Happy Endings in New Orleans

There was a possibility, not too long ago, that New Orleans would be without an NFL team.

The Superdome was ravaged by Katrina, and owner Tom Benson was making the case that it was economically unviable for him to keep the team in the city.

Thankfully, that was not the case.

On Monday night, the Saints will play their first game in the Superdome since Hurricane Katrina dealt a menacing blow to New Orleans. The city, the nation, the team, and the fans are all looking forward to the national broadcast with much anticipation and excitement, not just because the Saints are 2-0, but also because they still represent the city of New Orleans.

Dr. Timothy Ryan, in a study done some years ago, determined that the Saints and the NFL bring millions upon millions of dollars to the city of New Orleans and the surrounding area with employment, television coverage, free exposure to tourists, and the general economic impact on other businesses, such as restaurants and hotels.

But the impact of the Saints goes beyond the dollars it contributes to the local economy.

The New Orleans Saints represent something to the city, a rallying point, a common cause, an escape from the devastation of Katrina, a sense of community, and a commitment to the city.

Sixteen Sundays this year, the city will join together in celebration.

If the team had been moved, those sixteen Sundays would just be a reminder of another way that the country had forgotten about them.

Because while New Orleans may not be the biggest haven of NFL fanatics, like Pittsburgh or Green Bay, the city and the state still love their football and they show it (for example, by selling out every seat in the Superdome for the entire season).

Coming from Cleveland, I can understand the passion they have for their team, and the lost and dejected feeling they would have if it was taken away from them. After all, it wasn't too long ago that Art Modell took the Browns to Baltimore, and I was forced to sit every Sunday in my Browns jersey and wonder what happened to my team.

For now, the Saints are 2-0 and about to debut in their hometown for a national audience, and they have much to be proud of, notably all the work that the team has put into the recovery process in the area with generous donations, fundraising, and volunteering.

That may be the strongest bond the team has with the city right now, and probably a bigger reason that there has been a groundswell of support for the Saints than their initial 2-0 record.

Oh yeah, there may be one other reason also.

Reggie Bush.

Languished by years of ineptitude and carousels of quarterbacks, the Saints went out and got quarterback Drew Brees in the offseason, and landed a gold mine with the second pick in the draft after the Houston Texans passed on Bush.

Two new additions on the offensive side and suddenly there was a note of excitement when people talked about the Saints. Even if the team continued the string of mediocre seasons, there was something to look forward to — new blood, new offense, new possibilities.

It would be near-sighted to think that Bush was and is the complete answer to the woes of the Saints. One man can't possibly raise up a team on his shoulders and turn them from a bottom-feeder into a playoff contender.

However, Bush is a lightning rod of entertainment and skill. He has shown in his first two games an ability to make things happen on the field beyond his trademarked scampers forward, backward, sideways, and any other way. Sure, his ability to artfully elude defenders by skipping around like his legs were pogo-sticks has been displayed. However, he has also shown an ability to play within the offensive system and make tough yards on plays by using his natural strength and speed (aka going upfield instead of backwards). He already has 192 all-purpose yards, and has been adept at working out of the backfield and as a wide receiver.

Put everything together — Drew Brees, the recovery efforts by the organization, the goodwill of the city, the efforts to keep the team in New Orleans by the NFL, the drafting of Reggie Bush — and you get the reason why the Saints have sold-out the regular season. You get the answer to why everyone living in New Orleans, and otherwise, are looking forward to Monday night's game.

There couldn't be a better national stage for the team, the city, and the fans to be on after all that has happened in New Orleans.