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From ‘We Believe’ to ‘Faith’ — and every other slogan in between — the New Orleans Saints franchise has long been one in search of an identity.

With a .418 winning percentage in their 43-year history, the Saints trail only the Atlanta Falcons (.410) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (.391) for the lead in NFL futility among teams with more than 10 years in the league.

But through it all — “highlighted” by the 1-15 season in 1980 — one thing has remained as consistent as a parade on Mardi Gras Day.

“Wait ’til next year!”

It’s a phrase that’s been uttered millions of times over the years by Saints fans. Better still, it’s not a hollow statement.

It’s always spoken with the utmost confidence and belief that next year will be the year.

When the Saints host the Minnesota Vikings at 5:40 p.m. today in the first-ever NFC Championship game in the Superdome, next year may come a year early. In fact, you could say, “Next Year is Now.”

“There is absolutely no doubt, this is next year,” Lafayette resident and life-long Saints fan Bob Roddie said. “I’ve been a season-ticket holder for 43 years and I’ve only missed four games. I’ve been waiting for this game since I was 10 years old.
“There’s no question this is next year. This is what I’ve been waiting for all my life. I’m in the middle of New Orleans, I’m in the middle of all the Who Dats. If you could feel the electricity in this city, it’s just amazing.”

Former NFL offensive lineman Steve Korte, who played for the Saints from 1983-90 and is now part of the pre-game radio show on WWL, certainly knows what Roddie is talking about.

“I tell you this, there’s great football fans everywhere, but there’s very few fans as passionate about their teams as the people in Louisiana,” Korte said. “No matter how they finish the year, there’s always renewed enthusiasm that they’ll do better the next year.”

Korte was part of the foundation that paved the way for the Saints’ first playoff appearance in 1987, ending a 20-year drought and earning the franchise’s first winning season.