NFL: This article actually made me lose respect for Lofton

[RFlagg]

http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/201...er_27.html

Quote:The New Orleans Saints' newest linebacker, Curtis Lofton, had the same question as everybody else when the Saints began pursuing him in free agency. What are their plans for Jonathan Vilma?

Although both Lofton and Vilma have excelled at the middle linebacker spot throughout their careers, Saints defensive coordinator told Lofton that he sees both players as versatile - and that the Saints just want to load up their defense with as many good players as they can.

"One thing about me, I don't have an ego. And I know Jonathan doesn't have an ego," said Lofton, who spoke with Vilma on Sunday morning and shared their mutual excitement for the new alliance. "When I was on my visit, they asked, 'Are you just set on playing middle?' And I said, 'No, what I'm set on is winning games and winning championships.' And Vilma said the same thing. We both just said we want to win. And he said he's just glad they're brining in playmakers who can help us win."

Lofton said he doesn't know Vilma that well personally, other than their mutual respect as competitors. But he said former Falcons teammate Spencer Adkins, who knew Vilma since they were both former Miami Hurricanes, would often compare Lofton to Vilma because of their similar competitive drive.

Lofton, who turns 26 this summer, admitted that he didn't expect to even become a free agent this year. After being a full-time starter and leader for the Atlanta Falcons over the past four years, he thought the Falcons would try to re-sign him and continue to build their defense around him.

"I was told they wanted me to start my career as a Falcon and end as a Falcon," Lofton said.

Once he hit the open market, Lofton wound up taking only one free agent visit - and he knew that New Orleans was the place for him. He admitted that the market was surprisingly slow-moving for middle linebackers this year, but he also was being patient himself, turning down some overtures from several teams.

"I wanted to go to a team that, No. 1, had a chance to win a Super Bowl, had true fans, a great defensive coordinator. Then once the Saints called, I was like, 'Wow,'" Lofton said. "When I took my visit there, I loved it. I knew I was going there. I didn't need to visit anywhere else. I told my agent that."

Lofton said he is a "loyal guy," so he wanted to give the Falcons a chance to keep him. But he liked what the Saints were offering better, so he wound up switching sides in the NFC's South's most heated rivalry.

Although that was a tough decision to make - and hears been hearing plenty of criticism from Falcons fan - Lofton said it was for the best.

"I had to make a decision like this in the college I was picking," Lofton said. "I grew up an Oklahoma State fan and ended up picking OU. That worked out for the best. So I'm excited."

Lofton also said he wasn't deterred by the bounty scandal that has rocked the Saints and will leave them without head coach Sean Payton for the entire season, as well as linebackers coach Joe Vitt for six games and possibly teammates like Vilma if future suspensions come down.

"Not at all," Lofton said. "One thing I know from playing against this team and from talking to them, they're rallying together. It's us vs. them. And this team is a winner. And from just talking to Vilma and everyone, I can't wait to be a part of it."

Lofton (6 feet, 241 pounds) is a tackling machine whose greatest strength is as a run stuffer. According to NFL.com, he made 492 tackles over the past four seasons, including a career-high 147 last year. According to the Falcons' own statistics, he was credited with 577 career tackles, 170 of them in 2011.

He also has seven career forced fumbles and three interceptions, including one he returned for a touchdown last season.

It's possible the Saints' middle linebacker competition will sort itself out - at least to start the 2012 season - if Vilma winds up being suspended as part of the NFL's bounty investigation.

Or else Lofton said he could play either outside linebacker spot. The Saints are thinner right now at strong-side linebacker, especially if they don't re-sign free agent Jo-Lonn Dunbar. Second-year pro Martez Wilson and veteran Will Herring are other candidates to start there.

At weakside linebacker, the Saints have veteran Scott Shanle and newly-signed veteran Chris Chamberlain. They're also expected to bring back restricted free agent Jonathan Casillas.

[FullMetalFalcon23]

This is one of the ingratiate yourself to the new fan base type articles. Example Lofton claims only visited one place and that it was NO, all the way. Erm.. Tampa Bay. Personally I don't care for him ever coming back to Atlanta as a player. If you are a player in your prime and you leave for a division rival because they are paying you more, rather than staying with the team who build you up and put you in the position you are in then I don't think you should ever look back. You can't. You followed the money which ultimately meant more to you than staying with the team. I can understand that if you felt the offer was a low ball. But I don't think Curtis can act hard done by, and I don't think the fan base of Atlanta or the organisation can feel hard done by either. This was a cold reality type situation where we were moving separate ways.

I don't hate Lofton but from a football point of view, if I was playing against a former team mate who left for a division rival regardless of the circumstance, I would make sure I brought the wood every time. But that is me as a football player. I've knocked out and been knocked out by guys who when I get married next year will be stood beside me as my groomsmen. You put one another down and pick one another up.

I think the tone of the article is misleading as it suggests that Lofton is putting Atlanta down and saying they can't be that team. When in reality a player in his prime left one elite team and didn't want to go back to a team that was in the state of flux and unknown that we were in back before 2008 and that is understandable.

[FullMetalFalcon23]

The only thing that would make me question Curtis' character for going to NO, would be if he went there following confirmation that NO had a bounty on Falcons players. A team puts a price on your team mates heads you take the personally. Harvey Dahl style personal.

[phocis850]

Was he lying about #2? no.

[AsylumGuido]

He was just being honest. The Saints ARE closer to another Super Bowl than the Falcons. And the way he handled the "scandal" issue shows that he felt like it was not a big enough issue to stand in the way of his career. But, he probably also knew that the Saints had no bounty on any Falcon.

[TonyGraziani]

Fuck him.

[RFlagg]

(03-26-2012 12:56 PM)AsylumGuido Wrote:  He was just being honest. The Saints ARE closer to another Super Bowl than the Falcons. And the way he handled the "scandal" issue shows that he felt like it was not a big enough issue to stand in the way of his career. But, he probably also knew that the Saints had no bounty on any Falcon.

Re-watching the videos from previous games, it's impossible to say the Saints had no bounty on any Falcon. The constant shots at Tony's knees, it's pretty obvious that there was a bounty on him. I'm sure Turner, Roddy, Julio and Matt all had bounties on them as well.

[AsylumGuido]

(03-26-2012 01:00 PM)RFlagg Wrote:  Re-watching the videos from previous games, it's impossible to say the Saints had no bounty on any Falcon. The constant shots at Tony's knees, it's pretty obvious that there was a bounty on him. I'm sure Turner, Roddy, Julio and Matt all had bounties on them as well.

Yeah, right. Keep dreaming.

[V Chip]

In his defense, I don't think he meant that as a slap against the Falcons or their fans -- I think he was talking about other teams that he was considering or were in the mix for him. He seems like a nice, straight-up kinda guy and he seemed sincere in his farewell statement to the Falcons and their fans.

[RFlagg]

(03-26-2012 01:01 PM)AsylumGuido Wrote:  

Yeah, right. Keep dreaming.

Shot at Roddy's knees




No reason to go low there, wonder why he'd hit him in the knees...