I'm Rooting for New Orleans And You Should Too

[savagehenry54]

Zimmers cap bittersweet season
GEOFF HOBSON

MIAMI - A month before she died so suddenly in the middle of the day in the middle of her life, Vikki Zimmer was out to dinner with her husband when they began talking about their oldest child Adam.

“How honored do you feel that your son wants to be just like you, idolizes you and even has your mannerisms?" she asked Mike Zimmer.

But this week Mike Zimmer is hoping his son is nothing like him when he meets up with him here Friday at the Super Bowl. That’s when Zimmer, the Bengals defensive coordinator, flies in from Cincinnati and plans to rescue his son from the final grinding hours of preparation and take him to dinner.

Since Adam is the Saints assistant linebackers coach in charge of the care and feeding of the New Orleans defense for everything from overseeing the playbooks to signaling in plays on game day, his father knows how much he’ll need it.

“I always said if I ever go back, I’m going to enjoy at least some of it,” Zimmer recalled Wednesday of his lone Super Bowl appearance with the Cowboys 15 years ago. “I didn’t spend any time with my family. I didn’t go out to dinner or anything like that. I was grinding. I was just so intent on trying to win. I told him the other day that hopefully he’ll get a chance to enjoy some of it and we’ll do it when we get together Friday.”

When Zimmer coached the Cowboys secondary in that win over the Steelers in Arizona, 11-year-old Adam Zimmer carried the cord for his father’s headsets on the sidelines. There will be no such storybook, full-circle scenes Sunday.

“He needs to make sure my sisters are OK up in the stands,” Adam Zimmer said with a grin after wolfing down a quick lunch on a hectic Wednesday he attended the Saints media session before going to the first practice of the week. “I think the league would probably frown on it.”

Saints head coach Sean Payton made a standing offer this week to Mike Zimmer and told him he could sit in on meetings, attend practices, whatever he wanted.

“But I don’t want to get in the way,” Zimmer said.

Just imagine the emotions for them. It is all so bittersweet, of course. Ever since Mike Zimmer came home from work for dinner on a Thursday - Oct. 8 - and found his wife of 27 years gone because of natural causes.

“I can’t imagine it. I can’t relate to that. To lose your mother when you’re only 25 and Adam was so close to his mom,” said Saints linebacker Scott Fujita. “That’s the one thing about football. Your family is scattered. His dad was in Cincinnati. His sisters were in Texas. When he got back to New Orleans, it was in the middle of everything and I don’t know if he had the proper time to grieve. But we knew we wanted to be there for him. He’s like my little brother. We’ve got one of the closest rooms on the team.”

If Mike Zimmer could lean for support on his “Little Sisters of the Poor,” his fond nickname for his recycled defense, then Adam Zimmer says he has a bunch of big brothers in New Orleans. Shanle, another linebacker, calls him “the spirit of the game.”

Along with Fujita, Shanle, and fellow linebacker Mark Simoneau, Zimmer arrived to work under Payton in 2006. Fujita and Shanle had been discarded by the Cowboys, Simoneau by the Eagles.

“The four of us really get along,” Fujita said. “We came from other teams and Adam was this kid right out of Trinity University who looked like he was 12. Now he looks like he’s 15. I don’t know if you’ve noticed it or not, but now he’s got a stubble.”

Adam Zimmer needed them back in October and they came through. It was the Saints bye week but all the linebackers, position coach Joe Vitt, and Payton attended Vikki Zimmer’s funeral mass at Holy Cross Immaculata Church high on Cincinnati’s Mount Adams.

“When I saw all 10 of them come walking down the aisle,” Adam Zimmer said, “yeah, it was a big lift. It really helped me get through it.”

Just like his dad’s guys do in Cincinnati, Adam says they check in on him. They text. Shanle says they’ve made sure he gets over to their houses to watch some Monday Night Football. Simoneau had Adam over to his house for Christmas. The Vitts had him for Thanksgiving.

When the Saints had a bye week last month to prepare for their first playoff game, Mike Zimmer called Payton to remind him that week was Adam’s 26th birthday. When he got to his desk the morning of Jan. 13, Adam found cupcakes from Beth Payton, Sean’s wife.

“They’re taking good care of me,” Adam Zimmer said.

But they will tell you he’s also taking care of them.

Fujita and Shanle both played for Adam's father in Dallas and they back up what Vikki Zimmer said. Same mannerisms. Same intensity. Same brains. It is why the thirtysomething backers (Fujita and Shanle are 30, Simoneau is 33) don’t throw the kid out of the room.

“What we respect about him is his knowledge of the game. It’s unbelievable for a guy his age,” Shanle said. “You’ve got to have a lot of respect for anybody that puts that much time into it.”

Fujita says not only are Adam’s mannerisms “uncanny” to Mike’s, but they also have the same strengths. He always found it extremely valuable when Mike Zimmer would talk through his thoughts in putting together the game plan instead of just handing it to them.

“He’s got a huge career in front of him. He can do whatever he wants to do,” Fujita said. “Position coach, coordinator, even head coach. He’s got the ability to do what his dad does. Identifying what opposing defenses are trying to do to attack you. (Mike did) the best job of thinking out loud so we could see what was in his mind when he was putting in the game plan. Adam does a really good job of stuff like that.”

Adam Zimmer doesn’t do the game plan, of course, but he is coordinator Gregg Williams’ eyes and ears as the quality control guy breaking down film. But his role has expanded during his four seasons with the Saints and Vitt says he works on the field at every linebacker spot.

“He does more than copying,” Fujita said and Shanle says his tip sheets that he hands out two days before the game are invaluable.“Whatever day we come in, we know he was watching film the night before,” Shanle said. “He gives us tips from what he sees from certain players in their stance. Down and distance ... he knows things tendency wise ... he does a good job breaking us down.”

Adam Zimmer remembered at that first Super Bowl all he pretty much did was watch video games and he’s got to be feeling a little bit of déjà vu trying to break down Colts quarterback Peyton Manning. Shanle said he has yet to see the Manning tip sheet, but Zimmer has already provided some on the Indy running backs’ stances and alignments.

Neither Zimmer pulls any punches about wanting to work together one day and Fujita asks, “That’s going to happen. How could it not?”

Could if not happen in Cincinnati? Mike Zimmer just re-upped for three more years in a deal that is believed to make him the Bengals’ first $1 million coordinator. Adam Zimmer is in the final year of his deal in New Orleans and gets the vibe the Saints like what he’s doing. Mike Zimmer said he broached the subject with head coach Marvin Lewis awhile ago but not lately.

“I don’t want to look like I’m just following my dad around,” Adam said. “I don’t want to get a job just because he’s the coordinator. I want the job because I’m a good coach, not because he’s a good coach. I want to earn my stripes.

“You never know. It’s something you don’t talk about until after the season.”

Mike Zimmer is worried about what is going to happen to Adam after the season when all the work is done. Mike admits he has hit the wall as he adjusts to life without Vikki.

“I’ve been doing it now for a couple of weeks,” he said. “Last weekend I didn’t do anything. There was nothing to do. I just watched TV. I’m coming home from work yesterday and I’m wondering what I’m going to cook for dinner. I think it’s a little easier for Adam because he’s living by himself but I know it’s been hard on him.”

In fact, Mike thinks he miscalculated how much Vikki’s death has affected Adam. He instinctively showered attention on his 23- and 19-year-old daughters assuming Adam would be OK as the boy.

But Adam called his mother every night he left work and he still has her number in his phone and will look at it from time to time.

“I couldn’t have got here without her,” he said.

When Mike Zimmer decided to coach in Baltimore three days after Vikki’s death, the Bengals invited him to bring family members on the charter and Adam, his sister and grandfather made the trip to see the Bengals win on Carson Palmer’s 20-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Andre Caldwell with 22 seconds left cap a penalty-filled drive.

“My sister and I kind of let it go when that happened,” Adam Zimmer said. “Then I knew she was OK. On that last drive, I just had a feeling they were going to score. I think she had something to do with the refs throwing all those flags around.”

Adam watched Lewis give Mike the game ball a few minutes later, and Payton did the same thing the next week when the Saints beat the Giants at home.

"There was no question that was the thing to do. I don't even know if we talked about it," Fujita said.

Mike Zimmer is hoping for another celebration Sunday. He went to the NFC title game with the girls and they had trouble getting back to the car amid all the mayhem. This one might be a little more laid back because there is going to be a concert.

“I hope I celebrate with a beer with Adam listening to Kenny Chesney,” Mike Zimmer said.

And if they lose?

Mike Zimmer thought about that for a minute.

“Same thing, I guess,” he said.

And that won’t be bad, either, on a day Mike Zimmer will finally stop and smell the roses of a Super Bowl.

But they are a bouquet of bittersweet.

http://www.bengals.com/news/article-...f-0a304385df4d

I can't help but root for the Saints after reading that. Whodat....just for this Sunday.

[jmccracky]

The Saints are my second favorite team. It's refreshing to finally root for a team to win the Super Bowl that I do not hate! WHO DAT! (For now)

[LordWaylander]

Go Saints !!!!

[xxlt]

Geaux Saints Geaux!

[Megalicious23]

I loved that article, i read it in class this morning.

Definitely rooting for the Saints.

Peyton Manning? Who dat?

[g00tch]

Gotta root for the AFC. Although I won't be pissed if NO wins.

[Brad_For_Prez_2020]

This is going to be the first Super Bowl in my history that I don't have a team I want to lose. I like the Colts because they are the most classy team in the NFL. They dominate and do it without cheating or gloating. That and Peyton Manning is God.

With the Saints, I always have a soft spot for the underdogs and plus the Saints have never given me a reason to not like them. This is their first rodeo and they have a team that can beat the Colts.

So no matter who the winner is, I will be happy. But after reading this article, I will be rooting for the Saints a little bit harder for Vikki.

Cant remember the last time a Super Bowl game was actually worth watching as much as the commercials.

[g00tch]

Originally Posted by BratIsBulletProof!!!

Cant remember the last time a Super Bowl game was actually worth watching as much as the commercials.

January 22nd, 1989 lol

[Brad_For_Prez_2020]

Originally Posted by g00tch

January 22nd, 1989 lol

Touche

[BengalsAtOSU]

i'm really happy that the two best teams in the nfl are finally in the super bowl, they're clearly the best and have been all year.

[Alex in the 804]

go colts...


okay not really, go saints

[Hibachi_Burrow]

no doubt i am rooting for the colts.

[savagehenry54]

Originally Posted by Hibachi_Burrow

no doubt i am rooting for the colts.

Contrarian: One who just can't help but be all "Oh contreir mon freir"....

I love Zimmer too much and by extension I wanna see him happy, which of course he would be if his boy got himself a ring.....Just like his daddy.

Plus I don't really like Peyton as a football player, he's just too goddam good...gets on my nerves. I'm hoping Will Smith FROM..... The Ohio State University gets like 17 sacks on him.



Hey Peyton :savage:

[ONYX]

Personally, I'm kind of pulling for Indy.

[Belle]

Originally Posted by jmccracky

The Saints are my second favorite team. It's refreshing to finally root for a team to win the Super Bowl that I do not hate! WHO DAT! (For now)

x2
I love Drew Brees

[Hibachi_Burrow]

Peyton is the best QB ever. I want to see him win another. I love Dungy and this is basically his team still and they are class acts. I don't feel like hearing how a bunch of guys "overcame Katrina" when it barely affected them it affected the poor people living there.

[savagehenry54]

Originally Posted by Hibachi_Burrow

Peyton is the best QB ever. I want to see him win another. I love Dungy and this is basically his team still and they are class acts. I don't feel like hearing how a bunch of guys "overcame Katrina" when it barely affected them it affected the poor people living there.

I really haven't heard much talk of how the players "overcame", seems to me to be more of a "wouldn't it be nice for the city" vibe.

[Tigris]

Originally Posted by Hibachi_Burrow

Peyton is the best QB ever. I want to see him win another. I love Dungy and this is basically his team still and they are class acts. I don't feel like hearing how a bunch of guys "overcame Katrina" when it barely affected them it affected the poor people living there.

I'm sure some players lived there and it did affect their homes. Also, their surroundings of comfort were gone. You just didn't see them on television riding on rafts down the streets. They had the money to get the heck out of there until things cleared up. Not everyone was able to do that, and that's what you saw. They had to go 80 miles to Baton Rouge. Their "home" games were played in a different stadium, on a different field. Their locker room wasn't the same, the drive wasn't the same. It wouldn't feel like a normal home game to me if I had to drive an hour and a half to put my stuff in a college player's locker. Everything that made it "home" was destroyed. I think it affected them more than what you think.

With that said... WHO DEY!! I will never have a second favorite team. That's shit. Cincinnati or Die!!!

[Hibachi_Burrow]

Originally Posted by Tigris

I'm sure some players lived there and it did affect their homes. Also, their surroundings of comfort were gone. You just didn't see them on television riding on rafts down the streets. They had the money to get the heck out of there until things cleared up. Not everyone was able to do that, and that's what you saw. They had to go 80 miles to Baton Rouge. Their "home" games were played in a different stadium, on a different field. Their locker room wasn't the same, the drive wasn't the same. It wouldn't feel like a normal home game to me if I had to drive an hour and a half to put my stuff in a college player's locker. Everything that made it "home" was destroyed. I think it affected them more than what you think.

With that said... WHO DEY!! I will never have a second favorite team. That's shit. Cincinnati or Die!!!

it didnt affect shit for the players. many of them even said that. media is a joke.

[Megalicious23]

Originally Posted by Hibachi_Burrow

it didnt affect shit for the players. many of them even said that. media is a joke.

I call complete bullshit on that. Show me where one player said Katrina didn't effect them. At the very least it effected them because they couldn't practice or play in their stadium.

[Hibachi_Burrow]

Originally Posted by Megalicious23

I call complete bullshit on that. Show me where one player said Katrina didn't effect them. At the very least it effected them because they couldn't practice or play in their stadium.

that team was in the process of looking for a new city to move to when katrina happened. they were under the assumption that they were moving to a new city in the next couple of years so do you think they gave a shit?

[Who2Dey]

I always root for the NFC. I can never bring myself to cheer for a team in our conference.

[Brad_For_Prez_2020]

Originally Posted by Hibachi_Burrow

that team was in the process of looking for a new city to move to when katrina happened. they were under the assumption that they were moving to a new city in the next couple of years so do you think they gave a shit?

Uh. Yes.

That stadium would still have been their home for a few years. Also, even if not a single player was personally effected by Katrina, the city was and they represent the city.

[Alex in the 804]

Originally Posted by BratIsBulletProof!!!

Uh. Yes.

That stadium would still have been their home for a few years. Also, even if not a single player was personally effected by Katrina, the city was and they represent the city.

no they don't...the team represents the city. the players are just a part of that team, i doubt many bengal players could care less about the city of Cincinnati or the state of ohio. the players represent the bengals who represent cincinnati. this isn't college lol

[Brad_For_Prez_2020]

Originally Posted by Alex in the 804

no they don't...the team represents the city. the players are just a part of that team, i doubt many bengal players could care less about the city of Cincinnati or the state of ohio. the players represent the bengals who represent cincinnati. this isn't college lol

Drew Brees and the rest of them play for the New Orleans Saints. New Orleans being one of the city's that got fucked by Katrina. New Orleans people watch the Saints play football. They watch Drew Brees lead the team. Ergo, Drew Brees and his boys represent New Orleans in the NFL. They bring the city into the spotlight.

Doesn't matter if the players care about the city, they are wearing the cities logo. New Orleans, the city, is being represented in one of TV's biggest venues around the world. A team isn't a team without players.

[Megalicious23]

Originally Posted by Hibachi_Burrow

that team was in the process of looking for a new city to move to when katrina happened. they were under the assumption that they were moving to a new city in the next couple of years so do you think they gave a shit?

Bullshit. Like I said, show me where 1 player said they didn't care about Katrina. I'll wait.

Originally Posted by Alex in the 804

no they don't...the team represents the city. the players are just a part of that team, i doubt many bengal players could care less about the city of Cincinnati or the state of ohio. the players represent the bengals who represent cincinnati. this isn't college lol

If the city of Cincinnati was destroyed tomorrow, I sure hope they'd give a shit.

[Alex in the 804]

Originally Posted by BratIsBulletProof!!!

Drew Brees and the rest of them play for the New Orleans Saints. New Orleans being one of the city's that got fucked by Katrina. New Orleans people watch the Saints play football. They watch Drew Brees lead the team. Ergo, Drew Brees and his boys represent New Orleans in the NFL. They bring the city into the spotlight.

Doesn't matter if the players care about the city, they are wearing the cities logo. New Orleans, the city, is being represented in one of TV's biggest venues around the world. A team isn't a team without players.

well yeah that's true...but with the way owners and cities treat their players, i would not be surprised if many players despise the city they play in. sure all players are loved by their city until they stop producing, in which case it turns into a scenario of hatred. i just don't see players other than the top names such as drew brees, carson palmer, chad ochocinco, etc...caring a lick about the city they play in. and i don't blame them, do you think tom nelson thinks about the city of cincinnati before he does anything?

Originally Posted by Megalicious23

Bullshit. Like I said, show me where 1 player said they didn't care about Katrina. I'll wait.

If the city of Cincinnati was destroyed tomorrow, I sure hope they'd give a shit.

well yeah, because then where would they get their paychecks?

[Shockwave]

Never root for the team that has yet to win a SB. That puts us on a smaller list of teams.

[maualuga]

I want the Colts to win. I want Manning to end up with as many SB's as possible, even though I wouldn't take any QB over him in the history of football.

[Who2Dey]

The players may not have given a shit about NO before the Hurricane, but I bet they did after. Its well documented that Brees and Bush has done a lot for the city since the Hurricane. If they didn't give a shit they wouldn't have.

[Ferb]

Originally Posted by Who2Dey

The players may not have given a shit about NO before the Hurricane, but I bet they did after. Its well documented that Brees and Bush has done a lot for the city since the Hurricane. If they didn't give a shit they wouldn't have.

Bush is from New Orleans.

[maualuga]

I thought a lot of the NO players lost houses that were in or around the NO area?

I remember watching the NO and Falcons game. It was one of the 'night' games, I think it was Monday and not Sunday, but the energy in that stadium was insane on both parts, fans and players.

I think they cared and it's hard for me to believe that they weren't affected.

[Hibachi_Burrow]

Originally Posted by maualuga

I want the Colts to win. I want Manning to end up with as many SB's as possible, even though I wouldn't take any QB over him in the history of football.

Peyton is the best QB ever. If the Bengals dont win the SB i want him to.

[Hibachi_Burrow]

Originally Posted by Shockwave

Never root for the team that has yet to win a SB. That puts us on a smaller list of teams.

agree with this too.