Saints Sideline Blog

GEAUX REGGIE GEAUX

Sunday, January 17th, 2010      Email Print

DATELINE: New Orleans, LA / January 17th, 2010 (Favre Smarve....Bring on the Vikes!)
 
There's something about the name Reggie and the postseason. The Yankees boasted Mr October Reggie Jackson back in the 70's, these days the Saints Reggie is turning into Mr January. Hey, the analogy works when the Saints main man came out of the gates with a baseball bat which set the tone for his big day versus the Cardinals where Reggie Reggie ran for extra bases. The black bat given to every Saint by Head Coach Sean Payton had the inscription "Bring the Wood," well nobody brought it more than Reggie Bush as he led the biggest playoff win in Saints History. No home runs for the Saints multitasker but he may have hit for football's version of the cycle. He stepped up to the plate and delivered an eye popping, jaw dropping 46 yard touchdown run which was the longest postseason run in Saints history. You add to that an 83 yard punt return which was the third longest in the history of the NFL's postseason and 217 total yards: this was the Reggie Bush the fans have been waiting to see the whole season and maybe his whole pro career.
 
Bush has always made headlines in the NFL postseason. His first playoff game back in his rookie season, Reggie was the recepient of a monster hit by the Eagles Sheldon Brown but rebounded to chip in a key score in a 27-24 win over Philly. A week later, Bush had the infamous 88 yard TD run and the even more infamous celebration against the Bears which at the time looked like a turning point in the NFC Championship. That was before the weather and the Saints secondary both ended the team's season. So it was fitting the black and gold's reemergence in the postseason coincided with Reggie Bush's. Saturday was his finest hour as a Saint where he had a day every Who Dat fan envisioned when he was the second pick in the draft. The biggest surprise was the strong running between the tackles where Bush showed the type of physicality and patience that has been missing from his game the past four regular seasons. Sean Payton said his running back has been turning out great practices of late and admitted he challenged Bush, well Reggie clearly answered the bell and shutup his critics.
 
Reggie has been called a lot of names the past few years: a bust, overrated and by some soft.On the outside the barbs didn't seem to bother him but you know on the inside this competitor wasn't happy about it. I have covered every one of his games as a pro and can say to his credit, Reggie has rarely lost his cool. The most upset I have ever seen him was after a turnover filled game in Houston two years ago where he fumbled on the 1 yard line and the game against Tampa Bay in the Superdome two seasons ago,where his part in a botched reverse cost the Saints a game against the Bucs. Those frustrations were a case of Bush being upset with losing and letting his team down, but the constant throughout his whole pro career was the inner confidence that he could turn things around. He has weathered the growing pains of no longer training in California in favor of working out with his team during the offseason and slowly but surely learning that all the moves which won him a Heisman at USC won't work on Sunday's in the NFL. In short, Reggie Bush has done a lot of maturing in the Big Easy.
 
Maturing is part of the equation but for Reggie, health has been a vital culprit of late. It was a year ago he had microfracture surgery on his knee and admitted that when he took the field against the Cardinals, its the best he's felt since his injury. Payton added that "he's as healthy as he's been all season." The Saints Head Coach and Bush have been patient with his playing time. You remember back in training camp where he didn't see action in preseason games, it was all part of a master plan. The contributions of Mike Bell and Lynell Hamilton have taken the burden off Bush and kept him fresh to be a postseason player.
 
So now it will be interesting to see what Reggie does next in the NFC Championship Game. Big game Bush has always come up huge when the spotlight has been the brightest. Whether it was the "Bush Push" of Matt Leinart versus Notre Dame, to helping USC win National Titles, to blowing past Brian Urlacher to running over Arizona, Reggie Bush seems to live for the big moments in the biggest games. Well Mr January, the Vikings are in your on-deck circle on Sunday, let's see what you got!
 
WHO DAT HITS
 
SHARPER IS SMILING: On our postgame show following the Arizona game, I asked several Saints who did they want to play Dallas or Minnesota? Only Darren Sharper the former Viking seemed to tip his hand saying "You know who I want to play." Well Darren you got your wish and maybe you can intercept some of those offensive meetings and give Brees and company some secrets about your old mates. Earlier this season Sharper told me Brees not Favre is the best QB he has played with. Remember- Sharper played with Favre in Green Bay
 
DEUCE NOT LOOSE: I talked to Deuce who is thrilled to be back with his old teammates again and didn't rule out playing in the NFC Championship game. He did admit "I'm not in football shape."
 
CHUCKY COMES CALLING: Sean Payton pulled out all the stops before the Arizona game. He invited Deuce back, gave his players baseball bats and on Friday night invited Jon Gruden to give his guys an inspirational talk. He didn't reveal what was said but I saw Gruden afterwards talking with several Saints in the locker room where it was clear he delivered another solid Chucky sequel.
 
BIRTHDAY BREES: How about this symmetry between Saturday's playoff win and Drew Brees. Brees turned 31 on Friday and the Saints win by.....31 on Saturday? Drew of course didn't blow out the candles by himself. He shared a birthday for the second time with his one year old son Baylen who I hear is enjoying an "Elmo" cake this weekend!
 
NOBODY ASKED ME BUT: I have never been a big stats guy and the word "never: and stats are starting to get on my nerves. Tom Brady has never lost a playoff game at home. Andy Reid has "never" lost a first round playoff game. Well guess what they both lost. For the sake of piling on you had these dandies, the Cowboys winning a playoff game for the first time since 1996 and its the first time in 6 years in the NFC that the the two top seeds advance to the championship game. My point, lets stop with the "last time" and the "nevers". In the NFL things change quickly and every season is different, history is often a good teacher except maybe when you are breaking down the playoffs.
 
UNTIL NEXT BLOG,
Mike Nabors
CST

By: Mike Nabors

An Emmy award winning sports reporter who covers a wide variety of events for CST. Primarily, Mike serves as the network's reporter for Saints coverage.

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