Re: The Big Game!
One of our local characters is a radio talk show host by the name of John "Spud" McConnell. His show is on WWL AM 870, which is a Louisiana station, but can be heard throughout most of the country at night. This is the station that most of us stayed "glued to" before, during and after Katrina, because the coverage was good and done with direct understanding of the place and what was going on.
As many of you probably know, the day before Ash Wednesday is referred to, in Mardi Gras parlance, as Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras Day. Always the goofball, Spud has been calling yesterday (Tuesday and the day of our Saints homecoming parade) "Dat Tuesday" and "Lombardi Gras Day." He's also been calling the days of the week, "Sundat, Mondat Tuesdat, etc."
Friends of mine, who know that I am from the NE primarily, sometimes ask me why I moved to New Orleans nearly 20 years ago. I could give a bunch of reasons, but the sense of humor and fun that exists here is a big part of why I did. I guess it fits pretty well with my "former corporate executive gone nuts and become a rock-n-roll hippie," existence.
I think we are all a little nuts here - heck you'd have to be to come back after what Katrina did to this place. We are also very passionate about a lot of things and the uproar that happened, after the NFL tried to "own" the phrase "Who Dat," is a good example. What Sean Payton, Drew Brees and the rest of the Saints get, is that this isn't just a football success to us. Its about pride, after not having all that much to be proud about for a long time. These guys are like family to us and we are proud of them in a way that you might be proud of a son or a brother.
So, today will forever be Wednesdat in the Who Dat Nation and we will always remember Lombardi Gras Day on Dat Tuesday, when the soldiers of the Black & Gold came home and rode through town on borrowed Mardi Gras Floats, to receive the thanks and admiration of a city, state and region.
WHO DAT? DA SAINTS DAT & WE DAT!
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