I have spent the last 25 hours letting the Super Bowl marinate in order to fully understand how I feel about it. I went into the Super Bowl with the nagging feeling that the football season would come to a close in an undesirable way no matter the outcome. I knew that if the Colts won it would cement Peyton Manning as the greatest Quarterback ever but it would send the Saints home to a city that has rallied around the team. A city that over the last decade, has gone through enough to deserve this win. I also knew that if the Saints won, Peyton Manning would slide into the gray area between good Quarterbacks and great Quarterbacks. Anyone could easily argue that Tom Brady, prior to this season, is the greatest Quarterback ever. That doesn't sit well with me.
As the game progressed I found myself beginning to root for the Saints more and more. I explained to my 6-year old son why the city of New Orleans would benefit from a Saints victory. I told him about Hurricane Katrina and Super Dome. After that he was all for the Saints. Even taking the time to write in his journal "I feel bad for the Saints."
The Saints won the game. They won because Peyton Manning messed up. I didn't want it to go down that way. Manning handled the loss with class, congratulating the Saints for their win but I couldn't help but feel sorry for him. He worked harder than anyone else for 14 weeks during the regular season, until coach Caldwell wouldn't let him do it any more. He showed us how unstoppable he was during the playoffs. Reggie Wayne got shut down in every game so Manning continued to make Dallas Clark the best Tight End ever and made two previously unknown receivers into household names. At the beginning of the season everyone was making fun of "Peter Waiter", at the end of the season everyone way saying "Watch out for Pierre Garçon." I haven't heard announcers talk about BYU this much since Steve Young was still under center for the 49ers.
I have spent the day listening to Manning haters talk about how happy they are that the Colts lost. I have listened to everyone talk about how crazy Mardi Gras is going to be, how they wish they could see the French Quarter or be on Burbon Street. This was supposed to be about a hurricane ravaged city finding purpose through the unbelievable season that their local heroes had. It wasn't supposed to be a reason for people to start acting irresponsibly a week earlier than they were already going to do. Before the Super Bowl I told my wife that this is the first year since I started caring about football that I legitimately didn't care who won the game. In retrospect, I don't think a Saints victory would have made me feel this unfulfilled. I knew that New Orleans would have been excited about a win but I also knew that a loss would not damage any levies or pumps. Sure the Saints will gain more profit from their merchandise over the coming year, but who's to say that this win won't boost the player's egos and cause them to become less concerned about the community that has stuck with them since their first game back in the Super Dome.
Sean Payton has done some remarkable things this past season, and for the past several seasons. I admire and respect him as a coach. The Tuesday Morning Quarterback, Gregg Easterbrook, pointed out that the Saints have accomplished everything this season with a compilation of players that were undrafted or released by teams that no longer wanted them. For doing so much with what everyone else thought was so little, I congratulate the Saints. But to the city of New Orleans, I ask you to take this gift that the Saints are bringing home and do something great with it. You convinced us that your city needed it, now please convince us that you didn't just need it so you would have an excuse to start your party a week early.
