I Will Stay a Saints Fan. Thank You For Your Concern

The other day I sort of watched the Saints/Texans match up. I rooted for the Saints. If you have to ask why, then you just don't get it.

I understand why, after having lived in the Houston area for round bout 20 years, that someone would question the validity of remaining a fan of an out of town team. I have lived in the Houston area a good deal longer than in Louisiana, much less the NOLA area. But having lived in the New Orleans area it goes without saying frankly that I would still root for the Saints. It is cultural. If one has lived in that area for any length of time, then one begins to feel a part of something. A part of true American history. One can feel the spirits, if you will, whenever one is in old New Orleans. It has a charm and something else that I can't figure out that no place else I have found, with the possible exception of San Francisco and maybe Memphis, has. It is just a feeling I suppose.

Going to watch a Saints game in the outdated Super Dome is a treat. It is something that can not be replicated in any venue in the country. Whether the Saints win or lose is often not really relevant. No one is  going to bother you if you come to the game rooting for the other team. It is just not that important. To be there and have a good time is the whole point of going to the game. It is fun of course when they win but no one in the area ever really expects much to come of any team the Saints field.

 Going to a Texans Home game in Reliant Stadium is not the same thing. No comparison. How could it be?

Not that I have anything bad to say about Houston. Nice city sure. Being downtown late in the evening is something special. It is relatively safe as such things go, although it is well to keep aware of your surroundings. A sense of quiet solitude comes over me when wandering or when, in the past, I sat in my taxi waiting for a night owl, out of town sport, to go on an adventure. There are a great many adventures to be had in Houston and any cabbie worth their salt knows just where an adventure can be experienced. All in the name of customer service you understand.

Yep Houston is a very nice place indeed but it just is not New Orleans. Something I just can't quite put my finger on is missing here that can be felt in the Crescent City. If you don't know then you just don't know. That is forgivable I guess.

A Little Wang With Your Coffee?

I spent the last few years of my high school days in the New Orleans area. Almost did not graduate due to the lure of that fair city. Why would I sit in Spanish class when in 20 minutes I could be in The Quarter watching "prono" movies, (as my friend called them), smoking weed (with inhalation),  drinking beer and chasing tourists of the fairer gender? A lot can be done before 3:30 pm sure. I certainly have a place in my heart for that town. I suppose New Orleans and Memphis are my favorite cities in our fair nation. I am, after all, a Southeastern Conference man. I currently live about 30 minutes or so from Galveston and really like that little town also. It reminds me so much of New Orleans in many respects. My better half will not hear of living there though. Afraid I will become a beach bum I suppose. Probably a smart move on her part. Never doubt the legitimacy of women's intuition.

Anyway I have noted that the Republicans are having (or had) their shindig down New Orleans way. Not sure if that is where I would have chosen to hold this sort of gathering. Now it is common knowledge that the city is a Democratic Party stronghold. The folks there, both pre and post Katrina, are sadly brainwashed. A large majority believe that "the man" has held them down. The fact that leftist govt policies have emasculated a large segment of the population does not register. With all that being said, if I were traveling to NOLA to participate in this gathering I would be pretty careful what I ate. Some of those hotel workers are likely not above putting "a little wang in your coffee." Enhancing the flavor a bit as it were. I probably would have brought my own peanut butter and jelly.

Choosing to hold this gathering in New Orleans is akin to holding an anti (illegal) immigrant convention in San Antonio or a "white supremacist" gathering in Memphis.

You know, come to think of it, I believe that some quasi Klan meetup was held in Memphis a few short years back. Some kind of Dr. Duke led convention or something. I would wager that there were a few episodes of "flavor enhancing" that occurred.  Here and there as the case may be.

I wanted to title this "Some cock with your cocktail?" but decided that might be going a bit far. Just adhering to community standards you understand.

American Idol, New Orleans Saints and Kay Bailey Hutchinson

There are a few things on the television that I have found rather interesting in the last week or so. Last night the New Orleans Saints won the NFC Championship which was great. I came to the conclusion that in order for the Saints to beat Peyton and the boys they will have to fall on fumbles when they are on the ground instead of trying to pick up and run. The Saints should have recovered at least two Viking fumbles but instead of falling on the ball, they tried to pick and run and then of course gave the ball back. I also noticed that Favre of the Vikings is one tough hombre. The Saints did their best to knock him out of the game and he hung in. Most QB's would have not made it through that pounding that Favre took. No way! I also noticed that during the post game festivities the "master of ceremonies" kept calling Saints honorary captain Deuce McAllister "Douche." I thought at first my ears deceived me, but he did it twice. That was pretty funny. All in all the game was a fun experience. Who Dat. Go Saints.

I watched American Idol the other night which is something that I frequently criticize others for doing. So be it. I noted that the last guy that sang was some kind of good. This is the guy (I am too lazy to bother looking up his name) that spent a good portion of his youth in the can for robbing a bank at the age of 15 with a bb gun. I think he might have what it takes to be the "next American Idol." I also noted a couple of sisters from NJ who really could not sing all that well telling the judges something to the effect of "we belong in Hollywood." I don't know about that but they certainly look like they belong in Chatsworth. If American Idol does not work out for them (and it won't) I would be willing to bet that someone in Chatsworth would be willing to "make them a star." I am sorry to say that I would probably pay to see that.

Kay Bailey Hutchinson is running for Governor of Texas for some reason or other. She really does not stand a chance, but what the hey. Her major opponent in the primary is incumbent Rick Perry. Now Perry is just a bit too blow dried for me. He reminds me a bit of a Republican John Edwards. I don't know why, he just does. Just don't trust a grown man with a kiss me quick haircut. At any rate Hutchinson has a campaign ad out that is really very disturbing and actually offers quite a bit of insight into the PC state of governance.
The ad in question touts Hutchinson's achievement in getting more border patrol agents on the Mexican border. I do not know if this is true or not so will reserve comment on this.
The second point in the ad is that as Governor she will require that all state agencies check immigration status on prospective state employees before hiring. Is this not already being done?If not, that is crazy.
The third, and most damning point is that Hutchinson will make sure that all illegal immigrants that "commit crimes" will be deported. Silly me, I thought that holding illegal status was already a crime. Why are those who are in violation of immigration laws not already deported when detected?
Kay Bailey Hutchinson for Governor of Texas? Let us hope not. Of course Rick Perry is nothing special either. Bill White, the Democrat, has actually been a pretty decent Mayor for Houston, but he is, truth be told, far too Un American on the immigration issue to be of any real use to the citizens of Texas. It is a conundrum as they say.

Inauspicious Start

Well the first five games of the College Bowl and Championship season have decided and I am off to an inauspicious start. 2 right to 3 wrong. Fresno State was beaten by Wyoming in the New Mexico Bowl. Mount Union lost a good game to UW Whitewater in D3, and in the IAA (FCS) Champioship Game Villanova took down a good Montana squad. Incidentally, did you see the Villanova QB in action? That kid can play this game. Someone in the NFL should take a look at him, if not for QB, then for athlete. The only ones I have right so far is the St Petersburg Bowl where Schiano's Rutgers squad was victorious over UCF and the NAIA Championship was decided in favor of Sioux Falls.There are a lot of games left to be played and perhaps I will be a bit more accurate. Tonight is I believe the New Orleans Bowl.
I am not a huge NFL fan, but I do like the Saints. You can't live in Louisiana (which I did for many years) and not be a fan. I am sorry to see that they lost to the hated Cowboys, but a loss now is better than one in the playoffs. Go Saints!!

Have a nice week and enjoy the games.

Addendum
Middle Tennessee took down USM in the New Orleans Bowl the other night. This puts me at 3 and 3 for the bowl and post season action. Looking pretty good. Here shortly the Las Vegas Bowl starts with BYU and Oregon State. I kind of would like to change my prediction on the game and go with BYU, but will stand with the Beavers.

Thinking again of the Saints - I guess it is better to lose a game now when it really does not matter than to lose one in the playoffs which ends the season. It is a shame it had to be to the ridiculous Cowboys. Romo is a prima donna much like Bears QB of old Jim M. Jim was a proven winner though you have to give him that.

I remember when I was in high school and living just across the lake from New Orleans going to quite a few Saints games. They usually lost, but that has been the story of the franchise. My friend Paul and Steve would go to see the game with our parents and it was always pretty cool. What was even more fun was skipping school and hanging around the French Quarter. I fondly remember telling some man that worked at the Hyatt Downtown that I was Frank Marino and the other guys with me were Mahagony Rush and we would be playing that night at the Warehouse. We promised him free tickets if he would show up. He actually seemed to buy it and hopefully he did not show up. We also used to go to the "adult" movie theatre on Canal Street to watch a little porn. I fell in love with Annette Haven and thought that Gerard Damiano was up there with George Lucas. No one bothered to check our id or anything. Same for having a few drinks in the Quarter. No id, no problem. We often topped off such excursions with a trip to Felix's Oyster House for a good Shrimp Po-Boy. I acquired a taste for good coffee at Cafe Du Monde and certainly learned to love fine Creole women. It was a simpler time then. I almost did not graduate from high school due to the proximity of the French Quarter but an education still I did acquire. Probably more valuable in many ways than some boring classes where they only talked about reality.
I remember years later, after I had gotten out of the service, driving from Central Louisiana down to New Orleans with my friend (brother) Mark, his dad, my future and ex father in law BoB (RIP) and some guy named Fred. We drove down in some giant car of Fred's and saw the game. My friend Mark had a bad toothache as I recall which he medicated with liquor. The highlight of the trip was either after or before the game we went to some bar in the Quarter where an old women rubbed on his chest. I remember feeling slightly jealous about the whole episode. I then had to drive back from New Orleans in a tropical storm that rolled in and that really was no fun. I do not remember who won the game or even who the Saints played. That is not usually the point of the Saints experience anyway. I do love New Orleans.