These ARE my Father's and Grandfather's Saints!

Usually when something old renews itself people say "this isn't your Father's fill in the blank"...

Where were you on a hot day in August 1972? Apparently I was in New Orleans at Tulane Stadium watching a Saints game. My Grandfather, in his infinite wisdom purchased season tickets for all of his grand kids that lived in New Orleans.

"Morris you're driving like a dam fool!" my Grandfather would yell.

"Whose driving this mule?" my Dad would reply.

And thus began our family time on Sunday. My parents, Grandfather and Aunt would proceed to the plush Plaza section while my brothers and I would ascend to the terrible Terrace. I was there in 1975 when they played their first game in the Superdome. I was there for "Daddy why do those people have paper bags on their heads?". I was there when the Saints were the Aint's. I was a reluctant fan. As a matter of fact I flat out didn't want to go. It was like torture to make a child/preteen/teen girl sit in the 600 Section at the top of the Superdome with her 2 brothers watching football! On days when one or both of my brothers couldn't go because St. Aug, their highschool was playing at halftime, my best friend Shelley and I would roam the ramps making sure we didn't see the game. On the other hand , as a Saints season ticket holder I learned the game so well I could coach a team and impress or embarrass male friends with my vast knowledge of the game.
You would think that once I went to college in Atlanta and I was freed from my Saints Fan servitude, I would have given up on them. But being away from home actually had the opposite effect. Instead it made me love my city and thus my team more. I cheered for them in a dorm room in 1988 when they were pelted by snowballs by the Chicago Bears fans. Later on I second- lined into the Fulton County stadium to play our arch rivals The Falcons and then even later second-lined out of the Atlanta Dome no matter if we won or lost.

My Dad and Grandfather started my affair with The Saints. At the end of every season they would say well there's always next year. Well Dad and Pops that year has arrived! THE SAINTS ARE GOING TO THE SUPERBOWL! I know y'all are leading the second-line somewhere, my Grandfather with his umbrella and fan and my Dad with his handkerchief and one finger in the air saying WHO DAT, WHO DAT and I'm sure "when the Saints go marching in" is playing!!!!!!