New Orleans Saints cornerback Tracy Porter is the player in the red uniform (above, right). Incidentally, the wide receiver that he is trying to keep the ball away from is also a Saint, former Michigan Wolverines wide receiver Adrian Arrington.

Both players missed the bulk of the season due to injuries.

In Porter’s case, it was a wrist injury which he suffered after being named one of the starting cornerbacks by head coach Sean Payton.

Porter certainly wasn’t the second coming of Champ Bailey or Asante Samuel, but he was a solid guy that you could depend on (see highlights of Porter’s pro debut and some of his college highlights below).

The Saints want and will have to depend on Porter in the months ahead.

The only logical starting players at that position include Porter, newly signed, Jabari Greer, Jason David, Randall Gay, and possibly a Saint draftee.

It’s safe to assume, unless something bad happens, that Porter will be one of the starting cornerbacks when the Saints play the first team on their schedule.

The Saints secondary were awful last year. This year needs to be strong to stop somebody other than Adrian Peterson. That was a huge accomplishment in itself, but you can’t allow Gus Frerotte throw all over the field. He’s Gus Frerotte, for goodness sakes!

Quarterback Drew Brees said he was stunned by the rapid development he witnessed from Porter.

“The first thing I saw was his athletic ability and speed,” the veteran signal-caller said. “The transition you usually see for a rookie is usually pretty bumpy, but he was playing so well. In fact, he was probably making as seamless a transition from college to the pros as any cornerback I have ever seen.” 

But will it carry over into this year? Only time will tell.

From the article photo, you, as the reader, may assume that there’s going to be a little trash talk about the hated “Dirty Birds”, the archrival Atlanta Falcons right away, however, if you assumed that, then you are mistaken.

Actually, its almost the direct opposite of that assumption.

I’m very anxious to see that player take the field this season though not with a Falcons helmet and jersey, but with the beautiful Black and Gold of our beloved New Orleans Saints.

Yes, it’s true, former Falcons defensive tackle Rod Coleman is a Saints and has been one for a few weeks now.

The signings of former Jags defensive lineman Paul Spicer, former Vikings safety Darren Sharper, and all of the others will most likely have quite an impact on the Saints defensive unit as well as the entire Saints team this coming season.

As will new Black and Gold defensive coordinator Gregg Williams.

And this isn’t taking in the fact of whoever we’ll take in the upcoming 2009 NFL Draft.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Saints cut fullback Mike Karney and halfback Deuce McAllister but signed former Pats fullback Heath Evans who should be more of a running and receiving threat than Karney was with the team.

If Drew Brees comes back and does what everyone’s expecting that he’ll do, than our offense is all set with Jeremy Shockey ready to make an impact and Colston coming back from that thumb injury.

But, as Saints fans, we’re more concerned with the defensive side of the ball, namely the secondary.

The Saints cut the gimpy kneed Mike McKenzie as well as the safeties Josh Bullocks and Kevin Kaeshviharn. In their place, the Saints signed former Bills cornerback Jabari Greer, Darren Sharper, and former Jags safety Pierson Priorleau who has played under Gregg Williams with three different teams.

Second year cornerback Tracy Porter will be returning from a season ending knee injury which he suffered last year.

The line will look pretty much the same with Will Smith, Charles Grant, as well as the others with Coleman and Spicer being new to the team.

All in all, it looks like it’s going to be a great year for Saints and for us, their loyal fans. Geaux Saints!

Could the 2013 Super Bowl be played in that huge, lighted monster of a building that is somehow beautiful to every Saints fan in the world?
It’s least a possibility now.

According to NFL officials, New Orleans, along with South Florida and Phoenix, Arizona all submitted bids to host the 2013 championship game.

Right now, South Florida has hosted the most Super Bowls with a grand total of 10 while New Orleans has only hosted 9, however the Louisiana Superdome has been the site of the most Superbowls with the last being the amazing game between the New England Patriots and St. Louis Rams in 2001.

If New Orleans was chosen as the host city, then it would be a great financial boost to the city which is still recovering from Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Most recently, the city received NFL publicity when the Saints went to London, England to play the San Diego Chargers in the NFL’s annual international game.

The Superdome has a seating capacity of 72,003 (expanded) or 69,703 (not expanded)for football games.

The stadium received a $320 million dollar renovation after it was used as a “shelter of a last resort” for New Orleanians during and after Hurricane Katrina, soon it will get a facelift with the roof obtaining a new, solid white color while the sides of “The Dome” will receive champagne, bronze colored panels.

Could the 2013 Super Bowl be played in that huge, lighted monster of a building that is somehow beautiful to every Saints fan in the world? You can lay down some money (if you’re into online betting), as it’s least a possibility now.

According to Wikipedia, after all of the renovations to the stadium, it will be one of the most up to date facilites in the United States.

Two African immigrants were shot and killed possibly in a  condo owned by New Orleans Saints’ linebacker Jonathan Vilma last week.

The bodies of the two Liberian men turned up about the same time that neighbors reportedly heard gunfire in the empty apartment.

The former New York Jet was not there at the time and is not said to be involved.

The men, Sekou Sakor and Ansu Keita, were shot in the head in a possible retaliation killing for a fake money scam that the two were said to be conducting. The scam involves the target being told that they can buy a large accumulation of dyed money that was supposedly dyed to avoid detection by Customs officials but the target instead receives worthless paper.

There was no indication why the men may have been at Vilma’s condo which is up for sale but police are seeking a relative of Vilma’s who may or may not be involved.