Olindo Mare is No Longer a Saint, and it Doesn't Matter Why

It wasn't that long ago that I said: "That ominous presence hanging over Olindo Mare's head might be a falling pink slip," in reference to the Saints re-upping Martin Gramatica. Of course, I also noted that Mare's shot to lose his job would probably come in training camp. So I was half-right.

In any case, the Saints have released Mare, who they acquired last offseason from Miami for a sixth-round pick. There's conflicting reports as to the whyabouts of the release though. The team's official reason for cutting Mare was a failed physical (he battled injuries all year long, eventually landing on the IR -- the whole reason Gramatica got a job in the first place). But Pro Football Talk is reporting that Mare refused to take a cut on his $1.5 million salary this year.

The Saints used a failed physical as an excuse for cutting Joe Horn last year (when it was really over a pay cut), so it wouldn't surprise me if PFT is on the money. But it doesn't matter -- that's a ridiculous price to pay considering Mare's horrendous 2007 season. If he thinks someone else is going to pay him that, or anything close to that, let him go and try and find that team. Gramatica's got it on lockdown anyway.