Sean Payton Team Quotations

For this area and this region, symbolically, it's important to have their team back. It's significant for the city and the region. We welcome them out.

We can impact people's lives in a positive way as they go through this transition. I think this area, this community, this region is tough, and our team better reflect that, too.

When I was introduced last week I said that I wanted to bring teachers in who were looking to work hard, enjoy their work and be part of a team with everyone moving in the same direction. Gary defines that description. Getting him in New Orleans sets the tone for the rest of the additions to my coaching staff.

A poorly conditioned football team gets penalties, a poorly conditioned football team holds, a poorly conditioned football team turns the football over. The other way to look at it is, if your not in shape, you can lose games, so I think being in shape is a must. You need to have stamina ... you need to have some staying power in the fourth quarter to win football games and if you're not I think you're going to lose.

It's hard to look at their talent now, compared to their record, with all of the circumstances and things that they've gone through. It's a team that's certainly shown that they can be competitive, and I would look forward to that challenge.

You learn a lot more about all the things that are necessary to be the leader of a team and so there's day-to-day hands-on training that you get and you might not even be asking for it. You try as best you can to be organized, have a plan, know exactly what you want from a schedule standpoint, have an idea of what you would want in a staff.