Saints coach SEAN PAYTON on Sunday night "made a cameo" on HBO's "BALLERS" in which he "courts a free agent wide receiver," according to Amos Morale III of the New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE. Payton in the show offered the player a 3-year, $30M deal, joking yesterday, "I was asked to do it. [Exec VP & GM MICKEY LOOMIS] said to me 'If we ever show up in an airplane with a parade to sign a 30-year old receiver....'" Morale notes Payton is "only on screen for a few seconds." But he said that it "was actually a 'seven-eight hour day' to shoot the scene" (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 8/2). Payton said, "That show has done well during their second season. ... It worked out with the summer schedule and it was fun" (THEADVOCATE.com, 8/1).
Fictional Ricky Jerret was the player being courted by the Saints and other teams in the episode. When he arrives in New Orleans, Jerret is met by a Saints representative who tells him, "New Orleans is the greatest city in America. ... They will embrace you and make you one of their own and when they do, you will feel warmth that you've never felt in your life." Jerret: "I hope that warmth comes with a big-ass offer." DWAYNE "THE ROCK" JOHNSON plays agent Spencer Strasmore in the show, repping Jerret and clients including DT Vernon Littlefield. Strasmore in the show has to decide what to tell the Cowboys about an injury Littlefield sustained playing paintball. Littlefield's friend and hanger-on Reggie says, "If it's going to mess with Vernon's money, then don't tell them shit." Littlefield said, "I don't like to lie." Strasmore replies, "Dallas can never find out how this happened." Littlefield has a crisis of conscience and ends up calling the Cowboys team owner, played by actor CHRISTOPHER MCDONALD, who channels his inner JERRY JONES ("Ballers," HBO, 7/31).
