The Meaning of Saints

I get to go to the New Orleans Saints game against the Atlanta Falcons this Monday night with my friend Doug.  People outside the city are questioning whether or not this is really a big deal.  Simply put, YES.  I've been to the quarterfinals of a World Cup, the 1996 Olympics and some of the best SEC games ever, but I think this one might crack the top spot of my all-time most emotional events ever.

Dan Patrick from ESPN is in New Orleans this week doing his radio show. He has focused his show around former players from the city and actual victims of the hurricane...not people who live on paper like so many other cable outlets.  One man from Slidell emailed his show that, "...I have been working for months to restore my home.  I have no furniture, but bought a 50-inch television so he can watch the game.  It's a night away."  Another woman wrote, "...if nothing else, I don't have to deal with the insurance adjusters and contractors.  It's an outlet." His partner in crime, Keith Olbermann told a story about being in NYC after 9/11.  He said days after a NYPD officer, "What he thought the outcome of the Mets game would be?" It wasn't what do you think will happen now or what should we do.  It was about sports.  It is a release.  It's not life, but it is a metaphor for it.  It’s the ultimate essence of sports.  I give Mr. Patrick major props for doing his job as a journalist responsibly.  He's listening to the citizens. 

Through various airports and cities I've been recently, people tell me their initial notions about the city of New Orleans and what they think should happen.  It's interesting because their view is usually always opposite mine...until they hear me speak.  I don't get emotional about it.  I just tell them other people's stories.  As soon as I make an emotional connection with them, all of a sudden they realize that this isn't a problem to be solved on paper.  Their demeanor changes.  If you're not from here and weren't affected, then you don't speak.  Have the discipline and responsibility to not speak.  You have no idea what we went through and are not qualified to tell us how you think it should be done.  Save your theories for dissertations on increasing the number of endangerd species on the northern coast of Africa.  Life is not lived on paper.  That's why we play the game.  That's why the 2001 New England Patriots beat the St. Louis Rams in the 2002 Super Bowl in the Superdome.  If the game had been played on paper then, the Patriots would have lost by 40 points.

I'm tired of hearing:

Q: "How can you spend $100 million on a Dome when people still don't have homes or running water?"
A: First, the Dome is an icon.  More so than the French Quarter, any person who enters New Orleans must drive by it.  A ton of famous events have happened and we take pride in the fact that people want to hold those events here.  We are a tourist town and the Dome is one of the reasons for it.  Second, so many people have not been able to build their homes back due to the BS coming from private insurance companies.  No one hears about that thought unless you actually speak to residents.  Lastly and most important, the money spent was allocated through bonds.  It legally has to be used for that purpose.

Comment: It's just a football game.  ESPN, the NFL and the city are making too big of a deal about it.
Response: If you're in NYC, Seattle or Miami, then maybe it's just a corporate event.  Maybe all the good tickets are held by large entities.  In New Orleans, football is a passion.  It's ingrained in its citizens.  The people that bought out the whole season for the first time in franchise history are regular citizens that really have to think before buying season tickets.  It's not the CEO of a company.  It's the high school math teacher or the administrative assistant to that CEO.  Maybe the random PhD student living on Long Island thinks we're infantile, but football is a part of our identity.  The fans of college football's SEC understand.

Even if you have no plans to watch Monday Night Football, please watch the pre-game.  Watch the screen closely and notice the number of people crying, the number of men that are fighting back tears and the thunder from the crowd.  Those aren't corporate dollars.

When all of this happened, there was so many unanswered questions (and still are) about the future of this city.  My first thought was that the pro-sports franchises are not as important right now and this might be the time that we lose them.  We weren't doing well before Katrina to support them so how would we now? 

The power of Bush marketing has been unbelievable.  He has done a ton for the community with very little recognition required...class act.  The season has sold out.  I think it's a combination of him, Brees (the new QB), a new head coach, Morten Anderson's return and the first NFL game back in the city.  Like all Americans, we are a resilient people.  They know the Saints need to be a cornerstone in the rebuilding process.  It's a bright and visual reminder of the city's path back.  In a media-world where things are forgotten in a day, it's a symbol that keeps us in the forefront of the country's minds.

The whole city is getting out of work at 3 pm on Monday to get to the game and/or tailgate.  On top of the day, the Falcons and Saints are two teams that have managed to maintain a passionate rivalry despite an era of free agency.  The fans create the rivalry because players come and go. The band lineup is U2, Green Day and Foo Fighters.  The first President Bush is flipping the coin.  They are not rolling out that kind of red carpet for nothing. The NFL and the city are showing their belief in its people.  No one thought, it was silly to have a baseball game in NYC days after 9/11. This is no different.  Because the human spirit is intangible and can't be put on paper, it seems to be too often forgotten.  Never underestimate the power of the human spirit as well as it's need to be nurtured.

People are always asking others why would anyone want to move back to New Orleans after all that.  It's because New Orleans is not a place.  New Orleans is an idea, a unique culture running strong through the blood of its citizens. 

I look forward to writing a recap on Tuesday.

BTW, my prediction is that the Falcons will win this one.  I think it will be close in the first half because of the emotional value, but Atlanta has a phenomenal team and will dominate in the 2nd half.  Like I said, the game isn't decided on paper so I hope I'm wrong.

Comments

[Doug]

Well said, buddy. People who aren't from here will never understand the significance of this event. If you can get a worldwide powerhouse of a band like U2 to perform before a regular season game, you gotta know it's pretty important. Even though the Falcons are a great team, I think the Saints have a chance in this one. Is it crazy that if they do win, they will have the same number of wins as all of last season??? Glad you could fly in and come to the game with me. GO SAINTS!!!!!