Mark J. Yates
CONSIDERING THAT over the last year I’ve lived in both California and North Carolina, I’ve spent a pretty decent amount of time in New Orleans. In the past 365 days, I’ve visited the Big Easy in three different occasions, including a week-long trip for my honeymoon. I’ve also taken two cross-country road trips which were essentially mapped out to go through New Orleans.
That being said, when the Saints won the Super Bowl last night, it honestly felt like my hometown team was hoisting the Lombardi Trophy. But I have to imagine that even the countless neutral fans watching the big game on Sunday were celebrating when the clock in Miami hit zeroes. Let’s face it, unless you were a die-hard Colts fan, it was simply un-American to root against the Saints on Sunday.
Given what that city has been through since Katrina ripped through in the summer of 2005, and the fact that so much horror was associated with the Superdome — the home of the Saints — that happiness is once again associated with the Superdome, the Saints and that city demonstrates the true power of sports to heal our emotional wounds.
But when you think about it, it’s not sports that does the healing. No, sports are merely the channel. New Orleans has always loved the Saints … even the Aints fans loved that team. What brings the city of New Orleans that healing power is that the Saints are something they can all agree on. From guy in the three-peice suit in the financial district to the guy wearing waist-high waders working in the sewage plant, they all wear Black and Old Gold on Sundays.
And that is what brings the city together.
Rooting for the Saints was never a question for New Orleans, but winning the Super Bowl is something I think all sports fans can agree that the city deserved. Even Colts fans should tip their caps to the Disney World-bound Saints (East Coast team, Disneyland’s a little far).
Either way, I tip my cap to you New Orleans. For I can say with total resolution, no city in sporting history deserves a championship more.
Geaux Saints!
