Reopening the Superdome is a wonderful thing - be happy for us

[Keseys Ghost]

I know that the neighborhoods are a mess...I live here.

I know that money has been misallocated...I live here.

I know that corporate America is pulling off a huge land grab...I live here.

I know all these things and more...I live here.

But, I also know that we are excited. We are somehow renewed by the the simple reality that the Saints are marching in.

And we need not feel guilty for our joy. We've been through enough. We saw it. We smelled it. And, we're cleaning it up.

My home still isn't ready for a storm. But I rejoice, no shit, rejoice, that something, anything, is back to normal.

It's easy to sit somewhere else and judge right and wrong. We're here. It ain't about right and wrong. It's about Monday night.

It's about stepping away from it all, the horror and the disappointment, and feeling safe to yell, at the top of one's lungs, "We are New Orleans! Go Saints, go!"

Come Tuesday, we've got some things to fix.

Monday night is ours.

We embrace it.

[Aristus]

1. Well, this ought to end all that right-wing bullshit that was spewed in

the wake of Katrina re: the Superdome as a refugee center.

"Ooh, all those poor people! Ooh, all those black people! We'll just have to tear the damn thing down and rebuild it! Ooh!"

[BlueStorm]

2. I am not much of a football fan...

Heck I don't really care much for the sport but I do have to say one thing::

Go New Orleans Saints!!!

I hope they do good this year. My own team (Detroit Lions) never does well so I guess I'll have the Saints to cheer on.

BlueStorm

[knitter4democracy]

7. Yeah, we might as well cheer for someone decent, too.

;) Dang Lions.

Of course, I'm still ticked about MSU just falling apart in the second half . . .

[BlueStorm]

15. MSU hasn't been doing well as either?

My stepdad isn't going to be very happy about that considering he went to MSU.

BlueStorm

[knitter4democracy]

27. They totally fell apart against Notre Dame last Saturday.

And I mean totally fell apart. It was their game for the entire first half--made the Irish look weak and just plain horrible. Then, something happened during halftime because a different team took the field after the break. It got even worse in the fourth quarter. I hadn't seen a team fall apart that quickly that badly in awhile (and Hubby's a Browns fan, and I'm a State fan, and we both watch the Lions in memory of my stepmom's dad who played for them way back, so I know bad teams).

[BlueStorm]

32. Must be the team...

The one that came in the second half, maybe they didn't practice well?

Like I said I really don't get into football that much but I do know that my stepdad is a fan of MSU, Green Bay, and the Lions. My mom is pretty much the same.

I can't understand the rules of the game, lol.

Blue

[knitter4democracy]

36. I grew up in a football family.

Funnily enough, I didn't care for it all that much when I was growing up. My stepmom's family practically worships the game, and being dragged to all my two stepbrothers' games for years and years didn't help. It's only been since I have been married that I have drawn on all that knowledge that dripped in and learned to enjoy the game.

The team was the same (first string). Their heads were messed up.

[TheModernTerrorist]

34. MSU

is notorious for falling apart like that. I should know, I go there.
Still, it makes me sad. Hopefully we do better in basketball this year.

[knitter4democracy]

37. *sigh* I know.

It always happens when they get cocky. Every time. It shows on the field, and then they start making stupid mistakes. Penalty upon penalty pile up, and then they lose.

At least we don't have Perles anymore. Gah, that man would always run it up the middle right into the entire defensive line whenever things got bad. Idiot.

[TheModernTerrorist]

33. exactly how I feel

I will still root for my Lions, of course, even as they lose yet another Thanksgiving game, but seeing the Saints do well would make me just as happy as seeing the Lions would.

[seabeyond]

3. i knew nothing about it until your post THANK YOU for telling me

the way it is. i do appreciate it. enjoy your success (a well deserved and earned one) and enjoy this accomplishment. cause you are there.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

4. K&R.

Great spirit KG, stay strong. Your words are inspiring and your excitement is well deserved. I wish you the best of all things and hope Monday night brings you all the joy you seek.

[Flying Dream Blues]

5. I am very happy for you and for New Orleans...thanks for your post! nt

[kestrel91316]

6. Good on you, NOLA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Catherine Vincent]

8. I am very happy that the Superdome was re-opened.

Do you know if the owners plan to honor the few old folks that died there? Something like a plaque on the wall with their name? "In memory of XXX". I think that would be a good way to honor them.

[Keseys Ghost]

9. I don't know about that...I would assume that something will be done...

I heard on sports radio this evening that there will be a moment of silence for those who died in the Dome and outside. But, I'm unclear as to the exact plan.

Please know that I am a "new" Saints fan and that all of this is a bit strange to me.

But, I will be at home with friends, family, and other assorted homies watching the game; with an oyster po-boy, a bottle of Barq's, and a box of Kleenex.

Go Saints!

[Keseys Ghost]

10. For many Katrina victims the Saints were lifeline

For many Katrina victims the Saints were lifeline

9/24/2006, 6:17 p.m. CT
By MARY FOSTER
The Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — By the time 88-year-old Blackie Campo got back to his Shell Beach home after Katrina, everything was gone.

Well, his house, his business and his car were destroyed.

What he did salvage was his New Orleans Saints jacket and an autographed football. And what he held onto were the season tickets he's had for almost 40 years....

"I got nothing but a concrete slab," Campo said. "But when the Saints get on that field Monday night I can forget my worries for a while at least."

Any respite is welcome by Campo these days. He and his wife of 66 years are living in a Federal Emergency Management Agency trailer while they try to rebuild their lives....

..."I can't wait to get back in there," said Vera Guidry, also living in a FEMA trailer since the flooding after the Aug. 29, 2005 storm destroyed the New Orleans East home where she raised her family.

"It gives us a chance to yell and scream the way we haven't been able to since the storm. We need that. We're going to let out all the pain," Guidry said....

http://www.nola.com/newsflash/louisiana/index.ssf?/base/sports-10/1159140262303000.xml&storylist=louisiana

[Keseys Ghost]

11. Amid the rubble, a city rallies behind its football team

Amid the rubble, a city rallies behind its football team

9/24/2006, 5:35 p.m. CT
By PAUL NEWBERRY
The Associated Press

...For three hours, at least, he'll be able to forget about the devastation all around him — the caved-in homes, the abandoned cars, the boarded-up businesses, the poignant symbols such as an overturned tricycle among the overgrown weeds, a reminder of what life was like before Katrina washed it away.

...All that matters is the Saints won their first two games — and they're coming home.

They have become the ultimate team of the people, representing those folks who huddled on rooftops a year ago and are now counting on their football team to throw out another lifeline.

"Oh man, I'm ready for tomorrow," Welch said Sunday, breaking into a big smile even though his neighborhood could now pass for a war zone. "I just love 'em. I always loved 'em, even when I was small. And now that they're playing like this, I'm loving 'em even more."

Granted, this is just a football game. It can only do so much. Even if the Saints remain unbeaten with a win over the Atlanta Falcons (also off to a 2-0 start), it's not like the frustrating bureaucracy is suddenly going to become more efficient or the mom-and-pop store that used to be around the corner will be open for business on Tuesday morning....

http://www.nola.com/newsflash/louisiana/index.ssf?/base/news-27/1159138498238640.xml&storylist=louisiana

[Keseys Ghost]

12. NFL's Saints, Rousted by Katrina, March Back Home

...The game will be a star-studded affair with media from around the world descending on the Big Easy. The Goo Goo Dolls, Green Day and U2 will perform before the game, and local singers Irma Thomas and Allen Toussaint will sing the national anthem. Events have been occurring around the city for the last several days, including a charity event tonight hosted by quarterback Drew Brees and running back Duece McAllister called "Cocktails for Katrina."



But to the people of New Orleans, the game and the re-opening of the Dome is more than just a party and three-hour distraction from everyday worries. People around town — cab drivers, waiters in the French Quarter, the folks at the rental car counter — all said this is the first real sign of the recovery and rebirth of New Orleans, and that despite all the government red tape, things can get done here....

http://www.abcnews.go.com/WNT/MusicRising/story?id=2482954&page=1

[Keseys Ghost]

13. A Victory No Matter Who Wins

...It was 13 months ago that Hurricane Katrina washed ashore, killed more than 1,800 and left hundreds of thousands homeless.

Thousands of families endured long, agonizing days not knowing whether other family members had survived.

Some families split up and were displaced to all corners of the country.

Through it all, the Saints continued to play and provide a glimmer of relief through the gloom. The people of New Orleans had no hope last year that the Saints would win.

Given the circumstances, it was enough that they were able to take the field every Sunday and compete. They carried on for New Orleans while the city struggled to keep going day after day.

Through it all, thousands sought refuge in the Superdome. The big mushroom-shaped building that has been the site of so many football moments suddenly became a monument for the survival of a city.

Monday night, that monument will be reborn when the Falcons and Saints play the first football game in the city since Katrina.

So please take a few moments to remember that when you watch the game. For one night, it really doesn't matter who wins or loses, but only that the game is being played.

http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060924/COLUMNISTS0611/609240451/1113/SPORTS

[niyad]

14. I am about the last person in the world to care about football, but

I do have some small understanding of the significance of having your team back, with all it represents. Enjoy, delight-- and may this signal even more progress to come.

[Dulcinea]

16. I am happy for you!

I'm a sports fan myself & what some people don't understand is how sports can be a fun diversion from your everyday worries.

The Superdome's reopening is one small step back to normalcy for people who desperately need it! I'll be watching tonight!

[Behind the Aegis]

17. The traffic is murder!

My partner just got home and said the traffic is already nuts! This is a good thing, albeit an annoyance. It means people are here! YEA!

Go Saints!

[MrCoffee]

18. Don't get rid of your paper bags just yet!

Kidding!!

[RedStateShame]

19. Have a great game tonight. You guys deserve it. On another note....

Congrats on dumping Aaron Brooks just in time to pick up Drew Brees. Great upgrade to the offense.

[sandnsea]

20. We'll be watching and cheering!!

This football family is delighted for you guys. Every step forward is a step toward normalcy. This is a huge step, so yeah for NOLA!!!

:woohoo: :woohoo:

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

21. As an old time Falcon's fan who has seen and shared many games

with dear NO Freinds...

I salute you, agree with you, raise a glass to you and recommend you.

:toast: And I'll be watching the game from home tonight, but if I could, I would be there in the stands.

[Leopolds Ghost]

22. Keseys Ghost -- please understand I am all in favor of Superdome

Folks in my town are fighting to keep RFK Stadium open. Used to be one of the few things that brought Washingtonians together.

But Ed Schultz comment was purely about the timing of the money flows -- the fact that many people have not been allowed to re-enter their homes, legally.

To quote a movie, they are "not economically viable" enough to return until the city says so!

If the previously money-losing Saints deserve to overcome that, then "the least, the last and the lost" of New Orleanians deserve that SOONER and in advance -- even if the landmark in question were St. Louis Cathedral (ESPECIALLY if it were the cathedral). I am a religious person and I believe that fact. How can a renovation project that is so socially stratified, with season ticket obly sales and a goal of stimulating trickle-down growth at the highest CEO level, be used to justify renovating the Dome (which should happen anyway) when people are still being made homeless by the legal system? Am I saying we should wear hair shirts until the curfews and internal prohibitions end? No! But recognize that many people see this as the be-all and end-all of the reconstruction effort. Kicking the poor out is considered an UPSIDE of the reconstruction project, for the few private investors that got involved in this, but insissted on shutdown of schools, hospitals etc.

[The_Casual_Observer]

23. It'll bring some jobs back. I hope that they can break even at least.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

24. Another kick and a call for Recommendations!

:kick:

Well said, Sir!

[Pirate Smile]

25. I am. It makes me a little teary. Embrace your moments of joy -

they are too few and far between.

Party on NOLA. :party:

[xynthee]

26. WOOO!!

Go Saints! I'll be watching raptly and rooting for you guys in a most enthusiastic way!

Did they give away any free tickets, btw? I hope the Saints and/or even some corporate sponsors did the right thing and gave away a bunch of free tickets. I know even crappy seats at NFL games can cost $70, so I hope those who need the diversion the most are given the opportunity to see the game.

I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOO rooting for the Saints!!

[Mr_Spock]

28. That's great - I was so glad they reopened this

I wasn't sure this was going to happen.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

29. They are totally rocking the dome right now!

Oh yeah!

[bmbmd]

31. U2 was unbelievable....

www.Rhapsody.com

[AnnieBW]

30. Reggie Bush

Seems to be the only Bush that WANTS to be in New Orleans!

[alarimer]

35. I'm sorry but I disagree

I think it is absolutely disgusting that they spent time and money on a fucking football stadium when people are still homeless. I for one am outraged. So some rich assholes can play football and some rich assholes can go see it. So the useless politicians like Blanco and Bush the elder can proclaim some sort of victory in a feel-good PR move?

Definitely some fucked-up priorities. The homeless should take priority over EVERYTHING.

[WildEyedLiberal]

38. Did you see the crowd tonight?

Hardly a bunch of "rich assholes." They were common people, white, black, mostly working class decked out in Saints gear and they were beyond ecstatic to see this symbol of their city rising once again.

Yes, taking care of the homeless and poor is obviously of paramount importance. But I think you drastically underestimate the value of hope. You may think it's silly, but seeing the Saints playing at the Superdome is about more than football; it's a symbol of a city rising to its feet again, of a rebirth. The Saints playing in the Superdome give the people of NOLA hope and a reason to believe that their city will rise again. That is as important as anything.

And if you actually watched the coverage tonight, you would see that it wasn't about politicians at all - it was about the people and the city of New Orleans. The city gained back some of its soul tonight, and it brought tears to my eyes.

GEAUX SAINTS!

[Swamp Rat]

39. Geaux Saints geaux!

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[rudy23]

40. This was the best thing to happen to N.O. since the storm

I can't describe how ELECTRIC the dome was last night. Just four hours of 70,000 fans screaming, hugging, crying, cheering--just pure positivity. It was louder than the loudest rock concert I've ever been to.

Whoever said it was rich assholes in the crowd has never been to a football game. There were people from all walks of life there, and that was the most beautiful thing. There was no politics, no racial tension. People from all walks of life were hugging each other, high-fiving, buying beers for people they didn't know. The only colors that anyone saw last night were black and gold. It was cathartic in the best possible way. This is everything positive about sports wrapped up in a ball and multiplied times 1000. It was great PR for the city, and it brought in a shitload of money. Remember, we didn't just have the game, there were concerts around the dome all afternoon. It was a Jazzfest type environment. We NEED that MONEY! That's where New Orleans' bread is buttered. Even if you hate football, there was nothing but positivity in the air last night.

[Jawja]

41. It IS a wonderful thing

and I enjoyed watching the party on ESPN last night. Except that I hated that the Falcons were the Saints' opponent for this historic game
:(

It was hard to pull FOR the Falcons knowing that they would indeed be beaten by a fired up and talented Saints team at home for the first time after Katrina; and it was hard to pull AGAINST the Saints in that first game in front of home fans (they also have a couple of UGA Dawgs in the starting lineup (Stinchcomb and Grant).

[rudy23]

42. The Saints played the Giants in the first game after 9/11

so I can totally relate.

[Jawja]

43. Well, all happiness

for New Orleans aside, the Saints do have to play us again. And this time it will be in the Georgia Dome without all the hoopla and celebration and high energy and emotion on their side... ;)

We'll give 'em last night's because we had no choice but to show up.