The New Orleans Saints fan base are some of the most loyal and passionate fans in the world, and remained that way through seemingly endless disappointments and letdowns. We could barely win a game, much less have a winning season. It wasn’t until Katrina almost destroyed the city that the Who Dat Nation was treated to seasons of football with the hope that we had even a chance to go to the Superbowl.
No better example of this Love that Saints fans have than after the first ever Superbowl victory. Within seconds of Brees taking that knee to end the game, the streets of the French Quarter were filled with Mardi Gras sized crowds celebrating what we had all been waiting most of our lives for. The frenzied madness and joyous celebrations would continue for days with complete strangers embracing each other at random times and places. It even seemed like crime dipped for those few days as well. That level of passion, that level of dedication and love had fans, even in the worst times, still showing up to the games but with the signature brown paper sacks that would become a symbol of our worst seasons.
The originality and creativity of Saints fans shines through as well, with the many characters, some of whom have become fixtures in the crowd we look for as much as the players themselves. Sure, one could argue that all of this could also be reasons why we’re some of the craziest fans too, but at this point and after this weeks loss to the LA Rams, one could give us a pass on calling us conspiracy theorists too.
The lopsidedness of the treatment that the Saints receive from the league should serve as a strong argument that they are out to get us. The suspension of Sean Payton for an entire year for the unproven allegation that he was simply aware of bounty-gate, and if he wasn’t aware, he should have been.
Meanwhile an entire operation to physically record opponents practices, play-calling, and player injury statuses by the New England Patriots was busted by the NFL. If Bill Belichick wasn’t aware of this, then as they said about Sean Payton, he as the head coach should have been. I do not recall how many games he was suspended for. Actually, I do remember, it was zero. This is just one example of an unfair or uneven at best, system of managing this sport and teams.
As with all Saints Fans, I am still not over the emotional and mental damage and turmoil that resulted from having our second Superbowl victory stolen from right out of our hands at the end of last season, by a referee who was a former LA Ram, former UCLA player, and who currently lives in the Los Angeles area, only to tune in to watch them play the same team and have the officiating team commit such egregious errors in their calls, that even the commentating team was beginning to sound like conspiracy theorists. It was almost like they were just putting it in our face at some moments, like they were telling us that they were screwing us. At least our complaints about this are no longer being brushed off as just sore losing or the typical whining one might hear from many NFL Fans after a loss.
After the robbery last season, in which the video evidence was so overwhelming there was even a still shot of the official staring straight at the action with his whistle in his mouth, then the events of Sunday’s game are tougher to ignore, but will it be enough to precipitate at least some kind of an attempt to address the issues? I, for one, believe that part of the process that needs looking into, is the officials themselves. They need to come under similar levels of scrutiny that those who work in Gaming industries do. They need to be investigated for connections to organized crime, and subjected to inquiries into their financial situations with forensic accounting methods.
Why, as I’m certain many are asking right now, because obviously the biggest threat to the sanctity of this part of the game is for some person or organization to influence the officials to effect the outcome or score of the game for gambling purposes or some other racket. I know, I know, it sounds crazy, I’m sounding like some conspiracy theorist, but exactly how many blatantly bad calls directed at one team do we need to see before we consider that corruption might very well be the answer? It would be the first thing everyone would say if it was a boxing contest, but never even hinted at when it comes to the NFL.
What else could it be? Is it personal or some actual conspiracy to punish Louisiana for holding out on raising the drinking age so long? Maybe the Saints are just that good, that the referees have to join in to make it appear evenly matched. Maybe Roger Goodell bought some bunk dope down in the Quarter one night and he’s just been salty and holding a grudge ever since. I don’t know what it is or why they’re doing it, but one thing that has to be clear by now is, that there is definitely some kinda conspiracy against the New Orleans Saints.
