Criticizing sports teams, players, and coaches is part of the Bill of Rights for sports fans. Criticism is part of the game and no coaches, players, or front offices should get upset when fans are critical of a string of losses or their impression that a loss is the result of apathy.
This weekend the New Orleans Saints lost to the Los Angeles Rams, 34-10, and the New Orleans Pelicans lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder, 137-106. The Saints are now 1-8 and the Pelicans are 0-6. This is prime time for fan criticism and fans have that right.
Fan criticism is part of the game, but fans who criticize their team, players, coaches, or management do not HATE their team - their criticism is founded in their LOVE for their and their interest in their team performing better.
Following the dismal performances by the Saints and the Pelicans over the weekend, our show Monday was dominated by talk about new starting QB Tyler Shough’s performance and the Pelicans’ Coach Willie Green. Shough looked really good at times and he looked like a QB getting his first start in the NFL, but he showed a lot of promise. The Pelicans opening the season with a 0-6 record has inspired a lack of faith in Coach Willie Green.
Last week, I began to question the leadership, or lack thereof, of Pelicans’ Coach Willie Green. It is the responsibility of any coach to
demand respect from the players and to inspire the team to win, or at least appear to have the desire to win. Both the Saints and the Pelicans show signs of lacking desire and commitment. It is obvious to many fans, who are quick to comment after games. Both teams share top brass in their front offices. I have often commented that the Saints seem to be run more like a family than a professional business. Something needs to change before fans give up hope. Fans don’t have the right to guarantee that their team wins, but fans do have a right to demand that they show an honest effort to win. And that has not been the case with the Saints and the Pelicans.
The Saints and the Pelicans appear to reflect something that defines New Orleans - a tolerance for mediocrity. As a native of New Orleans, I have experienced this defining phenomenon throughout my life and I have spoken about it often on my talk show. In many ways, this city accepts mediocrity and the status quo and I feel like our NFL and NBA franchises reflect that mentality.
I was in Tulane Stadium when the Saints began in the NFL in 1967. I NEVER put a bag on my head when many fans were doing that about 1980 when the Saints were terrible with no signs of improving. Every move made to make the Saints better was worse than the last move. It was a low-point in Saints history. But I never put a bag on my head and would never put a bag on my head. I love the Saints and my criticism, like many other fans, is based on a desire to see the Saints do better from picks to performances.
Right now, the Saints are trapped in a world of uncertainty. Yes, this was to be a rebuilding year, but even teams going through rebuilding years manage to show signs of improvement and when many games have been close the Saints should have won more than one game at this point.
In the case of the Pelicans, Willie Green seems to have neither the respect or the confidence of the players. In the case of the Saints, let’s hope Kellen Moore was the right choice for coach. Remember, he was a great offensive coordinator because of a superstar RB, a tough OL, and an excellent QB. Can he be a successful head coach with a group of players that need to be developed? I think we should stand up for Coach Moore and see what he is capable of doing and the main reason anyone might question Moore this early in his head coaching career is because so many mistakes have been made in the past with players and coaches. But let’s hang in there with Coach Moore.