By Pat Yasinskas

1. This is Drew Brees‘ game. Yes, all the hype has been about Brett Favre. When a 40-year-old legend gets his team this far, that’s expected. But I think this game is more about the legacy of Brees. For the past few years, he has put up numbers that put him in the conversation with Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Favre as the league’s best quarterback. But the one thing Brees doesn’t have that they all do is a signature win. It might be time for Brees to sign his autograph.

Scott Cunningham/Getty Images

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By Pat Yasinskas

METAIRIE, La. — New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton just finished his final press conference before Sunday’s NFC Championship Game and he provided the official injury report.

Tight end Jeremy Shockey (knee) is questionable and sat out of practice for the third straight day. It’s the same story for cornerback Malcolm Jenkins with his hamstring injury.

Wide receiver Robert Meachem (ankle) practiced on a limited basis and is listed as probable. Payton sounded particularly optimistic about Meachem. Safety Darren Sharper also practiced on a limited basis and is listed as probable.

Defensive end Bobby McCray (back) and center Jonathan Goodwin (knee) each practiced fully and are listed as probable.

By Keith Spera, The Times-Picayune

January 21, 2010, 1:45AM

On behalf of my fellow New Orleanians, I would like to extend a hearty welcome to all invading Minnesota Vikings fans.

As you may have noticed, you’re not in Minneapolis any more. For starters, the ground here is not frozen tundra.

And New Orleans abounds with more first-rate food, music and distraction than just about anywhere.

Musically speaking, Minnesota gave the world Prince, Bob Dylan and the Replacements. Not bad.

New Orleans gave the world basically everything else, from Louis Armstrong to Lil Wayne.

John McCusker / The Times-Picayune

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By Nakia Hogan, The Times-Picayune

January 22, 2010, 6:00AM

At an early morning staff meeting the day before Saturday’s 45-14 victory against the Arizona Cardinals, New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams had another game he wanted to play with his assistant coaches.

The “What If” game.

“As trite as this may sound, the day before the game at an 8 a.m. staff meeting, I posed a bunch of what ifs, ” Williams said. “The first what ifs was tell me what your body language is going to be, tell me what your demeanor is going to be, tell me what your coaching point is going to be, tell me how you are going to react if something bad happens on the first play of the game.”

Guess what?

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By Mark Lorando, The Times-Picayune

January 21, 2010, 5:27PM

New Orleans Saints Superdome screaming lessons from an opera singer

Listen up, Who Dat Nation: If you’re attending the game, you’re part of the game. And if you want to affect the outcome of Sunday’s Saints-Viking NFC Championship Game with your voice, you’d better know the right way to raise it.
With the help of a professional vocal coach, we’ve put together a Superdome screaming game plan for New Orleans’ legendary “12th Man.”

It’s the diaphragm, stupid: “Ninety-nine percent of people, when they scream, scream from their throat,” said Kristin Samuelson, a vocal coach who bills herself “The Voice Doctor.” “You can actually see the muscles bulging in the neck. That’s the brute force approach.” But the way to maximize volume, Samuelson said, is to consciously push the air from your diaphragm — the muscle separating the chest and abdomen — and into “that space in the back of the mouth that opens up when you yawn or burp.” That creates a more powerful, resonant sound than the throat can project on its own. “How is it someone like Pavarotti can be heard over 80 instruments in an orchestra? It’s the resonance,” she said.

Read the rest of the steps here.

From  By Pat Yasinskas

METAIRIE, La. — New Orleans coach Sean Payton said tight end Jeremy Shockey (knee) and cornerback Malcolm Jenkins (hamstring) did not practice Thursday.

That pair also sat out Wednesday’s practice. Receiver Robert Meachem (ankle) returned to practice on a limited basis. Safety Darren Sharper (knee) also was limited in practice.

Center Jonathan Goodwin (knee) and defensive end Bobby McCray (back) also were on the injury report, but Payton said both fully participated in practice.

By Mike Triplett, The Times-Picayune

January 20, 2010, 3:00AM

One more win, and they’re in.

Just one more win Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings, and the Saints will earn their first trip to the Super Bowl in 43 years of existence.

Just one more win in front of the long-suffering fan base inside of a delirious Superdome, and the Saints might just kick off the greatest party this city has ever seen.

That’s why you’ll be watching.

But here are 10 additional interesting subplots worth monitoring as the game unfolds:

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METAIRIE, La. — Less than a week after he rejoined the New Orleans Saints, running back Deuce McAllister appeared ready to announce his formal retirement from football.

The Clarion-Ledger newspaper in Jackson, Miss., reported the announcement could happen late Tuesday.Last Friday, McAllister was welcomed back to the team after a year-long absence. In a ceremonial role, he led the Saints onto the Superdome field to thunderous applause from a sold-out crowd.McAllister was not active for the game and did not dress in uniform. His playing prospects in the NFC Championship and — perhaps — the Super Bowl were not clear.

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By Peter Finney, Times-Picayune

January 17, 2010, 11:10PM

Who would have guessed the day would come when Who Dats would be busy erecting Public Enemy No. 1 posters with a picture of Brett Favre?

Who would have guessed a 40-year-old Mississippi-bred quarterback would be standing between the New Orleans Saints and a trip to Super Bowl XLIV on Feb. 7 at Dolphin Stadium in Miami?

How could this happen?

Logic suggests Favre should be back home, enjoying life in Kiln, Miss., sipping suds at the Broke Spoke, a biker’s hangout where Favre memorabilia enjoys a place of honor.

Logic tells you a kid who grew up rooting for the Saints at Benny French’s, a onetime restaurant-bar in Henderson Point, riding his tricycle and bumping into pool tables, should be in charge of a Mississippi chapter of Who Dats instead of trying to knock the Saints out of the playoffs.

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By Mike Triplett, The Times-Picayune

January 18, 2010, 6:00AM

The New Orleans Saints knew it would only get tougher in the playoffs.

That point was truly driven home, though, when they watched the way their next opponent, the Minnesota Vikings, dominated the Dallas Cowboys in a 34-3 rout in an NFC divisional playoff game Sunday in Minneapolis.

“We’ll have our work cut out for us, ” said quarterback Drew Brees, who pointed out that the Vikings had probably spent the last month answering many of the same questions about rust and momentum that the Saints were facing after both teams experienced a mini-slump in December. “But obviously they know what it’s like to play at a high level.

“They were doing it all season long, and obviously they’re hitting on all cylinders right now. It’s gonna be a great game.”

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