By KEVIN CHIRI

Editor and Publisher

LAPLACE – Two members of the New Orleans Saints team paid a visit to the LaPlace Rotary Club this week and did nothing to dampen the excitement still brimming over from last year’s record run by the NFL football team.

The Saints had the best showing in team history during 2006 when they won the NFC South championship, then went all the way to the NFC Championship game, putting them one win short of making the Super Bowl for the first time ever.

Fullback Mike Karney, one of the stars of the explosive offensive team, was joined by Saints Assistant Special Teams Coach Greg McMahon on Tuesday at Bull’s Corner Restaurant, as they gave an update on the recent draft, and answered questions about the past year, and what is hoped for in 2007.

&#8220You don’t go all the way to the NFC Championship game and not be hungry to go further next year,” Karney said. &#8220We have every expectation to be in the Super Bowl next year since we believe we have the players to do it.”

Karney said there is an attitude being instilled by new head coach Sean Payton, which is a big factor in what has happened to the Saints.

&#8220We’re all about character on this football team. That’s the number one word we use to describe our team and how we want all the players to be,” he said. &#8220We have a lot of guys who bring their lunch pail to work every day, and enjoy competing for their families, the team and the city.”

Karney, a fourth year player out of Arizona State, said that his involvement with the Saints has been nothing short of a dream come true.

&#8220I’m living a dream, like a kid in a candy store,” he said. &#8220When I’m sitting between players like Reggie Bush and Deuce McAllister in the locker room, I just find myself amazed at where I am. To this day I still feel like I’m living a dream, it’s so great to be on an NFL team.”

As for the hope for next year, Karney said that he believes the year of experience together will help the Saints move to the next level.

&#8220You have to remember that last year began with a whole new group. We had 32 new guys on the team. But we still set big goals and found ourselves winning week to week. But maybe once we got to Chicago in the NFC Championship game, the difference might have been the experience, and the fact we hadn’t been there. We certainly know we didn’t put our best foot forward in that game.”

Karney said he actually looks back on his proudest moment as the previous year when the Saints finished 3-13 right after Hurricane Katrina hit.

&#8220We had guys walking out of the locker room just quitting, so for guys like myself and others, I was proud of finishing that season even though most of it was on the road,” he said.

McMahon, who previously had 26 years coaching on the college ranks before coming to the Saints, reviewed the recent draft and said he sees a lot of promise in some of the picks the Saints got.

&#8220First of all, we felt fortunate to go into the draft not in a desperate situation for certain players,” he said. &#8220Free agency has provided us with some specific needs we had, so we were able to pick the best players who were available at the time.”

He said that the Saints first round pick, wide receiver Robert Meachem of Tennessee, was a surprise to even have a shot at.

&#8220We had him ranked as the number two receiver in the draft, and we were surprised he was available when it was our turn to pick. We didn’t expect to pick a receiver, but when we saw he has there, we had to take him,” McMahon explained.

The Saints selected cornerback Usama Young from Kent State, and offensive guard Andy Alleman from Akron University in the third round, then added running back Antonio Pittman from Ohio State and offensive tackle Jermon Bushrod from Towson in the fourth round.

&#8220Young was targeted early by us since he is big for that position, and very athletic. Then Alleman is a very athletic guard,” McMahon said. &#8220We were not expecting to get a running back when our fourth round pick came around, but he was such a good player, really big at 220 with great speed at 4.4, and we felt like he would add great depth to that position for us.”

The final first day picks saw the Saints get cornerback David Jones from Wingate, and linebacker Marvin Mitchell from Tennessee.

&#8220The thing about the draft is you just never know who will work out,” McManus remarked. &#8220Look at Marques Colston last year, one of the last picks in the draft. And it takes a couple of years to really be sure who works out for you.

&#8220The NFL is a violent, violent game, and only 53 guys can make it, so it’s tough when we cut guys who really are sure they can play. All we can do is be respectful when we do it, but that’s a tough part of this job,” he added.