San Francisco (Obama.net)- It feels like it was just yesterday that the New Orleans Saints defeated the Indianapolis Colts in Miami by a score of 31-17 to become the Super Bowl XLIV Champions. It was Monday that the Saints, who won their first National Football League Championship in team history, finally came to the White House via the traditional invitation from the President of the United States of America.
President Obama proudly introduced the NFL Champions to the tune of “When the Saints Go Marching In.” As the players entered, audience members shouted for their favorite players, such as Quarterback Drew Brees, and screamed the classic Saints catchphrase, “who dat!”
Obama was presented with a Saints jersey with the number forty-four on it, representing Obama’s being the forty-fourth President of the United States of America. Obama laughingly commented that he would not be able to wear the jersey in his hometown due to his allegiance to the Chicago Bears.
During his speech, Obama reminded the United States of what exactly the Saints mean for the city of New Orleans. President Obama reminded his audience of the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina, which ravaged the city of New Orleans. The hurricane cost thousands of people their lives and many more their homes.
In the football season right after Katrina, the New Orleans Saints were forced to play all of their games on the road due to the damages done to the Superdome by the hurricane. Obama commented that “back then, people didn’t even know if the team was coming back. People didn’t even know if the city was coming back.”
Obama expressed that the Saints have played a vital role in the last half of a decade in keeping the hopes and moral of the city high. For a long time, the three hours of Saints football was the only high point in a city of ruin that was working hard to rebuild.
Obama said of the members of the Saints, “these are big guys with big hearts, and shoulders big enough to carry the hopes and dreams of an entire city with them.”
As a So. Calif. tourist who was trapped in the Superdome I shifted my football loyalties from the 49ers to the Saints. They have been amazing for the City and the City has been amazing in their support for them.
Paul Harris
Author, “Diary From the Dome, Reflections on Fear and Privilege During Katrina”