One of the strangest, if not the strangest, chapters in New Orleans Saints history ended this past week when NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell reinstated suspended coach Sean Payton. As a final footnote to the turmoil that engulfed the organization for the past year, Payton in turn fired defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, who served one season.  
Goodell and Spagnuolo became poster children for all that was wrong with the Saints in this autumn of disappointment: Goodell for his suspension of Payton and Spagnuolo for being the architect of a defense that turned out to be the worst in league history.
Although vilified by the Who Dat Nation, Goodell was justified in his suspension of Payton, who reportedly ignored a directive not only from the NFL but reportedly from Saints owner Tom Benson, who both instructed the popular Saints coach to terminate the alleged practice of placing bounties on opposing players. Payton’s alleged actions of ignoring the warnings in this pigskin chess match forced Goodell’s hand, which resulted in the suspension.
Spagnuolo wore the bulls eye for fans frustration, especially as the season slipped away, but in his defense he was in an untenable situation.
Generally highly regarded for his defensive brilliance, Spagnuolo, a staunch disciple of the 4-3 defense, inherited a wasteland of underachieving former No. 1 draft picks who were high in salary and potential but short on effort and performance.
He likely deserved another chance, but realistically Payton had no choice but to swing the axe, at a minimum to satisfy the Saints’ rabid and suddenly restless fan base. Plus, an apparent difference in coaching philosophy needed to be resolved immediately, so Spagnuolo had to go.
With Payton back in his office and the defensive coordinator’s chair vacant, January ushers in a new era of Saints football. Bountygate is history and Spagnuolo a blip on the radar screen, joining Dick Gordon, J.D. Roberts and Mike Ditka as some of the team’s more curious hires.
The reinstatement of Payton and the firing of Spanguolo closes the door on the past season, and fans need to move on. They also need to show class by extending southern hospitality to Goodell for the next week while eagerly anticipating a new season with their favorite visor-wearing coach back on the sidelines.
Hope among the black and gold faithful has been restored.