How can you not feel a sense of pride
 

I just saw the Saints on Fox and then again on ESPN traveling down to Buras to lend support to that region... Made me sit back and think of the years when this franchise was so lowly regarded

I remember a 27 year old owner who regarded this franchise as just another toy..

I remember him bringin in players like Jim Taylor and Paul Horning and the rest of the NFL laughing

I remember the years of Doug Atkins and Billy Kilmer roaming the French Quarter...

I remember the year we were featured in Sports Illustrated as the poster boys of the growing drug problem in the NFL... Chuck Muncie and others selling dope in the locker room

I remember Ditka and Ricky Williams on that ridiculas ESPN the Magazine cover

I remember players leaving and rejoycing about being out of here

I remember when Benson was castigated as being too cheap to ever field a winner

I remember an astronaut as our GM

then things began to change....

Now we are a destination of choice for free agents... players sign for less money to come here

Now we have Drew Brees and Sean Payton... well nuff said about those two

Now you look at ESPN and the talking heads say that no team has a connection to the community like we have here (no mention of GB... wow)

All I can say, with all due respect to my friend Sky Mike who thinks I am 99 years old, is that I am glad I lived long enough to experience these times... many have left before this and never got to see it

Re: How can you not feel a sense of pride
 

The past few seasons since the storm have erased just about everything previous from my mind. Except, of course some kid with half a foot kicking his way into the record books. The Saints have become the classiest act in the NFL. Just gotta say; Who Dat? Who Else?

Re: How can you not feel a sense of pride
 

1000% Agreed. We'll look back and say ML hiring SP and in turn getting Brees was when it all changed. I Hope SP stays coach until he retires. You don't see that really anymore, but I think it could happen with SP here in NO. WHO-DAT!