In case anyone is curios there is a for sale sign in his yard at the Dallas Viccaro home or however you spell it.
I've heard quite a few things today that make me feel better about the situation. One being Mike Detillier saying he'd be shocked if Payton doesn't stay. Another point I heard made this morning is that where players are concerned, if a player is suspended, his contract is suspended as well, and resumes when he returns. It might take a legal ruling since coaches contracts don't necessarily follow the same guidelines, but it could be interpreted that this season simply doesn't count, and when SP comes off suspension, he would still have the one year left on his old contract.
How's that for an indicator? http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap10...n-payton-plans-to-be-new-orleans-saints-coach
Action speaks louder than words. He could easily be playing out the string. Like player contracts, coaching contracts require final approval by the commissioner’s office. I negotiated dozens of coach contracts, and although I never had one disapproved, there were times I was required to change or revise language in a player contract prior to approval. That call from the league would lead to further negotiation with the player and agent to resolve the matter to the league’s satisfaction. This raises the question as to why the Saints and Payton did not, and apparently still have not, quickly and quietly resolved the matter to allow for contract approval. With the disapproval having taken place more than a year ago, my sense is that either the relationship between Payton and the team may not be as close as it was or the presence of the now-suspended Loomis was so important to Payton that he would not agree to revise the clause. Or there is the possibility Payton would prefer free agency to remaining with the Saints. Tying to Loomis Why would Payton have a clause tying his continued allegiance to the team to Loomis? Certainly the two are close, but this type of language is uncommon. With the bounty inquiries going on over a three-year period, one wonders what Payton or his agent knew about potential issues concerning Loomis’ continued presence with the team. I learned firsthand that the NFL would not approve a player contract tied to another player. When negotiating Aaron Rodgers’ rookie contract in Green Bay, we tried to project incentives and escalators in the future dependent on Brett Favre still playing for the Packers. I inquired about linking Rodgers’ escalator thresholds to whether Favre had retired. I was emphatically told that I could not. It is not known the reason the Loomis clause was disapproved, but it may revolve around the same theory of tying one employee’s rights to another’s. Toll the bell? There is also the question of whether the contract “tolls” for this season, meaning that although Payton is suspended, the contract is suspended as well, leaving a year left on the original deal. Any player suspended in the final year of his contract does not become a free agent after suspension; he would still have a year left. It is unclear why Payton’s contract would not be similarly treated. These are just a few questions raised by the Payton news. It is even more curious that we are discussing this in November 2012, when the NFL rejected the extension in September 2011. Clearly, there is more to the story, which will play out when Payton comes off suspension after the Super Bowl. Stay tuned. Andrew Brandt Espn
I want Payton to come back and this is an interesting story from a number of angles. Still, if he doesn't come back, the Brees led offense hasn't missed a beat this year so I would still be optimistic about the team without Payton.
I think he's meeting with Benson now. Possibly will be the highest paid coach in the NFL by staying with the Saints (I gotta get me some of these car dealerships). And who would want Jerry as your GM anyway. Not time to panic.
Ofc course he's gonna use this to get a huge contract. Maybe more than belichick. Just don't want that leather faced corpse signing his checks.