It is the worst kept secret since Jeff Garcia came out of the closet. Oh wait, that hasn’t happened…yet. Well, it’s one of the worst kept secrets since OJ’s “non-confession” confession in the book If I Did It. Joe “Hollywood” Horn wants out of Atlanta. And we can’t say we really blame him.
The guy went to A-town in the hopes of teaming up with one of the leagues most feared and game changing quarterbacks. Instead, he ended up sitting on the sidelines playing witness to a nonstop blooper reel courtesy of Joey Harrington, Byron Leftwich, and some insurance salesman dude or whatever he was. While it’s in my genetic code to laugh at any form of misery brought upon a Falcon player, I’d be lying if I didn’t admit I still have a soft spot for my old cup o’ Joe. So the question remains, if Joe Horn asked to return to the Saints, should we take him back?
If we did, it certainly wouldn’t be based on his 2007 season stats. Horn racked up a total of 243 yards and 1 measly touchdown with the Falcons last year. Not entirely all his fault since he was primarily used as a 3rd down receiver and the stats of his 3 rotating quarterbacks combined barely topped a 100 QB rating.
Let’s also not forget that this Falcon is no spring chicken. Horn’s knocking on 40’s door and there’s no doubting his best days are behind him. I mean he could probably still burn a corner like, oh say…Jason David. But then again so could my neighbor, and she’s 7 months pregnant.
So what would be the point in even entertaining Horn IF he wanted to resign with the Saints? How about his energy? How about his veteran spirit that, whether we want to admit it or not, made a difference on the Saints offense in 2006. Horn has the experience and the talent to mold wide receivers like Robert Meachem, Lance Moore, and Devery “Butterfingers” Henderson. There’s no denying he brought a certain level of passion and intensity to the game that seemed to be missing on the offense last season.
And what about re-signing Horn in the spirit of letting a guy retire with the team where he made his mark? Don’t you get even the slightest bit weepy eyed at the vision of a black and gold #87 jersey one day being hoisted above the stands in some mushy ceremony? Can’t you just taste the salt of Joe’s soldier tear slowly gliding down his cheek as he makes his last run out of the dome’s tunnel? We’ve been denied all that drama. Even if he doesn’t deserve it, don’t we as fans?
Or maybe I’m just caught up in too much of the emotion of the situation and the great things he did for the city after Hurricane Katrina. Maybe, for yet another rare occasion in my decades as a football fan, I’m just looking at the game like a chick. Still, I can’t help but think that if he’s willing to take a pay cut, an even bigger one than originally put on the table, the Saints wouldn’t be fools to entertain the notion.
Filed under: Me So Horn-y | Tagged: horn atlanta falcons, joe horn new orleans saints, joe horn wide receiver, saints resign joe horn
The only way I see it happening, and the only way I’d personally want to see it happen, is a one-day contract/retirement party type basis.
–All indications are that he’s completely out of gas
–Saints are already kind of in a numbers game at WR
–Didn’t leave on good terms with Payton & Loomis
–Wants out of ATL because he still thinks he can start… definitely wouldn’t here, it’s no better a situation for Joe that it is in ATL
I do appreciate the lingering emotion factor, and I agree with it. Joe will get his due, he’ll take his victory lap in N.O. eventually. Saints HOF, “Joe Horn Day” and all that stuff. But as long as he still thinks he can play, we’ll just have to be patient.
Emotionally? Hell to the yes. Joe Horn is the eye black beneath my wings. It would give Cafe 641 another chance to say thank you for inspiring groin jerky: http://chef-who-dat.blogspot.com/2007/01/smoked-groin-jerky-playoff-punch-chef.html#links
Realistically? No.
As much of a Joe Horn fan as I was, I don’t think that he should be allowed to return. Sometimes things should be about loyalty rather than nickels and dimes. He should have took the pay cut same as D. Mcallister has. But, he was too jealous of the younger receivers (in my opinion).
after posting this in a saints forum and reading your responses, i’ve been convinced that he and we would be better served if he came back to the team as some sort of WR coach…or just signed on for a day and then retire.
on a side note, i salute chef for the “eye black beneath my wings” comment…
Joe Horn has said that he doesn’t want to be a “just in case” guy or something like that. He wants to start and I don’t see him as a starter anymore. So with that, no, I don’t want him on the Saints.
Hey, I thought you Chicks were supposed to be easy? I sent an email about a link exchange a while ago
Hard to get?
Oi… Joe Horn was such a Saint. Such a Saint. What makes this whole thing difficult is the very obvious fact that the Saints won’t bring him back.
I’d like to think that there’s a part of what’s goin on in the Saints office right now that’s a bit soft-hearted. There’s even evidence of it, what with the deference shown to Duece. Despite the injury concerns, he’s fully expected to be a member of the team this season, in a playmaking capacity, from what we’re told. The flipside of that coin is that Duece is a very on-and-off the field leader. He’s undeniably part of the organization. And all told, I wouldn’t trade him for anything in the world, because I personally still think he’ll be incredible. Horn’s a bit more of a gritty case though.
Horn was here for so long. He comes from the same vein as Colston, in that he was not really picked to be all that great. He made himself a part of this community, and it very obviously hurt him to leave it, even though it made sense for him to (and he acted so).
It isn’t a perfect world, and as such I wouldn’t want Joe Horn playing in place of Devery Henderson (true!). But he’s a Saint, whether we all like it or not. And I like to believe that we like it. This is just one of those situations where you wish someone well and try to believe that, somewhere down the line, the two of you can either revisit things or just put the past behind you, forget all the barbs that you’ve been holding for the right moment, smile sadly and regard each other with something that approaches the respect you had when you were together. If you can’t, that’s perfectly understandable, but it says more about you than it does about the other. It hurts just to think about it. Oi.
damn monty. that’s deep…
“This town is not big enough for Coach Payton and Joe Horn.”
So said Joe Horn.
Even if thinking about N.O. did give him “chill bumps.”
Nope. Ain’t happening. I loved Joe Horn till Joe Horn bit the hand that fed him. And then wiped his dirty bird ass with it. Nope. No welcome mat here.
oooh, i love “post baby” super edgy Michelle!