It was a spectacular year. Congratulations to the New Orleans Saints. I wasn’t being a “homer” when I predicted on September 2nd that the Saints would go 16-0 and make their first of 4 straight Super Bowl trips this year. Micky Loomis and Sean Payton were given the opportunity by Tom Benson and successfully assembled a great team; a team that understands and is part of New Orleans.
Drew Brees is the perfect ambassador for our city and gives back through his foundation, and through things like being named FedEx Player of the Year (leading to a charity being awarded $5000 when Saints fans visited the site over and over) or winning the Pepsi Refresh competition (leading to American Cancer Society Patrick Taylor lodge being awarded $100,000 when fans voted over and over). Many other players also make New Orleans home and give back in a big way.
Our city has been and will continue to be in the national and world spotlight. Regardless of whether the levees had failed, the Saints winning a Super Bowl would have been a big story, but given the efforts of our citizens to rebuild in this city, and the efforts to keep our team here and rebuild the Superdome, there is an emotion that we have to the Saints that other cities could never have.
The collateral impact of this season and the attention we have received will result in the greatest Mardi Gras, the greatest French Quarter Festival and the greatest Jazz Fest this year, and a number of great years ahead of us.
Due to the Saints’ success this year, Basin Street Records’ artists have been on CNN, NPR, CNN Radio, ABC Good Morning America, CBS Evening News, CBS Sunday Morning, ESPN and countless other print and media stories like the Washington Post. Kermit Ruffins‘ A Saints Christmas became a hit, and Theresa Andersson sang Glory Bound an updated version of the Who Dat Song with Aaron Neville that is the top featured music video on YouTube today.
Our city is more united because of our Saints, but our Mayor election this weekend, where Mitch Landrieu won in a landslide with 66% of the vote, indicates we are united in our goal for leadership. With Drew Brees and Mitch Landrieu I think we are in good hands for years to come.
I hope you enjoyed it New Orleanians, wherever you are…THIS WAS THE BEST WEEKEND EVER & PROBABLY FOREVER.
WHODAT!