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Lloyd J. Nelson III
Staff Writer

Published: Saturday, January 23, 2010 at 6:01 a.m.
Last Modified: Friday, January 22, 2010 at 10:24 p.m.


THIBODAUX — Seven-year-old Joshua Mire stood surrounded by black and gold in the cafeteria of Schriever Elementary School Friday, his friends all proclaiming the New Orleans Saints would be victorious over the Minnesota Vikings Sunday.

But Mire smiled, secretly rooting for the team that many locals view as the enemy.

“The Vikings are going to win,” Mire said.

Although 33 years separates Mire from his favorite player, 40-year-old Vikings quarterback Brett Favre, 40, it doesn't matter to Mire. His father grew up a Green Bay Packers fan and, after watching Favre run their offense, Mire became a lifelong fan.

But he didn't wear his Favre jersey, an old Packers jersey, Friday because his mother was afraid he would be sent home or forced to remove his shirt.

Instead, Mire sat among black-and-gold Drew Brees, Reggie Bush, and Jeremy Shockey jerseys, each worn by a child who seemed sure the Saints were going to beat the Vikings and head to their first-ever Super Bowl.

“The Saints have better runs and throws than the Vikings. And Favre mostly gets hurt when he gets sacked,” 7-year-old Sebastien Verrett said. “But Favre, he's all right.”

Other students, like 8-year-old Damon Watkins, said the Saints are going to win because of their work ethic, which Principal Peggy Marcel noted when commending the children for making the honor roll.

“They're going to work hard,” Watkins said. “They're going to play as a team.”

The Saints were on the minds of children across both parishes, with many public schools allowing students to ditch their usual uniform shirts for Saints jerseys or other black-and-gold clothing.

At Cut Off Elementary, students were allowed to don Saints gear and at recess the “Who Dat Roll” by Williams Riley was broadcast over the school's loudspeakers, so students could celebrate the upcoming game.

“They are all up dancing and singing,” Cut Off Elementary Principal Holly Bouzigard said of the scene on campus. “This is history being made by the Saints, and we plan on doing it until the Super Bowl.”

But not all local children have been swept up by Saints fever. Some, such as 6-year-old Madelyn Schouest, said they wore a Saints jersey because that's what a parent told them to put on.

“I hate football,” Schouest said. “It's boring.”

Staff Writer Lloyd Nelson can be reached at 448-7639 or lloyd.nelson@dailycomet.com. Follow him on Twitter @GovReporter.

Saints fever infects kids across the region | HoumaToday.com

homerj07

Ok we need to find that kid & school them in the joys of football!!

Srgt. Hulka

My little girl doesn't need any schoolin in football. She came home today with a dog from Build a Bear with a Saints football uniform on...helmet and all.