JonnyB504

iTrader: (4)

Yah but Ive never been there and cant make it anywhere around the UNO area besides getting on Lakeshore driving and going all the way around to the interstate lol....

j1234

iTrader: (5)

hey john, go down leon C simon out of UNO. all the way down to dowman road. u will have the airport off ur left, thatd be where i work, take a right on dowman go all the way down until you get to chef. left on chef and bam. they redid most of dowman road recently. its bumpy but its alot better than it was. i can make it all the way down.

edited: actually its a left on chef to get to SS. if u dont wanna do dowman, go down to read blvd. its completely smooth. read is off hayne blvd, and read runs into chef. then itd be a right on chef

blasian

iTrader: (29)

Football free agency... I just wanna hear the Saints re-signed Vilma

cow

iTrader: (21)

He'd probably rather his cheerios **** in now as opposed to driving out there & coming away disappointed.

+1

soleil

iTrader: (43)

i've been reading alot about the g8 and its been all but good reviews....

blasian

iTrader: (29)

Only review that matters is your own...

If it's drives anything like a GTO... I'll pass.

BloMyS14

iTrader: (7)

I like the G8.

nothix

iTrader: (27)

G8 has a lot of meat for the buck, but how does it drive?????????

soleil

iTrader: (43)

i might go look at one next week...there was a really nice white one(the one i posted) for dirt cheap in hammond but the salesperson said it sold last week....

blasian

iTrader: (29)

More importantly... does it blend?

soleil

iTrader: (43)

handling can be fix....i'm not trying to road race or autox..well maybe one or two autox with it just for chits and giggles...i def gonna mod and drag the shiet out of tho

soleil

iTrader: (43)

mods that i would do...coilovers, wheels, exhaust(including test pipes if available) headers, intake, and maybe cams later on....sways and other suspension later on

blasian

iTrader: (29)

Hopefully they're rear setup isn't like the GTO. You can't fit many nice wheels. My buddy's GTO has CCWs in the rear but it had to have an insane amount of the center taken off.

Helped him put drag bags in because he couldn't get traction.

nothix

iTrader: (27)

I think it would do alright with those goals, is just a big heavy car

soleil

iTrader: (43)

i think a few months back i seen a pic of a g8 on some volks...i need to find it

nuckinfutz74

iTrader: (17)

LET THE DEALING BEGIN

With free agency opening up, there are a few positions the Saints could be interested in filling – especially on defense



By Mike Triplett and Teddy Kider

The Times-Picayune

NFL teams received some extra wiggle room this week when the 2009 salary cap was adjusted from $123 million to $127 million per team.

That should come in especially handy for the Saints, who entered the free-agent signing period at 11:01 p.m. Thursday under more cap pressure then they've felt in several years.

Depending on any deals they may have restructured with veteran players behind the scenes, the Saints should be somewhere in the range of $5 million to $10 million under the salary cap, with only a few glaring holes that need filling.

Their top priority will be to re-sign middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma, who promised to give New Orleans the first crack in free agency, despite the fact that several teams will be interested in the former Pro Bowler.

After that, the Saints will look at re-signing starting offensive tackle Jon Stinchcomb and receiver Devery Henderson, among others, if the price is reasonable. And they will try to add a few complementary pieces to the roster, with a heavy emphasis on defense.

The Saints already made their biggest free-agent splash by hiring defensive coordinator Gregg Williams last month. Now they just need to find a few pieces that fit his aggressive, attacking nature.

Here is a breakdown of the top unrestricted free agents available, starting with the defensive side of the ball. We left off restricted free agents and players who received the franchise tag from their respective teams, since they're unlikely to switch teams:

Free safety

FIVE TO WATCH:

-- Brian Dawkins, 35, Philadelphia

-- James Sanders, 25, New England

-- Gerald Sensabaugh, 25, Jacksonville

-- Darren Sharper, 33, Minnesota

-- Mike Brown, 31, Chicago

BREAKDOWN: This is the most glaring need on the Saints' roster. They need an athletic playmaker who can cover receivers. Young up-and-comers like Sanders and Sensabaugh make a lot of sense, especially since Sensabaugh, who has had several brushes with the law in the past few years, had his best season under Williams in Jacksonville last year. But the Saints might prefer a veteran leader like Sharper. They won't likely pay a premium for Dawkins, who is no longer in his prime.

Strong safety

FIVE TO WATCH:

-- Jermaine Phillips, 29, Tampa Bay

-- Sean Jones, 26, Cleveland

-- Jim Leonhard, 26, Baltimore

-- Lawyer Milloy, 35, Atlanta

-- Rodney Harrison, 36, New England

BREAKDOWN: The safety position is somewhat interchangeable, so the Saints might target one of these guys, even though they already have strong safety Roman Harper in the fold. Phillips and Jones have shown a lot of potential.

Cornerback

FIVE TO WATCH:

-- Bryant McFadden, 27, Pittsburgh

-- Jabari Greer, 27, Buffalo

-- Phillip Buchanon, 28, Tampa Bay

-- Leigh Bodden, 27, Detroit

-- Chris McAlister, 31, Baltimore

BREAKDOWN: The Saints finally have some depth at corner, but it wouldn't hurt to add an upgrade, especially with veteran Mike McKenzie's health in question. There are plenty of options to choose from in this year's free-agent market from young starters like McFadden, Greer, Buchanon, Bodden, Ron Bartell and Domonique Foxworth to veterans like McAlister, Dré Bly and DeAngelo Hall.

Inside linebacker

FIVE TO WATCH:

-- Ray Lewis, 33, Baltimore

-- Jonathan Vilma, 26, Saints

-- Bart Scott, 28, Baltimore

-- Mike Peterson, 32, Jacksonville

-- Keith Brooking, 33, Atlanta

BREAKDOWN: Re-signing Vilma is the Saints' top priority. He's a proven fit in the middle of their defense, and he's the kind of active playmaker they need more of, not less. If they're unable to keep him, they might look at a cheaper veteran like Peterson or Brooking. Lewis is too expensive, and Scott is a better fit in a 3-4 defense.

Outside linebacker

FIVE TO WATCH:

-- Michael Boley, 26, Atlanta

-- Derrick Brooks, 35, Tampa Bay

-- Angelo Crowell, 27, Buffalo

-- Cato June, 29, Tampa Bay

-- Marcus Washington, 31, Washington

BREAKDOWN: This position might get left out because of greater needs at middle linebacker and in the secondary. But the Saints are looking for dynamic playmakers, so don't be surprised if they target a young guy like Boley, Crowell, June or Scott, who can play outside in a 4-3. More likely, they'll consider this spot in the draft.

Defensive end

FIVE TO WATCH:

-- Antonio Smith, 27, Arizona

-- Chris Canty, 26, Dallas

-- Igor Olshansky, 26, San Diego

-- Chauncey Davis, 26, Atlanta

-- Bertrand Berry, 33, Arizona

BREAKDOWN: The Saints already have a hefty investment in ends Will Smith, Charles Grant and Bobby McCray, so they won't spend big here. But with Smith and Grant facing possible four-game suspensions, some reinforcement wouldn't hurt. Canty and Olshansky are better suited for 3-4 defenses.

Defensive tackle

FIVE TO WATCH:

-- Albert Haynesworth, 27, Tennessee

-- Jovan Haye, 26, Tampa Bay

-- Rocky Bernard, 29, Seattle

-- Shaun Cody, 26, Detroit

-- La'Roi Glover, 34, St. Louis

BREAKDOWN: Tackle is not the Saints' main concern, but there is some impressive young talent in this group. They obviously won't get in on the Haynesworth sweepstakes, but they might wind up facing him if he lands in Tampa Bay.

Running back

FIVE TO WATCH:

-- Derrick Ward, 28, NY Giants

-- Fred Taylor, 33, Jacksonville

-- Maurice Morris, 29, Seattle

-- Cedric Benson, 26, Cincinnati

-- Deuce McAllister, 30, Saints

BREAKDOWN: The Saints would like to add a short-yardage specialist, but they won't target one of the top names. They're happy with Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas as their featured backs, and they like the potential of young backups Mike Bell and Lynell Hamilton. . . . McAllister isn't 100-percent healthy, so he's not likely to catch on with anyone right away.

Receiver

FIVE TO WATCH:

-- T.J. Houshmandzadeh, 31, Cincinnati

-- Laveranues Coles, 31, N.Y. Jets

-- Marvin Harrison, 36, Indianapolis

-- Nate Washington, 25, Pittsburgh

-- Reggie Williams, 25, Jacksonville

BREAKDOWN: Assuming they don't let restricted free agent Lance Moore get away, the Saints have plenty of depth. They'll try to re-sign Henderson, but they won't get into a bidding war. If he leaves, they might re-sign veteran David Patten or a similar low-priced option.

Quarterback

FIVE TO WATCH:

-- Kurt Warner, 37, Arizona

-- Kerry Collins, 36, Tennessee

-- Byron Leftwich, 29, Pittsburgh

-- Jeff Garcia, 39, Tampa Bay

-- J.P. Losman, 27, Buffalo

BREAKDOWN: The Saints are happy with veteran Mark Brunell as their backup, and they want to re-sign free-agent understudy Joey Harrington, so they're pretty set here. Warner and Collins are likely to re-sign with their current teams, leaving the market thin.

Offensive tackle

FIVE TO WATCH:

-- Stacy Andrews, 27, Cincinnati

-- Jon Stinchcomb, 29, Saints

-- Tra Thomas, 34, Philadelphia

-- Marvel Smith, 30, Pittsburgh

-- Mark Tauscher, 31, Green Bay

BREAKDOWN: The Saints want Stinchcomb back, but another team might be able to outbid them like Tampa Bay did with center Jeff Faine last year. If Stinchcomb gets away, the Saints would likely turn to young backup Zach Strief rather than pay for a veteran replacement.

Guard

FIVE TO WATCH:

-- Derrick Dockery, 28, Buffalo

-- Mike Goff, 33, San Diego

-- Chris Kemoeatu, 26, Pittsburgh

-- Cooper Carlisle, 31, Oakland

-- Pete Kendall, 35, Washington

BREAKDOWN: The Saints made it clear that they won't let restricted free agent guard Jahri Evans get away, so they're set here, unless they decide to replace veteran backup Jamar Nesbit.

Center

TWO TO WATCH:

-- Jason Brown, 25, Baltimore

-- Matt Birk, 32, Minnesota

BREAKDOWN: The Saints are content with starter Jonathan Goodwin. They need to either re-sign backup Matt Lehr or replace him.

Tight end

FIVE TO WATCH:

-- L.J. Smith, 28, Philadephia

-- Jim Kleinsasser, 32, Minnesota

-- Chris Baker, 29, N.Y. Jets

-- Jerramy Stevens, 29, Tampa Bay

-- Justin Peelle, 29, Atlanta

BREAKDOWN: After signing veteran backup Dan Campbell last week, the Saints are set, meaning they're unlikely to re-sign veteran Mark Campbell.

OTHERS

BREAKDOWN: Although the Saints aren't likely to sign a veteran fullback, there are some decent options out there, including former Saints Lorenzo Neal and Terrelle Smith. . . . The team finally seem content at kicker and punter, though they have clearly shown a willingness to upgrade both spots. Former Saints kicker John Carney is back on the market after a Pro Bowl season in New York, along with veteran kickers Matt Stover, Mike Nugent and Jay Feely. Many of the top free-agent punters are former Saints rejects (Mitch Berger, Chris Hanson, Ben Graham).

nuckinfutz74

iTrader: (17)

Free agent CB Ron Bartell planning to visit Saints Friday



By Mike Triplett

The Times-Picayune

Cornerback Ron Bartell will be among the first free agents to visit New Orleans. I just got official confirmation that he's planning to fly in on Friday.

Bartell, 27, is one of several young up-and-coming cornerbacks available in this year's free agent class. The 6-foot-1, 209-pounder has been a starter for the past two seasons in St. Louis, and he finished last season with a flurry, with three interceptions, two forced fumbles and a sack over the final five weeks.

Bartell has a good combination of speed and size, and he has shown an ability to play well in man-to-man coverage against top receivers. He has appeared in every game since 2006, with eight interceptions in that span.

The Saints don't have a ton of money to spend in free agency, so they might not be able to afford an impact player at both cornerback and safety. Although they seem to have a more glaring need at free safety right now, there seems to be more young talent available at cornerback in free agency this year.

It will be interesting to see if the Saints focus in on several of the top corners available (an impressive list that includes Bryant McFadden, Jabari Greer, Leigh Bodden, Phillip Buchanon, Chris McAlister and Domonique Foxworth, among others) or if they simply targeted Bartell because they have a high scouting grade on him. Bartell does have the skill set to play free safety, but it's doubtful he would be looking to switch positions.

It's worth noting that the Saints have a recent track record of signing the first guys they bring in during free agency. Last year, defensive end Bobby McCray and cornerbacks Randall Gay and Aaron Glenn were among the first players they brought to town, and all of them eventually signed with New Orleans. In 2007, linebacker Brian Simmons was in on the opening weekend, and safety Kevin Kaesviharn was one of three safeties the Saints lined up for early visits. And in 2006, they heavily pursued quarterback Drew Brees from the opening moments of free agency until they signed him. Of course, the Saints had more freedom under the salary cap in each of those years.

ESPN also reported that the Saints were already faxing an offer to middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma in the wee hours of the morning. Obviously the Saints will try to lock up their top priority before he visits anywhere else, and Vilma has promised to give New Orleans the first crack at keeping him, so things could move fast if the offer is good enough.

However, several reports have suggested that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are trying to get Vilma in for a visit, and that they've made him a top priority. That's scary for the Saints, considering the Bucs have something like $60 million of cap space to work with. They already lost out on top free agent defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, and they've got to spend it somewhere. Signing Vilma would be a win-win for the Bucs, who would get a great middle linebacker and deal a huge blow to a top NFC South rival.

Saints don’t re-sign any free agents



By Larry Holder

Sun Herald

On the eve of the opening of the NFL’s free agency period, New Orleans Saints tackle Jon Stinchcomb spent his time on a family vacation in Disney World not really sweating the process.

Stinchcomb has said numerous times through the past couple of months that he’d love to spend the rest of his career with the Saints.

Other teams may have an influence in Stinchcomb’s future, though.

“I have no new news to report,” Stinchcomb wrote via text message Thursday afternoon.

Fourteen other players can spread similar news as the Saints didn’t have any contract agreements in place once the clock struck 11:01 p.m. Thursday night. That means all 15 players with expiring contracts that were on the Saints’ 2008 roster became fair game for every other team in the NFL.

The Saints currently sit about $10 million under the salary cap with the league pushing the salary cap up to $127 million.

Middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma is the most attractive free agent of the bunch hitting the free market for the Saints. But it was never in the Saints’ best interest to sign Vilma before the start of free agency and General Manager Mickey Loomis has hinted as much since training camp last July.

If Vilma would have been signed before 11:01 p.m. Thursday, the Saints would have to give the Jets their 2009 second-round pick as a stipulation in the trade last year. Then that would trigger a clause where the Saints would ship their first-round pick to the Giants in the Jeremy Shockey trade.

Both sides have been adamant about wanting to hammer out a deal to keep Vilma in New Orleans and a deal could easily be struck by today.

As for Stinchcomb, he’s one of the better tackles on the market and other teams may be ready to pony up a sizable contract for the Saints’ starting right tackle the past three years.

“The past three years, each year I’ve gotten better and this year I feel like I’ve played at a pretty high level,” Stinchcomb said. “With the level I played at this year, I feel like I’m only going to get better.”

With Stinchcomb on the verge of a rather hefty payday, it presents the possibility of restricted free agent Zach Strief of taking Stinchcomb’s spot. The team tendered Strief a one-year, $1.545 million contract with a second-round pick as compensation if another team extends him a contract and the Saints don’t match it.

“Zach and I work out together, and we don’t really talk about (free agency) because we’re all in the same position,” Stinchcomb said.

The other 13 unrestricted free agents include safety Josh Bullocks, tight end Mark Campbell, linebacker Troy Evans, cornerback Aaron Glenn, kicker Martin Gramatica, quarterback Joey Harrington, wide receiver Devery Henderson, safety Terrence Holt, defensive tackle Antwan Lake, cornerback Michael Lehan, offensive lineman Matt Lehr, defensive tackle James Reed and running back Aaron Stecker.

Andy Simms, agent for Lake and cornerback Usama Young, said he’s noticed a bit of a slowdown around the league of teams re-signing players are on the verge of free agency.

“There could always be some 11th-hour deals, and you have started to see some (Thursday),” Simms said. “This fluctuates from year to year, but there’s definitely been less deals being struck before free agency than in years past.”

As far as the Saints interest goes for re-signing Lake, it seems more likely than not that the two parties will go in different directions.

“We’ve spoken a couple of times and we all agree that testing the market is the way to go,” Simms said. “They like him and the way that he plays. There’s some interest in keeping (Lake) on their part if he would come back for the league minimum.”

Here’s a list of significant moves the Saints have done so far leading up free agency:

- Released RB Deuce McAllister and WR David Patten.

- Tendered contracts to restricted free agents Strief, guard Jahri Evans, wide receiver Lance Moore, and cornerback Leigh Torrence.

- Decided not to tender deals to wide receiver Courtney Roby and defensive tackle Montavious Stanley.

- Signed tight end Dan Campbell.

- Placed linebacker Dan Morgan back on the roster after being re-instated to the league following his one-year retirement.

The chance of the Saints re-signing even half of their unrestricted free agents is unlikely. The few players the team is probably targeting hard are Vilma, Stinchcomb and Henderson.

But there’s little doubt the Saints were on the phone with agents setting up visits with perspective free agents once the free agency period opened.

Safety is the biggest position of need for the Saints and it wouldn’t be a shock if the team invites one of the several safeties to visit some time this weekend. Former Vikings safety Darren Sharper has been tossed around as a player the Saints might be interested in.

Others the Saints could look at are Sean Jones, James Sanders and Gerald Sensabaugh. Brian Dawkins and Lawyer Milloy are also available.

Saints, Bucs courting Vilma



By Larry Holder

Sun Herald

Two teams are apparently going after middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma -- the Saints and the Bucs. The Saints faxed a contract offer this morning, according to ESPN. Vilma has stated since before the end of the season that he wanted to remain in New Orleans, but was willing to listen to other offers. But money talks, and Tampa Bay has a lot to spend. According to Pewter Report, the Bucs are trying to set up a visit with Vilma with the hopes of being able to flash their $60 million cap space in Vilma's face. Barrett Ruud already plays the middle, so the Bucs would likely want to shift Vilma to the weakside in place of Derrick Brooks. Knowing Vilma, he'd much prefer to play the middle in the 4-3 scheme.

nuckinfutz74

iTrader: (17)

Saints set up visit with CB Bartell



By Pat Yasinskas

ESPN.com



The New Orleans Saints have been saying for weeks they won't be major players in free agency. That still may turn out to be true, but the Saints aren't going about it passively.

John Clayton reports the Saints contacted the agent for cornerback Ron Bartell soon after the free-agency period began, and have set up a visit for Friday. That doesn't mean the Saints, who are tight against the salary cap, will sign Bartell, but they're at least pursuing a player at one of the positions they need to address most.

New Orleans' secondary was a problem throughout much of last season, and adding a player like Bartell could help solidify things as new defensive coordinator Gregg Williams takes over.

Bartell, 27, was a second-round pick by the St. Louis Rams in 2005 and has been a starter most of the past two seasons. At 6-foot-1 and 209 pounds, he can line up against some of the league's bigger receivers.

The Saints have high hopes for Tracy Porter, who will be returning after an injury suffered near the midpoint of his rookie season. Veteran Mike McKenzie remains on the roster, but is recovering from his second major injury in two years.

The Saints also are expected to look for help at free safety, where Kevin Kaesviharn struggled much of last season.

nothix

iTrader: (27)

SPAM

nuckinfutz74

iTrader: (17)

Info for football guys, unlike your self.