New Orleans Saints Forums - blackandgold.com - Happy Birthday Saint Great Archie Manning!

My mom had a printing business and I went to a convention with her at the Riverwalk Convention Centre; one of the celebrity guests signing autographs for one of the vendors was Archie Manning. Now, the last time I had seen him face to face was when he attended the grand opening of a bank in Houma when I was really young; he was then older at the convention and I was twenty...

My Mom couldn't stop gushing over him and bragging to him about an accomplishment, honor I'd received which I remember being embarrassed; now many of the attendees were European Printing Manufacturers and PanAmerican (Central, South American) Buyers - so there weren't that many local people who really recognized him...

So Archie looks around, so honest and grounded and tells me to sit down next to him and I received one of the great talks of my life; not a lecture nor dressing down but a kind, fatherly back and forth discussion; he'd pause occasionally to sign an autograph for a local screenprinter or convention laborer and continued with me on this great discussion...

I've been Blessed in my life to have been able to have several extended conversations such as that one with several recognized men, women in my life, and it's an impressive list by anyone's standards, but other than those with my Dad, that time, advice and genuine humanity he shared is among my most influential and cherished memories.

He's my favorite Saint.