Go Saints Go!

Well, no less than three people contacted me about this story. I pick up on hints. Maybe I should do a post about the story. Here it is Wright Thompson's article on ESPN.com about the lift New Orleans is getting from the Saints winning season. Here's a snippet:

The Saints, always popular, have transcended, now lumped in with New Orleans' institutions -- Mardi Gras, Louis Armstrong and red beans on Monday. They're woven into the fabric of the town … because they stayed. Private girls schools now let the students wear Saints jerseys to class on special days. A friend of mine, who lives in Uptown and grew up going to games, says the feeling about the team has changed. He's an oil-and-gas man, a Republican, not prone to fits of hippieness. "The last four years have been very special in the city's attachment to the Saints," he told me. "I am not one to do a lot of reflecting back on Katrina, but there is clearly a line of demarcation there."

Read the rest here.

Also, I was struck by how genuine and thoughtful Saints receiver and Opelousas native, Devery Henderson was in his comments to William C. Rhoden, of The New York Times, on the death of fellow Louisianian, and NFL player Chris Henry. From that article:

“Speaking for myself I go back home and my people, they not only look at me as who I am—the cousin or their nephew or their grandson — they look at me as an N.F.L. player,” Henderson said. “They’re proud of it, that’s just the reality of it. To them, I’m up on a pedestal. I’m pretty sure it was the same thing with Chris Henry’s family, so I can imagine what they’re going through right now.”

Read the rest of this article here.