Saints fans near and far rally for Super Bowl win

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By Craig Magraff

As I sat down to write this article, I couldn't help but think of Douglas Adams' science fiction comedy series, "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy." In it, Deep Thought, a computer created by a pan-dimensional, hyper-intelligent race of beings, comes up with, after seven and a half million years of calculation, the answer to "The Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything."

The answer turns out to be, "forty-two."

As far as the city of New Orleans and the Saints are concerned, Deep Thought may be right. On January 24, 2010, an entire city, along with people from across the nation and world, precariously held a collective breath, as a leather ball sailed forty yards between two yellow goal posts and into history.

In that moment, forty-two years of shame, demons, and memories of wearing paper bags over our heads were over. Years of always waiting until next year were obliterated, as the New Orleans Saints won the NFC championship and their first trip to the Super Bowl.

According to NOLA.com, following a coliseum-esque roar on that fateful day in January, New Orleans Saints fans literally sprinted from homes and bars and instantly filled a nearly vacant Bourbon Street, as Garrett Hartley's game winner sailed through the uprights.
"The 1.5 mile stretch from the Louisiana Superdome to St. Ann and Bourbon Streets amassed what can only be described as an adrenaline enriched, joyous horde. Fans were running from one end of Bourbon Street to the other, arms outstretched, hi-fiving anyone and everyone within reach. Everyone wore smiles; from the 'Huge Ass Beers' guy to NOPD's finest. Any girl with a jersey on ran the risk of being picked up and spun by the nearest Saints fan," reported the site.

Saints players, fresh from the win, hit the Internet after the game to express their gratitude via social networking updates.

"Playing on 1 leg sux ... I'll get better soon ... wish I could help our team more but I'll be great in 2 weeks," wrote Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey after the big win.

Saints cornerback Malcolm Jenkins tweeted via Twitter, "Super Bowl!!!! Thanks to the city of New Orleans and all the Who Dat Nation for all of the support ... We're gonna bring it back home!"

Saints running back Reggie Bush wrote, "Today was a game of inches! But we got the win! New Orleans stand up! South East San Diego Stand up! We're here!" Later adding, "Who dat."

Saints tight end Billy Miller expressed his appreciation to the team and the city in his tweet, "It took me 11 years in the NFL and a torn Achilles but I am going to the Super Bowl, thanks N.O. for your support."

Since the victory, New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin has been anticipating the arrival of three CDs that Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak laid on the table in a friendly wager over the Saints-Vikings match-up.

With the Saints heading to Super Bowl XLIV, Nagin has another care package of Crescent City goodies to put up against Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard. According to Nagin, who initiated the wager during an appearance on "The Early Show," some of the items up for grabs include famous local foods, a package of CDs, king cakes, cafe au lait and beignets.

"We look forward to seeing what you can put up," the New Orleans mayor quipped.

Mayor Ballard was quick to respond, putting up the "nationally respected" St Elmo's shrimp cocktail, which is the only item on the appetizer menu of St. Elmo's Steak House, an Indianapolis institution. Ballard also bet ten dozen cookies from IndyAnna's Catering, a platter from Judges BBQ, and two dozen tenderloins from Mug 'N' Bun.

Nagin spokesman James Ross said that even though the Saints won against Minnesota, Nagin mailed a similar package to Minneapolis Mayor Rybak as "a gesture of goodwill to share some of what is special about New Orleans and the Who Dat Nation."

Additionally, former Saints quarterback Bobby Hebert picked up the tab on another bet made by the late New Orleans sportscaster Buddy Diliberto, better known as Buddy D. Diliberto promised that he would parade down Bourbon Street in a dress if the Saints ever reached the Super Bowl. However, Diliberto, a Big Easy icon, died five years ago. Hebert has hosted Buddy D's radio show since his death. His daughter made the dress for his parade

Even the leader of the free world has joined the "Who Dat Nation." In an interview with Diane Sawyer, President Obama let it slip that he is rooting for the Saints.

"I think both teams are terrific. I guess I'm rooting a little bit for the Saints as the underdog partly just because when I think about what's happened to New Orleans over the last several years and how much that team means to them, I'm pretty sympathetic."

The last good look the nation and world got of New Orleans before the Saints tore through the NFL was probably something Katrina-related. More than anything, the attention that the Saints have been bringing with their trip to the Super Bowl shows the world a much different side of New Orleans - a more fun, jubilant, slightly inebriated side.

Baton Rouge is not far from the locus of the Who Dat Nation. Saints fever seems to be strong here, though some dissention among the ranks isn't hard to find. However, Kevin Petry, an LSU freshman from New Orleans, is not one of them.

"I was actually at the game for the championship win," said Petry. "My cousin and I cried; it's a big deal because we're from there."

"On a larger scale, I think it's a big deal for the city because of how much revenue it's brought in," he added. "Plus now that the Saints won the championship and are going to the Super Bowl, there's no chance that they're going to move to San Antonio, and that's what's most important; right there."

Speaking of San Antonio, it seems that even some of Texas is feeling a little Who Dat fever. Phil Hardberger, former mayor of San Antonio, said he woke up hoarse Monday from cheering for the New Orleans Saints.

"I watched every minute at home with my wife," Hardberger said of the NFC championship game. "We did a lot of hollering. I think we scared the dog to death."

Hardberger? A member of Who Dat Nation? The man Saints fans accused of trying to steal their team while New Orleans fought the ravages of Hurricane Katrina? It would seem so.

While some Saints fans might gag at the thought of San Antonio's former mayor joining their ranks, Hardberger says the truth is that he always wanted the team to return to the Big Easy.

"New Orleans was always the number one choice for everyone," Hardberger said.

Jonathan Spradley, an LSU freshman from Mandeville, sat with Kevin Petry at the NFC championship game and felt his enthusiasm.

"It's pretty awesome, them winning the national championship. It was a close game, it was pretty intense, and I hope we win the Super Bowl. I can't wait," said Spradley.

Then there are Travon Williams and Cody Edmond, two friends who prove that on some level opposites can attract.

Travon Williams is a Baton Rouge native and a student at ITT Tech. He is also an avid Saints fan.

"I'm going to be happy when they beat the Colts," said Williams. "They're going to beat the Colts. I predict Reggie Bush not scoring at all because he sucks and for Drew Brees to throw touchdowns and the Colts not being able to do anything about it. That's how it's going to happen."

His friend Cody Edmond, an LSU freshman from Plaquemine, couldn't agree less.

"My belief is that the Colts are just going to just destroy the Saints," said Edmond. "I'm a Brett Farve fan, and I don't like the way they were trying to mess over him in the game. They hit him high and low at the same time."

Edmond has a point. Saints defensive end Bobby McCray was fined $20,000 for a low blow on quarterback Brett Favre in the victory over Minnesota. McCray struck Favre around the legs while Saints defensive tackle Remi Ayodele plowed into the quarterback's upper body. This third-quarter play, which the NFL admits should have drawn a penalty, gave Favre a sprained ankle that hampered him for the rest of the NFC championship game.

Some don't agree with the NFL, however, and insist it is all in the game of football.

In any event, on not being a Saints fan in the heart of the Who Dat Nation, Edmond admits that he doesn't feel the love.

"You feel isolated. You don't have a lot of friends," he joked.

"I'm ready to come around this table and get you right now," Williams interrupted, as the two began to laugh.

"When you are not a Saints fan in Louisiana, you feel a lot of pressure, but I never gave in. I'm really a Packers fan," Edmond insisted.

"The Colts suck; make sure you put that in there," shot back Williams in one final attempt to show his allegiance to the Saints.

While these two friends have a lot to debate about with the coming of Super Bowl XLIV, Tracy, an LSU freshman from Jamaica, admitted that she does not know much about the Saints.

"We have soccer back home. That's our football," she said. "But everybody's going with them, so I guess I'll go with them too. It's really exciting to see everybody wearing their Saints gear, but we'll see if they win."

Katelyn, her friend and a sophomore transfer student from Annapolis, Md., is a new transplant in the Who Dat Nation.

"My parents are kind of Saints fans because they're from Texas and a lot of my family is from Louisiana," she said. "I don't really pull for any team, but since I'm down here, it's exciting, so I'll root for them. It's their first Super Bowl, how can you not sympathize with them? With the hurricane and stuff, I feel like it's going to make a lot of people feel better if they win."

For most of the Saints' forty-three year history, the world has not given much of a second thought to the team or the city they represent. New Orleans isn't known as "the city that care forgot" for nothing. Most people try not to remember trips to New Orleans unless behind closed doors or with a group of good friends, and to be honest, we as a city do a lot to keep it that way. After all, we put a lot of lax into our liquor laws, there's a club on every corner (not to mention a church on the very next one), and we name our streets after drinks (i.e. Burgundy and Bourbon).

In other words, we like to party (and repent).

For Saints fans and New Orleanians alike, this is more than a simple victory; it's vindication of faith. Not just faith in football, but faith in general. For us, if the Saints can make it to the Super Bowl, anything is possible.

Kristen Lonon, a fourth year landscape architecture major from New Orleans knows all too well about that.

"I knew it was going to happen because I have faith," said Lonon. "I'm not really a huge sports fan, but I just spoke it into existence because New Orleans has real faith unlike any other city. I knew we would win. I feel like the Saints winning the Super Bowl is completely possible, but in the event that we don't, I don't give a damn because we went to the Super Bowl."

As a New Orleanian, I personally can't help but be ecstatic about it all. It's a chance for many people to see New Orleans in a different light, maybe its best light - a light that is much needed and could help to show people the magic of our city, why it's so special, and why we fight so hard to keep it alive.

But then again, you could easily say, "Hey, it's just football." And in any other situation, you'd probably be right. But in New Orleans, just like anything else, the Saints are an excuse - an excuse to come together, and not only come together, but to have fun doing so. Because that's what New Orleans is all about. It's what we do. So, without further adieu, Who Dat?!?

Originally Published: Issue 863 - February 3, 2010

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