New Orleans Saints Forums - blackandgold.com - Reflection comes with lots of free time

I think I've determined why this hurt so much. I've been a Saints fan for a couple decades plus some. I am very used to watching the Saints disappoint. But in 2006, that changed. That didn't change however my expection for the worst to happen. Theres always a little part of me, that knows a trap game will in fact, trap us. You know what I'm talking about. Games like Week 17 vs Culpeppers Vikings where we let him walk in after a fumbled snap for a 2 point conversion that knocked us out of the playoffs. Or the Bayou Miracle (or whatever they called it) only to fall short again. Winning the last four games of the season to finish 8-8, only to miss the playoffs because other teams didn't lose to help us.
Now we have an amazing front office, coaching staff and player roster who has brought us to the promised land and beyond. To where winning is expected and being let down is rarely a reality. This season, even after we lost to the freaking RAMS, I lost sight of the possibility of defeat. And while I certainly expect many more winning seasons and I maintain hopes of more Super Bowls, this season brought me back to reality. Last week was NOT an "Any Given Sunday" game. It was a bat game. Bring the wood. Theirs was stronger. And even though that wasn't the actual deciding factor late in the game, Our Defense and Their Offense is what decided the finality of our season.

People always say "I just wanna see a good game" and I reply with "That's ridiculous. I want to win by a dozen touchdowns." I want romps like Indy's where we outscored them by 50+. I think it may have been better to just lose outright. By a double digit score. But to be so close, only to have it stripped away.

I love my Saints. I am by no means a bandwagoner. I wore my Saints hat last Sunday and this Sunday for golf. I wear my jersey all day Sunday regardless of whether we win or lose. I'm already looking forward to the draft, free agency and training camps. I can't wait. But I felt I had to share this because this one hurt a little more than some of the others.

And I'm done.