They are Saints

Recently I was cleaning off my desk and came across this story I wrote for the Weber newspaper. Despite not being published, I think that this is my favorite story I ever wrote.


CJ's Crab Shack erupted like a volcano of jubilation and excitement on Sunday as the New Orleans Saints Won Super Bowl XLIV.

The bar and restaurant on Ocean Drive on South Beach seemed to be the unofficial headquarters for the "Who Dat Nation," the Saint's fan base. Customers paid $100 to reserve a table, and it was filled to capacity. The reservation price did not deter football fanatics from enjoying seafood dishes, ice-cold beer and football not included with the reservation fee. "We are excited. I don't care if we win or lose. It's just amazing we are in this position," Anna Phillips, of Gretna, La., said before the game. This was the first Super Bowl the Saints had played in, and the second for the Indianapolis Colts in three years.

The tension mounted as the clock ticked toward 6:30 p.m. The Saints won the opening coin toss, but their opening drive stalled and they were forced to punt. Colts' quarterback, Peyton Manning drove the Colts powerful offense deep into Saints territory and kicked a field goal with 7:29 remaining in the first quarter. 3-0, Colts. Another Saints drive, another Saints punt and another Colts score. With 36 seconds remaining left in the first quarter, the Colts led 10-0.

The Saints' ball-hawking defense held the Colts' offense to zero points in the second quarter , and New Orleans Saints' kicker, Garrett Hartley aded two field goals over 40 yards to cut the Colts' lead to four.

"The Who" rekindled the hits that made them rock icons, and the Saints returned to the field with the same swagger that brought them to the Super Bowl. Punter Thomas Morestead kicked the first on-side kick in Super Bowl history to start the second half. After a scuffle that lasted over two minutes, it was revealed that the Saints had recovered the onside kicked after it bounced off of Colts' wide receiver and special teams player, Hank Baskett's helmet. Peyton Manning's look went from focused to surprised and dejected as the Saints took advantage of their good fortune and outscored the Colts 25-7 in the second half en route to their first Super Bowl victory in their mostly futility-ridded 43 years history.

When Saints' quarterback Drew Brees took the final kneel-down of the game and as the seconds ticked away, Saint fans young and old hugged, cried and cheered as if they too had compete in the contest.

"This is huge for us, for the city," Demondre Ashby, a New Orleans native, said. Ashby was displaced by hurricane Katrina is 2005 and has since relocated to Houston. "After Katrina, no one knew where we would go, if the city would recover, or if the Saints would even be back," Ashby added.

CJ's wasn't just a haven for Saint fans. COlts' fans were also taking part in the festivities. However, the majority of them left soon after Saint cornerback, Tracy Porter returned an interception thrown by Manning for a touchdown.

"That one definitely hurt our chances. We were still in it until that point," Rachel Fenton, COlts' fan and Manning family friend said. "It will be a tough loss for all of us (Colts' fans) to swallow, but we are very proud of the Saints, their fans and their city," she said.

Brees was named the game's MVP after completing 32 of 49 passes for 288 yards and two touchdown. Brees also made history by tying the Super Bowl record for most completions set by Tom Brady.

The New Orleans Saints became saviors of their city in distress in 2006, but now they have truly lived up to their names. They are Saints.

Who Dat!