All Saints' Day!
The conventional wisdom says the Colts will win today. The sentimental leaning is for the Saints to win today. The Associated Press has dubbed the Saints "America's Team" citing the support of everyone from Barack Obama to Queen Latifah to The Who, not to mention regular Americans all over the country.
This Super Bowl has the best narrative I can recall in a very long time. First and foremost, of course, is the city of New Orleans and its struggle to battle back from the ravages of Hurricane Katrina. The die-hard sentiment of New Orleans football fans, to stand by the Saints for all the decades of terrible play and hard luck seems like it is being rewarded with this team, this quarterback, and this coach. They really seem to want it more for the city than themselves, and that's a feeling you can't help but get caught up in.
Then there is the odd coincidence of the Mannings. No matter how much I might not be fond of him as a player, there is no denying that Peyton Manning is among the best quarterbacks to ever play the game. There is also no denying that he loves New Orleans. I happened to be outside the NBC studios in New York when people were arriving for the telethon for New Orleans. I saw Eli Manning arrive for to lend his voice to the call for assistance for the Mannings' home town, where their father had once led the team Peyton now faces. In other coincidental news, I hadn't paid attention until the run-up to the Super Bowl that Drew Brees played college ball at Purdue, in Indiana.
From a simple football standpoint, these two teams were far and away the best teams in their respective conferences all year long, each going undefeated deep into the season. It hasn't happened that the two best teams in the league have met in the Super Bowl in 15 or so years.
Stories just don't get any better than this match-up in sports.
As a football fan, I know it is incredibly difficult for any team to beat Peyton Manning. However, the Colts do have weaknesses that I believe the Saints are suited to exploit. I expect a very high-scoring game--and a very close one. I expect a lot of turnovers, as we saw in the NFC Championship game; the Saints make ball-stripping an art that elevates their league-trailing pass defense.
My head may tell me that it is slightly more likely that the Colts will win this game, but my heart--and the heart of the nation--is loudly proclaiming WHO DAT SAY DEY GONNA BEAT THEM SAINTS? WHO DAT? WHO DAT!
PS--If you want some help winding up your black and gold frenzy today, check out the Times-Picayune's Saints tribute song playlist, combining two of the things New Orleans does best: make music and cheer on the Saints. I have to say this is a pure party collection of over 75 songs written for and about the Saints. Laissez les bon temps rouler!
This Super Bowl has the best narrative I can recall in a very long time. First and foremost, of course, is the city of New Orleans and its struggle to battle back from the ravages of Hurricane Katrina. The die-hard sentiment of New Orleans football fans, to stand by the Saints for all the decades of terrible play and hard luck seems like it is being rewarded with this team, this quarterback, and this coach. They really seem to want it more for the city than themselves, and that's a feeling you can't help but get caught up in.
Then there is the odd coincidence of the Mannings. No matter how much I might not be fond of him as a player, there is no denying that Peyton Manning is among the best quarterbacks to ever play the game. There is also no denying that he loves New Orleans. I happened to be outside the NBC studios in New York when people were arriving for the telethon for New Orleans. I saw Eli Manning arrive for to lend his voice to the call for assistance for the Mannings' home town, where their father had once led the team Peyton now faces. In other coincidental news, I hadn't paid attention until the run-up to the Super Bowl that Drew Brees played college ball at Purdue, in Indiana.
From a simple football standpoint, these two teams were far and away the best teams in their respective conferences all year long, each going undefeated deep into the season. It hasn't happened that the two best teams in the league have met in the Super Bowl in 15 or so years.
Stories just don't get any better than this match-up in sports.
As a football fan, I know it is incredibly difficult for any team to beat Peyton Manning. However, the Colts do have weaknesses that I believe the Saints are suited to exploit. I expect a very high-scoring game--and a very close one. I expect a lot of turnovers, as we saw in the NFC Championship game; the Saints make ball-stripping an art that elevates their league-trailing pass defense.
My head may tell me that it is slightly more likely that the Colts will win this game, but my heart--and the heart of the nation--is loudly proclaiming WHO DAT SAY DEY GONNA BEAT THEM SAINTS? WHO DAT? WHO DAT!
PS--If you want some help winding up your black and gold frenzy today, check out the Times-Picayune's Saints tribute song playlist, combining two of the things New Orleans does best: make music and cheer on the Saints. I have to say this is a pure party collection of over 75 songs written for and about the Saints. Laissez les bon temps rouler!