Parade Report Needed. (c'mon dtels & coulter)

[dtel's wife]

You can not come to New Orleans....or the Gulf Coast area and not fall in love with the places and people here. Everyone and I do mean everyone had one vision and one purpose for attending the parade....to show the New Orleans Saints' just how much they mean to all of us and how much we appreciate what they have done for us. It is truly a love affair between the people of this area and their team. The players, management and staff of the New Orleans Saints fully understand the devotion and love of the fans. It was awesome to watch the people attending the parade and the folks riding in the parade show that level of affection for one another. It is something that can not be put into words. Sean Payton, the players and the management connected on a level unimaginable with each person attending that parade.

Fans from as far as two and three hours away drove to New Orleans to be part of that magical moment, when fans, players, coaches and management joined together as one to show appreciation for each other. This parade was as much about the Saints' appreciation of their fans as it was about the Saints fans appreciation of their team for bringing home the Lombardi Trophy!

Colter was in a state of shock. I asked Colter, "How do you put this into words for someone else to be able to understand?" He replied, "After seeing it for myself....I don't think it can be properly conveyed to someone else. You have to see it in peron to understand." Most of you know Michael is a professional photographer. He said, "I just don't think photographs and words can convey the emotions of the people from this area." While the emotional displays Michael witnessed can be connected to our Super Bowl journey, it should be understood, we react the same way to everyday life!

Even wearing his "Reggie Wayne, blue and white Colts' jersey" the night before the big game Michael was treated as a welcome additon to the South. "It's all good". In fact, a lot of folks asked to be photographed with him, thanked him and gave him warm hugs and big kisses! The crowds gathered on the balconies in the French Quarter were showering the one lone Colts' fan with beads! Hey, beads don't come easy on Bourbon Street!

Although Colter is a die hard Colts fan I do believe he has become a full fledged member of the "Who Dat Nation"!

IT'S THE WAY WE ROLL DOWN HERE IN THE SOUTH!

[greg928gts]

Wish I could have been there! I love N.O. Been there many times.

As a total coincidence, my new company logo has the Saints colors! Didn't even think of it until they won the SB.

Greg

[Seadog]

Great report and awesome photos!

[Don Richard]

I love this area....but I still think I would prefer four seasons a year!

Crawfish season, shrimp season, crab season, and Slap Ya Mama.

Louisiana's 4 seasons []

[dtel's wife]

Don, where do you live? Are you guys expecting snow?

[joshnich]

I watched the parade on TV. Have to say IMHO opinion it was the most wonderful and honest sports moment I have ever watched. Very very cool. I've been to 5 post superbowl celebrations btw and other than the first year the niners won, none could hold a candle to what happened in NO.

Good on ya!

Josh

[dtel's wife]

Josh,

That is truly one of the nicest compliments you could pay us. We are so proud of our team and what they truly stand for. I don't know that everyone really understands why the Saints mean so much to this area. Nor do they understand what we the Saints' Who Dats are all about. It's much more than being "heroes" of Katrina it's about what the Saints' players, coaches and management stand for.

I would hope the relationship between the Saints and their fans was evident to everyone who saw the parade or has viewed the pics.

It was a surreal moment...for sure....and yes it was a "wonderful and honest sports moment". Fans and sports team combined with one purpose..... to share in each other's accomplishments!

BTW, can any of you give us an idea what networks showed the parade, or clips of the parade?

[TheEvan]

Thanks, Josh.

It's hard to explain what has happened here. I don't think most New Orleanians knew how hard this would hit them emotionally. The conference championship was no less emotional and all these pent up feelings had no place to fully express until the parade. Now, we know how to do a parade, no doubt, but this was different. This was LOVE on a grand scale, two-way love. Fans to players/coaches/organization, and love right back at 'em.

New Orleans is a friendly city, yes, but when I was downtown Tue. morning in miserable weather, all I got from strangers was big smiles and uncommon courtesy.

[dtel's wife]

Yes, what TheEvan said too!

[BigStewMan]

i know with any crowd that are a few knuckleheads; but, overall was it a safe celebration? Out here, whenever the Lakers win, cars are burning and stores windows are getting smashed and the place looted. I don't watch the news, so I don't know if New Orleans had similar issues. I'm glad that all of you that went out, came back safe.

Mr. Coulter, if you're reading this, send me an email when you get a chance regarding your train ride. I'm considering doing something like that myself and would like to hear your evaluation of long-distance train travel. No rush; but, when you chance. Thanks, Steve

[dtel's wife]

BigStewMan:

The parade crowd was spectacular. The taller people let the little kids and the shorter folks get in front so they could see. Others shared their ladders and platforms. It was truly an amazing scene.

No one burned cars....although there were some folks dancing on top of their cars. No windows smashed....instead if someone couldn't find a partner to dance and celebrate with they amused themselves with their reflections in the windows. I have heard no reports of looting either.

I don't know if Colter is reading, because he was pretty exhausted. I can tell you his train ride here wasn't too bad, but it was pretty crowded on his return trip. You may want to email him or pm him for details, because he is pretty familiar with what types of seating/berths are available on the train....he rode the "City of New Orleans" train to get down here.

[joshnich]

dtel

I believe that I was watching on ESPN. There is a fair bit of video of the parade on you tube.

Josh

[colterphoto1]

Hi guys, got back home today and am totally worn out. I've now
witnessed southern hospitality in everything from a relaxing tour of a
plantation to a Super Bowl parade and it was an awesome trip. The city
of New Orleans had announced a parade for the team for the Tuesday
after the game so I elected to stay an extra day. Incidentally, Amtrak
does not charge anything to change a reservation, even at last minute!
I get the distinct impression that most of these folks would have been
there win or lose.

Drew Brees had been shipped from Miami to
Disney World, to NYC on Monday, and now was back in N.O. I've been to
some Indy 500 parades and seen others on tv, but nothing compares to
what I witnessed on Tuesday night. Around here the performers dress up
for a parade, I've never seen one where it's 'audience participation'.
The amount of black and gold was stunning, the floats magnificent, the
players celebretory but humble. The 8 of us (Dtels, daughters, kids,
myself) arrived early enough to take in some of the sights of the
French Quarter as we'd only hit Bourbon Street on Saturday night (with
me in blue no less). Great architecture, gift shops, art galleries,
eateries. Spent some time in quietude at the Cathedral, then off to the
show.

We situated ourselves in the large streetcar neutral ground (median to northeners) on
Canal St. at St. Charles. I was to find out later that this was a key
point in the parade as the floats and bands started earlier by the
Superdome for the reviewing stands. We were to see them some hour and
half later as they rounded a tight turn and into a sea of screaming
humanity. There were the obligitory police, fire and rescue squads
preceding the parade and it took me a while to realize that after
Katrina, these were not just marshals of the parade, but all of them
heros just as big as the team was. When the first band and well-lit
floats turned the corner, the crowd just erupted. Sounded like guns or
thunder, the roar was just enormous. The second float carried three
massive searchlights which straifed the high-rise buildings around us
and confetti cannons created an immediate festive atmosphere. It was so
intense I don't know how anyone there could not have had some tears of
joy for the city, it's team, and the spectacle before them.

Good
fortune smiled on us as we were camped next to some very kind folks,
some had driven more than 2 hours to be here, others let the kids in
our group near the front for a good vantage point. A mother/son
parade-veteran team brought a large stepladder and workbench, which
they graciously let us use for photographing over the crowd. Even the
wild Asian kids slamming shots from a soon-empty Crown Royal bottle
were fun and polite although quite loud with their chanting. I think
the Saints fans had on every possible numbered jersey in existence, and
quite a few very inventive home-made outfits as well.

Without
going into details of the entire evening, all I can say is WOW! This
city really knows how to throw a parade. Of course they're well
practiced at it, but this event would have had only 2 weeks planning
time (from the last playoff game). There were probably 20 high school
bands, a dozen floats from various 'Krews' (Krew is a team that usually
sponsors a single parade each during the Mardi Gras season). There was
some really cool stuff like the kickers were in a float adorned with a
gigantic high-heeled shoe lit with a bagillion tiny lights. Team
members were grouped by squad on floats scattered through the two-hour
route. The field goal kicker #5 even ran laps around the float giving
high fives to the crowd. The kids in our group had been hollering 'WHO
DAT' all day long and one was hit smack in the 'numbers' with a huge
bundle of Mardi Grad beads by Drew Brees. In a tremendous display of
humility, Coach Payton was on the final float, allowing his players to
parade ahead of him. He blew kisses and held the trophy high overhead
the entire route to great applause.

Now I've got the shirt, the CD's, the beads, and some fantastic memories. Thanks Dtels and thanks New Orleans!

[Don Richard]

Don, where do you live? Are you guys expecting snow?

I live near Baton Rouge, and at 7:30 AM... it's snowing!! I need to find Al Gore to locate some of that global warming he talks about. This is the second snow this year. Usually snow this hard comes every 10 years or so this far south.

Well, they said that if the Saints won the superbowl hell would freeze over. Good call.

[TheEvan]

It's SNOWIN' LIKE HELL!! Big fat juicy flakes and I feel all GIDDY. []

Don, you in Prairieville?

[TheEvan]

i know with any crowd that are a few knuckleheads; but, overall was it a safe celebration? Out here, whenever the Lakers win, cars are burning and stores windows are getting smashed and the place looted. I don't watch the news, so I don't know if New Orleans had similar issues. I'm glad that all of you that went out, came back safe

I heard an interview with the police post-parade. The spokesman said there was not one incident of any kind, no arrests, no 911 calls, nothing. Certainly no burning cars or looting. (We got it out of our system during Katrina, eh?) []

[CECAA850]

I live near Baton Rouge, and at 7:30 AM... it's snowing!! I need to find Al Gore to locate some of that global warming he talks about. This is the second snow this year. Usually snow this hard comes every 10 years or so this far south.

Well, they said that if the Saints won the superbowl hell would freeze over. Good call.

We've had snow 2 years in a row. That's the first time that's happened here since the 60's.

[colterphoto1]

i know with any crowd that are a few knuckleheads; but, overall was it a safe celebration? Out here, whenever the Lakers win, cars are burning and stores windows are getting smashed and the place looted. I don't watch the news, so I don't know if New Orleans had similar issues. I'm glad that all of you that went out, came back safe

I heard an interview with the police post-parade. The spokesman said there was not one incident of any kind, no arrests, no 911 calls, nothing. Certainly no burning cars or looting. (We got it out of our system during Katrina, eh?)

I still didn't wear any Colts apparel, just to be on the safe side. Hours after the parade, traffic was still at a standstill and every one looked a bit shell-shocked from the long night of waiting, cold, intensity, more waiting. We stopped for dinner just as the Hard Rock Cafe was closing, then took our time getting home. I think it was about 1:30 when we finally arrived.

[Daddy Dee]

wonderful, wonderful

[Don Richard]

Don, you in Prairieville?

I live close to Maringouin, at the moment I am in BR at the office. All the schools, govt offices, and most businesses are shut down here now, and I think I may join them shortly. All of the surface streets are ice free, and it's beautiful right now, but I may need to leave before the bridges are closed.