new orleans saints

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Pelicans Owner Gayle Benson speaks at New Orleans Quarterback Club

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New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame Golf Tournament: Alvin Gentry

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Jim Eichenhofer

While tossing the football around in the Saints’ practice facility in Metairie, Rondo wowed onlookers with an extremely accurate throw, even though he barely had time to warm up.

"Every time we leave the field (following Saints practice) we usually pick a target and throw at it and it is just one throw to see if you can hit it and it was about a 50-, 55-yard throw," Brees explained. “The objective was there was a training table out there where a guy would get his ankles taped and it has a black pad on the top and so we just try to throw it and hit the top of the pad. I threw and hit the pad, someone else threw and they got close and the other person got close and then Rondo steps up and I am telling you he had thrown like three practice throws, maybe like 10 yards (each) and I am thinking he is not going to get within 20 yards of this thing and just flicks one out there and kind of hits the back of the pad and the trash can behind the pad and hits the pad, hits the trash can and then hops up on the pad and it rests on the pad. We’ve been doing this for 12 years and that has never happened and the dude comes out on his first throw and does it.”

According to SI.com, Rondo wanted to be a football player as a youngster, but his mother helped steer him away from the game. Former Boston coach Doc Rivers once referred to Rondo as “the Tom Brady of the Celtics,” to which Rondo responded, “I don’t know about Tom Brady, but point guard, quarterback are pretty much the same thing.”

From briefly watching Rondo throw, Brees seemed to sense that Rondo had some previous experience on the gridiron.

“Pretty impressive and he was just out there today catching balls off the jug machine one-handed and he threw gloves on and was catching punts,” Brees said. “He seems like he is a gym rat and he is extremely talented. You can tell he was probably one of those multi-sport athletes, probably played QB in high school running the show. He is a great athlete.”

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Pelicans PG Rajon Rondo impresses Saints QB Drew Brees with throwing skills

There is a car occasionally spotted in the streets of Spokane, Wash., that probably makes onlookers scratch their heads in utter confusion. The exterior of the vehicle has been painted all black, while the interior was refurbished in tribute to a region located over 2,000 miles away, including seats that feature fleur de lis-logoed headrests.

If there is ever any doubt about where New Orleans Pelicans training-camp invitee Robert Sacre considers home, all one needs to do is take a look at the diehard Saints fan’s black-and-gold car (which the Gonzaga University product is keeping in Washington, at least for now). Or you can check out his left bicep, which is covered by a fleur de lis tattoo. The tat rests on the center’s arm between the words “Sacre” and “LaFleur,” which are his parents’ last names, but also words that – in an almost hard-to-believe coincidence – together mean “sacred flower” in French.

His basketball career has resulted in him spending every winter since 2007 on the West Coast (five seasons at Gonzaga, four seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers), but you’d be hard-pressed to find a player who is more vocal about, or prouder of, his Louisiana roots. The Baton Rouge-born Sacre, a Saints supporter since childhood, describes his tattoo as a “no-brainer,” given how well it ties together so many aspects of his background.

“It was such a weird coincidence based on my parents’ names,” said the 7-footer, whose father Greg played football at LSU and was an NFL tight end from 1981-86. “It represents my heritage, my upbringing and Louisiana. It’s very funny how it just worked out that way. I thought it was perfect.”

As a result of signing with New Orleans, the 27-year-old has spent September at the Pelicans’ practice facility, mere feet from where his favorite NFL team works. He even shares the same cafeteria at lunchtime with Saints players, but Sacre points out that he’s been careful to respect the football team’s space.

“I know those guys are busy and I don’t want to bother them,” Sacre said, when asked if he’s gotten a chance to meet any Saints. “I already understand how that feels, especially during the season. But I’m a huge fan, wish them the best and will always be rooting for them. That’s my squad.”

Sacre’s earliest vivid Saints memory is from 2000, when New Orleans won its first playoff game, defeating the then-juggernaut St. Louis Rams.

“It was such a big deal,” said Sacre, an 11-year-old at the time. “It was huge. I remember players from that era like Aaron Brooks, Joe Horn, Ricky Williams, Jerome Pathon, Steve Gleason, Jeff Blake. Joe Horn was my favorite wide receiver.”

Despite his imposing 270-pound frame, Sacre did not play football – with a good-natured smile, he explains that his philosophy about his body was “don’t take a Ferrari off-roading” – but he’s always used his Saints fandom as a source of pride. That was particularly true in February 2010, when the team captured the Lombardi Trophy as Super Bowl champions.

“I was in college at Gonzaga when they won,” Sacre said, grinning at the memory. “Everyone there knew the Saints were my team, so I just rubbed it in. It was salt in everyone’s wounds.

“They are my home team. First of all, they have the best uniforms in the league – the all-black with the gold helmets are the best. Their colors are great. They also have the best fans. The whole atmosphere, you’ve got to respect it.”

His hoops career has kept him away from Louisiana and the Superdome for much of the past decade, but Sacre got to attend a Saints home preseason game in August, as well as their regular season opener vs. Oakland. For a Saints aficionado, it’s one of the unexpected perks that came from signing with his home-state NBA franchise.

“Playing here has always been in the back of my mind,” said Sacre, who visited for a pre-draft workout with New Orleans in 2012, but was the 60th and final overall pick that year by the Lakers. “I’ve always wanted to play close to home and be a part of the organization. I wanted to be here because this is where my family is from. I wanted to be back in my hometown. This is where I belong.”

Want to see the Pelicans in person for free? Attend Wednesday's open practice.

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Pelicans center Robert Sacre not shy about showing his love for Louisiana, Saints football

Pelicans.com

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Pelicans staff at 2016 Saints Minicamp

Vice president of digital media for New Orleans Pelicans.

Today's special guests include highlights from the Monty Williams Show and Saints locker room sound from Thursday.

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Black and Blue Report: November 21, 2014

In the early afternoon hours at the team’s headquarters in Metairie, it’s been common recently to see groups of New Orleans Pelicans players and coaches gathered at lunch tables in the facility’s cafeteria, a venue they share with the NFL’s New Orleans Saints. For free-agent signee Jimmer Fredette, who spent his first three NBA seasons with Sacramento and Chicago, the experience has already proven to be unique.

“It’s an amazing setup,” Fredette said. “(Saints and Pelicans owner Tom) Benson obviously when he took over the team wanted to make sure the basketball team had a top-notch facility, one of the best in the NBA. It’s awesome. We get lunch here. We get all of these different perks here. We get to meet some of the Saints (players) and coaches, and everybody’s kind of like a family, which is really cool to see. It’s something teams don’t have. We’re very lucky.”

Fredette has only been a member of the Pelicans since July 24, but in the last seven weeks he’s gotten well-acquainted with many of his new teammates. Every member of the current Pelicans roster has spent chunks of time in New Orleans recently, with the only exceptions being FIBA World Cup participants Anthony Davis and Omer Asik, as well as 34-year-old forward John Salmons, who just signed on Aug. 26.

“We’ve had 10 to 12 guys every single day working out here, trying to get better, trying to get acclimated to the new system, trying to get to know each other better,” Fredette said. “It’s only going to benefit us when we start practice at the end of the month. We’re really excited to be here and hit the ground running.”

Fredette, Tyreke Evans, Ryan Anderson and Jrue Holiday, along with assistant coach Randy Ayers, all spoke to local media members Thursday, providing a glimpse into what players have been working on in recent weeks. Young players including but not limited to Darius Miller, Jeff Withey, Russ Smith, Patric Young and Alexis Ajinca also worked out Thursday in the team’s year-old practice facility.

“I think they’re motivated this year,” Ayers said of the high participation rate at voluntary workouts. “It’s certainly good to have our veterans back (from season-ending injury last season), Jrue Holiday and Ryan Anderson, their presence. Tyreke Evans has been in all summer, rehabbing and working on his shot with (assistant coach) Fred Vinson. It’s been a good three weeks. Some of our young guys have been in for the last month, and it’s been a good working time for all of us.”

The franchise’s tie-in with the Saints not only has meant a shared eating area at lunchtime, but also provides players with other bonding opportunities and “perks” Fredette mentioned. During the Saints’ preseason finale against the Baltimore Ravens on Aug. 28, Fredette attended the game with Anderson and Withey. The trio walked along the sidelines prior to kick-off.

Fredette has been surprised to see the high turnout of Pelicans players at such an early juncture of offseason preparations for 2014-15.

“I’m very excited. They said this is the most guys (that have participated in voluntary workouts) the earliest here,” Fredette said.

Anderson and Holiday spent portions of their offseason rehabbing from their injuries and decided to come to New Orleans early, even though they’re not cleared yet for full-bore, five-on-five games. Anderson said the injuries only added to players’ motivation to join teammates at workouts.

“I think every one of those guys (who were injured last season) would say that they’re excited to get back, excited to be healthy, enjoying the team and starting workouts out,” Anderson said. “We have guys here that don’t need to be here. But they’re here because they want to be better and they want to improve, and continue to develop and be around the guys.”

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Early Pelicans voluntary workouts draw 10-plus players

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