There was a great HIGHPOINTS column by Paul E. Anna entitled "Super Saints" in the 02/12/2010 Aspen Times that I'd like to share with you so you don't have to go elsewhere to read it at this time.
I'm going to tell you about the highlights of the column instead of reprinting it word for word here.
First of all, the New Orleans Saints' 31-17 victory over the Indianapolis Colts was viewed by the largest audience in the history of television. The giant snow storm that hit the mid-Atlantic states during the game helped to set the record, being that it was a lot more comfortable to be inside watching the tube than outside in a blizzard. About a third of the people in the U.S. watched the Saints come from behind by 10 points to win their first Super Bowl game in 42 years, even though the Colts were a 5 point favorite. I guess that meant if you bet $10 on the Saints you won $50.
If you watched the game (as you probably did) you saw the turning point in the game when the Colts were moving the ball toward a tying touchdown. They needed a 5 yard first down when the Colt's Payton Manning, who was born and raised in New Oleans, threw a pass to his top receiver, Reggie Wayne. Reading the play perfectly, Saints' cornerback, Terry Porter jumped past Wayne and picked off the pass and sprinted 74 yards down the field for enough points to seal the victory!
Porter's story is a great one in itself. He was raised in Lousiana, but went to Indiana University, so he had roots in both teams' home states. Like the city of New Orleans, he too had come back from adversity, having injured his knee during the regular season, he had been pronounced out for the year before his return for the playoffs. When it mattered the most, he made the critical aggresive move that won the game.
Or was it Manning who was the key? Anyone who knows anything about Payton Manning knows that he is an intense competitor who has an extremely strong sense of determination to win; that he could never be accused of making such a mistake at such a critical time as he did with that pass. But... it is possible that being a son of the city that raised him; if you think about it, in that brief moment, the soul of New Orleans that resides in him rose up and took just this much off that pass... The pass was slighty inside... Maybe he couldn't help himself and, as a result, gave one up for the City of New Orleans.
I guess we'll never know, will we? It's just something we can ponder.
By the way, Drew Brees (Saints' QB) is another great story, but I don't have time to get into it now. so...
Catch you later, Don V the Jazzman
PS: It looks like Leslie and I will be visiting New Orleans in April for a few days.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Monday, February 8, 2010
NFL's Super Bowl on February 7, 2010
On January 19th I posted my forecast about which National Football League teams would be playing in the Super Bowl and who would win it on my Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?ref=name&id=1075776281 .
I said the New Orleans Saints would beat the Indy Colts. Last evenings Super Bowl was a very exciting game with the first half belonging to the Colts as they scored first and second with the score at 10 for the Colts and 0 for the Saints.
The second half, as it turned out, belonged to the Saints. They opened the half having to kick off to the Colts, but wait - The Saints pulled off a surprise onside short kick. The ball traveled the required 10 yards and when the ball was touched by a Colt's player who could not catch it, the ball was up for grabs. A Saint's player got to it next, but it looked like he couldn't hold onto it either. The pile of players grew over the ball, to what looked like the entire 22 players were on top of the ball. I think it took close to 10 minutes for the ref's to get down to the bottom of the pile and decide that it was the Saint's ball. From then on things went from bad to worse for the Colts.
With score at Colts 17 and Saints 16 the Saint's offense hogged the playing field, not letting Payton Manning and his offense back on the field for long periods of time. The Saints scored to take over the lead and kept the Colts out of the end zone when Saint's Tracy Porter intercepted a Manning pass and took off for a 70+ yard run to the end zone. The game wasn't over yet as there was more than 5 minutes left to play in the game, however, the score looked good for the Saints who now were ahead by 14 points, 31 to 17. The Saints defense played well for the rest of the game and the dreaded Colt's offense couldn't get the job done and the score ended up 31 to 17 to the Saint's delight!
Drew Brees won the game's Most Valueable Player award with 29 of 32 (91%) pass completions, 288 passing yards and 2 touchdowns. Payton Manning stats were 31 of 45 (69%) pass completions, 333 passing yards and 1 touchdown.
Congratulations to the Saints for their first Super Bowl win and since on January 19th I picked the Saints to win I can brag that I knew they'd win all the time!
Stay tuned for my next blog.
Don V the Jazzman
I said the New Orleans Saints would beat the Indy Colts. Last evenings Super Bowl was a very exciting game with the first half belonging to the Colts as they scored first and second with the score at 10 for the Colts and 0 for the Saints.
The second half, as it turned out, belonged to the Saints. They opened the half having to kick off to the Colts, but wait - The Saints pulled off a surprise onside short kick. The ball traveled the required 10 yards and when the ball was touched by a Colt's player who could not catch it, the ball was up for grabs. A Saint's player got to it next, but it looked like he couldn't hold onto it either. The pile of players grew over the ball, to what looked like the entire 22 players were on top of the ball. I think it took close to 10 minutes for the ref's to get down to the bottom of the pile and decide that it was the Saint's ball. From then on things went from bad to worse for the Colts.
With score at Colts 17 and Saints 16 the Saint's offense hogged the playing field, not letting Payton Manning and his offense back on the field for long periods of time. The Saints scored to take over the lead and kept the Colts out of the end zone when Saint's Tracy Porter intercepted a Manning pass and took off for a 70+ yard run to the end zone. The game wasn't over yet as there was more than 5 minutes left to play in the game, however, the score looked good for the Saints who now were ahead by 14 points, 31 to 17. The Saints defense played well for the rest of the game and the dreaded Colt's offense couldn't get the job done and the score ended up 31 to 17 to the Saint's delight!
Drew Brees won the game's Most Valueable Player award with 29 of 32 (91%) pass completions, 288 passing yards and 2 touchdowns. Payton Manning stats were 31 of 45 (69%) pass completions, 333 passing yards and 1 touchdown.
Congratulations to the Saints for their first Super Bowl win and since on January 19th I picked the Saints to win I can brag that I knew they'd win all the time!
Stay tuned for my next blog.
Don V the Jazzman
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