Ok I know you’ve read like 20 of these things and they all ask pretty much the same questions going into training camp.

Alex Brandon / Associated Press

File Photo.

So I’m going to try and spice things up with questions, thoughts, and my observations going into camp.

Let’s call it brutal honesty. All the Black and Gold pom-pom waving, don’t be negative, and the Saints season is going to be all lollipops and sunshine fans might want to stop reading or open up your Outlook so you can send me a nasty email.

Ok let’s get this thing going.

1. $120 million is a lot to pay for 9.5 sacks

The Saints have signed Will Smith and Charles Grant to contracts worth over $120 million and last year they didn’t even have double digit sacks combined.

Call me concerned. And I’m not even talking about the trial hanging over Grant’s head.

The stunning thing to me is that not one media member questioned the huge contract Will Smith got. He’s the third highest paid defensive end in the NFL behind Dwight Freeney and Jared Allen. Really? Why didn’t the Saints make him play out his contract and if he has a great year franchise him?

Now the cornerstones of the Saints defense is an up and down player (Will Smith) and an underperforming guy (Charles Grant) facing possible prison time.

And these guys are locked in for huge bonuses. If they flop, the defense flops and say hello to 8-8.

2. Jonathan Vilma will be the next big mistake of the New York Jets

The Saints might actually have themselves a great middle linebacker for the first time since Winfred Tubbs had a career year during Mike Ditka’s first year in New Orleans. Yes, Vilma was injured last year but in the 4-3 defense three years ago he was an absolute terror. And never forget the New York Jets have a long history of doing dumb things. Dumping Vilma will be added to the list.

3. The Saints Secondary still stinks

Unless you think Aaron Glenn will find the fountain of middle age or Tracy Porter is going to be the steal of the draft then how exactly is this secondary any better?

It’s not. Mike McKenzie was the Saints best defensive player last year and he’s coming off knee surgery.  Roman Harper and Josh Bullocks are average at best and if Kevin Kaesviharn is the solution at safety how come he couldn’t beat out Bullocks last year?

We need not even mention Jason David. Let’s just move on.

4. Reggie Bush will have a huge year and fantasy nerds and message board guy will still hate him.

Bush isn’t a 25 carry-a-week running back but what if he catches 90 balls for 900 yards, runs for 700, and scores 10 times? Oh, and throw in 400 yards of punt returns.

That would be 2,000 total yards but depending on your fantasy league he won’t be that valuable. Fantasy is so big even ‘experts’ confuse real football and fantasy.

Of course message board guy will say Bush isn’t that good because he probably won’t have a bunch of 100-yard rushing games and the last time anything original or creative came out of a message board thread was the second Tuesday of last week.

5. If the Saints receivers continue to drop the ball, will Drew Brees have a mental breakdown?

Let’s hope not. The Saints have led the NFL in drops the last two years. The fact the Saints have also thrown the most passes is no excuse.

Take out Marques Colston and does any Saints receiver start on another NFL team?

Seriously, the Saints receivers are a bunch of third receivers and one huge question mark.

Let’s hope all those glowing articles in the local papers about how good Robert Meachem has looked this off season are true.

6. Will Jeromy Shockey be partying on Bourbon Street come September?

Lord, I hope so. As I just mentioned Drew Brees needs all the help he can get. While Shockey is a head case and is difficult to handle, something tells me Sean Payton and Brees can keep him in line. Plus, I enjoy guys that create drama and say what you want but Shockey is interesting. Oh and the day he puts on a Saints jersey he’ll be the second best receiver on the Saints team (Sorry Reggie).

7. What will be a sign that Deuce’s comeback is going poorly?

If you start reading on the internet or see John Clayton saying the Saints are talking about bringing some washed up and over-the-hill running back it probably means Deuce is struggling. Everyone wants Deuce to make it back but the odds say he won’t. And for the record, If you think a Reggie Bush, Pierre Thomas, and Aaron Stecker backfield is good enough, you weren’t paying attention last year when Philly stuffed the Saints four straight times from the one-yard line.

8. Martin Gramatica wants to bring joy to all Saints fans but Sean Payton might not let him.

For the first time I can remember the Saints actually have a training camp kicking battle. In my mind this is a battle between good (Gramatica) and evil (Tyler Mehlhaff). Gramatica celebrates 20-yard field goals like he just one the World Cup or cured cancer. And he has a freakishly giant head. If Sean Payton wants to keep Mehlhaff to kickoff that’s fine, but dam him if he cheats me out of the joy of watching Gramatica kick a 19-yard field goal to beat Tampa in week one. How long do you think Gramatica would run around the field after beating his old team? He’d being doing victory laps in the Dome until at least Wednesday. Don’t you deny us this pleasure coach, don’t you dare.

9. The Saints game on September 7^th will be moved because Farveapolooza will be coming to town

     I know your initial reaction is probably you don’t want Brett Favre to end up a Buc because it would be bad for the Saints.  You couldn’t be more wrong. Favre is only 25-23 as a starter the last three years and he won’t be up to speed by week one on Jon Gruden’s giant playbook. Besides, he doesn’t scare me and if the Saints are good enough to win the division it won’t matter who Tampa has at quarterback.

But most of all can you imagine the absolute circus that will come to town if Favre starts week one against the Saints in the Superdome? Good God, the NFL Commissioner might enact the super secret flex plan and move the game to Sunday Night on NBC.

Good times.

The Saints-Bucs game would go from mildly interesting to the rest of the country to must see TV. ESPN might cover it like the Super Bowl.

10. Will the local media continue to get softer or if the Saints struggle will they ask tough questions?

Since Buddy D passed away the local media is down to few voices that really will give a strong opinion if the Saints struggle.

I like my media to not be liked by the team. I want columnists that write columns that tick off coaches and some fans. Sometimes tough questions need to be asked. Will the media ask them?

Ralph Malbrough is a Saints fan living in Houston. He can be reached at ralphmalbrough@hotmail.com. He hosts a podcast this Wednesday at 8:30pm and will talk to Scott Kramer of Bucsstats.com all about Brett Favre rumors and the Saints week one opponent. You can check out the podcast or past editions at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/forecastradio