Almost 24 hours later, I’m still jittery.

Never saw most of the commercials. Was too busy pacing around the corridors of my father’s house to watch.

As a Saints fan, I’m conditioned to expect crushing failure. Something, somehow is going to snatch that glorious feeling of ultimate victory from us. The other shoe — that’s the constant fear.

No more. The Who Dat Nation is forever changed.

Rickey Jackson in the Hall of Fame. New Orleans taking over Sun Life Stadium (and all of Miami, really) by force. Sean Payton making the gutsiest call ever in a Super Bowl and being willing to seize victory, rather than avoid defeat.

When Lance Moore “dropped” that two-point conversion pass, I hoped for the best, but it seemed like an all-too familiar script. Arguably the greatest athlete ever produced from Louisiana had a shot to beat his hometown team in his final drive. The scenario we all feared.

Only Moore’s two-pointer was overturned. Tracy Porter made the play of his life. And New Orleans danced in the streets.

Give Sean Payton a lifetime contract. Make Brees King.

The Saints are world champions.

The wait is over. It’s finally Next Year.

– Ryan Arena

As the celebration subsided Sunday night, and my small group of friends finally started to come back down to Earth, everything just hit me all at once – the New Orleans Saints were Super Bowl Champions.

Suddenly the emotions bubbled over and the tears began to flow. It was refreshing. As a long-suffering fan I felt redeemed. I finally got a return on my years of investment in a perpetually doomed football franchise.

I began to think back to those years where a win was few and far between. When the team would get so close to something special only to have it ripped away like a temperamental 2-year-old yanks back his toy from the grasp of another sibling.

I would sit huddled around my parents’ radio listening to home games because the team couldn’t sell enough tickets to get it put on television. I was mocked and ridiculed by schoolyard friends for my blind allegiance to a terrible football team with mediocre players. I didn’t know any better. It was the team my parents and grandparents followed, so it just felt right.

Something always seemed special about this season, but as a long time fan you learn to approach every game with a sort of “cautious optimism.” I never got too high on the team because I knew there was still time for that other shoe to drop. There was still time for something to happen to bring the fans back to reality. That time is up – we finally finished on top.

As we continued to watch the celebration unfold in Miami and on Bourbon Street, I realized that we should not look at this as a “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity. This team, with Drew Brees under center and Sean Payton behind the wheel, has the talent to contend for at least two or three more championships. The loser mentality is behind us. The Saints are the ‘Aints no more – Who Dat.

– Robin Shannon

Days later and I still can’t quite comprehend what happened on Sunday. I think I’m still waiting for the other shoe to drop.

After enduring 35 painful and heartbreaking seasons, the payoff has finally come, and how sweet it is. The Saints finally have a coach who isn’t a one-trick pony. And a quarterback who delivers stellar performance after stellar performance. Well, the list goes on and on.

When I was much younger, I had a dog named Bum after Saints coach Bum Phillips. I don’t think I’ll be naming any dogs after Sean Payton or Drew Brees. They deserve better than that.

My only fear now is whether anything will be able to live up to this season. Next year, no matter how well the Saints play, will it be able to follow the excitement and emotion of this season?

I guess only time will tell, but that kind of fear I can live with.

– David Vitrano