The Saints And New Orleans Find Re-Birth After Katrina

The 2009 season will be huge for the Saints both on and off the field. While record-setting Drew Brees tries to get the team back to the Playoffs, the bigger story may lie within the city as a long term deal keeping the franchise in New Orleans nears reality.

The Saints have a long history in New Orleans starting way back in 1966 when they were awarded an NFL expansion franchise.  Unfortunately, it took the team almost 25 years to win its first playoff game under then coach, Jim Haslett.  Even though he steadied the ship with 42 wins from 2000-2004, Haslett's accomplishment would soon become overshadowed by the destruction of Hurricane Katrina.

When Katrina forced the Saints to vacate the Superdome, most people thought that the Saints would be gone from the Big Easy in a few years.  Considering the massive effect of the natural disaster, from the huge loss of population to the economic devastation, it seemed like pro sports teams would be the least of anyone's concern.  While the team played “home” games in San Antonio, Baton Rouge and even New York, reports began to surface about the Saints moving to Texas or California.

Following the transient 2005 campaign which led to the firing of Haslett, the Saints had a magical run in 2006 when they moved back into the Superdome. The city was energized as new coach Sean Payton and new QB Drew Brees led the team to the NFC South crown and to the Conference Championship game. The fans turned out in huge numbers and showed how much the Saints meant to them despite the years of futility throughout their existence. Now with a tentative agreement, the franchise and that fan base can focus their attention to the potentially exciting team that will be on the field in 2009.

For last April's draft, the Saints did not have many draft picks (no 2nd or 3rd rounder) because of previous trades that netted them linebacker Jonathan Vilma and tight end Jeremy Shockey. New Orleans decided to address their 23rd-ranked defense in the first round with the selection of defensive back Malcolm Jenkins from Ohio State. They went back to the defense with their next two choices in the 4th round, drafting two Wake Forest Demon Deacons in safety Chip Vaughn and linebacker Stanley Arnoux. Veteran coordinator Gregg Williams will come in and try to fix this struggling unit, but he does have some very talented players (Ellis, Grant, Smith, Vilma, Sharper, etc) with which to work.

Obviously, the Saints' identity is found with their offense and the NFL’s leading passer in 2008, Drew Brees. The veteran signal caller, who threw for over 5,000 yards last year, gives New Orleans a chance to win any ball game with his amazing ability to spread the ball around the field. He will need some help from the running game this year, so it will be very interesting to see if Pierre Thomas can carry the load along with Reggie Bush. Many thought the team would take a runner in the Draft but when Knowshon Moreno went off the board two picks before them in the first round, the Saints instead decided to address their defense. Would an Edgerrin James or another veteran be a fit for the New Orleans backfield? That question will be a focal point during the summer and training camp.

Still, the biggest question for the Saints remains their long term future.  We hope that lawmakers in Louisiana will agree to the proposed deal regarding the Superdome.  It would mean so much to the fan base to know they were not going to lose their team, especially after the tragedy of Katrina. Securing the Saints home for the future would be good for the region and would almost assure that the Super Bowl (and millions of dollars) would return to the Crescent City.

At a time when public figures from politicians to media members speak negatively of sports franchises, the Saints have shown the value of what a franchise can bring to a community, especially one that has been shattered by tragedy.

Let's hope that New Orleans can be a beacon for how professional sports can work for the betterment of the community.

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