Minor Wisdom

40th anniversary of one of sports’ greatest moments

Forty years ago today, a man born with half of a right foot, nicknamed “Stumpy” by his teammates, kicked the longest field goal in NFL history. Until last February, it was the greatest moment in Saints history. Here is the kick itself:

 

And here is Jim Henderson’s retrospective, featuring a now 63-year-old Tom Dempsey:

Happy anniversary, Tom. And thanks.

A Saints fan with a long memory

I remember the Sept. 10, 1990 Monday Night Football game, when the 49ers, then defending Super Bowl champs, came to New Orleans, got physically beaten up by the Dome Patrol, yet pulled out the win by a last-second field goal. Final score: 49ers 13, Saints 12. I watched on TV, and felt dejected for the rest of the week.

Twenty years later, the roles were reversed. As Kahn said, revenge is a dish best served cold. And when served cold, it keeps for 20 years.

For your Saints analysis, subscribe to Moose Denied

I don’t know why it took me so long to add Moose Denied to the blogroll. If you follow the Saints, that’s where you’ll find your most insightful and most entertaining analysis. Jim Henderson is almost as good—and that’s high praise for Henderson.

Friedman’s fearless football forecast for the Tulane Green Wave

Football season must be near, because Reuben Friedman has once again issued his annual predictions for the Tulane Green Wave’s gridiron success. Reuben is a die-hard Tulane fan, knowledgeable about Tulane football lore and college football generally. He predicts a 5-7 season for the Green Wave, but will be pleased if Tulane exceeds his expectations by winning 6 games and becoming bowl-eligible.

For marathon runners, a little Howlin’ Wolf

Tomorrow morning, the Rock & Roll Mardi Gras Marathon passes by my front porch on Magazine Street. So in tribute to those hardy souls, here’s an appropriate number by Howlin’ Wolf. Somebody bring that man his running shoes.

The people's MVP: Drew Brees teaches fans the Saints’ pregame chant

I’m only about the 112th NOLA blogger to post this video, but it’s so cool that I want to share it with any of you who doesn’t follow the other NOLA blogs.

First some background: Before every Saints game this year, the team would gather at one end zone, where quarterback Drew Brees would lead them in a pregame chant. Fast forward to this past Tuesday, after the Saints’ Super Bowl Victory parade. Drew and his offensive line headed for Lucy’s in the Warehouse District, where Drew treated the house to a round of champagne and taught everyone the secret-before-now chant. If you were wondering why New Orleans is so in love with this guy—now you have a clue.

Who-Dat Nation or Who-Dat World?

I’m not against the phrase Who-Dat Nation to describe Saints fans everywhere. But the phrase is a touch unoriginal — I think Raider Nation pre-dates it. More importantly, the word nation fails to describe this phenomenon. It’s world-wide. The Times of London has taken up the Who-Dat cause. And today I received a congratulatory e-mail from a friend in Abu Dhabi, who relished BBC Radio’s “fantastic report about the [Saints' Super Bowl] win.”

So why refer to this phenomenon as Who-Dat Nation. Seems to me that Who-Dat World would be more fitting.

Good wishes from a Browns fan

My on-line pal Peter Friedman, unapologetic Cleveland Browns fan, explains why he’ll be pulling for the Saints this Sunday:

No self-respecting Browns fan could root for a team that fled the city it belongs to in the middle of the night. And no self-respecting Browns fan could help but feel the Saints fans are among the few who can appreciate our loyalty.

To which all Saints and Browns fans say, “Amen.”

Thank you, Garrett Hartley

Thanks to winning a race many years ago, I’m the proud owner of this vintage Saints jersey—not a fan replica, but the real deal from the Saints locker room. Whenever I’ve worn it, though, I’ve been asked, “Why number 5?” The answer has always been a long story. No more. As of last night, I became the proud owner of a Garrett Hartley jersey, perhaps the only one in the world in vintage, Dome-Patrol Era style.

The Telegraph catches Saints fever

The U.K.’s Telegraph has caught Saints fever. Or at least its chief sports writer, Kevin Garside, has.