Dan the Banner meets a Super Bowl Champ

Dan with Saints HC Sean Payton

Big day this morning as the Patriots kicked off the first of 3 joint practices with the Saints. Watching the teams go head-to-head was fun, though it would have been more so if the Pats defense wasn't getting absolutely manhandled by the Saints offense. Then again, that is what happened during the regular season last season, so maybe it wasn't a surprise...it's just disappointing the Pats defense hasn't stepped it up at all since that debacle. But of course, it is only practice, so I'm not gonna get too far ahead of myself.
On to more important things, the post practice autograph session. Well first I'll say this, the Saints were a MUCH better autograph team than the Pats, with more guys hitting up the stands to sign for a longer period of time, and with more big names doing so. It was also certainly a lot more crowded where I was in the VIP section, which made it a little difficult for me to get a good position with the banner. For me, I didn't have a ton of success quantity-wise with the banner (JUST missed Reggie Bush who signed for awhile but was running to get to meetings by the time he even got close to me), but I did get one picture, and a great one at that with Saints Head Coach Sean Payton! He was a really nice guy, the last guy to leave the field after signing autographs for anyone who wanted to stay to get one. He signed for a good 10 minutes after the last player had left the field. I happened to be the absolute last person staying for a pic and autograph, but it was well worth it from the reigning Super Bowl champ.

Headed back in a little bit to the afternoon session, hoping for a little bit more success quantity wise from the Saints, I think there's a great opportunity to get a lot of pics.

Oh, and on a sidenote, Jon Bon Jovi was out watching this morning's practice, but I wasn't able to get close enough to even try to ask for a pic, again WAY more people than usual in the VIP section. Hopefully he'll be at the afternoon session and I can try again, and hopefully there will be less spectators at the afternoon session cramping my style.