February 08, 2010

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Super Bowl Champions - New Orleans Saints

Super Bowl Champions - New Orleans Saints

Super Bowl Champions - New Orleans Saints

Super Bowl Champions - New Orleans Saints


I just had to say it more than once.  Who can believe it?  After 43 years the New Orleans Saints have won it all.  They are the Champions!

I will leave it up to the “pros” to analyze the game.  I really don't care how the Saints won it.  The fact that they won it is the only thing that matters.

I spent all afternoon like most people in these parts in front of my television taking in every moment possible.  I know a lot of people probably got tired of all of the mushy stuff about the Saints and how they represent the comeback of the city of New Orleans and the entire Gulf region.  However, as someone who has lived their entire life around here and who experienced the tragedy of hurricane Katrina, I thought it represented the emotions fairly well.  I especially liked the musical commentary by Wynton Marsalius.

In my opinion the Saints represent this area well.  They show that you can be down but not out.  You can be left for dead but come back, whether a football team or a city.

We all know the story of New Orleans.  But do you really realize who the players are that make up the New Orleans Saints?

Drew Brees came to the Saints after suffering a possible career ending injury to his throwing shoulder.  The doctors for the Dolphins said don't take a chance on him.

Marques Colston was taken in the last round of the draft.

Lance Moore wasn't taken in the draft.

Jermon Bushrod replaced an all-pro tackle and hadn't played a down the previous two years with the Saints.  The Saints offensive line was voted the best in the NFL this year.

 Jonathan Goodwin came to the Saints as a free agent in '06 when the Saints were at rock bottom.

Jeremy Shockey was no longer wanted by the Giants and was traded to the Saints.

Robert Mechem didn't do anything his first two years with the Saints.

Anthony Hargrove was suspended, not once, but twice by the NFL for illegal drug use.  Sean Peyton took a chance on him and he has been the most appreciative Saint of all and has turned his life around.

Will Smith and Charles Grant were supposed to miss four games for use of a baned substance.  They appealed and a court allowed them to play this season.

Darren Sharper was thought to be over the hill by the Vikings, and therefore they let him walk as a free agent.

Roman Harper came back from a serious knee injury. 

Thomas Morstead has never kicked off until the first game of this NFL season.

Garrett Hartley was suspended for the first four games of the season for using a banned substance to help him stay awake as he drove from Texas to training camp.  He also came back from missing the game-winning field goal against Tampa Bay that would have clinched the # 1 seed for the Saints.

Those are just some of the stories of the Saints' players that brought themselves up off the bottom to the pinnacle of success. 

So you wonder why there is such an emotional attachment to this team and its city?

One final thought.  Right after the game my sister called me from Maryland.  She asked me what I thought.  I told her I was trying to hold back the tears.  I told her I was thinking of those people I met at the PMAC after Katrina ( I told y'all about that a couple of weeks ago).  But I was also thinking about the first time I went back into New Orleans after the storm.  It was one month to the day after Katrina.  I'll always remember seeing that torn roof of the Super Dome.  I'll always remember seeing the water mark of about five feet on Jesuit High School.  I'll remember the water marks on the houses where my grandparents and aunts and uncles used to live and I played as a child.  I'll also remember going down St. Charles Ave. with no street cars, but National Guard Tents instead.  I'll remember crossing Canal Street with no traffic and no traffic lights.  I'll remember a lot.

But now I'll also remember seeing a band of castoffs and a coach that molded them into a championship team.  I'll remember:

Super Bowl Champions - New Orleans Saints!

Thee is one other person we need to remember, Paul Tagliabue.  Without him there would be no New Orleans Saints.



Until next time, may the good Lord bless and keep you.

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