Who dat say???

(photo from Nola.com, the best source for all things New Orleans)

The "Who Dat? Nation" Cairo Branch is celebrating in unison with the City of New Orleans. I watched this morning via the web, emotionally choked up, as the Saints kicker slotted the ball between the white uprights in overtime to take the Saints to their first ever Superbowl. As the coverage reported, Hell has Frozen over! This is not just another game. This means something.

You see although we have our home, family and roots in the UK, for us our other home is New Orleans, Louisiana. Home, not just the word, but the meaning too. We purchased our first house there and watched with the locals every year as large storms brewed in the Gulf. We boarded the windows up and got the hell out of Dodge sometimes, and enjoyed the torrential rains and the pot-holed, uneven streets. We also enjoyed our friends and the food and we still feel a very strong connection to the Big Easy.

The Saints, like the city have been through some rough times, under-performing and disappointing but much loved by the people of this great city who needed something to cheer through tough times, even if it was only the odd win every few months. With a new coach and new quarterback the Saints have rebuilt, and like the city emerging from the Katrina flood waters, it rises again. Its spirit is greater than the sum of all the termite infested shotgun houses and Popeyes chicken resturants and tacky New Orleans souvenier shops. Its spirit is in Mardi Gras and the Saints, and the Saints have finally come good......

We cannot believe what the atmosphere must be like at the moment for this is a city that likes to party for no reason at all. To cap it all the Saints will play New Orleans second team, the Indianapolis Colts whose quarterback is Peyton Manning, a 'yat' himself (born and bred in Nawlins).

Looks like we will be staying up for Superbowl this year.....if only we could get some Abita Amber and some crawfish!

Who dat say dem gone beat dem Saints? Who dat? who dat????