If you can image a very young lad dressed in a Boy Scout uniform ushering drunk men and fancy women to their seats before each New Orleans Saint’s football game forty years ago, you would be imagining me.
In 1971 the Saints drafted Archie Manning who played quarterback ten seasons with the Saints. Archie is the father of Peyton Manning, (quarterback of the Indianapolis Colts) and the father of Eli Manning, (quarterback of the New York Giants). Archie and the Saints played at Tulane Stadium until 1975 the Superdome was built. While I can’t call myself a native of New Orleans because I was born in another state, my parents moved here when I was one. I grew up here. I have always remained a Saint fan.
The Saints franchise was founded in 1967 and since then has served as a symbol of our standing in the US. You see, I think we Americans look to our football teams as representations of who we are compared to the rest of America. Arguably economy, politics, education and even baseball somehow seem to take a second to football. I realize football is not for everyone, but pretty much here, especially in the south. On last night’s game against Brett Favre and the Vikings, the overtime victory was a nail biter to the end. Last night’s victory assures our first ever Super Bowl appearance, we have finally arrived. What makes this even more intense for me is I live five miles north of where Brett Favre grew up, a 45 minute drive to New Orleans. Favre is a local hero. Favre says he’s always been a Saint fan, except for last night I suppose.
On February 7, the Saints will face the opposing Peyton Manning and his team the Indianapolis Colts at the Super Bowl. This will be as emotional for us as it will be for the Mannings. Both young Mannings are born and bred Saint fans. Both have won Super Bowls with their respective teams, an accomplishment their father Archie never achieved as a Saint.
The Mannings are dearly loved by New Orleans and so are the Saints. Why all these planets have lined up this way is a mystery. If you can imagine for us this Super Bowl game will be a tear jerker from start to finish. We will cheer with the Mannings and wish Peyton well, for he is a son of New Orleans like his father and we know his father will cheer for him. We will cheer for our team the Saints and wish them well. The Saints have finally reached top drawer standing in the NFL. We will cry for the 43 years of never experiencing the honor of being NFC Champions much less a shot at the Super Bowl, an honor every other team in America has had. We will cry for the devastation of Hurricane Katrina both in New Orleans and on the Mississippi coast and for our struggles to rebuild when everyone wrote us off. No matter the outcome, of course we hope we win, the rest of the world will watch a game, we will watch an anointing. Bring plenty of hankies.
I am rooting for the Saints. For so many reasons, including that in New England you can get flogged for rooting for the Colts, and my family crest has the fleur de lis in it. I just like them. I want to root for the team that has never been there before. I think a win for the Saints will be a win for everyone who was knocked down by Katrina. I don’t want to be anywhere near New Orleans when it all goes down though. I get claustrophobic watching the footage of Mardi Gras on TV. Too many people.
Y’all beat the CRAP outta Favre yesterday – and I mean HIM, not the team. I suppose that was good strategy – but to me, it seems like a less than nice way to treat your heroes.
I assure you, I had nothing to do with it. And hey, and next time you see Brian Urlacher, tell him to be nice for me. Besides, that was a big show by Favre, they only messed his hair, if they wanted him dead, he’d be dead.
Lot’s of history being built on what has already been…I will be cheering for the Saints as my beloved Packers went home early…again..and just for the record I am still a brett fan even though that’s not in vouge up this way these days.He’s one of the best to ever play the game and I had the pleasure of seeing him several times during his tenure in Green Bay…GOOOOO SAINTS…
Awww, this Eagles fan just shed a tear at this post (for her own team, maybe!)
Is there some sort of . . . game . . . happening soon?
Me, being a native of Louisiana, am so proud of the Saints. After 40 years we finally made it. But as always, people are STILL underestimating the Saints once again. I’m so much trash about the Saints not being able to beat the Colts its ridiculous. People act like Manning is unbeatable. Well we had to go through 2 FUTURE HALL OF FAME QB’s to get to the Superbowl. And all Manning had to do was get passed “The NO OFFENSE” Ravens and a rookie quarterback. I don’t care what people say, THE SAINTS ARE WINNING THE SUPERBOWL THIS YEAR!
AP: Well, Peyton is a great QB. As Lceel eloquently put it, Favre got the crap beat out of him. The sack wasn’t important. Getting the QB was. Peyton is coming into this one thinking his long count is going to save him. He’s just delaying the inevitable butt whipping to follow. He has two seconds to dump the ball. At 2.1 one seconds a very large fellow, maybe two very large fellows will be spreading him on the field like cream cheese on a bagel. I suppose we can just coin it now and start calling it Manning Jam.
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!! you are hilarious! “Manning Jam” I like that lol But on a serious note, you are VERY TRUE!!! The Saints may not get the sack everytime but THEY WILL be getting physical with Manning. He should be shaking in his boots right about now. I mean really, look at what them boys did to Warner and Favre. And they are the 2 toughest QB’s in the NFL