Miami, Monday Feb 8, 2010
The Nielsen Ratings are in and the 2010 Super Bowl ratings make it the most watched television program in history. Super Bowl XLIV had 106.5 million viewers according to Nielsen Media.
After a 40 year history of being one of the most losing franchises in professional football the New Orleans Saints became the 2010 Super Bowl Champions and, it was a spectacular game, absolutely magical, inspiring and a true Rocky Balboa only-in-America, come-up-from-behind kind of story.
Four years ago New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, who was himself recovering from a career threatening shoulder injury, accepted the offer to go to New Orleans from San Diego. He found a common bond with a city that was recovering from Katrina.
On camera, immediately after the game, when a CBS correspondent asked Brees how they were able to pull off this come-back, he said “We just believed in ourselves, we knew that we had an entire city, maybe an entire country behind us … it was all meant to be, it was destiny… God is great!”
I grew up in uptown New Orleans, attended St. Francis of Assisi grammar school on State Street, De La Salle High School and Loyola University on St. Charles Avenue, and the University of New Orleans (UNO) at the lakefront.
Last week prior to Sunday’s game I was in a business meeting in New York City with executives of a one of the leading cable TV companies. Someone asked me who I liked in the Super Bowl and I said “I grew up in New Orleans, I want the Saints to win… I have family there, they fled Katrina, returned, rebuilt their homes but are still angry and bitter about the failed rescue response and aftermath… more than anything else winning the Super Bowl will give the city a much needed lift in morale.”
Just like the city’s star celebrity’s Ellen Degeneres, Harry Connick Jr, Wynton Marsalis and just about anyone else who has ever lived there, I love New Orleans.
I return at least twice a year to my hometown, typically for Thanksgiving or Christmas and for the Jazz Festival. I love the French Quarter and I love walking with my family under the canopy of centuries old oak trees draped in Spanish moss in Audubon Park. I love eating Cajun style food, listening to great music at Tipitinas and Snug Harbor, and drinking pitchers of local beer with my brothers at Cooder Browns. I love having early morning coffee with my wife at La Madeline’s French bakery where St. Charles and Carrolton Avenue meet.
For its colorful centuries old history and for its local color New Orleans is truly in a class of its own. There is nothing like New Orleans, it is indeed a national treasure … I just love it and based on the history making Nielsen Ratings of the 2010 Super Bowl so does America!
Winning the Super Bowl has huge significance for a city that had still not gotten over the devastation of Katrina. When Saints owner Tom Benson, accepted the Super Bowl trophy, he hoisted it over his head and shouted “New Orleans is back, Louisiana is back!”
Interviewed by Shepard Smith of Fox News, Louisiana Senator David Vitter (Rep) said that the Saints Super Bowl win was much more than winning a football championship, “… it is a spiritual revival for New Orleans, the Saints had lost for so long, many of us questioned in our sub-conscious if we could ever be winners, after Katrina many wondered if the city would ever rebuild, this victory answers all of that in resounding tones!”
Watching the game with my wife and kids in our Miami home, we let out shouts of joy as Saints cornerback Tracy Porter (#22) intercepted a Peyton Manning pass in the 4th Quarter and raced to a triumphant touchdown that sealed the Saints 31-17 victory over the Colts… it was awesome!
The next morning my 11 and 13 year old kids proudly wore their New Orleans Saints jerseys to school.
I am really happy that New Orleans now has the opportunity to move forward and leave the Katrina anger and bitterness behind… that New Orleans has something else to talk about… something that is truly positive, uplifting and inspiring… the New Orleans Saints, like the City of New Orleans, are the Super Bowl Champions, have defied all odds and are true winners!
Bravo Saints!!
Bravo New Orleans!!!
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