[StBernard] Saints victory parade was great, but.....

[Westley Annis]

Am I alone on this?  The Saints victory celebration parade was phenominal -
what a blast!  But why did the politicians have to get into the picture?  I
refer to everyone in the stands in front of Gallier Hall.  First there was
Nagin, who seems to have never heard the phrase "silence is golden" and
constantly ran his mouth over the PA system giving everyone a headache - I
guess he's had a closet dream of being either a DJ at some black, funk music
radio station or a play-by-play commentator for the NBA.  Someone must have
forgotten to tell him "the microphone's there only when it's time to make a
toast."
 
But he wasn't the only one.  David Vitter had to acknowledge some of the
Saints personnel with toast, Mary Landrieu did, even Cong. Joseph Gao and
others.  The very people sports fans can't stand the most were the very ones
who apparently thought they had to speak for the fans.  Well, to get things
straight, this was a "fan" event.  It's the very fans (who also foot the
taxes for the Superdome, etc.) who buy the season  -tickets, purchase the
products sponsers advertise during NFL games, etc. and support the Saints
over the many years.  But somehow it was the politicians who felt they had
to take center stage and speak for the fans....yeah, right.
 
Okay, John, then how else could it have been done?  I'm glad you asked.
Since everyday, common Ameicans across our nation took it upon themselves to
successfully form the T.E.A. Parties, I'm thinking how hard could this have
been to have a few common fans organize something with the Saints front
office.  Or better yet - or easier yet - you have Bobby Hebert and the Who
Dat Nation group do it.  A long flat-bed trailer could have been set up
right in front of WDSU's station, nicely decorated, add a PA system which
I'm sure any pro audio company would have been glad to supply at no cost,
and there you have it.
 
Bobby could have hosted it, there are several former Saint players living in
the New Orleans area - put them up there with Bobby, or let some the Who Dat
Nation members (who are common fans) help emcee the event.  Nobody ever said
- nor do I believe anyone felt prior to Tuesday - that this event had to be
affiliated with government.  Everyday people all the time apply for permits
to hold huge public events in public places.  I know - what about the public
tax dollars for security and clean up afterwards?  I say what about all the
money from the attendees being dumped into local restaurants, bars, etc.
that generate revenue for the city?  Not to mention, isn't it all those
people in attendance who already pay taxes for the government to do these
sorts of things???  It's already the burdened taxpayers who pay for the
Superdome, pay for the millions in subsidies to bribe, I mean "keep" the
Saints here instead of threatening to move to another city, who already pay
for police, fire, etc.
 
I remember watching a few years ago the Red Sox celebration parade (after
winning the World Series) going through downtown Boston (alright, I'm
exposing myself to be a die hard Red Sox fan - sort of makes sense being a
Saints fan).  Oddly enough, the procession made no official stop at city
hall.  Oh sure, many Boston politicians were out on the streets and they
were stopped for TV news interviews, but the politicians never took the
forefront.  There were, however, many stop at local Boston pubs along the
route.
 
Don't get me wrong, even with the "official political stop" the Saints
victory parade was just great.  Still, doing it the Red Sox way would have
been like adding a small cherry atop the Lombardi trophy.
 
John