Professor

JACKSON, Miss. -- Reggie Bush's contract holdout not withstanding, the New Orleans Saints' season could hinge most on the recoveries of marquee veterans Drew Brees and Deuce McAllister.

The opening practice of training camp Friday night provided what head coach Sean Payton viewed as encouraging signs for the new starting quarterback and stalwart running back.

Brees fired 25-yard passes over the middle -- accurately -- on several occasions, and showed finesse on a 30-yard fade along the sideline that was hauled in nicely by sure-handed rookie Mike Hass.

McAllister, wearing a black sleeve on his surgically repaired right knee, took part in all first-team drills. But more telling for Payton was a set of timed 300-yard shuttle runs he put the team through earlier in the day during sweltering heat.

"I was pleased with how he ran. I was pretty excited about it," Payton said. "I don't know if he's 100 percent yet, but he's progressing."

Their performances enlivened a crowd of 1,720 in the stands at Millsaps College. Fans howled a prolonged "Deuce" on several occasions and shouted Brees' name as well.

McAllister -- a Mississippi native -- boldly said he intended to give Saints fans every reason to keep calling his name come fall.

"My goal is to make the Pro Bowl and put this team in the playoffs. It's going to take 1,400 or 1,500 yards to do it," he said.

However, he later said he couldn't be certain that he's as healthy as he thinks he is "until you really get that first hit on it. That's when you really will know."

"I feel good about it. ... The burst (of speed) is coming. I'm able to make the cuts that I want," he added.

Payton, a former college quarterback who saw very brief stints playing pro, said he thought Brees looked good and "located the ball well."

Brees said he could play immediately.

"No doubt at all. I could go right now," Brees said.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?...nfl&id=2533100

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MattP

I hope Deuce has a great season this year, or at least goes injury free

Professor

Me too, I like him and hope for his career's sake hope he stays healthy.

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UCFNoleFan

Last time he was coming off an injury he had his best season ever, 2004 with 1641 yards, let's hope he can repeat that this year.

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Professor

now that it looks like bush is in camp, his numbers won't be that high.

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UCFNoleFan

No, but they will help each other stay healthy and should combine for big numbers, especially with all the weapons on offense.

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NYGfreak

I still believe in the power of sports, and it`s ability to bring people together, and heal. I felt it here in NY a few years ago, and I will be rooting for the Saints this season. But I still think Benson is a worm.

UCFNoleFan

Benson is the worst owner in sports, EVER. Worse than the Devil Rays old owner, worse than the guys at the Marlins. Not only does he seem to want to move the team every chance he gets, but he also doesn't seem to want to win, letting go of pro-bowler after pro-bowler.

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NYGfreak

Not sure if he`s the worst ever, but he is a slug that makes my skin crawl. When you talk about worst owners, there`s a long list to choose from. Since this is an NFL board, I will stick to that sport. My list, in no particular order, just because it is so hard to rank these scumbags.

1. Robert Irsay - Snuck his team out of Baltimore in the middle of the night. Imagine the Grinch sneaking out of town with all the kiddies presents, while they slept soundly in bed. This wasn`t just any team either. This was the Colts! One of the legendary franchises in football. And where did he sneak this team off to? Surely he was heading for greener pastures...L.A. perhaps. Nope, he snuck them off to...Indiana!

2. Bill Bidwell - The man NEVER tried to build a winner, in a great sports town. Then he packed up and left!

3. Gerogia Frontierre - Took control of the team after her husband...a former world class olympic swimmer...drowned! Police called his death "suspicious". That`s an understatement! Then she moves the team from the number 2 market, to St Louis!!! Hey, at least she didn`t move them to Indiana. When Ronnie Lott was a free agent, the Rams tried to sign him. He refused of course, saying they were the worst organization in the NFL.

4. William Clay Ford - Couldn`t care less if his team wins a Superbowl, as long as the NFL lets him play host to one every once in a while.

5. Al Davis - He was once among my favorite people in sports...no longer. The guy screwed over Marcus Allen...nuff said. Is it me, or does that white jumpsuit give you the creeps too?

6. Art Modell - He screwed over Paul Brown, and then he screwed over an entire city. Nice job Art.

7. Mike Brown - His father was one of the most influentual men in the history of the game. He was ahead of his time by light years. His son...isn`t.

8. Bud Adams - He was the first to put a roof over his team. For this alone, he should be villified. But he wasn`t done there. He packed up and moved his team out of Texas...TEXAS. Football is just below God in Texas!

9. Last, but not least, I give you Tom Benson. This guy tried to use a natural disaster for hiw own financial gain. While people clung to their roof`s, he cried "poor me". Talk about kicking someone while there down. Satan is holding a seat for Benson.

Fielding

How many people do you think have left New Orleans since katrina and not come back? I'll tell you, Hundreds of thousands. HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS people have left NO and not come back considering that they have lost everything. Now look at the saints, THeir practice field was depleted most of thier training grounds were shot to crap too. and not to mention the attrocity at the superdome. Just becasue he is an NFL owner it doesnt mean that he should stick around and lose his own money. We're talking millions in the half billion category. The storm destroyed a lot of the saints facilites. and it would have been much cheaper to move to San Antonio, but since the NFL coporate office decided to help the saints organization and help shoulder the MAJOR Financial burden to rebuild thiere facilites he decided to stay.

It is a bit unfair to say that Satan is waiting for him, were talking about a football team here, ITS ENTERTAINMENT, freak. He is not head of the Red Cross and skivving the budget for himself. He runs a bussiness and its his job to do what is best for him. Of course he wanted to leave for greener pasters, life kicked him in the groin and he wanted to move on. Cant blame him for doing what he did.

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