Saints bring early Mardi Gras for storm-hit city February 09, 2010
Their coach slept with the Super Bowl trophy. The star player woke up thinking it might all have been a dream. Long-suffering fans could party for weeks and the team is already pondering a repeat crown.
That's what sunrise Monday brought for the New Orleans Saints after their 31-17 triumph over Indianapolis in Super Bowl 44 on Sunday for the team's first National Football League title after 43 years of futility and frustration.
"This is our legacy and that's special. This is something that will always be with us," Saints quarterback Drew Brees said. "I woke up and turned to my wife and said, 'Did yesterday really happen?' She said, 'It did.'"
Inspiring the fairy-tale were the people of New Orleans who have struggled to rebuild their city in the wake of flooding and devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
"New Orleans gave us so much strength as a people," Brees said. "We knew what they had been through and they continued to fight and hope and have strength. They gave us strength.
"We play for them. That's why we won. We owe this to them. That has made all the difference."
Saints coach Sean Payton reached his hotel room at 3 am and crawled into bed with the Super Bowl trophy.
"Rolled over a couple times. I probably drooled on it," Payton said. "But man, there's nothing like it."
Next week's Mardi Gras celebration will likely pale in comparison to the party that began on Bourbon Street in the fabled French Quarter of New Orleans after the Saints' victory.
"Don't expect anybody to go to work in New Orleans this week or maybe the next two weeks," Brees said.
A victory parade is set for Tuesday in New Orleans. There was going to be a parade win or lose. That's how it's done in a city known as the "Big Easy" for its party atmosphere. Call it All-Saints Day.
"This was bigger than a football game," Saints rusher Reggie Bush said. "This is about the rebuilding of a city that was destroyed and how we are going to continue that."
Continuation became a theme during the Saints' victory celebration as talk began about trying to repeat as champions at next year's Super Bowl in Dallas.
"Somewhere last night we talked about Dallas," Payton said. "There's probably never enough in regards to the challenge. Last night was great but there's still something within than burns to do more. We'll refuel for the challenges ahead. Our players will be ready. We're young. We're hungry."
Down 10-0 after the first quarter, the Saints matched the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history by outscoring the Colts 31-7 the rest of the way.
Brees, who had 500 text messages from well-wishers after the victory, completed a Super Bowl record-tying 32 of 39 passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns, including a remarkable 16-of-17 in the second half.
"This is the pinnacle," Brees said. "And yet come April, late May we get back into conditioning and it's about the 2010 season. We know what it's like to build something from the ground up.
"What's going to be fun is using the term 'repeat' all next year."
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