The OFFICIAL BLACK AND GOLD SUPERBOWL THREAD

Those are awesome :thumb:

 

Glowing review of Tom Benson in the New Orleans paper today:
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Benson is the man who has made the critical decisions in lifting a franchise from the NFL basement to the penthouse.
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After missing the playoffs every season during their first 18 years, the Saints quickly began to show marked improvement once Benson bought the team from John Mecom Jr. for $70 million in 1985...he brought in two men who helped alter the course of Saints history: General Manager Jim Finks and coach Jim Mora.
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Benson made a bold move to fire then-General Manager Randy Mueller in 2002 and promote Mickey Loomis. The move paid huge dividends in 2006 when Loomis hired Sean Payton to coach the team and then signed franchise quarterback Drew Brees, who has guided the Saints to Miami.
...Loomis said: "Mr. B. provides us everything we need to have a successful team. He's not an owner that comes in and tells you you have to do this or you have to do that. "He's always asking what does he have to do to help us have a successful team. And we appreciate that. We appreciate having an ownership that is willing to give you everything that is needed for you to be successful with no questions asked most of the time.
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New Orleans Saints' Tom Benson basking in Super Bowl glow | Super Bowl Central - - NOLA.com


New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson at one of his car dealerships in 1986.

 

Interesting insight from Joe Addai in the news today:
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"There's like a minute left, we're down by three points and it's third-and-2 at the 3, " Addai said. "When Peyton called my number, all I thought about was making the first down. But the hole was there, and I went right in."
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"You can't believe how fortunate I am, " Addai said. "It took Peyton nine years to get to a Super Bowl, and there I was playing in my first one as a rookie -- and now I'm here getting ready to play my second three years later. I should be wearing a jersey with the word 'Fortunate' on the back."
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"A back like me is fortunate to be playing with someone like Peyton, " Addai said. "He knows what everyone should be doing on every play. He makes my job easier because sometimes he can lean over and tell me exactly what he expects. In our offense, you can't be a one-type back. If you can't protect, you can't help Peyton. The same thing applies to catching the ball."
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At LSU, the blue-chip recruit out of Houston was surrounded by talent.
"We had a running back-by-committee kind of thing. When you got an opportunity, you had to grab it and run, " he said. "Look at Devery Henderson. He started out as a running back, and he wound up as a wide receiver. He's doing a great job for the Saints because he took advantage of the ability he has."
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"Peyton is a shining example of that, " Addai said. "He has the kind of dedication that he gets smarter each year. With him, it's become as much of a feeling thing and not get into too much of a thinking thing. ... He doesn't miss a thing out there."
What about all the hand-waving once Manning gets to the line?
"Usually, in the huddle, he gives you about two or three plays, " Addai said. "At the line, there's only one play. If you can understand that part, if you can get the gist of what's going on, you'll be fine."
As the Colts went more to the passing game this season, Addai found himself -- at least in one game -- having to block a linebacker "about 13 times."
"I won't say I like it, but I think it's one of my strengths, " he said.
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Joseph Addai counts his blessings with Indianapolis Colts | Super Bowl Central - - NOLA.com
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gonna be hard rooting against Joe Addai. Damn near impossible, so i hope he has a great game, and Peyton just sucks it up.

 

Here's a headline I thought was funny:

New Orleans Saints confident in backup QB Mark Brunell
New Orleans Saints confident in backup QB Mark Brunell | Super Bowl Central - - NOLA.com

:lol:

 

I can't wait to say "The New Orleans Saints are World Champions!"

 

Still no open-container near the stadium, but at least they have dropped their open-container rules in South Beach and Fort Lauderdale out of love for New Orleans people... great article on it...

Score one for New Orleans Saints fans: Go-cups allowed in South Beach, Fort Lauderdale

Score one for New Orleans Saints fans: Go-cups allowed in South Beach, Fort Lauderdale | - NOLA.com

 

Here is a must-read article for those who believe in Faith. Guy saved a bottle of whiskey he won during the 1st game in Saints history and wouldn't open it until the Saints went to the Superbowl. He passed away, but told his family not to open that bottle of whiskey until the Saints made it to the Super Bowl. In the paper, his family in LaPlace printed an ad right next to the article inviting anybody who wanted to come over to their house to have some of that whiskey Saintslogo

A Super Bowl promise, the Saints and a 43-year-old bottle of whiskey | Super Bowl Central - - NOLA.com

 

And, for the Grande Finale... one of the greatest articles I have read in my entire life, one that brought tears to my eyes...

Who Dats in Heaven

Readers reflect on Saints fans who've gone to that big Dome in the sky

Beautiful, beautiful read in today's paper. Saintslogo

If anybody can find it, please post it. This online version is not as good, but has some of the same substance:

Who Dats in Heaven - NOLA.com

Some of my favorite highlights:

Teedy69 wrote that she wished her late daughter Sharon was around for the Saints' first-ever trip to the big game. "She loved her Saints so much that when she passed away in 2007, we put her Saints jersey in the casket with her. It was bittersweet when they won Sunday. " The Super Bowl is on her birthday, so Go Saints Gooooooo."
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"My dad was like everyone else, a huge Saints fan," wrote sgfire. "I'm flying in to New Orleans for the Super Bowl and to spread some of his ashes around the city he loved so much."
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Mimi, who goes by the online name cagconsult, wrote that she received the following message from her Uncle Pat: "Sunday night after the game, I remembered that your dad was buried with those cell phones, so I sent him a text to let him know we just won the NFC championship and are going to the Super Bowl. " If I get a text back, I'll let you know."

"I promised him if they ever went to the big game I would drink a beer with him," wrote jude7654 of her late godfather. "Well, after 40 plus years I will celebrate at St. Louis No. 3 Cemetery, The only problem is he drank Schlitz beer " anyone know where I could find one?"

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"I just want to share with you something I know my Dad would have told me this week.," wrote daBlade44. "He would have said, 'Why are you worrying about winning on Sunday? Don't you realize that you have already won? " Our team is 15 and 3, and just think of the joy and the prayers that have already been answered in just the last two weeks? Have we ever been this united, this close, this open about our innermost thoughts and prayers? Victory is already ours, whatever happens on Sunday.' Thanks Dad. " Where ya'll watching the game next Sunday?"

Read more at:

Comments on Keep departed New Orleans Saints fans in the game | New Orleans Saints Central - Page 2 - - NOLA.com

 

Oh yeah, from this article, i forgot about this great part:

Among the billionaire owners' club, Benson is the toast of the town this week. Several owners have either called or congratulated him in person.
Many have secretly pledged their allegiance to Benson's Saints and will be rooting for the black-and-gold.
"A lot of them don't want to come out and publicly say things, naturally, " Benson said. "But I feel like there are 30 other clubs, and even the Colts, that are glad that we are in the Super Bowl. Now the Colts want to win, but they are glad we are here. They are glad for the Saints and are glad for New Orleans. That's the feeling I get from everybody."

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