By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

Call it a severe case of déjà vu. Whatever it was, it had Kerry Watkins wanting to charge out onto the field.

Indeed, the former East St. John standout and current Canadian Football League star was in the house 10 days ago at the Superdome when the Saints pulled out a thrilling victory over the Minnesota Vikings to clinch their first ever berth in the Super Bowl.

Watkins wasn’t seated in the front row. But had he been …

“If I’m in the front row, I might have been arrested,” Watkins said with a laugh. “I think I’d have rushed that field.”

Believe it or not, it was the first NFL game Watkins, a LaPlace native, had ever attended. And while he’s always supported the Saints, he says, he never was one to follow any NFL team too closely.

But Watkins says he was sucked into the drama pretty easily on that day. And as the Saints were driving to set up Garrett Hartley’s eventual 40-yard game-winning field goal, he found himself experiencing a lot of familiar emotions.

“It’s like I was in their shoes,” Watkins mused. “I definitely know that feeling.”

In more ways than anyone could know.

BEEN THERE, DONE THAT

Watkins knew what is was like to be on a team driving for a championship-clinching score, to win a huge game as the Saints did — right down to the almost bizarre fashion in which it occurred.

His Montreal Alouettes looked to have come up short again last November. Trailing Saskatchewan 27-25 in the Grey Cup, the CFL’s version of the NFL’s Super Bowl, Montreal watched kicker Damon Duval’s potential go-ahead 43-yard field goal sail wide, seemingly dooming the team to its fifth straight loss in the Grey Cup.

Only … there was a flag on the play, and a call plenty familiar to Saints fans by now: too many men on the field.

Duval would get a second crack at it and boot it through the uprights from 33 yards away to deliver his team a championship.

“It was such a humbling experience. I just can’t explain it,” said Watkins.

An experience he was no doubt reminded of when Minnesota was flagged for too many men on the field late in the fourth quarter last week, setting up Brett Favre’s game-changing interception. Not to mention Hartley’s game-winner. Or just the tension in general in a close, do-or-die contest.

“It definitely reminded me of the Grey Cup,” said Watkins with a laugh. “It was like, ‘been there, done that.’ I was ready to start popping bottles of champagne like I’d just won it all over again.”

GO-TO GUY

The 31-year-old would be a major factor in the result, as he had been throughout Montreal’s team-record 15-3 season. After being quiet for most of the day, Watkins came up with a huge 17-yard catch from quarterback Anthony Calvillo to set up Duval’s first game-winning attempt.

But it was nothing new. If Watkins experienced déjà vu in the Superdome, the Alouettes surely did the same after his catch. Since joining the team in 2004, Watkins has consistently assaulted opposing secondaries.

In 2009, Watkins hauled in 81 receptions for 1,243 yards and eight touchdowns and a career high 15.3 yards per catch. A year prior, Watkins finished fourth in the CFL in touchdowns scored and seventh in receptions. In 2007, he was ninth in receiving yards. He has twice been a CFL All-Star, including an ’05 season in which he finished third in the league in receiving yardage.

At 5-feet-11 inches and 186 pounds, he’s not often the biggest man running through the secondary. But Watkins has found a great deal of success through not only his athleticism but his conditioning – something he says is very, very important in a league structured as the CFL is.

“It’s different from the NFL. You’ve got a 20-second play clock, so you don’t have time to sit back. You need to be a quarter horse. You need to be in top shape, or you don’t have a chance.”

Sounds difficult. But he says it’s a dream scenario for quarterbacks, defensive backs and — of course — wide receivers.

“There might be 90 plays in a game, and 75 will be passing plays,” said Watkins. “As a wide receiver, you can’t ask for anything more.”

MR. FRIDAY NIGHT

Lou Valdin didn’t hesitate when asked to sum up his thoughts on Watkins’ career at East St. John.

“He was Mr. Friday Night,” Valdin said. “He was such an incredible athlete with incredible strength … He was a playmaker that just dominated the game for us.”

Watkins played at ESJ during Valdin’s three-year run as head coach at the school.

Now at Hahnville, Valdin doesn’t get to see his former player as much as he’d like to, but says he follows him plenty.

“I’m proud of not only what he’s doing in the CFL, but what he did at Georgia Tech,” said Valdin.

“You knew he’d be a success. When he was here, he was the total package. He’s as great a natural athlete as I’ve ever seen. When those lights came on, he turned it on.”

In no small part due to Valdin, Watkins says.

“He helped me take my career to the next level,” Watkins says. “He really prepared me mentally as to what to expect at each turn.”

Valdin believes Watkins’ professional run may not end in the CFL.

“I’m so proud to see him out there as a success in the CFL. But I still think he’s got NFL ability,” Valdin said.

Only time will tell if that door will open for Watkins before his playing days are through.

But the CFL’s got its perks — along with its passing-friendly style, six months of offseason time to spend with his family is a perk Watkins cherishes.

“There are a lot of little things like that that really make the CFL a special place,” Watkins said.

Grey Cup victories don’t hurt, either.

“Whether it was God, destiny, however you want to put it, we found a way to win. It was amazing,” Watkins said.