ASSOCIATED PRESS New Orleans Saintsquarterback DrewBrees (9) has pointedthe franchise in theright direction, whichthis week is south-east to Miami andSuper Bowl XLIV. TheSaints will play theIndianapolis Coltsfor the title onSunday.

ASSOCIATED PRESS Running back Reggie

Bush ran quicklyand carried a bigstick, well, a bat,when the Saintsexited the tun-nel to play theArizona Cardin-

als Jan. 16.

■ FanaticsMany fans have

their traditions onwatching Saints.

Page 2

■ From the startThis Saints fan firstfell in love with thefranchise in 1966.

Page 3

A publication ofWEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2010

A l s o i n s i d e:A l s o i n s i d e:

■ Franchise buildingIt wasn’t as easy as one-two-threebut there was a plan and it began with getting QB Drew Brees.

Page 4

■ Polarizing, dangerousNew Orleans Saints running backReggie Bush, feared coming outof college, has rushed to meetunrealistic expectations.

Page 6

■ Patient followingWatching Saints fall andrise over the years hasbeen an enjoyable job.

Page 7

TTeche eche Area cheers for SaintsArea cheers for Saintsover long over long road to the Super Bowlroad to the Super Bowl

SaintsSpecial

BY CHRIS LANDRY

THE DAILY IBERIAN

It’s been a long timecoming for some of theTeche Area’s biggestSaints fans, but the daythey’ve waited for is final-ly near.

When Garrett Hartley’s40-yard field goal split theuprights in overtime tosend New Orleans to theteam’s first Super Bowlwith a 31-28 win over theMinnesota Vikings in theNFC championship gameon Jan. 24, feelings of joywere mixed with feelingsof disbelief.

After all, it’s been a life-time of following theSaints through thick(reaching their first NFCChampionship game in2006) and thin (26 losingseasons in 43 years of exis-tence) that they’ve beenrooting for the team.

“When the ball wentthrough the uprights I lostit,” said Marilyn Burgessof Baldwin, who’s hadSaints season tickets for 21years. “All I could do wascry.”

Kervin Fontenette andSterling Francis areamong a group of 20 or sofriends who watch all theNFL football games theycan each Sunday atFontenette’s home in St.Martinville. Some areSaints fans, others root forteams like the DallasCowboys or PittsburghSteelers.

Francis, 41, said he’senjoying the chance totalk trash with his friendsand coworkers who doubt-ed the team would ever getto the Super Bowl. Prior tothis season, the Saintswere one of only five cur-rent NFL franchises neverto have played in the biggame, which was first heldas the AFL-NFL WorldChampionship Game onJan. 8, 1967, only twomonths after the city ofNew Orleans was awardeda team.

“We’re the two biggestSaints fans in St.

Martinville,” said Francisof himself and Fontenette.“I’m just a fanatic. DaltonHilliard, Pat Swilling, theyhad the best linebackingcrew (in the mid-1980s).All my life I’ve been cheer-ing for the Saints.”

But the NFCChampionship game wastrying for the two. Withthe game tied at 28-all inthe fourth quarter, NewOrleans punted toMinnesota, and formerSuper Bowl winning quar-terback Brett Favre led the

Vikings downfield intoscoring territory beforethrowing an interceptionwith seven secondsremaining that sent thegame into overtime.

Fontenette, 44, a majorwith the St. Martin ParishSheriff ’s Office, thoughtthe Saints had lost thegame when they kickedthe ball away andMinnesota began movingthe ball into Saints terri-tory.

“I guess for 19 secondsmy heart was in my pock-et,” said Fontenette.“When they were driving,I just thought if we lost itnow, we’d still be recover-ing from it.”

Though Fontenette hadhis doubts, Francis didn’t.

“Kervin has two benches(where the friends sit towatch the games), and allthe Saints fans are sittingin the front and all the restwere sitting in the back,”said Francis. “Kervin hadgiven up. I said, ‘BrettFavre is going to throw aninterception.’ ”

“Just about as soon ashe said that,” acknowl-edged Fontenette, “Favrethrew that interception.”

Minnesota never gotanother chance. NewOrleans won the coin tossfor overtime, and took the

ball down for Hartley’swinning kick. Needless tosay, all the Saints fans atFontenette’s house wereecstatic.

“Monday I couldn’t eventalk,” said Francis.

“It was unbelievable,”said Fontenette, who saidthere are a lot of Saintsfans where he works, aswell. “My feeling when thegame ended, I was inshock. I was emotionallydrained. I felt like I playedthe whole game. When hekicked it and made it, Iwas almost ready to col-lapse. It lasted for only asplit second, but I felt likeI was going to collapse.”

Burgess said she andprobably 30 or so familymembers watched thegame at her house withher husband and children.She gave her son the tick-ets for the championshipgame, but she will attendthe Super Bowl with herdaughter, Ashley.

Because tickets to theSuper Bowl cost so much,she debated long and hardabout buying them. Herhusband, Cliff, whosehealth prevents him frombeing able to go to theSuper Bowl, told her,“You’re going.”

Becausethe numberof SuperBowl ticketsprovided toeach team tosell is limit-ed, theSaints held alottery todeterminewhich oftheir seasonticket hold-ers wouldhave thechance tobuy tickets.Burgess was-n’t sure ifshe’d begiven thechance, soshe boughttickets her-self through anothersource, at more than facevalue. Then she found outshe had been chosen in thelottery as well, so decidedto purchase those and sellthem to help recoup someof the cost of the ticketsshe’s using, which are in abetter location than thetickets bought through theSaints ticket office.

She looks forward mostto just being there and see-ing her beloved team’sblack and gold uniformson the field.

“I guess for me it waslike a roller coaster,” saidBurgess, expressing feel-ings many Saints fans nodoubt have had. “For yearsand years they wouldcome so close (to the play-offs) and then lose. It wasaggravating. I learned tolet (the losing seasons) go.I love them now as muchas I did when they werelosers.”

Now they’ve establishedthemselves as one of thebest teams in the NFL,and Burgess couldn’t behappier.

“It’s almost like I’m liv-ing a dream,” saidBurgess.

Francis and Fontenettealso are on cloud nine.

Fontenette, a Saints fansince before he went to col-lege, said that PeytonManning, quarterback forthe Indianapolis Colts, is aphenomenal player andprovides a tough SuperBowl challenge for theSaints.

“But I like what webring to the table,” saidFontenette, who playedfootball at St. MartinvilleSenior High and atSouthern University. “Wecan score with them. Ithink it’s going to comedown to turnovers. Oursecondary I think has a lit-tle edge over theirs. I likeour matchups.”

Francis predicts a 35-21Saints win. But NewOrleans can’t turn the ballover and must be able torun the ball some.

“It’s going to come downto (Saints quarterback)Drew Brees making thethrows and the defenseplaying well,” saidFrancis. “I don’t think (theColts’) defense is as goodas Minnesota’s defense. Ithink we’ll be able to runthe ball.”

“I think it’s destiny,”said Fontenette. “I thinkit’s time. We believe, likethe sign says.”

S A I N T S WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 20102 THE DAILY IBERIAN

Congra t u l a t i on s Sa in t s !

Job We l l Done!!!

For All Your Real Estate Needs Call:

Peggy Bou t t é

337-967-4622

Broker/Owner

P.O. Box 13658 New Iberia, LA 70562www.BelleMaisonHomes.com

“Everything we touch turns to sold”

367-2626

810 Center Street • New Iberia

Mon - Fri 10 - 5:30 • Sat 10 - 4

Who Dat! New Orleans Saints!

Saints T-ShirtsLadies’ Fleur de Lis Jewelry & Tee’s

• Earrings • Necklaces • Bracelets • Pins

SHOP NOWFOR THE

BIG GAME!

Locally Owned & Operated by the St. Upery Family! Fast & Friendly Service – FREE Local Delivery

912 S. Lewis St. - New Iberia

367-8287

MAGIC VIDEOELECTRONICS

LG 47 inch LED 120 hzModel 47LH90

$159800

ALL LED & LCD TV’SNOW ON SALE

Saints fulfill fans’ lifelong dreams

CHRIS LANDRY / THE DAILY IBERIANKervin Fontenette, a longtime Saints fanfrom St.Martinville and a major with the St.

Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office, works at hisdesk while wearing a Saints jersey and hat.

‘When the ballwentthroughtheuprightsI lost it.All I could do wascry.’

Marilyn Burgess

Lifelong Saints fan from Baldwin

■

CHRIS LANDRY / THE DAILY IBERIANSterling Francis, a lifelong Saints fan, showsoff a football autographed by Saints offen-sive tackle Jammal Brown.

BY NEAL MCCLELLAND

THE DAILY IBERIAN

Bob Detwiler was there at thebeginning.

Not the beginning of the yearsof success for the New OrleansSaints, which coincided about thetime that Tom Benson bought theteam, but rather, the very begin-ning, 1966, when the NationalFootball League announced thatNew Orleans would receive afranchise that would begin playfor the 1967 season.

“I started following them aboutfew months before they got there.So you could say that I’m one ofthe originals,” said Detwiler, amarketing manager for Doerle’sWholesale who was 18 when theteam started playing. “It startedabout a year before with DaveDixon who had a mission. Hereally enjoyed sports and hereally wanted a franchise in

town.“For

thepeoplelivingthere,it wasathrill.WhenDavestartedallthis,thetowngotbehindit bigtime. It

was a big to-do.”Detwiler’s love affair with the

Saints started soon after heattended his first preseason gamein 1967 at LSU’s Tiger Stadium,when they played the PittsburghSteelers.

“The Saints beat the Steelersand people went nuts,” saidDetwiler, who said it was an ongo-ing thing for the entire year beforethe team started playing. “Therewasn’t going to be the opportunityto move a franchise into the city.There was an expansion going onin the NFL and I believe that itwould end up being the Saints andtwo other teams.”

So it began for Detwiler, a lovewith the Saints that has contin-ued through today. Even thoughhe had to give then up a few yearsago due to increased prices, hemaintained season tickets withthe team for 20 years.

He can remember being onCanal Street in New Orleans whenJohn Gilliam ran the openingkickoff of the franchise’s inaugu-ral season back for a touchdown,just as he can remember meetingthe players throughout the yearseither on his own of through thefact that his mother used to baby-sit the children of the players.

“The Saints were always thetypes of guys that used to go andtalk to the people in the stores,”said Detwiler. “My mother baby-satfor Archie Manning and his back-up Bobby Scott and Dave Whitsell. Igot to know or at least talk to theplayers. That was kind of cool.”

The players that Detwiler metread like a who’s who of oldSaints’ rosters, like Whitsell,Gilliam, Tom Dempsey, whokicked the NFL record 63-yardfield goal against the Lions in1970, along with Manning, Scottand others.

“Dempsey sat in my section andI got to meet him on the 25thanniversary of the kick,” saidDetwiler. “I met the wives and theplayers and bumped into DanPastorini one night in the clubupstairs in the Dome the day(Coach) Bum Phillips cut him. Hewas bummed, he really thought hewas going to play.”

Detwiler has seen games inboth old Tulane Stadium and theSuperdome when it opened in1975. He said that Tulane Stadium

was cold,windy and

fun but the Superdome at first did-n’t have the same atmosphere.When people went into the Domethey were in awe of the place. Healso remembers the ownership ofJohn W. Mecom Jr. and the sale ofthe team to Tom Benson.

“The team under Mecombrought in talent, they just didn’tbring in enough,” said Detwiler,who ended up in New Iberia afterdating then marrying his wife,Adrienne, who lived here.“Benson, for all the negativethings people say about him,brought in talent and the teamstarting winning. That was some-thing they never had before.”

Detwiler’s memorabilia fromhis years watching the Saintsinclude the jersey that Scott waswearing the day that the TampaBay Buccaneers won their first

ever game in beating New Orleans33-14 in 1977. His favorite memo-ries are of attending games withhis three children. While he stillmanages to make a couple ofSaints game every year, comeSunday the longtime Saints fanwill be watching the Super Bowlfrom the comfort of his livingroom.

“I’d like to be in Miami and I’mpraying that they win this one,”said Detwiler. “But the ultimategame would be if the team makesthe Super Bowl in 2013 when itwill be played in the Superdome.There’s just something about ahome game in the Superdome.

“To see them playing Sunday inthe Super Bowl, it’s a great thing.It would be a validation if theywin. Not for me, but for all Saintsfans.”

S A I N T S THE DAILY IBERIAN 3WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2010

Geaux SaintsSuper Bowl Sunday

3:00pm – tillChicken Wings • Crab Pies • Crawfish Pies

Seafood Gumbo • Chicken & Sausage Gumbo

Sunday

Bar-B-Que Lunch11a.m. - 2p.m.

Dine in or call ahead

for your takeout orders.

ONLY $7.00

All Fries:Sweet Potato, Asparagus,

Green Bean,Portabella Mushroom

#5 Jefferson St.New Iberia

337-364-8677

Saints Fleur de lis Hand Painted

~ Fleur de lis SterlingSilver Jewelry

~ Coozies ~ Beads~ Postcards615 E. Admiral Doyle

367-7685

Wine & PilsnerGlasses

Good Luck SaintsFrom The City Of New Iberia

“Household HazardousWaste Day”

Saturday, March 6, 20109:00 A.M. – 2:00 P.M.

Department of Public Works1303 J. Allen Daigre Dr.City of New Iberia

We will be accepting:• Batteries • Antifreeze• Mercury • Paint• Oil • Consumer Electronics• Brake Fluid • Solvents

For more information:Call the City of New Iberia at

369-2300Marty Delaune, New Iberia Fire

Department at 369-2370

Entrance Directions: E. Admiral Doyle turn on Southport Blvd. right on J. Allen Daigre Street

Long love affair with SaintsS A I N T STHROUGHTHE Y E AR S■

ASSOCIATED PRESSArchie Manning was a bonafide star QB for the Saints.

ASSOCIATED PRESSSaints running back John Gilliam ran the opening kick-off back for a touchdown in team’s first game in 1967.

ASSOCIATED PRESSTom Dempsey made history with 63-yard FG for the Saints in 1970.

NEAL MCCLELLAND / THE DAILY IBERIANBob Detwiler’s love for the Saints began the year they were born in ’66.

They were in the rightplace, and it must’ve beenthe right time, to fliparound the lyrics of Dr.John’s classic 1973 NewOrleans funk tune “RightPlace Wrong Time.”

“They”are the lead-ers of theNewOrleansSaints’turnaroundfrom one ofthe NFL’sworst teamsto the pin-nacle of profootball, theSuper Bowl,a handful ofcoaches,players and

front office personnel whohave changed the cultureof the franchise in just afew short years.

Any Saints fan canrelate the team’s historic

woes, beginning with a 3-11 record in the fran-chise’s first year in theNFL (1967) through 43mostly losing seasons.New Orleans didn’t have a.500 season until 1979, anddidn’t have a winning sea-son until 1987 in coachJim Mora’s second season.

Mora went 93-74 in 10 1/2years with the Saints, hadfour winning seasons, cap-tured the team’s first divi-sional title in 1991 and ledNew Orleans to the play-offs three straight yearsfrom 1990-92. But afterMora’s resignation mid-way through the 1996 sea-son, the Saints enjoyedonly sporadic success withonly two winning seasonsin the next decade, bothunder coach Jim Haslett,whose 2000 team earnedthe first playoff win inteam history in its 33rdseason, 31-28 over St.Louis.

The 2005 season was thelow point. In the wake ofHurricane Katrina, andthe devastation of both thecity and the LouisianaSuperdome, the Saintswent 3-13 in a season thatsaw “home” games playedin New Jersey, SanAntonio and Baton Rouge.

A change was needed, abig change. And that’swhat general managerMickey Loomis oversaw.

In January 2006, Loomishired Sean Payton, whowas then the offensivecoordinator for the DallasCowboys, to be the team’snew head coach.

Payton brought withhim both a fantastic offen-sive mind and the rightframe of mind to rebuildthe team — only sevenplayers remain from theroster he inherited — andin the process help the cityrebuild its pride.

One of the first moves

he and Loomis madeturned out to be one of thesmartest. Looking for aquarterback, the two con-vinced free agent quarter-back Drew Brees, who hadundergone surgery on histhrowing shoulder inJanuary, to sign with theteam.

Brees, who also wascourted by the MiamiDolphins after the SanDiego Chargers refused togive their former starterthe kind of contract hesought, has since erasedany doubts about thehealth of his shoulder.

Over his four seasonswith the Saints, Brees haspassed for more than18,000 yards (most in theNFL) and 128 touchdowns.His 5,069 passing yards in2008 was second most in asingle season in NFL his-tory. He set the NFL passerrating record this seasonat 109.6.

But Brees has meant somuch more to the teamand the city than his num-bers indicate. The Purdueproduct and native ofAustin, Texas, told SportsIllustrated earlier thisyear he saw the chance tobe part of somethingunique when he signedwith the team — helpingto rebuild the city.

His Brees DreamFoundation has sinceworked in partnershipwith the nonprofit organi-zation Operation Kids tohelp rebuild and restoreeverything from schools toparks, playgrounds andathletic facilities in thecity.

Two more key figures inthe team’s resurgencehave been linebackerJonathan Vilma and safetyDarren Sharper, a pair ofveterans signed in 2008and 2009, respectively, tohelp shore up the defense.

Vilma has respondedwith a pair of 100-plustackle seasons, the fourthand fifth of his six-yearcareer. Vilma played onlyseven games for the New

York Jets in 2007 becauseof injury and was eager toprove he was still a ProBowl caliber player afterbeing traded to NewOrleans. His defensive atti-tude has been contagious,helping transform theteam.

Sharper, likewise, hasbrought a winning atti-tude to the defense as afree agent. The 13-year vet-eran who played his firsteight seasons with GreenBay and four more withMinnesota, tied for theNFL lead with nine inter-ceptions during the 2009regular season, threereturned for touchdowns.

Finally, assistant coachGregg Williams wasbrought on board, bring-ing a whole new approachto the defensive side of the

ball. Williams wore out hisdefensive players and theSaints’ offensive players intraining camp, demandingthe defenders strip the ballaggressively during non-contact drills and thatthey run back every ballthat hit the ground,whether it be a fumble oran incomplete pass.

The result was a turn-around from an NFL low22 turnovers in 2008 to 39turnovers in 2009, secondbest in the league.

Those men — Loomis,Payton, Brees, Vilma,Sharper and Williams —deserve a lot of credit forchanging the culture inthe Saints’ locker roomand on the field, from onethat accepted mediocritywith occasional success toone that demands success.

S A I N T S WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 20104 THE DAILY IBERIAN

HolidaySporting Goods

365-2763 ~ 805 S. Lewis, New Iberia

SaintsShirts & Caps

Championship & Who Dat Shirts

Heavy Duty

Long Sleeve,Short Sleeveand Sweat

Shirts

$10Starting @

Full Service Deli includingPrepared Food and Your Favorite Cold Cuts

•Party Trays •Vegetable Trays •Fruit Trays•Ham & Cheese Trays •Cheese Trays

•Boudin Trays •Fruit Baskets•Cajun Baskets (Gumbo Mix, Red Beans & Rice Mix, Tabasco, Etc.)

Order Early

Party Trays For

Super Bowl Sunday

Good Luck New Orleans Saints!

Closing at 6 pm Super Bowl Sunday

Fully Cooked

BRISKETCall

364-383124 Hours

In Advance

Large Selection ofFine Wines & Spirits

Turnaround season started with turnaround men

CHRISLANDRY

SAINTSSPECIAL

■

ASSOCIATED PRESSNew Orleans Saints executive vice president and generalmanager Mickey Loomis left, stands with head coach SeanPayton on the field before Saints hold their first practiceinside the Superdome in New Orleans in 2006.

S A I N T S THE DAILY IBERIAN 5WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2010

MONEY $AVER PLU$1421 Jane St., New Iberia • 367-3355

Open 7 Days A Week • Mon.- Fri. 6am-10pm – Sat-Sun 8 am-10 pm

One of only 3 locations in New Iberia offering Krispy Krunchy Chicken & KK’s Pizza!

Now Serving

BREAKFASTBiscuits • Monday - Friday 6 am till 10

NOW SERVING HOT

BOILEDCRAWFISH

$3795WITH CORN &POTATOES......10 lbs

1/2 PRICE DAIQUIRISWhen You Wear

Your Saints’ Logo Item

Offer good thru Sunday, February 7, 2010

Help us Cheer on the Saints!!For all customers who give us a hearty,

WHO DAT!!$

100 off

any new wheel and tire set purchased!

GEAUX SAINTSCustom Wheels & Tires • Audio • Video

Window Tinting • 4x4 Accessories

With Over 20 Years

Experience...We Can Help You

“Customize

Your Ride”

1619 Jefferson Island Road, New Iberia • 337-364-9416

My Dad Can Get You Rollin’ Right!

Offer expires 3/30/10

My Ride

Is Ready!

How About

Yours?“From Our Family To Yours”

Walter and his sons, Brett and Bryan, enjoy victory as the Saints win the NFC Championship.

600 North Lewis Avenue, New Iberia, LA • 365-7311 • www.dauterivehospital.com

There are those who saywe are forever cursed.There are those who saywe are lucky.

We’re the few, the proud,the ones who were born in1966, the year that theNational Football Leaguegranted an expansionfranchise to the city ofNew Orleans and becausethe announcement wasmade on Nov. 1, All SaintsDay on the calendar of theCatholic Church, it wasalmost a given that theteams’ nickname wasgoing to be the Saints,even though officially theywere named for the songmost associated with NewOrleans, “When the Saintsgo marching in.”

And since there areabout two months differ-

encebetweenmy birth-day andthe Saintsbirthday,it’s onlynaturalthat I feel akinshipwith theteam, afterall, we’rethe sameage

It’s beenan inter-esting 43

years up to this point, bothin my life and in theSaints life.

We’ve both seen highpoints, graduation, a newjob, the birth of my sonfor me. A winning season,a playoff appearance, aplayoff win and a SuperBowl appearance for theSaints.

We’ve both seen lowpoints, a divorce, myfather’s passing, being firedfrom a job for me. The birthof the Aints, a 1-15 season,watching players leaveNew Orleans and becomeAll-Pros elsewhere and, for

a while, the very real possi-bility of a relocation toanother city for the team.

To be a Saints fan for thepast 43 years has been anadventure.

I, like many others,learned to love the Saintswhile watching everySunday at noon (3 p.m.when the team played theSan Francisco 49ers or LosAngeles Rams on the WestCoast) with my dad or lis-tening to the game on theradio when we travelled tovisit relatives.

Through it all therewere cheers with everywin, tears with every lossand a never ending won-der as to when (or if) theSaints would ever win.

There was hope in 1978-79, when the team had 7-9followed by 8-8 records butthen came 1980 and theinfamous 1-15 season.Maybe it was just a coinci-dence, but it was thatsame year that I ended upin the hospital twice, oncefor being sick, the otherfor a tonsillectomy.

While other teams won,

the Saints lost. It wasn’tuntil the banner, strike-season year of 1987 thatthe team had its first win-ning season and first play-off appearance. Andappropriately enough, Igot my first college degree,an associate degree, beforegoing to work on my bach-elor’s degree.

There have been highsand lows since then, and italways seemed to corre-spond with events in mylife. When the Saints didwell, I did well. When theSaints did poorly, I didpoorly.

This year it’s been up,and personally for me it’sbeen a good year.

You could argue its all abig coincidence up to thispoint, and for the mostpart I would agree withyou, but in the end I hopethat there is somethingmore than that.

Whether it’s luck or acurse, there will always bea link between myself andthe Saints. That’s whatbeing a (long-suffering)fan is all about.

Sharing life’s ups anddowns with the Saints

NEALMcCLELLAND

SAINTSSPECIAL

■

ASSOCIATED PRESSNew Orleans Saints statistician Bob Remy holds a copy ofthe New Orleans States-Item newspaper reporting thecity’s acquisition of an NFL football franchise in November1966 in Metairie. Although Daily Iberian Associate SportsEditor Neal McClelland didn’t get the headline that sameyear, he and the Saints are the same age.

S A I N T S WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 20106 THE DAILY IBERIAN

$500(five dollars)

This voucher is only redeemable at BON TEMPS BINGO.

Just bring this coupon in to redeem your reward

for visiting us!Open 7 days a week

12 Noon - 12Midnight

Located In Torrido Village Shopping Center910 E. Main St., Suite 7, New Iberia • 321-4128

Come pass a good time...

One coupon per person.Voucher is good on Video Bingo side of BON TEMPS BINGO only

Live Bingo sessions – 3:30pm and 9:30pmThis coupon is good from 2-3-2010 thru 2-7-2010

Payouts of up to

$1,00000

Daily Cash Giveaways!!

Most Teche Area fanslove the New OrleansSaints collectively withunconditional devotion.After 43 years, currentdiehards built their lovethrough unparalleled sup-port.

However, when it comesto individual players,there are few more polar-izing on the Saints rosterthan running back/returnman Reggie Bush.

In trying to diagnose ifthe 2005 Heisman Trophywinner’s first four years inthe league have been up topar, I contacted diehardSaints fan and Loreauville

High Schoolhead foot-ball coachTrent Dela-houssaye.

The for-mer highschool quar-terback saidthe expecta-tions onBush out ofcollege wereunfair.

“As a fan,you wereexpecting

him to come into theleague and just light it onfire,” Delahoussaye said.“It’s hard to make thatadjustment from the col-lege game to the pro game.You learn that quick. Idon’t think he will ever bewhat the fans expect himto be. He is a real goodfootball player right now,but the expectations theyput on him were unrealis-tic.”

The expectations werehigh for Bush because hewas drafted second overallout of USC in 2006.

In his first year, heteamed with incumbentSaints running backDeuce McAllister to leadthe Saints, along withquarterback Drew Brees,to a No. 2 seed in the play-offs and eventual spot inthe NFC Championshipgame against the ChicagoBears.

Bush finished with 88receptions, 742 receivingyards, 155 carries, 565rushing yards and ninetotal touchdowns.McAllister ran for 1,057yards, and the duo madethe Saints awfully danger-ous.

Bush’s many rookie sea-son highlights included apunt return touchdownagainst the Tampa BayBuccaneers that proved tobe a game winner and an88-yard catch and runtouchdown against theBears in the NFC

Championship game.Statistically, Bush has

not duplicated that firstseason’s production.

“He has had troubleholding onto the ball,”Delahoussaye said. “Ithink he needs to work onthe way he carries the

football.Sometimes hegets a littlerelaxed in thatarea. I don’tthink he iswhere he needsto be at thispoint. I think herealizes that. Ithink he willcontinue to workhard to be thatplayer the Saintsexpected him tobe.”

After produc-ing only twofumbles his rook-ie season, Bushfumbled eighttimes in 2007 inwhat ended upbeing a disap-pointing 7-9 cam-paign. Bush alsomissed 10 gamesover the courseof the 2007 and2008 seasons, fur-ther feeding thefire that he can-not handle thephysical grind of being aNo. 1 running back.

From his perspective,Delahoussaye believesBush is a “flash” playerwho can give you the bigplay but also the negativeplay.

“In the NFL, I wouldrather have the ground-and-pound (runningback),” Delahoussaye said.“That slasher can loseyards for you when hetries to make too muchhappen.

“He’ll turn the ball overmore for you. If you havethat big physical runningback like a BrandonJacobs (New York Giants)or Adrian Peterson(Minnesota Vikings) theywill hit it up there andinstead of being secondand 12, you’ll be secondand eight or seven everytime. That is why I wouldprefer the bigger back.”

Delahoussaye said Bushis getting better, learninghow to run smarter andbecoming more aggressive

running the ball.From my perspective,

Bush’s home run capabili-ty and nose for the end-zone make him invaluablefor an up-tempo team likethe Saints. In all, Bush hasplayed in four playoffgames with the Saints,scoring in each gamegame for a total of fivetouchdowns. In a true signof diversification, thosescores have come via puntreturn, pass reception andrunning play.

Although he will neverturn into Barry Sandersor Emmitt Smith, Bush’s32 regular season touch-downs and five post-seasonscores demonstrate hisability to put points on theboard from every spot onthe field.

For a team that does notneed Bush to carry theload, he is the perfectweapon.

Now at a reported $8million price tag for nextseason, well that is a dif-ferent column.

THE DAILY IBERIAN FILESLoreauville High School head footballcoach Trent Delahoussaye, a self-admitted Saints fanatic, said expecta-tions on Reggie Bush were unfair outof college, but the former Heismanwinner is improving.

Polarizing runner Bush still trying to make his mark

STEPHENHEMELT

SAINTSSPECIAL

■

New Orleans Saints running back ReggieBush runs around end against the NewYork Jets Oct. 4, 2009. The former first

round draft pick has enjoyed an up anddown career with the Saints, who select-ed him second overall four seasons ago.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

S A I N T S THE DAILY IBERIAN 7WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2010

Low, Low Notes!!

Go Saints!

5006 Weeks Island Road • New Iberia

337-364-1024

Mark Trahan,Owner

IberiaAggregates& Construction Materials, L.L.C.

Dirt • Limestone • Gravel Sand • Culverts

Truck & EquipmentRentals

Geaux

Saints

Following fall and rise of SaintsFor the first time ever, I wore NFL col-

ors last month pledging allegiance tosomeone other than the Kansas CityChiefs.

The missus gave me a very nice black-and-gold NFL-approved New OrleansSaints cap for Christmas. There were nomisgivings or reservations at all aboutputting it on my head because the Saintshave been my adopted team ever since Ileft Kansas City in December 1975.

Is there a coincidence that ex-Chiefshead coach Hank Stram, the notoriousmatriculator, and I moved down herefrom Missouri at the same time to

resume our profession-al careers in Louisiana?I think not. Perhaps,though, it was an omenas he became the fifthof 14 head coaches forthe Saints.

I’ll settle this issue ofsplit allegiance now:The Chiefs, who didwhat New Orleans is try-ing to do in a few dayswhen they beat theMinnesota Vikings towin Super Bowl IV in1970, are my favoriteAFC team and theSaints, who play the

Indianapolis Colts on Sunday for theSuper Bowl XLIV title in Miami, are myfavorite NFC team.

Truth be told, since I have lived heremuch more than half my life, it’s safe tosay my favorite team is the Saints. Likethousands of people in and around thisstate, I have suffered and cheeredthrough thick and thin with the teamknown for playing home games in thecavernous Louisiana Superdome.

During 18 years as a sports writer forThe Daily Iberian, I wrote countlessheadlines, placed the same amount ofstories and tried to choose meaningfulwire photos related to the Saints. TheNew Orleans team grew on me despitethe ups and downs, of which there havebeen more of the latter than the former.At times like those, it was nicer to callthem lovable losers.

I saw the unabashed devotion from thelate 1970s through 2009 to the Saints inthe many, many fans around here, suchas Dickie Broussard, a retired productionarea whiz at The Daily Iberian. For thelongest time Dickie had season tickets toSaints’ games and once shared with methe best routes to avoid traffic to theSuperdome.

And there’s former newspaper carrierKelly LeBlanc, who would want to rum-ble at the drop of a hat to defend thehonor of the Saints, win or lose. Heaven(appropriate, eh?) forbid when I wouldpick against the Saints in The PigskinForecast each Thursday. I’d get an earfuland tongue-lashing from Kelly and he’s abig man. Thankfully, his bark was worsethan his bite.

Of course, you put a face, or faces, tothe team every season as hope springseternal. Players good and bad over theyears have put on the uniform of theNew Orleans Saints.

Wideout Eric Martin and ballcarrierDalton Hilliard, two ex-LSU Tigers, aremy all-time favorite Saints, probablybecause I could relate to them more afterfollowing their collegiate careers inBaton Rouge. I liked Bobby “The CajunCannon” Hebert — who sometimesstarred at quarterback and who now

talks about and reports on the Saints onradio station WWL AM-870 — because hewas a great story and native son whonever has forgotten where he came from.

Best defensive player in the history ofthe franchise has to be linebacker SamMills, who lost a battle with cancer inApril 2005. Rickey Jackson, another line-backer in that notorious 4-4 called the“Dome Patrol,” was on a par with Mills.

Until Sean Payton, the best coach in thecountry, my favorite Saints coach was JimMora. What a colorful guy, good coach andleader of men. Too bad the magic didn’tlast longer for him as a Saint.

But back to that cap I unwrapped fromJune on Christmas Day. The first time Iwore it on game day in front of the televi-sion set the Saints lost (for the secondstraight time after a 13-game winningstreak) Dec. 27 to the Tampa BayBuccaneers. I was crestfallen. I thought Iwas a living gris-gris.

I had violent mood swings Dec. 6 whilefishing for redfish and speckled trout inthe marsh around Cocodrie with mygood friend Mike Sinitiere of New Iberia,a diehard Saints fan himself. The Saintspulled that one out in overtime while welistened to the radio, pausing betweencasts and hooksets (it was a good day ofcatching — not fishing) and straining tohear the broadcast of that game on theroad against the Washington Redskins.

Alternately cussing and cheering asthe second half plays unfolded, I vividlyremember at one point setting the hookand catching the biggest redfish of theday while a critical play on the field latein the game was being reviewed in thereplay booth and that decision favoredthe Saints.

After each great play by the Saints, I’ddial my cell phone and share a few excit-ed words with our youngest son, Jacob, aSoutheastern Louisiana University sen-ior who was watching the game on televi-sion at his apartment in Hammond. I’dhave him describe some of those plays,particularly the ones that were beingcontested with challenges.

The Saints lost three games in a row atthe end of this the regular season (to theutter dismay and disbelief of so manypeople) before righting themselves in thesecond round of the NFL playoffs with alopsided victory over the ArizonaCardinals and then pulling out a victoryin the NFC Championship overtimethriller against the Minnesota Vikings.

In the land of sugar, it sure was sweetto record the reaction of people on thestreet the day after the beatdown of quar-terback Brett Favre and the Vikes. Localfans like Shermaine Hector, among oth-ers, let their emotions show for a photo-journalist from The Daily Iberian.

Those emotions still are running highamong people from all walks of life. Theeuphoria is contagious, isn’t it?

Which brings us to the special andsuper week leading up to the big game inMiami. Jacob and our oldest son Joshua,who lives in Atlanta, plan to meet andwatch the game Sunday at a hotel in NewOrleans. Joshua attended UNO and lovesthe Big Easy.

June and I probably will watch it athome. Hopefully, all of us, you and every-one else who have lived and died with thefranchise, will enjoy that wonderfullyeuphoric feeling I had so many years agowhen the Chiefs won the Super Bowl.

DON SHOOPMAN is senior news edi-tor/outdoors editor of The Daily Iberian.

DONSHOOPMAN

SAINTSSPECIAL

■

Asked what she thought about the NewOrleans Saints’ Jan. 24 overtime win overthe Minnesota Vikings, New Iberian

Shermaine Hector gave a quick thumbs up,like many fans after the agonizingly closeNFC Championship game in New Orleans.

HOLLY LELEUX-THUBRON / THE DAILY IBERIAN

In the land of sugar, it sure was sweet to record the reactionof people on the street the day after the beatdown of quarterback Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings.■

WEEK 1N.O. 45 - Detroit 27:

Saints have easy time top-ping hapless Lions. DrewBrees throws for 358 yearsand six TDs. JeremyShockey grabs two ofthose TD passes.

WEEK 2N.O. 48 - Philadelphia

22: Dismantling the Eagles,Brees has another biggame, adding three moreTD passes, but DarrenSharper snagged his firstINT for a touchdown ofthe season, returning it 97yards for paydirt.

WEEK 3N.O. 27 - Buffalo 7: Saints

defense holds the infamousT.O. to no receptions, firstsince his ’96 rookie season.They also kept the Billsfrom making a first downin their last five posses-sions of the game.The Billsonly score came on a fakefield goal.

WEEK 4N.O. 24 - NY Jets 10: The

Jets came to theSuperdome undefeated butwas handed its first loss.Sharper continued toimpress with another INTfor a touchdown, this onefor 99 yards.The defense’stough play carried the dayas Brees was held to lessthan 200 yards and no TDpasses.

WEEK 5: ByeWEEK 6N.O. 48 - NJ Giants 27:

Taking on the secondunbeaten team in as manygames, the Saints adminis-tered a throttling of theGiants. Brees was back inrhythm, throwing for 369yards and four touchdownpasses.The defense heldstrong, holding the G-mento a season low 84 yardsrushing.

WEEK 7N.O. 46 - Miami 34: Saints

struggled against theDolphins, falling behind 24-3 in the first half beforequarterback turned lobby-ist Brees convinced headcoach Sean Payton to gofor a touchdown at theDolphins’ half-yard line. It

would not only prove suc-cessful but would shift themomentum to the Saints.“Ijust told him I’d get it,”Brees said after the game.It was one of the Saints’biggest comebacks,outscoring Miami 22-0 inthe fourth quarter.“It canbe a season-defining win,”said linebacker ScottShanle.“This was a test wehadn’t faced yet, and wecouldn’t be happier withthe way we responded.”

WEEK 8N.O. 35 - Atlanta 27:

Despite sloppy play on bothsides of the ball, the Saintsopened up a three-gamelead over the Falcons.TheSaints overcame fourturnovers by forcing threeof their own and turningone, an INT by cornerbackJabari Greer, into the team’sfifth defensive score of theseason.Their record wentto 7-0 for the first timesince 1991.

WEEK 9N.O.30 - Carolina 20:The

Saints overcame two earlyturnovers and a 17-3 deficitto top the Panthers.Thedefense gave up 149 yardsand two touchdowns toPanthers running backDeAngelo Williams but alsoforced three fumbles - oneof which led to the team'sseventh defensive touch-down on the year.After asecond Panthers field goalmade the score 20-13, theSaints tied the score with a54-yard catch-and-run bywide receiver RobertMeachem and took theirfirst lead of the day with a40-yard field goal by Carney.“The more that you wingames like this, the moreconfidence that you gain, themore that you feel like nomatter what situation thatyou are in, you’re going tobe able to win the game,”Brees said after the game.

WEEK 10N.O. 28 - St. Louis 23: In a

game that was again lit-tered with mistakes anddefensive breakdowns, theSaints escaped their firstpotential loss with a victo-ry over the Rams. Neither

team scored until the sec-ond quarter, when theRams and Saints each trad-ed off a pair of touch-downs. Bush scored firstwith a 3-yard run, but theRams quickly answeredwith a 29-yard touchdownpass from Rams quarter-back Marc Bulger to widereceiver Donnie Avery.

WEEK 11N.O.38 - Tampa Bay 7:

After three straight gamesof close,mistake-filled foot-ball, the high-powered Saintsoffense flexed some musclein a dismantling of theBuccaneers. Saints quarter-back Drew Brees completed19 of 29 passes for 187yards, three touchdownsand no interceptions.Running back Pierre Thomasgained 92 yards on 11 car-ries and Mike Bell added 75more yards on 13 carries.

WEEK 12N.O. 38 - New England

17: Brees unleashed a per-fect performance to keepthe team’s unblemishedrecord intact with a victo-

ry over the Patriots in aMonday night game at theSuperdome. He finishedthe game 18 for 23, rackedup 371 yards and passedfor five touchdowns. His16.1 yards per passingattempt broke a franchiserecord that was set in1992 by Bobby Hebert,and his 158.3 passer ratingwas the highest of hiscareer.

WEEK 13N.O. 33 - Washington 30:

Two of the biggest plays inthe game were unbeliev-able flukes, and bad mis-takes kept morphing intopositive results for theSaints.With no timeouts,and only 43 seconds left inthe half, Brees fired a des-peration pass from his own44-yard line that waspicked off by Redskinssafety Kareem Moore. Heencountered wide receiverRobert Meachem, whomanaged to strip the balland ramble back 44 yards.In the second half, a third

field goal from Hartleybrought the Saints backwithin seven, Redskinsquarterback JasonCampbell orchestrated aseven-play drive thatbrought the Skins down tothe Saints 3.With 2:46 leftin regulation, Suisham’s 23-yard field goal sailed wideto the right. Five plays later,the Brees connected withMeachem for a 53-yardtouchdown to tie the gamewith 1:19 left. In overtime,the Redskins won the tossand took the ball first. Onthe third play, Saints cor-nerback Chris McAllisterforced a fumble at theRedskins 37-yard line.Areview from the officialsruled in favor of the Saints,who took over on offense.Brees and the offenseadvanced the ball to theRedskins 1-yard line, whereHartley drilled an 18-yardfield goal for the win.

WEEK 14N.O. 26 - Atlanta 23: The

pursuit of perfection con-tinued for New Orleansafter edging the Falcons inWeek 14.“It’s only going toget harder from here onout,” Brees said.

WEEK 15Dallas 24 - N.O. 17: The

New Orleans Saints questfor an undefeated seasoncame to an end at thehands of the Cowboys.Romo threw for 312 yards,including a 49-yard scoreto Miles Austin on theCowboys’ first possessionof the game. MarionBarber III rushed for twoscores as well.The Saintsscored fewer than 20points for the first time intheir last 23 games.

WEEK 16Tampa Bay 20 - N.O. 17:

The Saints appeared to berolling to a victory overthe Buccaneers after takinga 17-0 lead. But a furioussecond half rally left theSaints with a two-gamelosing streak,

WEEK 17Carolina 23 - N.O. 10:

After an assist from the

Chicago Bears, who defeat-ed the Minnesota Vikingsthe Monday night prior, theNew Orleans Saints hadhome field advantagethroughout the NFC play-offs wrapped up before ittook the field at Carolinain its final game of the reg-ular season.With that inmind, Sean Payton decidedto rest numerous starters,including most of his offen-sive stars, resulting in aloss.

DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFN.O. 45 - Arizona 14: The

Saints gained 418 totalyards and led 35-14 at half-time before putting thingsaway for good in the thirdquarter, capping a sterlingperformance with ReggieBush’s 83-yard punt returnfor a score.The perform-ance eliminated thedefending NFC championCardinals and sent the topseeded Saints to their sec-ond NFC Championshipgame in team history - andthe first in New Orleans.The star of the day wasBush, who rushed for 84yards and a spectaculartouchdown on only fiverushes. He finished with217 all-purpose yards.

CONFERENCECHAMPIONSHIP

N.O. 31 - Minnesota 28:Garrett Hartley’s 40-yard

field goal in overtime liftedthe Saints to a 31-28 victo-ry over the Vikings and thefirst Super Bowl berth infranchise history. It lifted along tortured fan base —one that once upon a timehad adorned paper bagmasks on their heads, onethat had seen its team winall of two playoff games inthe 42 seasons prior —into a massive celebration.That the process becamecomplete only four yearsafter Hurricane Katrinawas mere lagniappe forSaints fans, who had longedforever to see their teamwin big. Brees went 17 of31 for 197 yards and threeTDs.“It was as loud as Ihave ever heard it in thedome,” said Brees.

ROAD TO S UP ER BOWL X L I V■

S A I N T S WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 20108 THE DAILY IBERIAN

The New Emerald’sBilliards & Sports Bar

Over 20,000 sq ft – 30 Pool TablesTVs & Full Kitchen serving everything from

Finger Foods to Steak Dinners!

Good, Clean Fun – Clean AtmosphereNow located in front building

2511 W Old Spanish Trail • 364-9922Monday-Thursday 5:00 pm - 12:00 am

Sunday Noon - 12 am • Fr-Sat Noon - 2 am

Super Bowl PartyWHO

DAT!GO

SAINTS

GO

OPEN SUN. FEB. 7TH @ NOON$2.00 LONG NECK BEER

Drawing will take place @ noon on Friday, February 12th

2010 NFC

CHAMPS

United Way Advancing the Common Good in Iberia Parish

since 1955

Artist GeorgeRodrigue and

Saints QuarterbackDrew Brees haveteamed up to helpLouisiana’s United

Ways raise money for theircommunities.

Drawing will take place @ noon onFriday, February 12th

CallingCallingallall

SaintsSaintsFans!Fans!

Drew Brees & Blue DogPoster Raffle

United Way of Iberia will be raffling offOne (1) George Rodrigue Poster of Drew Brees.

Donation— $10 per ticket.

Poster will be SIGNED by both George Rodrigue and Drew Brees!

15,000 posters were printed, but only 12 will be autographed

Dine In/Carry Out

On Site Catering

636 AlbertsonPkwy.

Broussard837-3268

NOW OPENIN BROUSSARD

Specializing InSeafood

OPEN: Monday thru Thursday 5-9Friday & Saturday 5-10

OPEN FOR LUNCH STARTING 2-8-10

ASSOCIATED PRESSNew Orleans Saints safety Darren Sharper (42) interceptsa pass in front of Atlanta Falcons wide receiver RoddyWhite (84) in the second half game in New Orleans Nov.3. Sharper had nine interceptions on the season, three ofwhich he returned for touchdowns.