Here it is: Saints Report #19.
When I wrote the phony Saints report #20 right before the season started:
http://rickrantsfromthecouch.blogspot.com/2009/09/saints-report-20-february-2010.html you thought I was crazy, didn't you?
You didn’t really think there would be a Saints Report #19, did you?
Well, I did. It really wasn’t voodoo, or faith, or misplaced optimism that made me so sure the Saints were going to the Super Bowl this year. I though it was possible because I loved the way they filled their holes from last year, and the way they had upgraded with Gregg Williams, Darren Sharper, Jabari Greer, Heath Evans, Malcolm Jenkins, Anthony Hargrove, and eventually David Thomas etc. They had filled need at so many positions with talent. It was an impressive job, and it couldn’t have gone better. It was thrilling to watch - the thrill of a lifetime.
That’s why you’ve cried several times since the game.
This week it’s been great to listen to so much gnashing of teeth over the Saints victory. They played dirty. The Overtime rules should be changed. The refs blew it. Poor Brett. Brett, Brett, Brett. On and on, play the violin already. We’re going. Get used to it. It won’t be the last time if we keep adding talent either. Remember - we still have Heath Evans, Billy Miller, Rod Harper, Chip Vaughn, Stanley Arnouxx, Kendrick Clancy, and Jammal Brown coming back from Injured Reserve next year. Make no mistake - the Saints are Loaded!
Meanwhile, much is being written about New Orleans as the National Media tries to convey what they can’t possibly understand. Let me address some of the things I’ve heard about the Crescent City.
The French Quarter is filthy. False. It’s never looked better. Now it may not look great at 3 in the morning, but I commend the effort that they’ve made to keep it clean. It’s greatly improved. And there’s certainly no place more entertaining. There’s a certain way that females can earn beads in what used to be a Mardi Gras tradition that has now gone year-around and it’s great fun to be on Bourbon Street when there’s a whole lot of “earning” going on.
Louisiana is corrupt. True. But that’s the way they like it.
One word summarizes their politics – “ReElected.”
Yes, they reelected Edwin Edwards, who was not only a scamp, but flaunted it. Don’t let the fact that he’s finally in prison fool you. If he could get out and run, they’d elect him again.
Yes, they reelected Ray Nagin, who displayed incompetency in the face of adversity and the face of everything else for that matter. He’d be reelected if eligible.
Yes, they reelected William Jefferson, even after the FBI found a $100,000 bribe frozen in his apartment.
And Yes, they’ll reelect Senator David Vitter who remains a paragon of conservative virtue and a major player on the national scene, despite exhibiting prostitutional tendencies. Just another Scamp!
Jimmy Swaggert should have run for office. Then all would have been quickly forgiven.
I bring this all up as evidence of the central premise of what I’ve always believed. When people ask me if I’ve ever left the country, I say “Only when I go to New Orleans.”
It really is like a foreign land. The people in Louisiana in a recent poll were said to be the “happiest” in the country. What? With all they’ve been through?
Katrina! FEMA! Corruption!
Ha, it’s different in Louisiana, and New Orleans is way different from the rest of the state. When they say “Let the Good Times Roll,” it’s not just a phrase – it is a most literal expression of their life’s work. It’s their job. They will move right from their Saints euphoria to Mardi Gras and not miss a celebratory beat. Then it’s one great festival after another, one great meal after another until another year has gone and the clothes have shrunk again.
Yes, there is a connection between the Saints and the surrounding populace like no other. But it’s as much about this forgiving culture as it is about any rebuilding. We’ve been reelecting them for 44 years.
Mike Ditka? Bring him back.
Bum Phillips? Bring him back.
John Mecom? Bring him back.
Aaron Brooks? Bring him back.
Jason David? Well, lets’ not go that far.
I’ve been lucky enough to have attended 4 Super Bowls.
My first was Super Bowl IX in Tulane Stadium January 12, 1975 – The Franco Harris game. He ran wild. I remember it was very cold and windy and I remember climbing to the top of the stadium on crutches with a knee injury. This was the first Steeler Super Bowl and family members came down with tickets, every bit as excited as Saints fans are today.
My second was XXI in the Rose Bowl January 25, 1987 – The Phil Simms game. He was efficient and I got a great picture of the Phil McConkey touchdown that happened right in front of us. We got tickets at the last minute and flew out occupying the last two seats from New Orleans to LA.
My third was XXXI in the Superdome January 26, 1997, the Brett Favre game. We had to see Brett in his first Super Bowl. I flew in for the game, but I’ll never forget walking past thousands of Green Bay fans begging for tickets.
My last was XXXVI in the Superdome February 3, 2002, the Tom Brady game. The Patriots upset the Rams when unknown Brady drove the Pats for the winning field goal.
I bring all this up because I am trying to console myself with the fact that I can’t find any reasonable tickets. As a long-time season ticket holder, I’m actually a little disappointed at the lottery results. The Saints put up 4000 tickets in a lottery for its 71,000 season ticket holders. But according to the NFL the home team gets 17.5% of the 76,000 tickets. That’s 13,300. So, who got those other 10,000 tickets? That’s all we get? I know the players get to buy up to 15 tickets each. So that’s about 1000. So when our chances could have been about one out of 5, they were instead about one out of 20. Wow. I feel ignored. But, no time for sour grapes. We’ll just have to throw the greatest Super Bowl party in the history of bowlkind.
So, on to the game.
Will the Saints win? Yes.
Next question. How?
Well, now that I’m not sure about.
Payton vs. Peyton. It’s a mind game matchup for the ages.
It’s hard to envision Peyton Manning losing isn’t it? That’s the way America is looking at it, and that is certainly understandable. But, the Colts one-upped the Saints all year, allowing the Saints to fly under the radar. Could you imagine the hype if he were playing a New York team? I doubt that “underestimating” is in the Colts vocabulary, but if they’ll just listen to ESPN their overconfidence should grow daily.
I hate to say this but the pressure is on Brees. I think he’s right there with Manning, but the media doesn’t know it and he’s going to have to prove it. I’m guessing Payton will be playing that “disrespected” card for the next 10 days. Brees needs to have a legendary game to give us a chance. He’s got to match Manning shot for shot. The firm of Colston, Henderson, Moore, Meachem, & Shockey needs to match the more heralded firm of Wayne, Garcon, Collie, and Clark. I think they can, but I have to admit covering Dallas Clark is a major concern. A special team and a defensive score or two wouldn’t be all bad.
I’m hoping it will be a shootout, but it will probably come in “under” because these two defenses are pretty good and they practice against some pretty good offenses on a daily basis. They’ll both be ready. I’m going to call it 35-31 Saints.
If that happens, you can bet I’m headed to that filthy French Quarter to see what kind of “earning’s” going on.
Be There. You won’t want to miss this.
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