Normally when I write or tell a story, I like to open up with some sort of cute analogy or folksy statement; much like my literary hero Mark Twain, or my favorite sports writer Peter Finney (of the New Orleans Times-Picayune newspaper). But today there is no ‘one-liner ’ or poetic prose, but just the simple FACTS. The New Orleans Saints have , for the lack of a better term, been proven to be “cheaters”, after having been found guilty of running an illegal ‘bounty’ program, in which the supposed intent was to purposely and maliciously HURT people , with varying amounts of cash as a reward. While there can be no disputing the evidence, the punishment may have been a little excessive, but that’s not what I have a problem with (believe it or not) ----- what I do have a problem with is the verbal attacks on my hometown from people across the country, some so extreme as to depict the city of New Orleans as a desolate wasteland, inhabited by a citizenry of thugs and unscrupulous individuals who live life in squalor and have no hope for the future. As laughable as those comments were, I take great umbrage at the very NOTION (whether it was meant half-jokingly or not) that New Orleans itself DESERVES TO BE PUNISHED for the less than honorable acts of the members of the team and its organization, as if it is the desire of the rest of the nation to see us SUFFER yet another indignity.
As someone who survived the flooding of Hurricane Katrina in neck-high water (in a raised house) in the suburb of Arabi in St. Bernard Parish, I KNOW what it takes to be a survivor. I know what it is to FIGHT with every gasp of breath that may be your very LAST, when the odds are against you. In the aftermath of Katrina, our town and its people were left for dead (LITERALLY). But just when the rest of the nation thought we couldn’t come back, we PROVED THEM WRONG ------ we are a proud and RESILIENT people, and we will NEVER GIVE UP, under any conditions. We can be kicked, beaten, battered, and bruised, but our spirit CANNOT BE BROKEN. So the suggestions that New Orleans should be “stripped” of its Super Bowl World Championship won against the Indianapolis Colts just 2 years ago, are bordering on BLASPHEMY.
While the actions of a select few members within the organization are regrettable, it should in no way be a consideration to take away something that the Saints won on the field of battle. That championship was not only about an achievement of success for a football team, but it was a restoration of FAITH in our city and its people, that we COULD come back, and we did do just that. But sadly, to borrow a phrase from today’s younger generation : “Haters gonna hate” (translation: Once they don’t like you, they probably NEVER will) ; apparently our little “feel good “ story didn’t appeal to EVERYONE , especially the people in other cities who , for whatever reason, wanted to see us lose. In other parts of the nation, it is seen differently ; that we are DESTINED to be just a bunch of lovable losers, in a swampy back-water of a town that didn’t deserve to be rebuilt, much less win a professional football championship. So now we are supposed to “give it back”??? Just because they’re mad at us ???
No way. Ain’t happening. Bounty or no bounty, New Orleans earned that championship. Because it DESERVED to win. And because it doesn’t give up on ANYTHING ; not NOW, and not EVER. We may be down, but we are not "out". New Orleans WILL be back again. Just watch and see.............
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