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Screen grab taken from NOLA.com

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You know, I’ve had my fun taking jabs at NOLA.com and their (lack of) diverse online content, but I must say they are doing a bang-up job covering all things Super Bowl so far. Well, at least I thought as much until I saw them use a four-month-old photo taken by Jonathan Bachman on their front page (thumbnail on the bottom left-hand corner). That is, how you say?, bullshit.

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Of course, upon further examination it becomes apparent that the photo they stole from us is really a screen grab from a Saints tribute video that stole the photo from us first. Yes, that totally absolves a major metropolitan newspaper’s Web site from running an unaccredited photo from a credentialed photographer on their front page. Totally.

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Photo lifted from the fine folks at WWLTV.com

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A week after pigs flew through a Hell frozen over, the New Orleans Saints finally landed in Miami to begin on-site training for the Super Bowl. Well, most of the Saints finally arrived, that is. Six of them were already in Miami to attend the Pro Bowl, which they were voted into but (thankfully) had good reasons not to play in. At one point during the NFL Network broadcast, Michael Irvin was speaking to Jonathan Vilma and asked if he feels like he’s missing out on coming off the plane with his teammates. Vilma said it’s more important to disembark with his teammates back in New Orleans with a Super Bowl trophy.

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But what would Vilma and his five teammates do while when the rest of the squad arrived? If you think about it, it does seem like an awkward situation. All year Sean Payton and Co. have been preaching the line about team unity and effort. This Saints’ team is not about one player, or even the six that made it to the Pro Bowl. So how do you reconcile the fact that the Pro Bowlers are already in Miami because they’ve been selected as being more exceptional than their teammates? Dress them up as bellhops and greet the rest of the team when they pull up to the hotel, that’s how.

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As the stories from across the country start to pile up this Super Bowl week, one thing Saints fans will likely hear over and over is how Sean Payton is a “master motivator”. He’s a deeply cerebral student of the game and takes after his mentor, Bill Parcells, in using psychological tactics in all phases of the game. Payton, though, seems to have more of a loose streak than Parcells. This is a guy who played “Stand Up and Get Crunked” to get his players motivated in the locker room as well as giving every Saint a bat with the words “Bring the wood”. And now you see him dress up his star players as bell hops and greet the rest of the team in a move that almost certainly is meant to convey that those players wouldn’t have made it to the Pro Bowl if not for their teammates’ help.

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Now the Saints are all together and have six days to prepare for the biggest games of their lives. For a franchise that’s never been to the big game - and a city still coming to grips with their team’s new-found success - Payton sure is acting like a seasoned championship head coach. Forget that this is the Saints’ only Super Bowl appearance, Payton talks about veteran leadership and poise and he and his players will no doubt repeat the lines “we’re here to do a job” and “we have to finish strong” about one million times when asked how they’re dealing with the media spotlight.

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Being in a small market like New Orleans allows Payton and his players to somewhat fly under the radar nationally. Anyone whose worn black and gold for a game this season knows they have the undying affection of this city, so really, the trick for Payton is to keep his players focused at the task at hand, but loose enough to keep the pressure off. The New Orleans head coach just showed he can mix fun with hard work. Saints fans will love to see the hard work pay off with the party of a lifetime on Sunday.

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Now that the Saints are in the Super Bowl, Who Dats everywhere have to get ready for a seismic shift in the national perception of their team. They are no longer burdened by being one of the few franchises to never make it to the big game and they no longer must think of themselves as perennial losers. Oh, and all that wacky, local fandom that, over the all the years of losing has created some of the most memorable and inspiring fan-created Saints iconography? Yea, the NFL wants that dead.

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WWL is reporting that the NFL has sent cease-and-desist orders to a slew of local merchants selling merchandise with the words “Who Dat” or a black and gold fleur de lis. Per the WWL article:

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“I really thought the ‘Who Dat’ was something that belonged to the people more than to the Saints or to the NFL or anything else,” said Storyville co-owner Josh Harvey.

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According to NFL spokesman Dan Masonson, “Any unauthorized use of the Saints colors and other [marks] designed to create the illusion of an affiliation with the Saints is equally a violation of the Saints trademark rights because it allows a third party to ‘free ride’ by profiting from confusion of the team’s fans, who want to show support for the Saints.”

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Loyola Law School intellectual property professor Ray Arieaux said the ownership of ‘Who Dat’ may be a gray area.

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“Is there some unfair trade taking place because maybe the public does associate that with the Saints? The question is what does the public associate with ‘Who Dat,’” Arieaux asked.

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And the NFL isn’t the only company claiming ownership of the phrase.

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Yes it seems that the NFL is quick to jump into the fray when there’s Super Bowl-type money to be made, claiming ownership of a phrase that most likely originated on the radio. After all, how else would you explain the NFL waiting until this post-season to start cracking down? Either the NFL doesn’t watch its own games (unlikely) or didn’t care about local merchants profiting off of Who Dat merchandise because the Saints were never that good to begin with (most likely).

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This also speaks to a much bigger issue that Who Dats everywhere should start to take into account. As beloved as the Saints are, and as wholesome and pure people would like to believe their connection to the town is, the team and the NFL are corporate entities in the business of making a profit.

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“But the Saints are different! They’re the new America’s team!” some might say. True, the connection that the Saints have with this city is unique, but that has more to do with the whims of mother nature and the teams’ heartfelt response to relief efforts. And yes, the Saints and Carnival may be balancing the City budget, but that doesn’t make this situation any different than any of the hard-luck teams that came before and the profit they generated (for themselves) after historic wins.

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And if you’re still holding out judgment on this and think that the NFL will look past their greedy corporatism for the sake of the fans, realize that their is a precedent for such actions. Just look at the Boston Red Sox and how they treated their long-suffering fan base after winning their first World Series in almost 100 years. Touching, really.

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See that picture up there? That picture was taken within a second of Garret Hartley’s game-winning field goal kick split the uprights and sent the Saints to the Super Bowl. Of all the pictures I took on Sunday, this has to be my abosolute favorite. The hands in the air, the complete and utter joy on the faces of the fans and - the best part - the two men in front who have yet to react, still digesting the fact that their team is in the Super Bowl.

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Sorrow, disbelief, doubt, distress, joy, and elation; the finals minutes Sunday’s game ran a complete gamut of emotion and it was almost unbearable to watch Saints fans go through them. Follow the jump to check out all the emotions.

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Read the rest of this entry »

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Of all the multitude of reasons to look forward to this Sunday’s NFC Championship game in the Dome, this may be just a footnote, but it’s what makes New Orleans great. Supasaint along with all the Saints mascots featured on this calender (and many, many other Who Dats) will be second-lining from the Coors Light tailgate on South Rampart down Girod St. all the way to the Superdome starting at 4 p.m.

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Do it up, New Orleans.

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Screenshot lifted from WallStreetJournal.com

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I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that the Wall Street Journals’ core readership is not made up of NFL football fans. Or, at least, not fans of teams that play in New York, Minnesota or Indianapolis. How else to explain this ridiculous Jason Gay column?

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May I root against the New Orleans Saints?

No, you may not. Rooting against the Saints is like rooting against Elin Nordegren. They’re the Sentimental Team of the Century; if Dick Enberg were calling the NFC championship game, he’d need a trailer truck of Kleenex. Even if you forget everything that New Orleans endured during Hurricane Katrina—and how could you?—they’re the Saints, the former Aints, one of the most hard-luck franchises in the history of hard luck. Not long ago, newborns came into the world in New Orleans hospitals with tiny grocery bags on their heads.

If the Saints win this weekend, we expect the Louisiana Superdome to levitate off the ground, stop at Parkway Bakery & Tavern for a roast beef po’boy and fly straight to Miami for the Super Bowl.

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Yes, the Saints are indeed a feel-good story (especially for every Who Dat in the country) and this franchise has come a long way since it genetically altered newborn babies some years ago (or that’s how the story tells it, anyway), but have the Saints really reached a point where non-Who Dats would be remiss to root against them? A little competition never hurt anybody.

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Oh, and I get that the point of this article is to be funny. But it’s not. Also, it begs the question: why is the Wall Street Journal trying to be funny at all? They don’t have a dedicated sports or comedy section (sports is found under Life&Style) and they cater to people looking for serious news. Don’t they have way more important things to write about?

The local pro-pigskin team was in some sort of competition this weekend and many revelers took the street. Whether or not all of these things are related is still uncertain. Hit the jump for a TON of pics. (Oh, and unlike it has been all season, yours truly took these pics. Apparently Jonathan had better things to do.) Read the rest of this entry »

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Photo lifted from NFL.com

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They weren’t. At all. Was there ever a doubt how this game would turn out?

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OK, so when Tim Hightower scored that 70-yard touchdown on the opening play of the game, fans in the Superdome got a little restless. But the Saints’ responded emphatically. The offense responded by scoring on six of their first seven possesions. The defense responded by forcing a fumble, nabbing an interception and knocking Kurt Warner (briefly) out of the game. The end result, of course, was a blowout of epic proportions in a game that was only exciting to watch for Saints fans (not that they’re complaining).

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Just get ready for next week, when The Most Important Game In The History Of the Saints will be played. For now, on to the post-game feast:

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Hot Gumbo:

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• Drew Brees - The past month or so when Brees was putting up mere pedestrian numbers is all but forgotten now, isn’t it? He was 23-of-32 for 247 yards and three touchdowns. He spread the ball effectively (six receivers notched catches) and, surprisingly enough, did it all by completing just one pass of more than 26 yards (the 44-yard flea-flicker touchdown pass to Devery Henderson).
• Reggie Bush - Sweet heavens to Betsy that fella had a helluva game! In a performance tha should shut up his detractors (present company included) for at least the time being, Bush turned in the performance of his career: 217 all-purpose yards and two highlight reel touchdowns that all but destroyed any hope the Cardinals had of winning. Just check out this run. It’s almost like he’s trying to earn all that money he’s making!
• Sean Payton - First words that come out of his mouth when he reached the post-game podium: “So much for being rusty.” Payton has plenty of reason to get all egotistical and smarmy, the sporting press has been recently questioning his team’s effort, talent and desire following three-straight losses to end the season. He respodned by calling one of the best games of the year. It was balanced (34 runs, 32 passes), creative (again, that amazing flea-flicker) and exposed the Cardinals’ 23rd-ranked defense for the weak unit that it is.
• Darren Sharper - Oh where oh where had Mr. Sharper disappeared to in the last few weeks of the season? It seemed as if the Saints could no longer rely on him to come up with the big play like they used to. Then there he was today, recovering that Arizona fumble in the first quarter that threw all the momentum to the Saints.
• Saints Defensive Line - Will Smith had an interception, Bobby McCray knocked Kurt Warner out for part of the game and, despite registering just one sack, never let the Cardinals passers get comfortable. As for that first play, “you don’t win or lose a game on the first play,” Jonathan Vilma said.
• Gregg Williams - Because I could list almost every New Orleans’ defensive players here, why not put the guy that put them in the position to win. His game plan did what the Packers’ second-best pass defense couldn’t do last week: contain the Cardinals’ passing game. Though Cardinals passers combined for 266 yards, Arizona did not have a passing touchdown and had just two pass plays go over 20 yards. Oh, and after Hightower’s 70 yard rushing touchdown to start the game, the Cardinals had just 31 rushing yards. That’s very good.
• Marques Colston - Six catches for 83 yards, a touchdown and more than a few of them jaw-dropping. Eat up, Marques!
• Devery Henderson - Just four catches but they were for 80 yards and a touchdown. That’s good enough for Gumbo.

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Spoiled Crawfish:

• Tim Hightower - I bet he thought he was going to have a hell of a day after taking the first play of the game to the house. But as they say, it’s not how you start the game, it’s how you finished. He had just 17 rushing yards after that.
• Larry Fitzgerald - If only for the fact that every passing play seemed like a disaster waiting to happen with him on the field. Oh, and his dad cut in front of me in line at halftime in the media dining room. Not cool.
• Matt Leinart - Replaced the injured Warner at the end of the first and second halves and didn’t completely fall apart. That was disappointing to see, really.
• Anyone Who Picked Against the Saints in this Game - You know who you are.

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Room-Temperature Abita:

• Kurt Warner - Granted, he plays for the other team and, for a second there, it seemed like he was going to go pass-for-pass with Brees. But just being able to come back and play after that crushing hit by McCray earns this man a beer.
• Deuce McAllister - He led the team on the field and acted as honorary captain for the coin toss. It’s a shame he had to do it all without getting to even put on pads.
• Brad Pitt - Hey! Look! He was on the sidlines! With a goatee! Can he be the mayor now?
• Post-Game Media - For spending so much time trying to figure out why Reggie Bush came out of the tunnel holding a baseball bat (If you want to know, Payton gave out a bunch of them with the words “Bring the Wood” on them to represent what the team’s mentality should be for the game) even after Reggie Bush explained it. Twice. And they say journalism is dying.

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Photograph by Jonathan Bachman

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Three weeks ago, all the talk was about the Saints’ potentially undefeated season. Last week’s loss against Dallas seemed like a hiccup; up until that point the Saints had played good (and sometimes great) enough to earn their first-round bye. A Minnesota meltdown in Carolina also gave the Saints a chance to clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Now, after a completely stunning 20–17 overtime loss to the Buccaneers, the Saints appear to be reeling and there’s no telling when they’ll get back in control.

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Playoff football, as anyone who follows the NFL can attest, is a much different animal than the regular season. A loss to Tampa is awfully disappointing, but the Saints will live to play another day. There’s no such luxury in post-season football and there’s an added pressure to perform at the highest level. Against a broken, two-win Buccaneers team, the Saints struggled to get a victory. How will they fare against Minnesota, Philly or any other formidable playoff opponent? The New Orleans defense showed some of its early-season form with two interceptions the huge fourth-down stand with just under five minutes left, but they also let up 439 yards to a Tampa Bay offense ranked 29th in the league. No to mention the Black and Gold were completely unable to stop Cadillac Williams in overtime (he had nine carries for 40 yards in the period). The offense, after a hot start, failed to score a second-half point, with a Marques Colston fumble and a missed field goal leaving desperately need points on the field.

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Teams have overcome defensive shortcomings in the past (most famously, the 2007 Colts who won the Super Bowl despite a poor rushing defense) but it’s an issue that needs to be addressed. After starting the season 13-0 with all kinds of aspirations, the Saints must now take a good long look at themselves and see if they can’t once again grasp the mojo that powered them through the first three quarters of the season.

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Hot Gumbo:

• Drew Brees - 32-of-37 for 258 yards and a touchdown seem like incredible numbers, but even this hot gumbo has a hint of expired crustacean in it. 37 attempts is about 15 more than you’d like to see Brees throwing in a game the Saints led for most of the way. But you can’t fault Brees for the play-calling as he did his job admirably on the field.
• Robert Meachem - He had 66 yards on five catches including a wide-open touchdown and a clutch fourth-quarter grab that should have secured a Saints win had they not missed the ensuing field goal.
• Pierre Thomas - Managed to earn 60 yards on just six carries and scored a touchdown before being forced out of the game with bruised ribs. When the Saints were cruising, it seemed like he could’ve had two weeks off to rest and get healthy. Now New Orleans has a must-win in Carolina and may have to expose Thomas to more punishment.

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Spoiled Crawfish:

• Saints Special Teams - As if that 77-yard punt return for a touchdown wasn’t bad enough, the entire Saints’ punting unit made fools of themselves when they (incorrectly) tried to accuse Tampa Bay of offsides or encroaching on the previous play. Yes, the Tampa player jumped offside for a moment. But guess what? He’s allowed to do that as long as he doesn’t touch an opposing player and makes it back onsides before the snap. The Saints seemed distracted on the next play as Tampa was running back the tying score. Oh and don’t get me started on that missed field goal that would’ve ended the game in regulation.
• Saints Rushing Defense - The Saints gave up 176 yards on the ground, including all 48 yards the Bucs gained in overtime on the ground. When you can’t close out a team like Tampa Bay at home, with a chance to clinch homefield advantage, you have some serious problems.
• Saints Passing Defense - Sean Payton was asked if he was concerned about his secondary since they’ve given up an average of 313 passing yards their last four games. This was Payton’s answer: “In our league it’s crisis or carnival because the stuff in the middle doesn’t sell.” Um…what? Payton went on to say something about learning about your team’s character when you hit adversity and yadda, yadda. Translation: Sean Payton is worried about his secondary. You should be worried, too.
• Sean Payton - I was going to put the Saints Offense here for the sake of balance, but the offense played so well for most of the game that it seems unfair. Payton already laid some blame on himself for the loss but lets heap on some more blame while we’re here. How is it that the Saints came out so flat in the second half? How does he account for the team’s total drop-off since that great victory against New England a month ago? Payton and the Saints have ignored many glaring short-comings for too long, now it’s time to see if they can recover.
• Garret Hartley - Payton made a good point that fans shouldn’t point to just one aspect of this Saints’ loss and put the blame on that. Sure, Hartley’s miss wasn’t the reason for the Saints loss - the defense could’ve showed up in overtime, special teams could’ve done a better job in punt coverage, among other things - but Hartley is paid to make field goals and that one would’ve ended the game. He missed (for just the second time all season, no less) and the Saints ended up losing. That makes him a scapegoat.

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Room-temperature Abita:

• Marques Colston - He had eight receptions for 77 yards but that fourth quarter fumble cost the Saints some much needed points (New Orleans would’ve had a first down inside Tampa’s 40 had he hung onto the fooball). Lukewarm day for no. 12.
• Reggie Bush - He had 66 rushing yards, 37 receiving yards and 14 return yards for a pretty preductive day. And hey! He didn’t get injured! Isn’t that something?
• Darren Sharper - Got his eighth interception of the season, good for second-best in the NFL, but was also part of a secondary that Josh Freeman put up 217 passing yards.
• Tracy Porter - Also got an INT (in the end zone, no less) and has gotten better since returning from injury. It’d be nice if the Saints could take all the individual accomplishments in their secondary and turn it into a victory.
• Tom Benson - He’s kept the team in New Orleans, put the right people in charge of football that’s led to this 13-win season and yet, save a Super Bowl victory, this may be the lasting (moving) image of the season:

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Sorry, Tom, Hartley missed wide left. Yea, we thought it was as good as in, too.

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Picture lifted from WWL.com

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Just when you thought this whole Saints mania was bringing nothing but positive energy and news to the Crescent City, someone had to go and ruin it all. It turns out that someone in New Orleans is yelling “Go Saints!” and when people respond with a “Yea! Who Dat!” he pulls out a gun and robs the Who Dats. I’m not sure what’s more depressing, this story or the police sketch on the WWL Web site (above).

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No, I know: that Deadspin has already picked up this story. Yea, that’s the most depressing part.

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In all seriousness, though, we hope all Who Dats out there have a merry and safe Christmas and holiday season. Oh, and let’s see if we can’t bring this scumbag to justice now, eh?