L’Observateur / December 13, 2000

Suddenly Louisiana, and especially the New Orleans area, has largely forgotten about the presidential election. Seems there’s more importanttopics on everyone’s lips – the New Orleans Saints.

With their stunning comeback victory Sunday over the San Francisco 49ers, the Saints find themselves not only looking at a likely playoff slot (with one more win), but the possibility of sweeping their division and actually winning one or two playoff games. And (dare we hope?) the Super Bowl is makingmany old-time Saints fans intoxicated with pleasure.

On Sept. 17, 1967, the first regular season Saints game began with a kickoffto the home team. Rookie John Gilliam was on hand, back near the end zone,to received the kick, and he ran it back 97 yards for a touchdown.

Ever since then the glory of that runback has haunted the Saints and other highlights. From the “impossible” 63-yard field goal by Tom Dempsey to theArchie Manning years when “Archie Who?” found the grass in the backfield more often than the end zone, the Saints have been the perennial also-rans of professional football.

From the ‘Aints to the Jim Mora glory days when we came our nearest to playoff glory the Saints have persisted, and their fans have likewise.

Converts to the cause continue to build, and enthusiasm is at a peak.

Archie is in the radio booth (sometimes), and Dempsey’s NFL record finally fell, but the Saints are still pursuing their impossible dream. No one hasseriously considered moving the franchise, and the fan base here must be one of the most faithful in the National Football League.

Through thick and wafer-thin years the fans have persisted in holding onto that dream. With little to go on besides faith, the dream has stayed alive.This week the Saints host the Atlanta Falcons, and the following week they will host the St. Louis Rams. The Saints have astonished the pundits,overcome incredible obstacles, lost and replaced their “stars” and, in the process, created new stars. The possibility of the New Orleans Saintswearing Super Bowl rings is a vision which, incredibly, seems somehow possible.

The New Orleans Saints have come a long, long way over a rocky road since John Mecom’s team became the newest expansion franchise on Dec. 15,1966 and former Los Angeles Rams receiver Tom Fears stepped to the sideline at Tulane Stadium for the first game as head coach.

For many fans, the promised land of playoff glory is just a few short weeks away.

And then, there’s always next year.

L’Observateur

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