Sean Payton new New Orleans Saints coach
NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 17 (UPI) -- The New Orleans Saints are expected to name former Dallas Cowboys assistant Sean Payton as their new head coach on Wednesday.
Payton had been a quarterbacks coach for three seasons under Bill Parcells in Dallas and also held the title of assistant head coach/passing game coordinator. He worked for the Philadelphia Eagles in 1997-98 and the New York Giants from 1999-2002.
Payton played briefly in the NFL as a replacement player with the Chicago Bears during the 1987 players strike.
Payton succeeds Jim Haslett, who was New Orleans coach for six years. Haslett went 45-51, including an NFC West title in 2000, his first season.
The Saints finished 3-13 in 2005, a season in which all "home" games were played on the road because of Hurricane Katrina.
New Orleans is expected to choose either Southern California quarterback Matt Leinart or Texas quarterback Vince Young with the second overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft.
Jets hire Eric Mangini as head coach
NEW YORK, Jan. 17 (UPI) -- The New York Jets have hired Eric Mangini, who was defensive coordinator for the New England Patriots, as their head coach.
Mangini replaces Herm Edwards, who left the Jets after a 4-12 season to take over the Kansas City Chiefs. With his 35th birthday coming up Thursday, Mangini is the youngest head coach in the NFL.
The Jets' job will be the first head coaching position for Mangini, who was the defensive coordinator for one season after handling the team's defensive backs for five years and has 12 total years as an NFL assistant coach. He beat out former head coaches Jim Haslett of the New Orleans Saints and Mike Tice of the Minnesota Vikings for the position.
Pees new Patriots defensive coordinator
FOXBOROUGH, Mass., Jan. 17 (UPI) -- The New England Patriots announced Tuesday that Dean Pees will be the team's new defensive coordinator.
Pees, who had been the Pats' linebackers coach the last two seasons, replaces Eric Mangini, who was named coach of the New York Jets earlier in the day.
"Dean Pees has done an outstanding job coaching our linebackers," said New England Coach Bill Belichick. "When he joined us, Dean brought a wealth of experience into this system and has been a significant part of our success over the past two seasons."
Pees, 56, has 33 years of coaching experience, including 15 seasons as a defensive coordinator and six years as a head coach at the collegiate level. In Pees' first year as the Patriots' linebackers coach, they ranked ninth overall and sixth in the league against the run.
Pees spent six seasons as the head coach at Kent State (1998-03). From 1995-97, he was defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Michigan State.
Iverson, Garnett win weekly honors
NEW YORK, Jan. 17 (UPI) -- Philadelphia 76ers guard Allen Iverson and Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Garnett were named Monday as the NBA's players of the week.
Iverson averaged a league-high 40 points, with 9.3 assists and five rebounds per game this past week. He had back-to-back 40-point games for the third time this season, scoring 41 points on Jan. 9 against Seattle and 46 against Utah on Jan. 11.
He also had 33 points and 10 assists in a triple-overtime victory over Boston on Jan. 13.
Garnett, a perennial all-star, averaged 24.3 points, 14 rebounds and 6.3 assists. He had a 31-point, 15-rebound, six-assist performance in a 103-89 victory over Denver on Jan. 13.
