pakowitz

Jim Henderson / WWL-TV Sports Director



Like many of you I'm sure, I continue to be amazed at what life is like in our post-Katrina world.


Every day offers an unexpected insight into ourselves, our souls, and those of our fellow citizens.


I can't think of anything that could have advanced our journey on the pot-hole pocked "road to recovery" from a psychological standpoint more than the confluence of events of this weekend past.


I ran into people last night who had just left Jazz Fest with smiles on their faces, goose bumps on their arms, and tears in their eyes from the many emotions the experience had conjured up.


Others had just left the Zurich Classic. In a city that has always identified with the underdog could anyone have authored a better underdog's story than Chris Couch thanks to his amazing chip on the 72nd hole?


But what they and everyone else wanted to talk about was the Saints' serendipitous selection of Reggie Bush on Saturday.


The phones in the Saints ticket office erupted at 11:15 am and haven't stopped since. But truth be known, the Saints were already on their way to breaking the franchise record for season tickets sold of 54,000 set back in 2003 before the selection of the running back who could be the most exciting player in franchise history.


There are many reasons for the season ticket resurgence. A new pricing structure in the Superdome which itself will be new to a significant extent, a new coach, a new quarterback, a new spirit of detente with an owner who said in the midst of last year's nightmarish season that he feared for his life in the presence of Saints' fans and who on Saturday at Draft Fest was treated like a rock star by those same fans.


I think there's another reason the Saints, the golf tournament, and Jazzfest all prospered this weekend. People want to re-connect with the city they love and the things they love about it.


They want to support this city and in so doing support their own efforts to regain their emotional balance that the storm knocked sideways.


We are getting back on our feet. We are regaining our balance. And this past weekend both exemplified and intensified that effort.


After getting so much that we didn't need, we needed that.


http://www.wwltv.com/sports/saints/s....8dca1110.html

I Live In Beastmode!