Mardi Gras Madness - Part 4 - Super Bowl

What does the Super Bowl have to do with Mardi Gras? Nothing really except when Mardi Gras parades have to be rescheduled because of the Super Bowl. The Super Bowl fell on the weekend before the weekend prior to Mardi Gras and there are usually parades Friday night through Sunday so it was sandwiched between parades and festivities.

Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, in New Orleans was really REALLY hoping that this year's Super Bowl would include the Saints. A few years ago we finally made it to, then WON, the Super Bowl, so we wanted our return to be in our home town. But alas, that was not to be. Hosting the BIG GAME is a BIG DEAL for the host city and New Orleans has been busy spiffing up the downtown and French Quarter for the game. Road were repaved, new streetcar lines were built*. Homeless were moved.


Personally, I was going to avoid the whole thing. I joked I was going to hunker down at home as if riding out a hurricane. The last time the Super Bowl came to New Orleans, February 2002, it was the first game after 9-11. The area around the Superdome was locked down few days before the game but that was about it. This time, blocks all around the Superdome were locked down a week or more before the game. And there were all these events that didn't happen before. Fan Zones and Fan Experiences. CBS took over Jackson Square and ESPN took over the huge parking lot in the French Quarter both broadcasting from these remote locations. What caught my eye was the FREE concerts along the Mississippi of local, New Orleans bands and artists! This all started happened about the Wednesday before the BIG GAME. Super Bowl Sunday, I broke down and G and I headed down to the CBD to go see what the hoopla was about. It was early and I figured the tourist would be either sleeping their hang overs off or at brunch. But no, there was SF and Ravens fans walking around. But what struck me was how many Saints fans were out and about, wearing the black and gold. You would have thought the Saints were also in the Super Bowl judging by the number of jerseys I saw.

I wasn't really that interested in the game. If I had to root for a team I was going with the Ravens. Went to a pot luck Superbowl party with amazing food and fun folks. The first half of the game was a shut out and the commercials were a bore. Half time with Beyonce, what ever. Third quarter BLACK OUT! Finally things got interesting.

*Loyola Streetcar line - $45 million, took 19 months and goes 9 blocks. Progress!

Lombardi Gras

Some people have started calling this year's carnival season "Lombardi Gras" instead of Mardi Gras because of the black and gold bleed over. The crowds are huge this year. Cell phone service (at least with AT&T) is spotty and even text messages aren't going through. We are definitly back to pre-K levels of crowds.

This has definitely been the best Mardi Gras ever for me. Joining the Krewe of PAN and marching in Krewe du Vieux was amazing. I went to my first Blush ball - fantastic - and my first AMUSEment Muses's ball with the B52s performing - outstanding. I almost had the opportunity to ride in the Muses parade for the first time as a sub. I tried but no too hard to ride. Got to save something to look forward to! In between these experiences was also the first of seeing the Saints win the NFC Championship and the Superbowl. Saturday night we took a break from parades and watched the Superbowl again. I've never watched the Superbowl twice. I've been on such a high for weeks now. Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, Mardi Gras will be over. Catholics observe Lent and I'm going to join them in Flexi-lent. No drinking except for my birthday and the St. Patrick's Day parade party we have every year.

The video of Wynton Marsalis "The Spirit of New Orleans" is finally on-line, posted on Facebook by the man himself (or his representatives). So perfect.

I'm paraded and partied out and am ready to get back to "Normal." Of course, like after Katrina, there's a new normal around here. For so long New Orleans, like the Saints, have been looked down upon. New Orleans is back baby! The Who Dat! Nation is alive and well. Ya you rite.

One last New Orleans video, just as perfect as Wynton's but this one is funny and funky. "New Orleans: Love it or Leave it."

Super Bowl part deaux

I've been at work for several and very little actual work has been done. I just ordered DVDs of the Superbowl game and the NFC championship game. I watched them but want to see them again. Especially some of the pre- and post-game stuff that the sound was turned off at the bar we were at. For example, I missed this poem by Wynton Marsalis "The Spirit of New Orleans," I was hoping to find it on-line but haven't found it yet. I'm sure the NLF have clammed down on this stuff. All I can find are the ads.

Some did this wonderful little video of Magazine Street after the Superbowl. This is where we were.

More to come...

New Orleans Saints win Super Bowl XLIV

Speechless.

Anticipation....

Superbowl kick-off is less than 24 hours away now and I can hardly stand it! I've been doing weekend chores all day because nothing productive will get done tomorrow. I voted this morning and tonight will watch the returns. Will Mitch Landrieu pull off a landslide without a run-off? Hey, the Saints are in the Superbowl ANYTHING is possible. Elections here are crazy (like everything else). The primaries are open and there were 11 names on the ballot:

Mayor City of New Orleans 1 18 Jonah Bascle No Party
Mayor City of New Orleans 1 19 'Manny' Chevrolet-Bruno Other
Mayor City of New Orleans 1 20 Robert 'Rob' Couhig Republican
Mayor City of New Orleans 1 21 John Georges Democrat
Mayor City of New Orleans 1 22 Troy Henry Democrat
Mayor City of New Orleans 1 23 'Jerry' Jacobs No Party
Mayor City of New Orleans 1 25 Thomas A. Lambert Republican
Mayor City of New Orleans 1 26 Mitchell 'Mitch' Landrieu Democrat
Mayor City of New Orleans 1 28 James Perry Democrat
Mayor City of New Orleans 1 29 Nadine Ramsey Democrat
Mayor City of New Orleans 1 30 Norbert P. Rome No Party

Also on the ballot were spots for city council, various judges and coroner. Who elects their coroner??? The challenger to the incumbent ran this ad.

I can't even think straight anymore. My head is a buzz. All I can say is WHO DAT!

30 years of Super Bowl Commercials

Super Bowl TM©® ads used to be highly anticipated and offered a resite from those who didnt' care for football. They've been ho-gum that last few years after the tech bust. Here's a site where you can watch the ads from the past. Heck they even have some 2110 ads posted already.

The New Orleans Saints Superbowl Drinking Game

1. Every time they mention hurricane Katrina, drink 1
2. If they show pictures of the City of New Orleans right after Katrina, drink 1
3. Every time they say how much the Saints mean to the City of New Orleans, drink 1
4. Every time the words “tragedy”, “flood”, or “devastation” are used, drink 1
5. Every time they talk about how good Reggie Bush was in college, drink 3
6. If they show Kim Kardashian in the stands, drink 5
7. Every time they show a picture of Reggie Bush with a bat or say “bringing the wood” drink for 5 seconds.
8. Every time Reggie Bush gets negative yardage trying to run around in the backfield a bunch and outrun the defense, drink 1 and turn to the person next to you and say “I told you Vince Young should have won the Heisman”
9. Every time Reggie Bush gets up and flexes his arms in that pose he likes to do, drink 1
10. If they mention Tim Tebow for any reason, funnel a beer
11. Every time they say that “it’s destiny for the Saints to win” drink 1
12. If they show footage of Katrina survivors at the Superdome, take a shot of cheap liquor
13. If they call Saints fans the most passionate fans in football, drink 1
14. If they say that the Saints, Saints fans, or the City of New Orleans “deserve” a Superbowl victory, drink 1 and yell Who dat!
15. Every time they say how good of a story the Saints are, drink 1
16. If Jeremy Shockey pretends to be hurt after dropping a pass, drink 2
17. If they mention the Saints beating the Falcons in 2006 in the first game after Katrina in the Superdome, drink 5
18. Every time they compare hurricane Katrina to the Haiti earthquake, funnel a beer and yell “bullshit!”
19. Every time they mention Drew Brees as the Mardi Gras king, drink
20. Every time they show Archie Manning, drink 1. If they show old footage of him with the Saints, drink 5. If they mention how tough of a decision it was for him as for whom to cheer for, drink 10.
21. Every time they show a saints fan yelling "Who dat!" Or a sign/shirt saying the same, drink 1 and yell Who dat!
22. If they show Chris Paul at the game, drink 1 and mention to someone how much better he is than Marvin Williams.
23. If they show former Mayor Ray Nagin, drink 5 and then do a little dance since he'll be gone after May.

Other Rules not involving the Saints:
1. Every time they show Eli Manning in the press box, drink 1
2. Every time Pierre Garcon is mentioned with Haiti, drink 1
3. If Brett Favre is mentioned for any reason, drink 1

If I play this game I'm going to be passed out on the floor by the end of the first quarter!

A letter to the Who Dat! Nation



The T-P did a funny letter: "Dear Miami: Get ready for the Who Dat Nation coming for the SuperBowl"

I offer my letter to the Who Dat! Nation. My father lives in South Florida, so I feel qualified to offer some advice to those New Orleanians making the trek to Miami.

1. Leave the heavy clothes at home. This is South Florida where it’s always beautiful and balmy. There might be some rain but it will be over before you know it. You might need something light for the freezing cold restaurants.
2. Speaking of restaurants, don’t expect to find TabascoTM on the tables. Bring your own hot sauce and Tony C’s. You’ll thank me.
3. South Florida has some fantastic seafood so enjoy. Just don’t expect everything to be fried. They like to eat "healthy" down there. Remember the “South Beach Diet?”
4. If you want food with a kick, try some Cuban cuisine. You won't be sorry.
   
5. If you are driving to Miami, you might want to pack your own booze – I bet they run out. But make sure none of the bottles in your car are open. They are very strict about drinking and driving and a bottle of wine with the cork stuck back in, under the driver’s seat, may land you in jail.
6. The Florida Highway Patrol officers do not have a sense of humor.
7. Be prepared to be carded. Keep your ID handy.
8. It’s snowbird season, which means there are retirees from the north everywhere. Be prepared to follow slow moving cars with their turn signal going.
9. Pack the sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat. You’ll need them.
10. Be prepared to drive. A lot. Kind of like visiting Houston or Dallas.
11. If you have a day or two, drive down and see the Keys. Key West, at the very end, has a New Orleans vibe with a tropical twist.
    

Anything I missed?

UPDATE: ESPN posts "Here are the 20 reasons you should be in New Orleans instead of Miami for the Super Bowl" (Thanks Jim!)

Who Dat?!©®TM owns Who dat?!

There's been an uproar over the NFL sending cease and desist letters to small businesses who have printed shirts using the phrase "Who Dat," fleur di lis and the colors black and gold. The uproar has been as loud as the joyous yells just after the Saints won the NFC Championship against the Vikings. New Orleanians don't like corporations trying to capitalize on our coloquialisms. About 10 different groups have popped up on Facebook in protest, and people are tweeting like mad. The debate about who owes the right to the phrase is on going.

What's next? "Geaux Saints"? People in So. Louisiana love to give things a Cajun twist like spelling Go Geaux (dat's French cher). We can't use "Superbowl" or "The New Orleans Saints" all owned by the NFL. Here's an alternate: It's a black and geauxld, whoux dat supahbowl!

"Who might that be who claims they can beat the football team from New Orleans." just doesn't have the same power as the Who dat chant.



Then Senator Vitter, of all people, jumps in the fray and pens a letter to the NFL telling them to drop the suit or sue him.

Will the NFL back down?

UPDATE: "Who Dat Nation 1, NFL 0 in merchandise fight"