Connexxions

New Orleans 2 Years Later

It's been two years now since Katrina hit my town.  I was just commenting to my best friend, now roommate, last night that I can't believe it's been 2 years since.  I'm having trouble believing that it's been a year since I wrote my last annual post!  Last year I reflected on how much my life has changed in just 367 days.  This year I've been forced to take on a more outside view of the city, since I'm only there about once a quarter on business. 

As the news goes, people face fatigue with the stories that just can't seem to go away.  Katrina is one of these stories for many people.  A huge frustration, still, for the people of the city is that only the negative media coverage seems to come out.  Earlier this year, we had former medical professionals appear on a grand jury for possible euthanasia.  Never mind, that they saved many other victims under extraordinary (literal sense) circumstances.  It's not like it was a typical day in the sun and they decided to just start killing people; but people tried to bring them down on such charges...unsuccessfully.  I can still remember Anderson Cooper trying to cause controversy less than 3 weeks after the storm to get the mayoral candidates of Kenner in a shouting match for "news."  It makes me want to curse out the news channels like my Iraqi cab driving friend.

It's been a rough year for politicians as well.  At my last count, we've had 4 politicians indicted on federal charges...two at the national level and two at the local.  The most upsetting for the locals was probably school board member Oliver Thomas because he was seen as the good and decent one, and I emphasize one, on the New Orleans school board.  Just like anything else, there were probably many other politicians facing federal indictments in every state around the union; but we are under a microscope so everything counts.

Chris Rose, a writer for the Times Picayune who has gained much national recognition since Katrina due to his impressive writings, has had his book "1 Dead in Attic" now picked up and published by Simon and Schuster.  We, the people of New Orleans, knew about our gem well before the storm. For me, Rose has been my source for the real happenings of the city from the outside.  He pushes through all the clutter and let's you know what's truly down under the pile.  Even Oprah has succumbed to the negative media.  He has denied an appearance on Oprah today because they didn't want to discuss his book...they want him to come on and talk about, "the mental health crisis" in New Orleans.  I'm glad Rose denied the opportunity; but I'm sure Oprah will still create healthy dose of drama around the country for their 90% drama-craving audience.  To the people of New Orleans the situation is a very real problem...to people around the country it's a punchline or a good book.

The city of New Orleans focused fast on getting tourism up and running because it's the bread and butter.  I still become sad each time I fly in because there used to be 20 planes at a time there. and now I can count the number of direct flights per day on two hands.  The airport looks almost identical at 9 in the morning as it does at 9 at night.  It's weird.  Family and friends talk to me about happenings in the city like I'm just supposed to know what's going on.  In Atlanta, the only time I hear about New Orleans is if the Saints have done something or if something bad happens.  I suspect it's the same everywhere else.

And naturally after all of this, it comes back to crime.  The crime that gets portrayed by national outlets is the same as it is in Chicago or Baghdad.  People have to know where and when not to walk.  The crime that should have been discussed was the level of increased teen violence in the suburbs due to parental displacement.  That was/is the real problem.  No one outside of the city has a clue though.

My company just hired a new VP from NYC.  He expressed what the general overall feel of people up there is on us.  Their mindset hasn't changed since the storm happened.  They look at it on paper and wonder what the hell we're doing.  He was very interested, as most are that find out I'm from New Orleans, to hear my view point.  I liked that he was receptive and listened to me.  He mentioned the sentiment of most New Yorkers.  I mentioned 9-11.  All of a sudden, he understood.  All of sudden, the situation wasn't on paper anymore.

I miss my city a whole bunch, and I miss my family that is still there like I was dying of thirst.  They're all still down there.  Two siblings are at LSU, and the rest of my family is in the Big Easy.  This year, I've had a slow dance with my older sister at my brother-in-law's Bacchus Mardi Gras ball; I've had long conversations with my dad about doing what you have to do and staying mentally tough; the much-missed home cooked meals of my mother; the sense of pride watching my younger brother move up the depth chart on the LSU football team; my younger sister graduating from high school and moving to the next chapter in her life; my godson and niece growing in front of my eyes...becoming little people; a cup of Community Coffee with the mentors that were cultivating me to one day help be a leader in the community.  It's amazing how those events to me mean so much because their just samples of life; but to the people that see it every day, it is life.  It really makes me have an appreciation for what this life is supposed to be about.

I know the Saints have been talked about so much as a miracle.  I guess sometimes you just get lucky and those things happen.  Although, we've suffered as fans for a little over thrity years, so I guess one day something good has to happen.  I've heard ignorant comments about why do they care about football so much or that the Superdome is a waste of money.  I think Tony Kornheiser said it best on the Monday night football game against the Atlanta Falcons last year, "If it's important to the people of the city, then it should be important to us."  Sports give us an "out" and immediate gratification.  I hope that the local teams do well this season, so the people have something to fall back on and unite.

In the big picture, I know that the people of the city will continue to move forward; and I hope that the people of this country will give us the time, chance and help to do what it takes to rebuild lives because it's going to take all of those things coming together.

Spirit of New Orleans

Last night, I watched my New Orleans Saints defeat the Philadelphia Eagles from a bar in Kansas City.  I was receiving text messages from my friend Doug while he was in the Superdome.  The whole bar was in the corner of New Orleans.  It was a nice little atmosphere.  The game was excellent playoff football.  Both teams showed resiliency which provided for a back and forth affair with few mistakes.  The atmosphere sounded electric over the TV so I can't imagine how crazy it was next to 68,000 people that showed up.  I could only hear about it afterward.

My friend Doug called me to tell me about the game.  I asked him if the inside of the Dome was anything like the atmosphere during the Saints first playoff win in 2000 or the reopening of the Dome against the Falcons.  He said that the atmosphere was ten times as electric.  At the time, he had no idea where they were going out but that there was basically a pilgrimage of people headed to Bourbon Street from the Dome. 

My first football season away from home has been in Atlanta.  There aren't too many people there cheering for the Saints during the season, so I've gotten a blurred image of what the rest of the country is thinking about the Saints.  Last night was evident to me that the entire country really is back the city of New Orleans.  And the Saints are making it easy for them because they illustrate a team effort.  The team oozes leadership from the top down.  Deuce McAllister was the man to display it last night.  He and the lineman pushing the pile over 5 yards for a touchdown yesterday just showed the heart and the faith that the team owns.

The Saints are in the NFC Championships for the first time in their history.  Chicago or Seattle...I don't care...I just want to be fortunate enough to see this unit play together again.

New Traditions

Recently, I wrote about how new beginnings/traditions can be a cool thing which scares most of us.  At some level, we are all scared to get outside that little box in which we live.  The unknown has always had such a powerful aura to it.  Humans want to know but they don't.  I can think of several common situations in life where this applies.  It all goes back to fear and wonder. 

Last year, I wrote about Christmas being so different because the things we were thankful for had changed so much due to Katrina.  This year was so different because life was all new.  New house...errr new place to live in an old house, new job for my dad and the new choices in colleges.  So much has changed in the past year for my family.  By far, the most has changed for my parents and younger sister.  The only thing my siblings and I really have to deal with at this point is how we can best make life easier on those three.

It was interesting watching everyone communicate under closer surroundings.  Our former house was very open and spread out, so everyone is used to being able to go and do their own thing if necessary.  The new place is much more close knit and intimate.  It is a little like living on a reality TV series...I think.  It's just those little things we used to forget to be thankful for.  For instance having friends over used to require just going to another part of the house and now it's required to schedule a room a finding a way to discuss things at a reasonable volume so as not to disturb others.  It's going out with my friends in New Orleans and coming in late.  Whereas I used to be able to enter the house and get to my room without disturbing anyone.  This no longer exists.  I have to put force behind the front door to open it so that makes noise; and then, walking up the stairs echoes through the whole house so I walk carefully trying to be considerate of those sleeping.  It's just plain interesting.  The family is adapting well though, and I'm happy to see it.

My dad began has been hard at his new job for a month now.  It's been educational for me because I've grown up just watching him be the boss.  Now, he reports to someone else; but I think it's what he really was looking for because it offers him a way to continue working without having to be sole responsible person.  He's head of business development for an engineering firm.  So basically, he has returned to the roots of what he loves and what he's good at...engineering and networking.  All he has to do is do what he loves and has no worries about other employees, etc. 

Interestingly enough the biggest stress relief as a result of the new house is the yard.  I'm sure everyone will relate to this on some level.  I'm convinced that one of the sole reasons my parents decided to have 4 children is because they knew they would need help around the house!  I remember growing up cleaning our yard on the weekend was an all day affair and my mom is anal about it...nothing was ever finished.  The yard used to require coordination, walkie-talkies and motivation.  Now, it just requires like 45 minutes and two people.  Honestly, between my mom, dad, younger brother and I at times we found ourselves standing around looking for things to do because sometimes there just isn't enough yard.  I could see in everyone's actions.  Each of use was looking for something else that could have been done, but there was nothing.  It's kind of like that TV you have to move.  Yeah, two people would be nice, but it's just easier to move by yourself.  I mentioned it and we all kind of laughed the situation.  I think that's going to be the biggest stress relief on my parents...the yard and upkeep has been reduced by about 92%. 
Anyway, things are coming back into the city.  I was really glad to spend time with my friends and family.  I made the most of it and probably went out more in 10 days then I ever have in my life.  My dad has a new job, my mom is experiencing relief for the first time in a while, my younger sister is about to graduate and entertaining scholarship offers, my younger brother is now academic All-American for LSU football, my older sister's family is doing outstanding and looking beautiful and I'm doing what I love in Atlanta. 

The city of New Orleans is coming back slowly but surely on so many fronts.  The city has Fleur-de-lis fever.  I guess things do happen for a reason...sometimes.

My Black Friday

Black Friday is famously known as the day after Thanksgiving melee of Christmas shopping sprees. Even though it sounds like a doomed day, it is meant to be a win-win for everyone involved. Shopper save some cash on all their gifts, and the retailers go from red to black.

For some of us, this day is a real day of relaxation; since, for some, the Thanksgiving can involve lots of traveling, organizing children and fake socializing with family members. It can be exhausting. The weekend from Thursday through Sunday is downright a great football weekend. For my family, it was nice as we saw the LSU Tigers knock off the Arkansas Razorbacks and the New Orleans Saints once again dominate the Atlanta Falcons. However, the team that inspired me the most on that weekend was my family.

For what seems to be about the tenth time in the past fifteen months, we came together to help one another get through a difficult time. The task at hand that week was the help my parents move out of the house in which we spent the past twenty years of our lives growing up. The house had become exactly what my parents had wanted it to be. It was an open house where everyone was always welcome. It was a place that their children and friends would always feel they had a place no matter how far from they were. While it was something that was going to happen in the next three to five years, the sudden forced nature of the sale left a bittersweet taste on all of our palettes. The original plan was for my parents to build a smaller house on a nearby lot and then sell the current house as the time came. Hurricane Katrina has given us so many reality checks and this is just one more.

So many times we think we can control what goes on in the day to day. The more I look back at what has happened, the more I think how ridiculous this notion is. I think the only thing we really might be able to control is our character development which is built on our reaction to life’s unforeseen circumstances. It’s like my friend Ian says, “Everything happens for a reason so why worry?” Soon after the Hurricane, I even called Ian out on it because I couldn’t understand why all these things were just ‘meant to happen’ to my family, friends and all the good people of New Orleansthat I knew. I felt bad for putting Ian on the spot as I did. It wasn’t the right move, but I did make an effort to heed his word. While I think it’s oversimplified, many have dispersed this knowledge. As a man, I can tell you that this advice you used to literally make me angry. My older sister, Chenae, would always throw that at me…especially after breaking up with a girl. Something I’ve noticed in my years on this earth is that men usually need a reason (logic) to believe something more than women. Women are much better with faith than we are. I guess this leads men to the false notion that we actually have a huge say-so in what goes on in our lives. Anyway, after things had settled a bit last year and had some actually time to truly reflect, I started to realize maybe there is something to that way of thinking. I still worry often about things (because I think too much anyhow) but nearly as much as I used to do.

One of the good things that have come out the whole situation is that it has made us all less selfish and more appreciating of what we have. I think before the storm we (the kids) were secretly selfish in not wanting to see the house we grew up in taken from us. We would listen to my parents talk about how it would just be too much house to take care of without help, etc.; but I’m not quite sure we were really listening. Well, we were after this whole ordeal. If selling the house is what it was going to take to release unnecessary stress from my parents’ lives, then so be it. I think it was the toughest at times on my younger sister, Caitlyn, because she is the last one fully living under my parents’ roof; so on top of dealing with the job of being a senior in high school she had to deal with not knowing where she’d be sleeping. I can definitely appreciate her situation. If there was some family badge of courage, I would probably give it to her. I’m sure she still had the typical teenage hiccups with my parents, but I know for many kids they may not have been able to handle everything with the temperament that she displayed.

It was odd sitting down for dinner at Thanksgiving knowing that it would be the last time we all got together for a meal or holiday in that house. I could see the emotion in my parents’ eyes as they noted how grateful they were that everyone was back together in on e house one last time. The majority of my family lives nearby, but Cole is at LSU and I now live in  Atlanta ; so it’s rare that we are all together at once. I saw my father’s grasp on my mother’s shoulder tighten as he spoke. Little things such as that always seem to get to me. It amazes me that so much emotion can exist in such a little physical motion.

The move took place over a five day period. The goal was to squeeze about 8,000 square feet of house into 3,000. For one of the few times in my life, my dad told me that he didn’t have a backup plan. My dad is “Mr. Backup Plan.” On top of everything else, this left a dangling stress over everything else that was to happen over the next week (moving to closing). It was, I guess, the same as any other family move…highly stressful because there is so much to move in so little time. My parents could take their time unpacking, but the packing is the pain and it’s usually the little things that hold things up. As we moved boxes in, the house began to seemingly cave in. It was definitely going to be a lifestyle adjustment for everyone. It’s going to take awhile to get a lifetime unpacked. Again, Caitlyn would have the most to adjust to after all is done.

For the rest of the crew, it shouldn’t be that hard. My older sister has her house in town. I guess Cole and I will just have to fight for the one extra bedroom when we’re in town. So basically that means I will be on the couch, since he has about 5 inches and 100 pounds of muscle on me. My dog, Wyatt, will be in his fourth place in the past year. I think he’s good as long as he gets scratched periodically and the treats keep flowing.

I think for my parents they’re glad it’s over. It’s so bittersweet because I’m sure they would’ve like to build a smaller house than just move. They still will build the house but it may take a little time now. As I said, they would’ve just preferred to do things on their own terms.

The movers were there all day Tuesday to help move the big stuff and boxes we’d packed. I touched down in Atlanta around eight that night. I spoke to Chenae. She said several friends came over to help my mom finish up all the little things. I think there may have been a few tears shed between friends. I’m so grateful for the great friends we have…thank you. You made our lives easier and more fulfilling.

My parents closed on the 30^th. I’ll be driving home from Atlanta for Christmas and it will be to a different house…weird. I have another friend who told me how fun it is to begin new traditions. I’m looking forward to seeing the next major chapter in our lives unfold!

Showing Affection to Your Family

My friend, Ian, recently made a post about how much affection we should show our families.  I thought the comments were quite interesting.  It's neat to see how different cultures treat this subject.  You can check out his post here.

Saints Reopening Dominance

...a continuation from my previous post...

My plane ride from Atlanta to New Orleans on Saturday might as well have been a charter flight to be landed on top of the Superdome.  The plane, mostly filled with Falcons fans, was a raucous ride of trash talking.  Even the flight attendants were having fun with it.  The attendant on the PA was from Atlanta and didn't care one lick about football, which was eveident by her reference to Bobby Herbert (she said HER-BERT instead of A-BEAR), who was sitting in first class on his way down for his weekly radio show.  After being teased about her mis-pronunciation, she welcome us to the flight by introducing the pilots.  "I'd like to introduce you to the captain...Michael Vick."  That was immediately followed by a large favorable applause.  The attendant giggled, "And his co-pilot...Drew Brees."  That comment was initially followed by cheers and quickly drowned out by boos.  Everyone was laughing so it was a good time.  Somewhere on the plane chants of, "Who Dat?!" had found their way onto the plane.  I haven't really heard those cheers in abundance since Jim Mora, Sr was the coach.

Monday...game day.  I knew the city was going to be busy so I made a point to meet with my best client early in the morning for breakfast.  Under a tree titled, "Branche Du Bois," we sat outside and sipped our frozen coffee conconctions in the courtyard of CC's on Magazine.  It's those moments in the crisp, air of a New Orleans fall day that can't be found anywhere else.  Those are the little moments I really treasure about the city.  My client was wearing jeans with her Deuce McAllister Saints jersey.  I made the mistake of thinking that it was Friday because everyone in the city was so laid back and calm.

I dropped off my client and drove past the Dome on my way back home.  The first thing I noticed was the buildings to the left of me that had their windows blown out.  Plastic still covered the open spaces where glass had once been.  "Progress," I thought.  One block further ahead from Poydras Street, I looked up to the massive structure that is the Dome and saw the stages set up, the Coors Light Train and props for the NFL Experience.  "Game time," I thought with a big grin.  I raced home to get my dad so we could race right back for the game.

My Mom drove my Dad and I to S. Claiborne at Earhardt (about 5 blocks from the Dome).  Cars were lined up for blocks preceeding that intersection.  A line of fans were making their way like a pilgrimagge to the Dome.  We walked and passed trucks blaring music and grills cooking various meats.  The loud chants of Who Dat?!! rang through the air.  All of this was normal except that it was 330...a good 4 hours before kickoff.  This is largely atypical for a Saints game as most of those fans tailgate for the LSU games and just show up to watch the Saints.  We met up with my brother-in-law and his friend Billy.  The four of us ventured the sights around the Dome.

Every corner of the Dome had a vinyl on it, welcoming the fans back alongside the proud Fleurs-De-Lis.  Across from the vinyls were screens that showed the main stage in front of Gate C.  The gate The Goo Goo Dolls were performing in front of.  We tried to get close to that actual stage but were turned away by police officers.  The show was completely jammed with people.

530...Doug and I decided to enter the Dome for the first time in over a year.  The experience of entering the Dome was a familiar one.  Nothing immediate had changed.  As we took our seats, I noticed that all of the seats had been refinished.  The new dark green surface of the field now stretched from side to side. Previously, it simply ran about 10 yards past the sidelines.  The biggest and best change I noticed were the new video screens.  These babies were long overdue.  They put two new replay screens up at both end zones as well as 4 new ad/scoreboards in each corner.  Finally, they had new ad ribbon boards alongside the lower level of the Dome.  It was like looking at a restored 1967 Corvette.  She's old but she's got character.  And the bottom line, is that she's all yours.

Pre-game...I'm not quite sure how to describe what was going on.  There was so much positive energy flowing at once.  It was like a perfectly planned night.  Usually, I hear these hyped events and something always seems to be missing.  That night, I think my initial shock came from how perfect things ran from beginning to end.  To begin with, Robin Roberts was on the field as the emcee for the opening festivities.  She is a huge Gulf Coast favorite as she is from Mississippi.  She is one of our own; and she took us through the intro of what the region has been through and why the New Orleans Saints mean so much to the entire area. And then, the show began.  Escorted by cultural favorites of New Orleans, U2 and Green Day made their way on stage. Billy Joe started and finished on the mike with The Edge.  The opening number was fittingly, "Wake Me Up When September Ends."  I could feel the energy growing within the crowd.  It was as if the crowd was ready to explode but waiting for the perfect time.  Then, Bono came out of nowhere and took stage next to Billy Joe.  They sang a rendition of, "It's a Beautiful Day."  They changed words to make it relevant to New Orleans and when they said the name of the city the crowd screamed out mercilessly.  They were still built up but I could tell they hadn't busted through yet.  The rapid light show combined with the two bands' rhythm and the idea that 10 million households were watching was just awe inspiring .  The emotion created was freeing and uplifting.  Billy Joe at one point randomly yelled out, "NEW ORLEANS!!"  The decibel of level created rivaled that of a 4th and 1 from the goaline in an overtime game.

The bands exited quickly for President Bush was making his way to the field for the coin toss.  Joe Horn was the first to make contact with the President.  Every game they have two kids (around the age of 9) nominated to be captains on the field.  I mentioned to Doug that they were a shoo-in to win show and tell the next day at school.  How can another 9 year-old compete with. "I met the President last night.  What did you do?"  I digress.  Doug mentioned that he wanted us to receive.  Can you imagine how freaking loud it will be in here if we return the opening kick-off?"  Before I could respond, the Falcons had won the toss and elected to receive. 

Kick-off...the initial series for the Falcons was what I expected.  Pure emotion on defense fueling a three and out series.  I never expected that 90 seconds into the game we would be up 7-0.  Steve Gleason, who along with Fred McAfee has won the hearts of Saints fans with his hard work and pure heart on special teams, broke through untouched and blocked the punt.  Doug and I were already standing.  We both saw Gleason coming through at the same time because we both jumped at the same time even though he was a good 9 yards from the ball.  Steve wanted it bad because he didn't just block it, he smothered the ball.  Curtis Deloatch blazed to the goal line and rolled over the ball in the end zone for the touch down.  Ten black shirts had already made their way back to the end zone.  The white shirts were flat no where to be found.  For a second, I thought they would have to buy a new roof because it was about to come off.  It was a year's worth of excitement, emotion and adrenaline released onto the field.  Doug was standing 2 inches to my left.  Honestly, had I tried to speak to him, I would have had more success text messaging him because it was so loud.  Deloatch took the ball and did a double-pump reverse jam over the goal posts.  The man has mad hops.  Hi-fives were flying all over the place.  I don't think Doug and I could have hit each other harder, but no one was feeling any pain.

The tone had been set.  The Falcons next drive was their best and only real threat.  Vick got into the red zone and hit Crumpler for a sure touch down, but he dropped it.  An immediate sigh was followed by immediate cheers.  The entire Falcons team was off all night.  I haven't seen an all around defensive performance by the Saints like that since the early-90's when they employed the 'Dome Patrol.'  We are by far one of the slowest defenses on paper; but like I said in my post prior to this one, the game isn't decided on paper. 

Watching from an elevated position, I could clearly see our DBs blanketing their receivers causing Vick to check-off several times before making a decision.  Charles Grant and Brian Young worked hard all game to penetrate the pocket.  The linebackers stayed home on the outside rarely over pursuing.  This combination forced Vick to check all receivers and gain minimal yardage on the ground.  I wasn't surprised that they did it, but I was surprised that they were able to execute all night long.  That is truly impressive.  The entire night was 360 degrees of domination.  The last time a special teams unit blocked a punt and a field goal in the same game was the 2003 Houston Texans.  For years, there was an ongoing joke that everyone in the stands knew what play was coming next because they always lacked offensive creativity.  Doug and I agreed that we had no clue what would be coming next.  Payton pulled a double-reverse with Devery Henderson (who has a special place in our hearts for his time at LSU...he even won an ESPY for his catch).  On top of the play, Drew Brees threw a killer block to propel Henderson into the end zone.  It was the ultimate team effort that illustrated to me that for the first time since 2000, our Saints had no primdonnas and were totally accepting of their responsibility to the fans.  Joe Horn, Drew Brees, Deuce McAllister, Charles Grant, Steve Gleason and even young Mr. Bush understand what it's about. 

I'm not drinking any Kool-Aid saying the Saints are going to the Super Bowl, but they are very reminiscent of the 2000 team.  Many new faces and no big heads.  It was just a bunch of guys trying to prove themselves on a common mission.   That team took out the supposedly invincible St. Louis Rams 2 out of 3 times that year including once in the play-offs.

Some myths:
1) The game was fixed.
    a) Have you ever talked to or been an athlete?  We don't just throw games.  Our pride would never allow it.
    b) Have you ever seen a pro player's game check?  Um, few people have the resources it would take to buy their key players.
    c) All of the 'experts' agreed that the Saints came to play on all cylinders.

2) The field was rigged.
    a) Ok, let's say it was.  The Saints still have to play on it, so it's apples to apples.  If Vick is slower on it, so is our defense.
    b) You were dumb enough to gamble on an unprecedented event and you lost.
    c) All of the 'experts' agreed that the Saints came to play on all cylinders.

A note to the people that think reopening the Dome was a waste...I was fortunate enough to see Tony Kornheiser's 'editorial' after the game.  The best part was at the end and along the lines of, "What we think is irrelevant.  If it's important to people of New Orleans, then it should be important to all of us."

It was a wonderful experience.  For the Falcons that night, as usual in the NFL, it was about business.  For the Saints, it was about having fun.  That was the competitive edge that set them apart.

Some side sports notes...Jim Mora is a class act as evident in his post-game press conference...Marques Colston and Devery Henderson are emerging as go to  McAllister must love Bush there because he has no pressure on him and less abuse...He will have a great year and injury free.

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.

Katrina Anniversary (367 Days Later)

I  wrote this over a two day period at a Starbucks in NYC.

So, it has been 1 year since Katrina ravaged my home town and the coast alongside it. I've experienced so much that I can't believe it's only been a year.  I remember sitting in our temporary home of Livingston, Texas thinking what the landscape of New Orleans  would look like one year later.  At the time and now, it is nothing as I could have imagined.  I remember thinking, 'If the national media is this bad right now, then they'll focus on everything that should've been done.'  I was correct in my early assertions. I remember thinking how important it was for the good leaders to step up and for people not to be selfish. 

One year later everyone and their brother is focused on how the situation was botched and things should have been handled.  I'm not going to do that.  I will say that it was an unprecedented situation and it's ridiculous to treat hindsight like 20/20.  It was a lose-lose situation for anyone that was in a position of leadership.

It's been an odd year for me and everyone else down south.  Not 2006, but just the last 367 days.  When most think back to 8/29/05, I will think back to 8/27/05.  For some reason, I think about so many odd things the Friday before 'she' hit New Orleans.

I was set to close on my first home purchase on the 29th. so I was at my insurance agent's office trying to get binder for my closing.  However, since the non-threatening Katrina was in the Gulf, the company couldn't issue it.  I remember no one, including myself, made much of a big deal about it.  It was just another part of the weekly summer drill in south LA.  Two minutes later, my agent asked me if I wanted to grab a bite to eat at Ruth's Chris.  Naturally, I accepted.  On top of being headquartered in New Orleans and being a great place to eat, they are my biggest client.  So we went to eat at the original Ruth's on N. Broad and Orleans Ave.  I'd never been to the one that rested on the edge of the 9th Ward before.  I was eating in a dark room of power.  The walls had been witness to some of the most powerful politicians in the state and nation for years.  That day was no different.  Anyone who was anyone was eating within 5 feet of me that day.  Everyone was calm and joyful.  Less than 48 hours later, those same people were unnerved and panicked.  The historical restaurant...gone for good.

After lunch, I remember leaving work for the day.  I had made a sales call in Metairie and decided to call it a day around 3.  I was excited about going to see the Saints pre-season game that night.  I figured between the game, hanging out with a friend and my new house it was going to be a sweet 3 days.  In my car on my way back, I thought to myself, 'Damn, I left my laptop.'  Due to my self-directed weekend projects, I never left it at work.  At some point early on Monday  morning, it was destroyed.  All of my work and I couldn't have cared less...it just wasn't that damn important anymore.

I picked up my friend for the Saints game around 6.  Her dad was glued to several cable news channels about Katrina.  Until that point, it had been forecasted to hit FL somewhere.  We, the seasoned veterans that make up New Orleans, paid little attention to it.  We knew the drill.  We really paid him no mind and headed off to have a good time.  We didn't expect much from the team as it was preseason.  We left around the 3rd quarter to go grab some coffee and just hang out for a few hours.  I got home around 2.  I remember turning on the weather channel from my bed to see the latest.  The path had changed, the strength had increased and New Orleans was now in sight. 

7 hours later I awoke to the local news people urging people to get the hell out of the city.  I saw one woman seemingly fight back tears.  I called my older sister to see if they were leaving with the two kids.  I called my dad, who was in AL, at the time to see what he wanted me to do with my younger sister.  His advice to me was to stick together with my family and work as one.  And so, we took Airline Highway out of the city towards TX...the rest.

I think back to so many situations for me personally that were odd about the weekend.  The little things that I did differently.  Looking back, it seems completely serendipitous.

Generational Networking (That Box)

Last night, I was speaking with my dad about the intangibles that people often overlook such as networking and being my own entity no matter what I do.  This is one of the things I have been taught from an early age...all done completely by design. Lately, our conversations on this topic have increased as he is now looking for a position.  We have been back and forth offering help to one another.  He mostly helps me with experience and I with the new ways that are vital to networking in the world today.

One particular aspect we discussed last night is that people try to create these boxes for us to fit into.  My dad has never been like that and as a result I was never raised that way.  For instance, my dad has run small companies for over 30 years; so now, when people want to interview him they have trouble putting him into a category.  The same is true with me.  My resume shows me striving to wear several hats at each stop along the way.  I get responses from HR people like, "Oh, you've done well in sales; but you also did marketing and..."  I've become accustomed to seeing that confused and eager look in their eye.  Another scenario is that they think they are just getting a typical media salesperson so they expect me to rant about only my medium  When I discuss my outlook on the industry as a whole, they are taken aback.  It's like I'm 5 years ahead in my thinking of where I should be.

I took a colleague of mine to lunch today.  He is in his early 30's, and to put it mildly, extremely accomplished for his age.  Through a story, he worked hard to bring me from his mid-20's to the present.  He thought he was preaching to me, but I told him that I was engulfed.  The man is with a company now that recently went through an M&A process, so they are in a transition phase.  The bottom line is that he has his eye open for the right opportunity.  Frankly, we're both surprised he has yet to open his second company.  Anyway, one thing he commented on is that when a hiring manager finds that rare person with experience beyond their age (that box) they're supposed to fit into, they aren't quite sure what to do.  That's where the selling comes into play.  My friend broke it down like this:

20's: Having fun and trying new things.
30's: Starting to create a path of where you should be going.
40's: It's time to arrive and make some noise.
50's: It's time to start giving back.

I called my dad immediately after lunch to tell him about it.  I found it somewhat serendipitous that the conversations that had taken place in the past 24 hours.  He agreed and had more to comment.  I deduced that my dad at 23-45 was about 15 years ahead of where was supposed to be.  My friend is easily 8 years ahead of the curve.  My self-assessment is about 3-5 years.

I think there are those of us out there who are hungry and don't fall into these categories.  The resume gets us in the door, but it's up to us to prove the experience and forward-thinkingness.  It's one thing to discuss our progressive thoughts; but I think what has to be proven is that as experience is gained, we know how to utilize it properly once attained.

We Got IT.

This weekend past, I made a visit to Lake Martin in Alabama.  One of my mom's cousins has a house out there and every year we all make a valiant attempt to get out there.  I don't think my immediate family has ever all been out there at the same time. 

It was really nice seeing everyone and I didn't even see everyone.  When we were all evacuated during Katrina, my parents were in AL with family while my siblings and I were in TX.  The family in AL took care of my parents; and a few weeks later, when we moved to Baton Rouge, they drove trucks of supplies down to help us get setup. 

Needless to say, a good amount of emotion was spread throughout the camp amongst the hugs and kisses.  It was as if everyone was glad to see each other under safe and somewhat normal circumstances.  I'm always amazed, as people, how quick we can be to take others for granted; but the great thing is that we are reminded by people too.

During the 24 hours I was there, I had several relatives tell me how much they enjoyed my writing and how much it meant to them.  Honestly, I never knew how many people were reading my blog or were touched by it.  Their compliments meant so more to me than I can express.  One of my closest cousins told me I had 'it.'  She explained to me that 'it' (not the 'it' from eBay) was the understanding of what really matters in life...family (the people who truly care for you).  I was quite flattered and did not know what to say.  I rarely do.  I'm terrible at taking compliments.

As I got on the road for my 3 hour trip back to Atlanta, I was thinking about 'it.'  While I was flattered, I realized that I don't have 'it' without the ones closest to me having 'it.'  My family was a cohesive and calm unit.  Combining our strengths made us a strong force to take down.  The whole experience (which we are still feeling the effects of) took things from us but not one another.