 04:35 PM

(01-02-2013 03:23 PM)Jesus Wrote: Well they were the worst defense of all time, so there is some logic in that.

I'm glad we got Nolan...

No. They just gave up more yardage than any other. Given that offensive numbers have skyrocketed with the new rules it doesn't come as a surprise. With even average QB's now putting up over 4500 yards you can expect the record to be short-lived.