Tuesday Morning Team Quarterback: The Saints turn us to blithering ninnies (and win a solid football game, too)

September 26th, 2006 | Posted by PostmanE

I played football in high school. I never saw the field. Of course, the ultimate shame came when I was once handed the head coach’s scratch clipboard and was told to “write down anything I say that seems important.” What a loaded demand. This week, Week 2 of TMTM, we’ve got a big time heart-wrecker at the recently remodeled Superdome, as the Saints take on the Falcons. Since I’m writing this posthumously, I’ll just tell you - it was a palpable emotional experience, converting both of us jaded, cynical Postmen into soft-hearted, understanding types. Weird, we know.

Anyway, if you’re ready for some football, or just want to hear the NOLA Clap, head (Dirty) south of the jump with us.

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Your trusty PostmanE is joining this party incredibly late, thanks to a scheduling mishap and a roommate who didn’t want to leave the gym until 9. Thus, PostmanR will take us through the first half, and I’ll join in for the second.

1st Half:
PostmanR:
–U2’s and Green Day’s benefit song for Katrina isn’t too bad. Bono is sporting a buzz cut, which is a bit better than his longer locks. Billy Joe from Green Day is wearing a polka dot neckerchief type deal - man, I think I need to get me one of those.

–Tirico refers to this game as “The most important in Saints/Superdome history” (well, something along those lines). Guess I got to agree with that one.

–Our boy Tony Kornheiser goes into an aside about a recent tour of New Orleans he took with some local reporters. Gripping stuff. After he’s done Theismann says “Well said, Tony.” Hey everyone, they can get along!

–Saints literally come marching in, lead by some dude on a motorcycle and Joe Horn. Awesome moment. The place is on fire.

–We got a blocked punt by the Saints, Curtis Deloatch falls on the ball in the end zone and we have our first score of the game. Deloatch dunks the ball over the goal post. The Superdome is LOUD AS HELL. Amazing, just amazing.

–At this point, I volume down and start studying for a test. Little do I know, E is still at the gym and I needed to pay more attention. C’est la vie!

2nd Half:

PostmanE:

–Halftime celebrations were interesting; I got to see a partial replay of the U2 concert (which seemed somewhat pedestrian, but that could have been the editing) and some Chris Berman schtick. The Saints are about to kick a field goal, and I’m just happy Berman is off the mike, preventing any more real or contrived sentiment to drip from his sweaty chin(s). Everyone gets that this game means a lot man; let’s not need to get you a new shirt over it, huh?

–By the way, absolutely everything I’ve seen thus far, including many commercials, has involved Katrina and New Orleans in a direct way, which is definitely a good thing. Also, while I was worried too many commentators would make this the stopping point of NOLA’s recovery - we sports people can be pretty self-involved after all - unless I’ve missed something, that hasn’t seemed to be the case.

–Back to the football: Vick hasn’t seemed to do much in this second half thus far - maybe the Saints D is actually pretty decent, and no one knew. Then again, maybe it all relates emotionally to the context of the situation, but, for some weird reason, I’d like to think otherwise. Maybe the Saints are actually good this year - what better treat for a recovering city?

–Kornheiser just referred to a Joe Theismann question as “Zen-like,” one that he was “not capable of answering.” Oh Tony. You’re so much smarter than your cohorts, you can make fun of them to their face without them realizing it.

–Tirico is continuing with the ‘Trina discussion, mentioning that it also affected Mississippi and other southern states. More kudos. Vick throws a long pass to Martay Jenkins but Jenkins drops the ball. It was pass interference anyway. The Saints just have to run the clock out.

That’s that: The Saints win a big, nationally-televised, emotionally loaded game, and it’s time for everyone to gush about this game for about a week or so. Honestly, that’s OK by me. I can swallow my natural cynicism in the name of a legitimate batch of, as Wes Mantooth would opine, redemption. Tonight, it’s spelled S-A-I-N-T-S.