Deepwater

I showed my class a short video about the oil spill today. It looks as though some of the oil may get caught in the Loop Current and could head up the East Coast. This isn't a Louisiana problem, it's a national one. We aren't getting nearly enough news up here about this, but we should be. Things are going to get much worse, I fear.

My Pledge

The Saints are my favorite team. There are no two ways about it. When I had had enough after the 92 season and yet another playoff loss, I said I was done with the disappointment and heartbreak and was going to root for another team. I sorta did, too. I began following the Philadelphia Eagles - back when they had Randall Cunningham and that really nasty defense. But they weren't my home town team. I still followed the Saints. I couldn't get away from it. On Sunday mornings I would drive or ride my bike down to the French Quarter to get a cup of iced coffee at Royal Blend and some beignets at Cafe' Du Monde. I made sure to get back home in time for the pregame show and watch the Saints if they were on TV. If they weren't on, I would have the radio blaring, visualizing the plays while I puttered around my apartment cleaning up from the night before. I never had enough money back then to go to a game unless someone gave me a ticket or we waited until after kickoff to get in.

In 2006 when the Saints made their run to the NFC Championship game in Chicago, I bought a ticket for an outrageous price, booked a flight and reserved a hotel room to go see the New Orleans Saints. It was a beautiful thing to be there with MY team. And sure there were some jerks. I didn't care. I didn't care that they lost - what they had done was so unbelievable and amazing and spirit lifting that I still can't forget the elation of walking into Soldier Field wearing my Deuce McAllister jersey. And though I was slightly deflated after the game was over, I still was able to hold my head high. The Saints had done all of their fans proud (except that Reggie flip into the end zone in Urlacher's face thing).

Once I moved from New Orleans, I took up the charge. After all, I am from New Orleans. The Saints are my team. I found a dive bar that had the Sunday Ticket. Every Sunday. Then I started going to a hotel Sports Bar. Then another and another - just to root for the Saints. I even found a mob bar that was shut down suddenly when the FBI took the owners to jail for god knows what crimes. I even bought a Sirius Satellite radio so I could listen to Jim and Hokie when we were traveling around the country.

I moved to PA and found a bar and another real life Saints fan to watch the games with. It's weird to have this thing, this love and passion for a team that no one anywhere around here feels. It's my kinship and birthright to be a Saints fan. So I am. And I will be from now on. I am here in Jets/Giants/Eagles country proudly wearing my black and gold (and shrimp boots!). I am sorry that I wavered in my faith in you. I hope you can accept my apologies.

Today I am wearing my Deuce jersey. I have on my Be A Saint t-shirt. I will have on a sweatshirt and drink Abita Amber. I will bring my two year old wearing his Drew Brees jersey with me to watch the game. I will encourage him to say "Who Dat!" and "Deuuuuuce!" I will order the Cajun Burger and not criticize the lack of flavor or depth. I will introduce myself to strangers and entertain them with stories of New Orleans and of the Saints. I will read blogs and learn statistics and memorize all the players names and numbers. I will bleed Black and Gold.

Today I am a Saints fan, proud, unabashed and unashamed. Today I will scream and cheer and laugh with people I don't know. Today, I will show some unsuspecting New Jerseyans what a person from New Orleans is like and I will display the grace and courtesy we show to all our visitors. I will show them the passion of a Saints fan, too.

The Cardinals won a great game last week against the Packers. It was a shootout, and I enjoyed watching all the great plays from two great quarterbacks. Today's game features two great quarterbacks, but this week the two teams are playing in what has to be the loudest and most excitable crowd in the league. I have no doubt about the outcome today.

And when I wake up tomorrow, I am still going to be a Saints fan.

Apologies

After my last post, the Saints have gone on a 2 game losing streak. I did not intend to offend any of the following - God, Allah, Yahweh, Brian Bordelon, voodoo queens, witches, vampires, people who believe in jinxes, or any other person or being who connects with higher powers. I am sorry for this post, and I hope my apologies are accepted. I just want the Saints to finish strong and do us proud in the playoffs. Who dat!

Catching the Fever

Not swine flu.  The Saints.

ESPN.com (amazing story about New Orleans AND the Saints)

SI.com

USAToday.com

Other than that, things are great.  More once this amazing season ends.  WHO DAT!

We're really moving

Sure the house is smaller.  But there are three acres of land.  And it's 15 minutes from work, 10 minutes from Princeton, NJ, and 15 minutes from the train to NYC.  Also, it's just down the street from the Delaware and Raritan Canal State park and tons of hiking trails. 

We sold our house in a couple of weeks, but then the buyer backed out.  In less than two weeks, we sold it again.  This time for sale price.  Staging helped, but really we think the price was the main reason. 

All I know is damn.  Jersey is expensive.

I still have to fix a few things here before we can officially sell it (broken windows replaced, sidewalk fixed, new gutter on the garage, etc.)  But we are pretty much all done here.  It looks like we will be in the new place by Thanksgiving.  That's not all that far off.  Time to start packing!

Predictions Come True

It didn't take a genius to see this coming. 

I know Cerasoli's quitting was a big disappointment.  The way that he was running the IG's office reminded me of Carl Hanratty played by Tom Hanks in Catch Me If You Can.  He was willing to work in the most deplorable and degrading conditions because he viewed his job as important.  Others, I fear, will be positioning themselves for other not-so-altruistic reasons. 

Already there seems to be a gnashing of teeth and conflict of personality.  I wonder if they have phones yet. 

I don't have time to pay attention, but are any of the proposed IGs connected to the Jeffersons?

Wish I had known...

About this race.  I am not sure I can run uphill for 300 feet, but I would have been willing to try.  There was no press on this at all.  I just happened to be in town crossing the Crescent City Connection around 6:45 and saw a ton of people running.  Since I am running part of a marathon as a relay team next week, this would have been a nice way to train while I was around.  Thanks, nola.com.