Is it the general New Orleans attitude?

FWtex · 12-31-2002, 12:06 PM

This thought goes a little beyond the saints and sports in general. I was raised in the New Orleans area (lived there up until 12 years ago) and still visit often and keep up with the happening regularly. Once you leave New Orleans for any period of time you see the differences in everyday expectations. The most noticeable thing I see in New Orleans is the public in general, the news media, and the radio talk show host don't demand the best for the area. The people of New Orleans have ACCEPTED excuses instead of demanding excellence. There is this cancer that "we are different", "we move to a different beat", "we are unique". The BIG EASY has gone to the extreme.

How does this tie into the saints? The saints have had some great talented players and coaches who have had success other places come here and fail. This has not happened just a few times but over and over and over. Players and coaches do not live in isolation in New Orleans. They shop in the same stores, read the same papers, listen to the same news, as everyone else. Could it be these players and coaches lose their EDGE due to the everyday big easy environment they live in.

I have lived in 3 different Texas cities and watched local Pro teams in every city win championships in their sports. The difference I have seen is the fans and the media do not accept excuses and the players, the coaches, and the management know that. The media finds a way to get the truth, or the story behind the story wether it is in sports, politics, business or whatever.

Maybe once the people in New orleans decide they will no longer accept excuses and demand more from everyone in their lives the city will thrive and the saints fans will see players and coaches playing with heart, passion, and pride.

daviddrake2 · 12-31-2002, 12:30 PM

FWtex, I see your point. Having lived in Houston for 10 years and having spent considerable time living occasionally around the country, I know there are major differences between Nawlins and the rest of the country.

I love New Orleans and spend a great deal of time there with friends and family (I just got back from 9 days in LA). But football is a lot like everything else in the city that care forgot. You just take everything a lot easier there than elsewhere. Otherwise, how could New Orleaneans get over each losing SAINTS season in time for Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest and all of the other Springtime festivals?

New Orleans is just a different type of city where there has always been a live and let live atmosphere. No one wants to make too many waves and upset the balance. That\'s why mediocricy is tolerated in almost everything, that is except in food, drink and parties. Just look at the state of New Orleans\' (and the state\'s) politics, roads, schools, etc. Not enough people seems to think it a high enough priority to make a stand. And those who do are usually hounded until they shut up.

This is not to say that I don\'t love New Orleans, Louisiana and my SAINTS because I do. But once you see how the rest of the counrty lives and thinks, it\'s difficult to go back to the same old ways.

New Orleans holds tightly to its past, which can be a good think as long as it doesn\'t stand too firmly in the way of progress. And some accountability that leads to a better SAINTS team would certainly be a welcome bit of progress.

These are just some of my thoughts and I hope I have not offended anyone. It is certainly not my intention.

Go New Orleans!!!!!

Go Louisiana!!!!!

Go SAINTS!!!!!

David in Houston

GoldRush26 · 01-02-2003, 03:38 PM

Maybe we are just too used to losing...I see what you are saying. I live in NY and there is definitely a difference between their fans and ours.

daviddrake2 · 01-02-2003, 05:57 PM

GoldRush,

I am not knocking the city of New Orleans, the Great State of Louisiana or SAINTS fans, just trying to point out that until you have lived somewhere (almost anywhere) else, you just have no real way of knowing how much different things are in the Crescent City and the Bayou State. It\'s just a diferent culture with different attitudes and differnt ways of looking at things.

I love Louisiana and I love the fact that I got to grow up in New Orleans. I will always \"be from New Orleans\" and I will always be a true SAINTS fan.

The same easy going spirit carries over to the SAINTS -- the organization, the players and the fans. Nothing seems to be taken too seriously and if they screw up, so be it -- rarely are there any reprocusisons either.

So, until at least football is taken more seriously by both the team and its fans (both need to demand higher standards, better play and real accountability), the SAINTS can never be a real Superbowl contender and will never be taken seriously by the rest of the league.

Go SAINTS!!!!!

David in Houston

12-31-2002, 12:06 PM	#1
FWtex 100th Post Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 370	Is it the general New Orleans attitude? This thought goes a little beyond the saints and sports in general. I was raised in the New Orleans area (lived there up until 12 years ago) and still visit often and keep up with the happening regularly. Once you leave New Orleans for any period of time you see the differences in everyday expectations. The most noticeable thing I see in New Orleans is the public in general, the news media, and the radio talk show host don't demand the best for the area. The people of New Orleans have ACCEPTED excuses instead of demanding excellence. There is this cancer that "we are different", "we move to a different beat", "we are unique". The BIG EASY has gone to the extreme. How does this tie into the saints? The saints have had some great talented players and coaches who have had success other places come here and fail. This has not happened just a few times but over and over and over. Players and coaches do not live in isolation in New Orleans. They shop in the same stores, read the same papers, listen to the same news, as everyone else. Could it be these players and coaches lose their EDGE due to the everyday big easy environment they live in. I have lived in 3 different Texas cities and watched local Pro teams in every city win championships in their sports. The difference I have seen is the fans and the media do not accept excuses and the players, the coaches, and the management know that. The media finds a way to get the truth, or the story behind the story wether it is in sports, politics, business or whatever. Maybe once the people in New orleans decide they will no longer accept excuses and demand more from everyone in their lives the city will thrive and the saints fans will see players and coaches playing with heart, passion, and pride.
FWtex 100th Post Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 370

12-31-2002, 12:30 PM	#2
daviddrake2 100th Post Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Houston (formerly N.O.) Posts: 270	Is it the general New Orleans attitude? FWtex, I see your point. Having lived in Houston for 10 years and having spent considerable time living occasionally around the country, I know there are major differences between Nawlins and the rest of the country. I love New Orleans and spend a great deal of time there with friends and family (I just got back from 9 days in LA). But football is a lot like everything else in the city that care forgot. You just take everything a lot easier there than elsewhere. Otherwise, how could New Orleaneans get over each losing SAINTS season in time for Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest and all of the other Springtime festivals? New Orleans is just a different type of city where there has always been a live and let live atmosphere. No one wants to make too many waves and upset the balance. That\'s why mediocricy is tolerated in almost everything, that is except in food, drink and parties. Just look at the state of New Orleans\' (and the state\'s) politics, roads, schools, etc. Not enough people seems to think it a high enough priority to make a stand. And those who do are usually hounded until they shut up. This is not to say that I don\'t love New Orleans, Louisiana and my SAINTS because I do. But once you see how the rest of the counrty lives and thinks, it\'s difficult to go back to the same old ways. New Orleans holds tightly to its past, which can be a good think as long as it doesn\'t stand too firmly in the way of progress. And some accountability that leads to a better SAINTS team would certainly be a welcome bit of progress. These are just some of my thoughts and I hope I have not offended anyone. It is certainly not my intention. Go New Orleans!!!!! Go Louisiana!!!!! Go SAINTS!!!!! David in Houston
	Go SAINTS!!!!! David in Houston

01-02-2003, 03:38 PM	#3
GoldRush26 500th Post Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 594	Is it the general New Orleans attitude? Maybe we are just too used to losing...I see what you are saying. I live in NY and there is definitely a difference between their fans and ours.
GoldRush26 500th Post Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 594

01-02-2003, 05:57 PM	#4
daviddrake2 100th Post Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Houston (formerly N.O.) Posts: 270	Is it the general New Orleans attitude? GoldRush, I am not knocking the city of New Orleans, the Great State of Louisiana or SAINTS fans, just trying to point out that until you have lived somewhere (almost anywhere) else, you just have no real way of knowing how much different things are in the Crescent City and the Bayou State. It\'s just a diferent culture with different attitudes and differnt ways of looking at things. I love Louisiana and I love the fact that I got to grow up in New Orleans. I will always \"be from New Orleans\" and I will always be a true SAINTS fan. The same easy going spirit carries over to the SAINTS -- the organization, the players and the fans. Nothing seems to be taken too seriously and if they screw up, so be it -- rarely are there any reprocusisons either. So, until at least football is taken more seriously by both the team and its fans (both need to demand higher standards, better play and real accountability), the SAINTS can never be a real Superbowl contender and will never be taken seriously by the rest of the league. Go SAINTS!!!!! David in Houston
	Go SAINTS!!!!! David in Houston

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