Naperville Central: April 2009 Archives

UPDATE: This tip comes from blog maestro Sean Fuchs. Mike Triplett has the call on NOLA.com: "Sean Payton beats the Easter bunny but not his wife in Crescent City Classic."

It's always good to have goals, and while Sean Payton would no doubt like to win a Super Bowl for New Orleans, right now he'll settle for beating the Easter bunny.

At least that's what Mike Triplett reports in his Times-Picayune blog. Payton, the Saints coach and Naperville Central graduate, is planning to run the 6.2-mile Crescent City Classic on Saturday, just like he did last year.

Payton told Triplett: "And about midway through this race, this Easter bunny -- in full outfit -- is stride for stride with me. And I'm thinking, 'The last thing I need is the Easter bunny to beat me in a 10K.' I mean, he's got the fur and everything."

Apparently the race includes everyone from elite Kenyan runners to weekend warriors to casual joggers.

For the record, Payton did finish strong and outrun the bunny last year, completing the course in one hour, seven minutes after about two months of training. No word yet on Gatorade showers from his players after the race.

From afar, Owen Daniels seems like someone who gets it, so it wasn't a total surprise that the Texans Pro Bowl tight end didn't skip the team's offseason conditioning program. But the thought did cross his mind, as he told John McClain of the Houston Chronicle this week.

As a third-year restricted free agent who was tendered the maximum, Daniels is guaranteed a one-year deal worth $2.79 million, and any other team that signs him would have to forfeit first- and third-round picks, assuming the Texans don't match the offer. That's a steep price, but so is the $20.1 million in guaranteed salary Tampa Bay recently gave Kellen Winslow Jr.

The Naperville Central graduate told McClain that he'd like long-term security in Houston, but also realizes that the Winslow deal won't hurt his negotiations.