Coach Payton makes book-signing debut

Saints mentor a hit with the crowd

By Mike Pervel
St. Tammany News
Published on Wednesday, July 28, 2010 12:23 AM CDT

http://www.thesttammanynews.com/articles/2010/07/28/sports/doc4c4f59377b942146174247.txt

New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton, the author of “Home Team” made a guest book signing appearance Monday evening at the Mandeville Barnes & Noble Booksellers store. The enthusiastic and beloved fan base crammed into the store to get the Super Bowl champion author’s autograph. In the book, coach Payton describes the team’s Super Bowl victory, which raised the city’s spirits for years after Hurricane Katrina.

Coach Payton, a Northshore resident, was definitely up to the challenge as he signed an unspecified number of his books for delighted fans, who were privileged to be in that number after doing their fare share of waiting in line.

“It was our first book signing, and I was just real encouraged with all the people that came out and waited. Barnes & Noble did a great job. It went very smooth. It was exciting. It was good to really get back here and it was the first opportunity for us to sign for so many of these people (fans), who have read the book,” Payton said.  As the book signing was about to get underway Monday someone mentioned to the coach that his quarterback Drew Brees had made 19 book signing appearances throughout the area for his book, “Coming Back Stronger.”

Coach Payton, a great orchestrator of X’s and O’s, got a gleam in his eye and said let’s get it done to see if we can put a dent in Drew’s lead.

You could just see the coach’s passion and competitive spirit unfolding.

“Drew and I have exchanged some texts. I believe he has done about 19 or 20 signings for his book. I’ve kind of lost track,” Payton said.

“We’re just kind of dabbling right now with this initial signing.”

Payton talked about the joy he got from the signing event.

“I’d guess and say we were pretty close to 3,000 signatures or somewhere in that vicinity. My hand’s a little sore, but not that bad,” coach Payton said.