I am posting for both SkyMike and myself - this is a joint reply...no NOT that kind of "joint."
Many of you know our history here. Some of you had been going to Woodrow's before I got to Houston in the wake of Katrina. SkyMike and I got together in the spring of 2006 because I had no where to go to watch the Saints games. I, who had only missed three games TOTAL in the history of the Saints had spent a season in exile. SkyMike had met Casey (now Mrs. SkyMike) and she suggested they get season tickets and make the drive to New Orleans to see the games. SkyMike, a native born Texan, who adopted the Saints when Bum was fired and went to New Orleans and me, about as N'awlins as you can get...Bum was the first Saints coach I worked with in New Orleans. SkyMike and I actually sat in the same endzone in the Astrodome that year, though we would not meet until years later.
With my experience with fundraisers with the Saints back in New Orleans and SkyMike's pied piper personality and cruise-director mentality we realized that if we could put together a group of Saints' fans and get them all together in one place, we could get a better deal for eveyone because numbers mean dollars. That spring we visited places all over Houston. We settled on Woodrow's...thus the Hou-Dat's were born.
We have shared the good times and bad together at Woodrow's, the playoff loss to the Bears in Chicago and I will never forget the night of the NFC Championship game when Woodrow's finally let me do what I had been asking for a long time and DJ. I humbly think that it added a lot to the experience that night. To those of you who traveled to New Orleans and watched the game on Bourbon St. with us, what can I say? A life long dream fulfilled!
I have to be honest and say our relationship with Woodrow's had many positives, but there have also been our rocky moments of which there is no need to go down those roads again. Being a true New Orleanian, I know how important traditions are, but just as Tulane Stadium gave way to the Superdome, I know that sometimes there comes a time for change. Afer talking to many of you, and much thoughtful reflection, SkyMike and I feel like we have arrived at one of those times where change is needed.
We cannot tell you where to go to watch the games, but the same is true today as it was back in the spring of 2006, numbers mean dollars and a better deal. Our vision of what we want the game day experience to be has started to greatly differ with the vision of the management at Woodrow's. The Saints in New Orleans has always been a family tradition. It cut across political, racial, and economic lines. At least on Sunday afternoons, we were united as one. We wish that no one be excluded from this experience. We have many young members with minor children who are no longer welcome. I TOTALLY understand the position that Woodrow's is in, but to those of us who have been to LSU games at Woodrow's know, we are NOT treated the same way as the Tiger fans are treated. I have tried to communicate this to the mangement at Woodrow's only to be met with overly defensive replies, some of us, even with threats of being thrown out or banned. We no longer find this acceptable.
SkyMike and I have been scouting other places that could host us. We have a suggestion. We have spoken Daniel Razo the GM of Ragin Cajun's. We would like to suggest the location on Westheimer and Gessner (9600 Westheimer) and they would be really happy to host ALL of us. It is important to have the kids with us for a lot of reasons: these are the HOU-DATS of the future, or we can't get a babysitter, but above all, so that they will have the memories of what it was like to watch the game with dad and/or mom. Also, Mr. Razo has offered us $6 pitchers of domestic beer ($8 premium), $14 dollar buckets of domestic beer ($16 dollar premium), along with $3.50 mimosas and screw drivers. These prices are cheaper or match what Woodrow's offers. They have a very extensive menu ( Welcome to Ragin Cajun : Cajun Food at its Best : A Mandola Establishment ) to please many tastes, and IMHO, the food is just better.
Hope to see all of you at the new home of the Hou-Dats...Ragin Cajun's!!!
