All Saints' Day

No, not the Roman-Catholic day of celebrating the canonized, no not the oft-rumored sequel to cult film 'The Boondock Saints', I'm talking New Orleans Saints. And this one time, not just the players. The fans, the residents of the city, are part of the team on this night, for without them, there is no team, there is no Superdome, there is no New Orleans.

This is a day of celebration for the city of New Orleans. Tonight's Monday Night Football game from the Superdome was their re-coming-out party. They got to show the world that they and their city are still alive and on the way back.

It's also a way to bring the plight of the region back into the public consciousness, if only briefly, and even if it only makes a small immediate impact. The seed has been re-planted. We must remain mindful that the entire Gulf Coast region was devestated, and though it seems like New Orleans, if any, is the only city being attended to, if we can get the big city back on track, the surrounding cities that it supported will most likely come back as well.

There are those who would have us leave N.O. to die, and move the ports and teams and people to other places, similar to the treatment of Galveston after it's great flood. But this is a city so ingrained in our collective American culture that to lose it would be on par with losing Boston or San Fransisco or Miami. We can't lose those cities because they represent the American diversity that is so greatly cherished (at least I hope we cherish it).

So for this one night, we all got to cheer for the Saints in their victory [even Atlanta Falcons' fans] because tonight, it's bigger than football, it's bigger than any team, it's about the city, it's about all of us.

And when the Saints players came out and blocked the punt and scored a touchdown on the first possession...if that didn't bring a smile to your face, I have to question your humanity.

The Atlanta Falcons owner said before the game:
"We want to win, but if you're going to lose a game, this is the one to lose."

Well said Mr. Blank, but tonight, we all won. (Especially the Saints with that 23-3 rout)