Who Dat Nation.
All Saints Day. 1/16/2010
The biggest news in New Orleans is the city's fascination
with their football team, the Saints. For us it is unfortunate that our
Packers lost to the Cardinals. It would have been exciting having them come
to town to play the Saints. Now we will have to root for our new team.
According to the Times-Picayune "Who Dat" gained popularity
in 1983 but the phrase is a lot older. Bum Phillips was the coach then and the
team was known as the "Aints" with fans wearing paper bags. Bum had a good
draft that year and the fans were starting to get hopeful. As with a lot of
the culture in New Orleans "Who Dat" is traced to early jazz. The earliest
known song was a vaudeville act in 1890 written by Laurence Dunbar called
"Who Dat Say Chicken In Dis Crowd."
The team also has a playoff prayer written by the Rev. Tony
Richard, pastor of Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish. It goes in part
"Good and gracious God...We remember the National
Football League Season of 1980 and our downtrodden days of 1 and 15. We
repent for our shameful past of wearing bags on our heads forgetting that
you were on our side...Just like the Hebrew children our 40 years of
wandering in the desert have come to an end....We can taste the Super Bowl!
And, yes lord, we believe...Now, through your providence, may we, the Who
Dat Nation, finally reach the Promised Land."
The party started early on Saturday morning before the game
with huge crowds celebrating around the Superdome. Streets were closed for
tailgating, dancing and drinking. Tailgating in New Orleans leaves a lot to
be desired. Green Bay fans put the Saint fans to shame with their elaborate
grilling. Open flames are not allowed for tailgating. That is a shame
because barbeque is king in New Orleans. One thing Saints fans have in their
favor is music; bands are everywhere.
New Orleans is an exciting and fascinating city. It has more
restaurants per block than Milwaukee has taverns, though there is no
shortage of bars in New Orleans. New Orleans has the most tolerant drinking
law after probably Key West. It is a 24 hour city, no mandatory closing
laws, with an open container law. The container must be plastic for outdoor
use. It also has drive-through daiquiri bars, but if you get stopped by the
police the container better have a lid.
The restaurants are amazing with a melting pot
cuisine influenced by many nationalities. From our condo, within a mile
radius, there are enough good to excellent restaurants from so many different
regions or countries that, if we could afford it, we could eat out every night
and not hit the same restaurant for the next 30 days. If we increase it to
2.5 miles we could eat at a different restaurant for the rest of our 3 month
vacation. All these restaurants are within walking distance. I am still
looking for a good bakery, Whole Food bread is not up to my standard. With
so many Italians and French in New Orleans I am confident there is one
somewhere in the city.
