Yes, the Graham thing dragged on, but the Saints never felt, internally, like that wouldn't eventually be taken care of. With offseason distractions kept to a minimum, the team has enjoyed time to develop an identity. Ideally, the aforementioned looseness and swagger will be accompanied by a fierce edge, mirroring the 2009 championship squad. The hope is, as training camp heats up, this will manifest in the way the team works against itself to prepare for the fight against others. It is, in fact, what you saw in New Orleans during the title season: nasty practices where it looked like the offense didn't like the defense much, and vice versa. Brees said, "I love Rob Ryan, I love his aggressive approach." Ryan, of course, serves as a counterpart to the swashbuckling Payton.