Confessions of a Die Hard Saints Fan

Today, I would like to try something different with the Hat Trick. I would like you, the reader, to tell me about your fanhood in the comments section. To leave comments, you need to have a Blogger account, a Google account, a WordPress account, an OpenID account, a LiveJournal account, a TypePad account, or an AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) account. A Google account (like Gmail, Google Checkout, and other services) is very quick and easy to register for if you do not have any of the aforementioned services.

As many of you know, I am a Louisiana man. Football season is coming to an exciting conclusion, with two teams left standing. If you are a fan of any of the other 30 teams, like my New Orleans Saints, your rooting interest in the Super Bowl will be decided by some sort of “fanhood factor”, possibly related to your favorite team. Maybe you have an office pool or a wager. Perhaps you admire the styles of one of the coaches, are a fan of some of the players in the game, or have always admired one of the historic franchises involved Super Bowl XLV. Perhaps you are glad that “anyone but” one of the teams that were rubbed out reached the big game.

Today, I am going to share my personal NFL fanhood profile, with reasons why I like or dislike the following franchises. I would LOVE to hear from you, either in the comments or, minimally, voting in today’s fan poll.


Tier 1 – Die Hard Tier

DIE HARD! 1

New Orleans Saints – Should fail to surprise anyone not suffering from Attention Deficit Disorder. I am a die hard; I bleed black and gold. Have you ever seen those Major League Baseball logo coffins? Okay…I am NOT doing that, even if the product were available. But everything up to and including a fleur de lis casket is on the table!

Saints football: it's like that. 3

Tier 2 – Bridesmaid Tier

If you see this bridesmaid, understand that she may have arrived alone, but will not be leaving as such. 2

Indianapolis Colts – As long as Peyton Manning is the quarterback of this team, or Tony Dungy comes out of retirement and is affiliated with the Colts, once current coach Jim Caldwell is fired or demoted (I hope), the Colts are my #2 team after the Saints, thick and thin.



New York Jets – Two words: Rex Ryan. How can anyone not love this round creation of motivation? In his first day on the job as a free agent recruiter, at 12:01 AM, the man showed up at linebacker Bart Scott’s HOUSE to ask him to play for him. That is a man’s man and that is a leader!

This is pretty messed up. This is not the "snack" I think the coach had in mind. 4

Hard Knocks only solidified my man crush on the Snack Man. This team has more personality than any I can recall in recent history. I think they will win multiple championships by the time Coach Ryan is done and I am happy to have been on board the train from the beginning.

Tennessee Titans – This franchise has been a sentimental favorite of mine for over a quarter century, since they were the Houston Oilers. I have always enjoyed watching players like Earl Campbell, Warren Moon, Chris Dishman, Sean Jones, Eddie George, Steve McNair, and Vince Young and their former coach, Jeff Fisher. I think Bud Adams, except for the manner in which he moved his team, is a good owner that balances business, compassion, and fairness (as much as a billionaire can).


Tier 3 – “I’m on the List” Tier



Sorry, sir. You are not on the list.

If you want quick entrance into Club Hat Trick, you have got to at least be on the list! These are teams that I like and generally like to see succeed if their interests do not conflict with those of the upper tiers.

Green Bay Packers – Tradition, Favre, and now, A-Rodg



Pittsburgh Steelers – Tradition, Big Ben, Coach Tomlin, Bill Cowher, Kordell, Chuck Knoll, Terry Bradshaw, The Immaculate Reception, The Steel Curtain…. There is not much that I do not like about this team.

Still football's greatest play, ever. 6

Denver Broncos – I really pulled for John Elway, growing up. Terrell Davis helped push him over the hump. Proud franchise...proud tradition…glad they fired the coach because he conjures up images of neither.

New York Giants – Tradition of the Big Tuna, the original LT, Phil Simms and many others have made this team a sentimental favorite. Eli Manning helps make them a contemporary favorite for me.

Philadelphia Eagles – I like the history and tradition from the Dick Vermiel days and I like the casts of characters, especially Mike Vick, during the Andy Reid era.


Tier 4 – “Behind the Velvet Rope” Tier

Would YOU try to jump the line? 7

They can get in the club, eventually, but they have to stand in line.

Miami Dolphins – Sentimental favorite because of two words: Dan Marino

San Francisco 49ers – Sentimental favorite from the 80s and 90s…. Jerry Rice: greatest player of all time. Too bad it did not work out with Mike Singletary; he’s old school!

Last name, "Ever", first name, "Greatest" 8

Oakland Raiders – Love the tradition. Maaaaaaybe it is coming back????

Just listen to a piece of this YouTube clip and tell me this was not a monster franchise, once upon a time.

San Diego Chargers – Always a cool franchise from the Air Coryell days to LT2K1 to Philip Rivers….

Tier 5 – Tool Tier

Complete and utter TOOL! 9

I have no feelings one way or another for these teams. If they can help or hurt someone above or below this tier, then that will color how I view the following teams. Like a tool for my fanhood! A Super Bowl matchup from two teams in this tier is my worst nightmare for Super Bowl Sunday.


Minnesota Vikings – Broke the hearts of Saints fans too many times in the past. This team was recently kicked off of “the list” at Club Hat Trick after Brett Favre’s retirement.

Remember Hassan Jones? You don't? I've tried to forget, too! 10

Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Demoted here after firing Tony Dungy and moving to the NFC South. I do admire what Head Coach Raheem Morris is doing there.

Washington Redskins – Demoted after the bad management fiasco that was the 2010 season.

Nothing noteworthy about any of the following, to me:

Carolina Panthers
Detroit Lions
Arizona Cardinals
Seattle Seahawks
Jacksonville Jaguars
Houston Texans
Baltimore Ravens
Cincinnati Bengals
Cleveland Browns
Kansas City Chiefs
Buffalo Bills

Tier 6 – Toilet Tier

11

When these teams lose, I do a happy dance on their graves! Depending on the competitive landscape of the league in a given year, these franchises may make me see more red, like a fighting bull, in varying degrees. It is not a lot of fun to hate on a team, for example, that is already on the draft clock by the beginning of December.


Chicago Bears – I hate them and I wish that bear in the logo had cancer! In addition to the nuisance that this franchise has been to my Saints, its fans are some of the rudest and least hospitable (or gracious as guests) in the NFL. These are the same fans that chucked snow balls at Saints fans and the team during the 1990 Wild Card game at Soldier Field. The same fans that I have watched come to the Superdome and act like they are taking over the place. These are the same fans that thought it would be sporting to make references such as, “We’re going to finish what Katrina started,” to Saints fans at the 2006 NFC Championship Game. Hurricane Katrina destroyed New Orleans in 2005. Jerks….

He Had a Mint Condition Superbowl Shuffle [Explicit]

New England Patriots – This team made David Tyree a personal hero of mine. The Patriots were kicked off of “the list” when the team transitioned from Bill Parcells, Drew Bledsoe, and that set of Patriots teams, to an obnoxious, unethical, cold hearted head coach in Bill Belichick and an aloof GQ playboy in Tom Brady. The jettisoning of Bledsoe was the last straw for me. I will be celebrating each Pats demise for years to come.

TY-REE! BOOMBAYE!! 12

St. Louis Rams – I cannot begin to count the number of ways in which this team has ripped out the beating hearts of Saints fans over the years and squished those hearts like Kano from the Mortal Kombat video games. I am glad they are competitive again so that I won’t feel like a bully when I spew my fanhood venom at them.

Flipper Anderson still owns an NFL single game record against the Saints. 13

Dallas Cowboys – While temporarily promoted to “the list” during the tenure of The Big Tuna, this team became lower than shoe gum after casting out former coach Tom Landry like a cheap suit, after 29 years of service, when Jerry Jones acquired the team in 1989. The 2010 season was pretty darn sweet for me because, when the first Sunday of this season arrived, I really thought I would have to look at this bunch next Sunday.

Tier 7 – Mortal enemy/poop tier

14

Atlanta Falcons – If you know the Saints, then no explanation is necessary. The Falcons are the Saints’ arch rival. Unless something big is in it for the Saints, I cannot bring myself to root for this team at any level. That said, their fans are awesome and some of the most fun hosts and guests with whom I have watched a football game, home or away.

Not exactly "Ebony & Ivory" 15

                                                           

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