When the Saints hired Gregg Williams before the start of the 2009 season, it was in an attempt to coach up a unit that had been anemic in the Sean Payton era. The Saints had been, and still are, so good offensively, that if the defense could just manage to perform decently the Saints are too tough to beat. The results of the Williams experiment in the end are mixed, and we’re all left wondering if it was worth it.
2009 was magical. The defense led the league in turnovers and made a plethora of big plays mostly behind the sensational play of Darren Sharper. In 2010 the defense struggled to get turnovers but did a much better job stopping offenses throughout the season, before it completely collapsed in the playoffs. In 2011 the defense was atrocious most of the season, but the best offense in NFL history still carried them to a 13-3 record. In the end, though, Vernon Davis and the 49ers did this subpar defense in. So we basically got one fantastic year out of Williams that led to a Super Bowl title, and two mediocre years that led to disappointing playoff exists. While he had perhaps worn out his welcome, I think any Saints fan would say picking him up was a worthwhile move.
That is, until the public black eye the Saints suffered 24 hours ago that exposed the player bounty system that Gregg Williams operated during his time in New Orleans. Now we’re left weighing the black cloud that surrounds the organization’s reputation and the embarrassment that goes with it versus one Super Bowl victory in three years. So that’s the big question: was winning the Super Bowl worth the “cheaters” label? Is the price the Saints will ultimately pay in fines, drafts picks, suspensions and bad PR worth a Super Bowl victory? I say yes.
Williams’ defense was pure bliss to watch for one year, and maddingly frustrating for the better part of two. But I think he was the right guy for the team in 2009. He may not have been after that, but the attitude and style he brought to the team when he arrived was sorely needed. As fans we could have stayed satisfied with the mediocrity we’ve always been used to or we could have dreamed for something bigger. The experience and rush that went with winning the Super Bowl can never be taken away. At the end of the day, the Saints won the Lombardi Trophy in 2009. Period. It came at a cost, and frankly that’s for Gregg Williams to live with… not me. If the Saints had a rich history like the Steelers, perhaps I could afford to sacrifice success for having my team be respected as upstanding by outsiders. But frankly, having other NFL fans casually like or respect the Saints is pretty low on my list of priorities. And, anyone outisde Pittsburgh hates the Steelers. Winning always comes at a cost.
The Saints broke the rules and they got caught, so they will pay a steep penalty for it. Deservingly so. But for someone to criticize the Saints when they are fans of another team that A. very likely does this as well and B. probably has numerous players on the roster using HGH or some form of performance enhancers is just hypocritical. Every team in the NFL “cheats” to some degree. If you don’t like it, then you shouldn’t be a football fan. That’s the reality of professional sports when millions of dollars are on the table. What Gregg Williams did was a firable offense, and I have no doubt this whole scrutiny is part of the reason Williams was not invited back to the 2012 version of the Saints.
If you asked me if I could do it over, would I lobby for the Saints to hire Williams in 2009 again? Maybe. Probably. There I’m more conflicted, because I believe he has moral corruption. But is morality a requirement in the NFL coach that you root for? We root for players that have been accused of assaulting their wives (Will Smith), gotten DUIs (Jay Bellamy), had drug addictions (Keno Hill), were guilty of manslaughter (Lamar Smith)… who knows what else these guys do on their free time? Do any of us REALLY know these people? I’m satisfied knowing that overall the Saints as a group seem to be largely quality guys. We root for the emblem, the fleur de lis, and what the team stands for. Sure, most of us adore Drew Brees the person and that makes our bond with the team more special, but one day he will get old and we’ll be lobbying for him to get shipped out just like any other aging player. The people within the organization are secondary to the institution we root for.
All l I know is this: as of today I’m still a Saints fan and I’m not giving the Lombardi trophy back. Based on that, I’m glad Gregg Williams came, but I don’t want him to come back. I’m just glad this all came out well after the jubilation of 2009.
Do you think hiring Gregg Williams was a mistake?
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