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Open Letter to the NFL via The-Times Picayune (Who Dat Nation)
Dear NFL,
Ok, now that we have you attention- good game huh?- there's a few things we'd like to clear up. First of all, you may as well get used to seeing us at the Super Bowl. Because about 100 million TV people saw something during th game Sunday night that coutnless national media "experts" couldn't see before:
We Belong
We also hate to miss a good party. And you know what? The Super Bowl is one hell of a party. And that was true even before the public address announcer cranked up "Iko Iko" on the stadium loudspeakers after the Lombardi Trophy presentation ceremony.
One other thing
We know what sticklers you are for legal documentation, so please consider this our formal written notice of resignation as the unofficial whipping boy now. You're going to have to find a new whipping boy now. May we suggest the Atlanta Falcons?
We know how hard this is for you. We know that for 43 years, whenever you needed a team to hold up as an example of a perennial loser, whenever you needed some team to make all the other teams and their fans feel better about themselves, we have been your go-to guys.
"It could be worse. We could be the Saints." That has been our role, and we have filled it well.
Not anymore. We are the champions, my friends. And as such, we expect to be granted all the rights and privileges afforded to fans of other championship teams.
So, starting today, whenever you refer to the Saints, you're going to have to start referring to- and I quote- "New Orleans winning tradition."
We've been waiting a long time to hear someone use that particular phrase to describe us. The term fits. We'll expect you to use it often.
It also means that you'll have to permanetly retire the term "Aints"as a nickname for this (ahem) proud, storied franchise.
If you mention the "bagheads" it should be only in the context of ancient history. It has been 30 years since anyone in this town wore a bag to a Saints game. So we will henceforth insist that you stop talking about that like it was last year, and start talking instead about the Finish Strong T-shirts donned by seemingly millions of Saints fans in the run-up to the Super Bowl.
The bottom line is that you're going to have to stop referring to the Saints and their fans as a "great story" and start referring to us as what we are:
A great football team
We know this will take soem getting used to- for you as we as for us.
After all for 43 years we have defined ourselves by the 1-15 seasons.
And the Hail Mary passes
And the quarterbacks named Billy Joe.
And the holes in the SUperdome roof.
Starting tonight we define ourselves by a different set of memories.
By A recovered onside kick.
By a 74 yeard interception return.
By an MVP quarterback holding the Lombardi Trophy in his hand and pumping it skyward.
After 43 years of being treated as America's experts on losing, we're ready to become the new national role models for passion and perseverance.
Just to show there are no hard feelings for all the years you made fun of us, we're going to open up membership in the Who Dat Nation to you, our counterparts in all 31 NFL cities.
Consdier this your formal invitation to the Saints parade on Tuesday, which will make every previous Super Bowl victory parade look like a long line at the supermarket checkout counter. You can stick around for the unofficial victory parades: Tom Benson in Endymion, Drew Brees in Bacchus, Sean Payton in Orpheus.
Think of it as one of the perks of membership. In New Orleans, football season never ends. It just changes venues.
So Come down, hit the parade route and de the new dance craze that's sweeping New Orleans.
It's called The Championship Swagger. The steps are easy:
Hold your head up high. Get crunk. And whenever the spirit moves you- which will be often- dig deep down into your soul and say the three words that on this glorious night in Miami became synonymous with success:
WHO DAT BABY!
Proud, passionatly, winningly yours,
The Who Dat Nation
Re: Open Letter to the NFL via The-Times Picayune (Who Dat Nation)
I know you didn't write the column. But the Falcons aren't even the worst team in the NFC South!
I think the Falcons thing is a reference to when (can't remember the year) every single analyst said that the Falcons didn't stand a chance in the Super Bowl- and they did end up losing. Most analysts said the Saints didn't have a chance and they were jumping on the "Peyton Manning is the best QB ever" bandwagon. I could be wrong though. Maybe they just didn't want to be mean to the Browns, Lions, Bucs.... etc.
I would offer a word of advice to the author of the column- Why not wait and see how the Saints Super Bowl Hangover is in the 2010 season before talking so much shiit?
Or the Who DEYs, the Cincinnati Bengals. They're not exactly known for winning seasons.
My Bio
Yes, this!
It will be hard to keep the coaches and star players around, because other teams will start calling and making offers. It will be hard to keep the core of the team together since often after a big win like this the players will bail for more money, and it will happen to the Saints, I'm sure. It's a great article for the locals, since there was so many years of abuse of that fanbase. I think the Lions or the Raiders are more fitting for the next whipping-boy.
Also, a bit preemptive to say "winning tradition". Tradition usually constitutes a long-term pattern of repeated activities, but one season does not equal a claim to a tradition. Sorry, but you need to win consistently for the next 5-10 seasons and make the playoffs every single year to be deemed a team with a "winning tradition".
Now the Cowboys perennial choke-jobs during the playoffs MAY be considered tradition, as the pattern continues to hold-up year after year.
Agreed. Someone is way too full of themselves.
And really, they think they have had it so bad? It COULD have been worse- they could have had a QB named MICHAEL VICK.