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CNNSI.com GROUP
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Saintly changes New Orleans hoping to cap off amazing turnaround season
Updated: Friday December 29, 2000 11:05 PM
NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- The New Orleans Saints know all about the St. Louis Rams' magical rise last year. They've recited the phrase "worst to first" like a mantra. Now they want to live it. "Everybody in the NFL watched the way their season went last year and said, 'If it can happen to them, it can happen to us,'" said Saints defensive lineman Joe Johnson. "We believe in ourselves, that's what matters." The Saints are among the few believers. They are a six-point underdog to the Rams for Saturday's NFC wild-card game, despite an astounding turnaround from last year's 3-13 record to a 10-6 mark and the NFC West title. The Saints beat the Rams, also 10-6, in their first matchup this season, then lost to them last week. "I was surprised last week when we were home and we were still a 3-point underdog even though we beat them earlier," said Saints quarterback Aaron Brooks. "But that doesn't mean anything. That's based on other things than what we've done this year."
Indeed, when the Rams made their trip to the NFL championship last year, at least they had past performances to point to. Although they had finished last in the NFC West the year before, they also had a history that included 20 winning seasons over 34 years. This is New Orleans' sixth winning season in that period. The Rams will make their 24th playoff appearance on Saturday, third most in the NFL. The Saints are making their fifth trip. While St. Louis is 16-20 in postseason play, New Orleans is 0-4. "This isn't a team you've learned to expect a lot of," said Carol Otis, as she bought playoff tickets this week. "My family has followed them from the start and it's been one heartbreak after another." Years of doubt built up the staunch skepticism, and doubt lingers for many. The Saints have been called the "doormats of the NFL," the "darlings of the downtrodden," the "divas of doze," and the "Aints." The image is so strong that even a winning record doesn't seem to dispel it. "People think of the Saints and think of the old Saints," said wide receiver Joe Horn. "Well, this is the new New Orleans Saints." The team, built from a group of free agents that had not made it big elsewhere, lower-round draft picks and no-names for the most part, has thrived on an "us against the world mentality" this season. "Every player on this team has something to prove," said assistant coach Rick Venturi. "We look at ourselves as junk yard dogs that nobody really believed in. Now we can show people we are the real deal." New head coach Jim Haslett has a special affinity with his players and a willingness to play a daring brand of football they like. General manager Randy Mueller, who has been able to pick up relatively unknown players and keep the team going despite injuries, has the team feeling optimistic. "They've done a great job of changing people's attitudes," said offensive lineman Tom Ackerman. The only lingering effect of the old reputation, as far as the team is concerned, is a good one, said Haslett, who told his players to just play hard, have fun and see what happens. "I don't think we have anything to lose," Haslett said. "No one expected for us to be here in this situation. We are playing the defending champs and they hold the belt. This should be a fun game."
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