Saints prepare for Marco and Laura

New Orleans Saints are planning as an organization for the tropical storms in the Gulf of Mexico. Hurricane Marco and Tropical Storm Laura are expected to reach the Louisiana coastline.

Sean Payton recalled a past training camp when the organization was had to contend with Hurricane Gustav in 2008.  Fast forward to August 2020, the team will prepare for not only one, but two threats in the Gulf of Mexico - Hurricane Marco and Tropical Storm Laura.  Both storms have been tracked to reach the Louisiana coastline within days of each other.  A double-hit for the state.  Governor Bel Edwards has declared a state of emergency and requested resident evacuations in several lower southeastern parishes of Louisiana.

Sunday morning's media videoconference began with head coach Sean Payton taking a jab at the "sweatbox" of a media room before fielding questions from beat reporters. The first question addressed the team's plans on how they will address the approaching storms.  

"An update relative to both of these storms. And, begin to put a plan together, whether it's here or at a satellite location. [If it's] here we just got a, we got to look closely, where generators are, how it affects our facility how it affects the indoor facility."

Sean Payton, Saints Head Coach

Payton emphasized two options for the club. One, the team will remain at headquarters. Two, they will move to another location will be the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. However, Payton was not sure of the status of the Superdome's turf surface. Construction crews at the stadium laid down a new turf last week. For the team to practice on the surface, the grounded black rubber pellets must be installed, leveled, distributed evenly by field crews.

Payton closed out his update by saying, "When would the Superdome would be ready with their turf surface. Really two options. One, obviously being here [Saints HQ] and how we are impacted here potentially with the power outages. Two, in the event that we want to move or have to move, [will be] Plan B."

The team has players unfamiliar with tropical storms and hurricanes. New Orleans rookie linebacker Zack Baun shared his first experience with a Gulf Coast tropical storm in June. "In early June, there was that tropical storm that came in... [we] were at the grocery store, grabbing all the canned goods, and when we got home, it was really just, like, it rained," joked Baun.  Of course, not all players will not have a simplified experience with Gulf Coast weather systems as Baun's.  

The players met with Payton after Sunday's practice in their inside training facility. QB Drew Brees had a day off, and Alvin Kamara was excused from the workout because of the stomach flu. Coach Payton resumed, "we'll have a little bit more information...to handle this not only as a team but for the extended members."

August 28th will be the 15th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and the devastation in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast region. Katrina caused over $125 billion in property damage and calculated more than 1,200 people who died as a result of winds and flooding.