Saints coach superstitious with bubblegum

Saints head coach Sean Payton has three things laid out neatly on the desk in his office before every game: The laminated play sheet with the catalogue of plays the coaching staff plans to use in the game. The red flag he’ll use to challenge officials’ calls. Two neat stacks of Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit gum. Each stack will contain five sticks, one for each drive of each half. Payton will not take the field until he has stashed the sticks into his pocket. He breaks out a new stick to start each offensive series. If the Saints enjoy more than five drives in a half or the game goes into overtime, the equipment staff keeps a reserve supply in a tray behind the bench. The Juicy Fruit is Payton’s lone game-day superstition, and for him, it’s every bit as important as the play sheet. Although he scoffed at the notion that the Saints might have been a team of destiny last season, he’s a devout believer in the juju of the Juicy Fruit. — New Orleans Times-Picayune