Saints
slightly restore spirit to New Orleans
with win
SPORTS
COLUMN
Jesse
Munoz
When
the New Orleans Saints kicked off the
season against the Panthers on Sunday
afternoon they began what is sure to
be the toughest season in the franchise’s
38-year history. The task of overcoming
Katrina’s devastation, while carrying
an entire city’s spirits on their
back will be no easy task.
For hurricane survivors in and around New Orleans the beginning of the NFL
season on Sunday marked the first attempt at a return to normalcy, and showcased
what an important role sports can play in the healing process of a region.
New Orleans has long had a strong sports tradition to go along with it’s “ Big
Easy” party town reputation. Like in most southern states where football
reigns supreme, Louisiana is no different. New Orleans has been the home of
the Sugar Bowl since 1935 and has hosted six Super Bowls.
In addition to a premier bowl game like the Sugar Bowl, college football in
Louisiana has been well represented by both Tulane and powerhouse LSU. The
Friday night lights of high school football also shine bright in Louisiana,
producing NFL stars Peyton and Eli Manning and Marshall Faulk. And we can’t
forget the New Orleans Hornets, who returned basketball to the bayou in 2002
after a 23-year hiatus.
New Orleans has a rich sports history that is as big a party of the city’s
history and tradition as Mardi Gras and gumbo.
The negative impact and emotional toll Katrina has had on the people of that
region and the nation as a whole, far outweighs any concern about the sports
world, but it is still interesting to ponder what effect it will have.
The aforementioned Superdome, which served as a shelter to thousands of displaced
hurricane survivors in the wake of Katrina’s destruction, suffered major
damage to both the roof and its artificial playing surface. It is also feared
that the Sugar Bowl offices and archives that were located in the Superdome
may have been destroyed.
The need to use the Superdome facilities for rescue and recovery efforts, combined
with the amount of damage sustained, have forced the Saints to move their practice
facility to San Antonio and reschedule all of their home games at alternate
sites. The extent of the damage has not even been fully established, but it
has already been determined that an alternate site will be necessary for the
2006 Sugar Bowl.
A few games to reschedule and some lost archives don’t seem like much
compared to the loss of an entire city, but the longer lasting consequences
could be direr.
But with the possible demolition of the Superdome looming, and the state focusing
its funds on the more important issue of recovery, there isn’t going
to be any money to give. A business is a business, and no NFL owner on earth
is going to sit around and lose money while their team vagabonds from stadium
to stadium looking for their next temporary home.
Everyone has talked about how the Saints are going to be underdogs the entire
season. Playing for fans with nothing left but hope, they would try to give
them something to hope for and believe in, as they attempt to rebuild their
lives.
After seeing the joy and uplifting spirit a Saints opening day victory was
able to bring the Katrina victims, it’s clear that the power of sports
is going to be an invaluable resource in helping these people rebuild their
lives, and their community.
Just as the Yankees were a distraction and beacon of hope for New Yorkers in
the days and weeks following 9/11, the Saints can provide the same service
for the people of New Orleans.
More importantly they need something to return to and be excited about once
their city is rebuilt. The Saints have the power to not only provide an immediate
distraction from the chaos, but to become that persevering symbol for the city
to cling to and identify with. Something that will be the same as before,
a link to what once was, and a reminder of what can still be. |
