Sean Payton Tries to Diffuse Saints' Celebration on Atlanta Turf

Filed under: Atlanta Falcons, Saints, NFC South

ATLANTA -- The grounds crew at the Georgia Dome was starting to wash the field of the Falcons' logos late Monday night, early Tuesday morning, and put down the logos for the Chick-fil-A Bowl, which will be played here Friday night.

Out of the tunnel came a procession of Saints for their own little after-party following the 17-14 win over the Falcons. They fairly pranced about for pictures.

In the locker room the Saints' best spokesman on defense, end Alex Brown, was asked if he would be offended if the Falcons had done that on the floor of the Superdome following a win.

"I'd be offended," Brown said.

Nose tackle Remi Ayodele was asked the same thing, "Absolutely," he said.

Sean Payton, the New Orleans coach, tried to diffuse the possible snub Tuesday in his press conference.

"It's something the linebackers have done for a while here. It's always done with respect and after the game and they've gone out, if you go into our linebacker meeting room there's pictures there with their families," coach Sean Payton said. "There are pictures of the Super Bowl. There are pictures after a big win at Dallas, but it's always after the teams leave the field and it's never in any way, shape or form meant at all to be disrespectful.

"I think in light of last night, a lot's been made that it was in more of an arrogant manner. I would disagree with that. It's something that's done after the fact, after the teams have left the field. I would answer your question (about whether too much is made of this) with yes."

That's what Payton said, but while he was trying to conduct his press conference in the runway outside the Saints' locker room, the linebackers came whoopin' and hollerin' down the tunnel and into the dressing room. Payton had to pause for a moment.

What it sounded like was a celebration, not a ceremony.

 

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Source: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2010/12/28/sean-payton-tries-to-diffuse-saints-celebration-on-georgia-dome/

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