Who Dat Say Dey Gonna Beat Dem Saints: Dallas =(

So I guess I'll start where I left off - in Mariana, FL.  We got up early Saturday morning, and started our four and a half hour drive into New Orleans.  To keep busy, I started working on my French with Rosetta Stone.  It kept us both occupied for the drive and we now know how our numbers and our colors.  When will Rosetta tell me how to order cheese and wine???

After a quick potty break in Pass Christian, MS (where everyone in the gas station was wearing Saints apparel), we got to NOLA around lunch time.  We unpacked our bags and headed out to lunch with my parents.  I was so anxious to get downtown to tailgate!!  We arrived at the Dome at 2:00 and the tailgating area was more crowded than I have ever seen it.  There were stages set up in multiple locations where bands were playing, there were people lounging on sofas warming their hands over fire pits, and there were who dat chants all around us.  It was truly the most electric atmosphere I have ever witnessed for a regular season game (the MNF game v. Atlanta is the only exception).  It literally felt like Mardi Gras.  I wish I had the words to describe to you how amazing it was!  And that was at five and a half hours before the game started!!! I just kept telling Mark how lucky we were to be here to witness this.  There are very few things that bring people together like sports does.  I kept looking around at men and women who under most circumstances might not have had anything in common, but who were on this day linked by our team.  There were strangers hugging, singing, dancing together celebrating our life here in this amazing city. It was a beautiful thing.

A beautiful thing is not exactly how I would describe the game we played.  We looked overwhelmed and confused.  Maybe the players got caught up in all of the excitement and lost their focus.  I don't know, but I know we have some things to fix.  I think you have to learn how to lose before you can learn how to win.  Hopefully, the team will take something away from this loss and improve from here.  I know the players were so disappointed about not remaining undefeated, but if you had told me we'd be 13-1 in September I would have told you you were crazy.  We have two games left in the regular season, and we need only one win to secure home field advantage through the playoffs.  Can you imagine what the city will be like for home playoff games.  It might just have to shut down starting in mid-January and re-open after Mardi Gras!!!

I still believe boys!  Who dat and geaux Saints!!!!!!!