Bless you, Boys
I am not a sports fan.
Anybody who has known me for any length of time will attest to that. While I've got nothing against sports, I've never been particularly engaged by them either. Aside from my inexplicable lust for the Olympics, I just don't get get involved.
And yet tonight, driving home from the Thibodaux Playhouse, I actually listened to the New Orleans Saints playing (beating the tar out of, if we're gonna be honest) the hated Atlanta Falcons on the radio. I listened for every touchdown, every field goal -- hell, every punt. I actually cheered in the car when they blocked a field goal attempt as the first half drew to a close.
It's because of Katrina, I can admit it. After the storm, the city of New Orleans was utterly broken. Shattered. And somewhere along the line, the Saints have become emblematic of the city as a whole. They represent something. Last year was a bad year for the team. Loss after loss -- everyone, from the head coach to every player, had lost their heart, lost their passion.
Somehow, in the off-season, they found it again. Maybe it was in the hiring of the new head coach. Maybe it was in the signing of a new quarterback. Maybe it was in the hell of a draft pick they got in round one. But this team turned things around. Even as someone who doesn't pay attention to sports, as a resident of this area, it would have been impossible not to see the good things this team has done for the area over the last few months, particularly in the form of Sean Payton, Drew Brees and Reggie Bush. These three men have stepped up. They have made this city their home. They've made charitable contributions, visited local schools, taken out ads in the local newspaper -- they want people to consider them a part of the community. Part of this may just be that they want to engender good public relations, but you know what? That's fine. After years of PR disasters like Kyle Turley, Aaron Brooks, Ricky Williams (and even Tom Benson), I'll take a team that wants to be known for doing good.
A 2-0 start was a surprise. They way they're spanking the Falcons tonight goes even beyond that. Even here at my computer I can feel the energy streaming from the All-New, All-Improved Superdome. The way these fans -- this city -- has mobilized behind this team is nothing short of remarkable. For weeks now, the local TV stations have promoted this game out the yin-yang. One sports guy last night actually referred to it as "the most important game in franchise history." At the time, I thought this was typical media hyperbole. Not anymore.
If this team keeps fighting they way they are now, this will be huge. It's impossible to watch these boys and not feel like they're fighting for us. They're fighting for New Orleans. They're fighting for Louisiana, and no matter how many stupid things our mayor says or how inept the government is, the people are the ones that matter, and the Saints are playing for the people. I just hope that the fans follow their lead. When the team finally loses a game (and they will, let's be honest), they better not become fair-weather fans and turn their backs on the team. They better still give them the triumphant welcome they deserve, dammit.
Others may be trying to get government money, building housing, helping people find jobs. These are all important, worthwhile endeavors, and the region can't recover without them. But the Saints are, without a doubt, the most visible warriors the city of New Orleans has. Watching this game, you feel like this is a team that will not give up on us.
How can we -- how could anybody -- do any less?