 Miami, FL – Last night, the odds were supposed to be against the New Orleans Saints, expected to lose to the Indianapolis Colts by 5. The Saints knew what people were saying, but they never believed it. They felt, according to Coach Sean Payton, that: “…as underdogs, we had the better team. To be in that position where maybe a lot of people were picking against us, we liked the spot we were in”. And a great spot it was. Overcoming the power of the Colts and a first-quarter deficit, they won the game 31-17, earning themselves their first Super Bowl title, helping to heal a city still reeling from Hurricane Katrina, and forever allowing Saints fans to keep the paper bags off their heads. Getting the Championship title and giant rings encrusted with diamonds was just icing on the cake. “Four years ago, who ever thought this would be happening when 85 percent of the city was underwater from Katrina,” said Quarterback Drew Brees. “Most people not knowing if New Orleans would ever come back or if the organization and the team would come back…this is the culmination of that belief and that faith”. Tying a Super Bowl record with 32 completions, going 32 for 39 for a total of 288 yards, with two touchdowns and no interceptions, Drew Brees was the clear choice for Super Bowl MVP. He overcame the slow first quarter and led his team to 26 offensive plays in the 2nd quarter alone, while the Colts only ran 6. Early in the second half, the Saints took their lead as Pierre Thomas scored on a 16-yard catch. From that point, the Saints were looking back at the Colts. Despite Peyton Manning’s successful season, he was not to leave the stadium a winner last night. “It’s time for the Saints to celebrate,” he said. “It’s their field and their championship.” And indeed it was. The crowd at Sun Life Stadium was overwhelmingly rooting for the Saints. Maybe it was because the city of New Orleans is still recovering from Hurricane Katrina. Maybe it was because it was time to lose the nickname “The Aints”. But the Saints were due for a win. They finally have a good answer to “Who Dat?” As with all Super Bowl wins, there was the pouring of the Gatorade over the coaches’ heads, there was the celebration and shedding of tears on the field, and there was the raucous celebration in the city of the winning team. But the true winner was a one-year-old. Baylen Brees, son of MVP and Championship Quarterback Drew Brees, stole the whole show. When Brittany Brees brought her baby boy out to celebrate with his daddy, all eyes were on him. As Drew Brees lifted his boy—clad in his own little jersey, black pants, and black sneakers and matching black headphones to keep the noise level from scaring him—he created the picture that would be emailed and linked to millions of times. With confetti falling all around them, father and son celebrated their Super Bowl win together. The pictures snapped of a happy little boy clutching a piece of confetti as his Dad looked proudly at him overtook any action shots of passes perfectly executed, tackles made, or touchdown celebrations. Drew Brees may have been named Super Bowl MVP, but cute-as-the-dickens Baylen Brees stole all of his thunder. Moments like that are the ones that stand the test of time.
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