Fleur De Lis Data News Weekly Contributor
It is that time of the year again. Where the Who Dat Nation will be cheering on the Black and Gold. In the pre-season opener, they were victorious against last year’s Super Bowl Champs, The Kansas City Chiefs. While we understand this was not an accurate reflection of things to come. The Saints looked good on both sides of the ball, and some of the new talent on the team seems they will have a positive impact on this year’s team. But as we are hoping for a winning season, our relationship with the Saints goes way beyond football. Local sports teams have a unique ability to inspire and unite a city in various ways.
Our Saints do that for us in so many ways: The Fleur De Lis is a symbol of local pride and identity. We feel connected to our city through the achievements of our sports team, leading to a sense of community and belonging.
For better or worse our Saints boost our morale when they are winning. A Saints win uplifts the spirits of the people of our city. It is our hope this year that we can have more of those times than not.
Of course, during football season, we see a boost in our economy. During the season, the Saints create jobs for many workers and have a several hundred-million-dollar impact. While these numbers are impressive, it is important that local and particularly African American businesses benefit.
While New Orleans is a city rife with division among racial and class lines, during the games we are all Black and Gold. This is a beautiful thing, as the Superdome and other places around the city are transformed into places where differences are forgotten during the games.
During the season there is much community engagement by the teams giving back to the youth. Our Saints players do many charitable things around town inspiring our young people to become involved in sports. This can lead to them having positive things to do, have healthier lifestyles and gain valuable life skills.
As we are a city with so many talented people, the season showcases it at is best. Every year there are several Saints songs that catch fire. This year is no different, we will see what anthem(s) will have us celebrating the Black and Gold.
The Saints are more than just a local and regional team. Due to the recent success over the past decades the Saints have gained media attention, which shines a spotlight on the city itself. This has led to opportunities to showcase not only the sports achievements but also the city’s unique attributes that are world renown.
Overall, our Saints are truly a source of pride, inspiration, and unity for our city, contributing to the overall well-being and vibrancy of the community. It is our hope that this year’s squad can have a winning season, make the playoffs, and hopefully reach the Superbowl. Either way, we will support them, as we understand that our relationship with the Saints is bigger than what happens on the field. It is just another way for us to celebrate living in one of the world’s greatest cities.
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