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Saints’ fans need to remain calm
Kevin Foote
kfoote@theadvertiser.com

October 22, 2003

Don’t do it.

I repeat, don’t do it.

In case you didn’t hear me, don’t do it.

If you haven’t actually heard the talk, you can just sense it dancing around in their heads of Saints’ fans as their eyebrows are raised.

All the die-hard New Orleans Saints’ fans still left on the bandwagon after last year’s collapse and this season’s humbling 1-4 start suddenly have a reason to smile again.

If nothing else, their faithfulness was rewarded with the 45-13 spanking of the hated Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.

When the Saints got to 35 points by the half, all I could think of was the 1973 season opener when the Falcons demolished New Orleans 62-7. Payback would have been nice. Yes, I was getting greedy. Too bad Jim Haslett wasn’t.

But I was getting greedy for one game, one day, one special performance.That’s something you can enjoy for a week until the first dropped ball the following Sunday.

But the whispers I’m beginning to hear are much more dangerous, much more daring and much more ill-advised.

“If the Saints can beat Carolina Sunday, they’re right back in it,’’ they’re thinking.

Don’t do it.

“If the Saints can somehow keep their offense clicking and can win their next two games to get to 5-4 by the bye week, they’ve got a chance,’’ they’ve theorized.

Don’t do it.

I warned all Saints’ fans after the season-opening loss to Seattle to just give up the hope and try to enjoy being Saints’ fan again. Forget about playoff pictures and division races. Just enjoy rooting for your team each week.

A little success makes that tough to swallow, but it’s the best approach in today’s wacky NFL.

By the way, if you know any Chicago Cubs’ fans, pass this message along. I fear that getting so close to the World Series this season will taint them forever. No longer will being the lovable losers be good enough. They can smell it now.

Losing seasons won’t be easy to accept any longer. They’ve got hope and if Mark Prior and Kerry Wood don’t indeed turn out to be Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine, that hope is going to ruin everything that’s been unique and special about the loyal Cubs’ fans.

And just as the wisdom of that advice starting making sense to some Saints’ fans, Aaron Brooks and the offense stumbled upon a day of execution like their fans haven’t seen since midseason last year.

Don’t do it. Don’t throw caution into the wind.

Forget about the fact that Carolina and Tampa Bay lost last week. Just wipe it out of your minds that they’re even in the same division as the Saints.

Just enjoy scoring the most points that a New Orleans team ever has against Atlanta. Just dwell on how much agony that franchise has caused you over the last three decades and think about how embarrassed they must have felt on Sunday.

But don’t take it any farther than that.

I know it’s tough to resist. The NFC is awful right now. I suppose the Minnesota Vikings are for real, but that’s it. No other team in the NFC would even be close to being a top six team in the AFC.

Considering the fact that the Saints already have three AFC powers in their rearview mirror and a host of mediocre NFC clubs (and one bad AFC team in Jacksonville) left on the schedule, it’s hard not to start daydreaming a bit.

But don’t do it.

Forget about the fact that the Saints’ defense is getting healthier and it doesn’t have one good offense left on the schedule.

Forget about the fact that the Redskins are falling apart at the seams, that Donovan McNabb and his injury appear determined to make Rush Limbaugh look like a genius, and that the Giants seem to love being their own worst enemies.

Forget about the fact that the world champion Buccaneers appear to be yielding to all the pressures that go along with wearing the crown.

Forget about the fact that the only quarterback left on the schedule that’s playing at a high level these days is Quincy “Staubach� Carter, of all people.

Forget about the fact that it’s beginning to look like Michael Vick won’t return for the Saints’ next game against Atlanta on Nov. 16.

Forget about the fact that the coaches finally were smart enough to play Orlando Ruff at linebacker and it appears to be making a difference.

Forget about the fact that this horrible defense has already held opponents under 20 points four times.

If you’re still reading this column, do the following: stop, take a deep breathe and ...

DON’T DO IT!