Who Dat? Saints bring win home to New Orleans!

The New Orleans Saints won Super Bowl XLIV over the Indianapolis Colts 31-17. 

The game turned out to be a hard fought, entertaining affair for all who watched.  Both teams played well enough to win. 

As far as the game itself, I wouldn't have been too upset to see another son of New Orleans, Peyton Manning bring the trophy home for the Colts. While living in New Orleans, we'd see the Manning family eating at a local cafeteria after church on Sundays.  Peyton and Eli were just little boys at the time.  Archie quarterbacked the Saints. 

But, this Super Bowl was much more than just a football game. 

You could see it on the faces of all of the Saints players. 

Tears flowed all around. 

Grown men crying. 

The post-game comments quickly turned to bringing home a win to their city, a city badly in need of a boost, of a win. 

The Saints' owner declared that the win meant that New Orleans and all of Louisiana was back!  I'm not sure about that, but I do know that watching the game from start to finish hooked my emotions way beyond the game or the venue or the event.  I thought all the way from kickoff to final whistle mostly about a great American city still in need of my concern and richly deserving my devotion and loyalty. 

Something about that crazy, wonderful city. 

Once you've tasted its rich life, its wonderful people and its historic culture, you just can't get it out of your system. 

Thanks, Saints!  Your city needed that, and so did the rest of us who love it just like all of you do.

"Who Dat Nation" prevails!

After 43 years of frustration, many during which fans learned to wear brown bags over their heads, the New Orleans Saints won a trip to Super Bowl XLIV with a 31 to 28 win over the fairly amazing Minneapolis Vikings. 

We lived in New Orleans for five years while I attended seminary (New Orleans Baptist) and graduate school (Tulane University).  We learned what a great city New Orleans truly has been, was and is. 

Saints fans take loyality to the outer edges of reality!

Now they have their champions. 

Two weeks from today they will take the field in Miami against the Indianapolis Colts led by Peyton Manning, son of Saints' legendary quarterback, Archie Manning.  I'm sure Archie will pull for Peyton.  I also bet there is a special spot in  his soul that can't turn loose of a hope that the Saints prevail.  In a sense, Archie Manning can't lose in this game. 

While living in New Orleans, I spoke in the Saints' chapel service.  Archie Manning was in attendance, as was head coach, Hank Stram.  It was the thrill of a lifetime for a young minister (25 years old). 

I have a regulation Saints helmet hanging on my wall.  It will always be with me.

You see, there's a code among Saints fans. Once a member of "Who Dat Nation," always a member.

Way to go black and gold!  Who dat?!

Chapel with the Saints

We lived in New Orleans from 1975 until 1980.

I was attending seminary or doing graduate work at Tulane University the entire time. I also served as minister with a downtown church. It was quite interesting, to say the least!

One of my most memorable experiences occurred on Sunday, September 17, 1978. I was invited to serve as chaplain for the New Orleans Saints that day.

My assignment included speaking to the team in a devotional setting that morning before the game against the Philadelphia Eagles. It was the third game of the season. The Saints came in at 0-2, having lost their first two games of the year to Minnesota and Green Bay.

I ate breakfast with the team that morning. Hank Stram was the head coach, and I was seated at his table. Archie Manning was the star quarterback for a team that couldn't seem to do much better than 7-9 in any year.

The chapel service was voluntary, of course.

Coach Stram made himself scarce when it was time to begin.

I'll never forget Archie Manning, front and center and supportive of my every word. That was back in the day when we would run into the entire Manning family at the cafeteria after church on Sundays during the off season. Payton and Cooper were just little boys. Eli (who'll suit up for the New York Giants today in the Super Bowl) had not yet arrived in the Manning family. I love the Bill Frakes' Sports Illustrated photo I've posted here from Tuesday's edition of The New York Times

Since those days, things have changed a bit in the National Football League.

The team was fairly close knit, a community of fellow strugglers. Player salaries weren't nearly as high as today. The Saints were a motely crew!

As I recall, I read Paul's words to the Philippians about "forgetting what is behind and pushing on to what is ahead" or something like that. If laughter means anything positive, then it seemed to work for the players who were there.

As a kid who grew up playing and loving football, it was an important experience for me. In my office today you can see a regulation Saints helmet on my wall, a commemoration of that day with the Saints.

By the way, they lost the game to the Eagles 24-17. Archie threw for 239 yards before 49,242 screaming Saints fans. And, did I mention that breakfast was amazing?

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