Lombardi Gras

Yes, that is You-Know-Who and, yes, he's holding You-Know-What!

Let me just tell you. New Orleans knows how to throw a ParTy! And it doesn't take much of an excuse to have one. So when the beloved Saints win the SuPerBoWL, it's on! A conservative estimate of 25,000 40,000 Who Dats lined the streets yesterday afternoon to greet the players and coaches as they touched down on New Orleans turf. Now, this is typical for every away game, but it seemed half the city was out there! My mom and her friend had nothing else going on so they headed down to show their support as well. And these are some of the pics they took.

Scott Fujita...

Deuce!.....

Not sure who, but he knows how to rally the crowd...

Seriously, this was just an impromptu crowd that lined the streets. I think they beat out every Mardi Gras (better known as Lombardi Gras these days) parade rolling the streets. Who Dats LOVE their Saints and they sure know how to strike up the band and get down and boogie. At one point Sean Peyton hoisted the trophy out his sunroof and the crowd exploded in Who Dat chants and #1 signs.

I read an article from the Indy Star that reported 11 Colts fans at the airport to welcome home their team. 11. E.l.e.v.e.n. That's all. Now, my point is not to mention how pathetic their fan base is. My point is to show how Who Dats have a team spirit that rivals any other. And before you think that had we lost it would have been a similar homecoming experience for The Boys, there has been a Saints Parade scheduled for two days after the Super Bowl for two weeks. Win or lose, they were getting an entire parade in their honor. No stops. Floats. Beads. You name it. And half the schools in the NO area canceled classes ahead of time for the day after the game. And every Mardi Gras parade from here on out has a Saints player as the honored celebrity. They were booked within one minute of Hartley's game-winning kick two weeks ago as we knocked off the Vikings. Yes, the Saints are celebrities around there. Heroes. Legends. Role models.

Like I mentioned earlier, we're so stinkin' proud of our Saints that we can't help put party. And party we would do. Rain or shine. Win or loss. Trophy or not. But it does help the cause that we went all the way.

I just wish I could have been there. If their homecoming off that plane was this amazing, I can't imagine what the parade that is getting ready to roll in less than an hour will be like. Fans started marking their spot first thing this morning. In the freezing cold, they've faithfully frozen their little bottoms off just for a frond-curb spot to see their Saints up close. And I'm sure it won't disappoint.

You go Who Dats! Party! Revel! Celebrate! And yell out a few whoops and hollers for me.

Here's a few more pictures...

They're even hanging on the over passes.

Not positive who it is (though I am amost sure it's Jonathan Vilma), but my mom is in the window reflection.

Is this Garrett Hartley???... (Gabe later told me it's not.)