Saints' victory a win for New Orleans

It has been 13 months since Hurricane Katrina thrashed the Gulf Coast causing billions of dollars in damages and forcing thousands to evacuate their homes.

While some tourist parts of New Orleans such as the French Quarter have been reopened, the majority of the city remains devastated and neighborhoods still wait to be rebuilt.

The catastrophe and slow rebuilding process not only cut the population in half and left thousands without homes, but more importantly left those who did survive with little hope.

Inhabitants of the “Crescent City” were given something to celebrate Monday night when the New Orleans Saints returned home to host the Atlanta Falcons in the Louisiana Superdome.

Those who didn’t watch the game might have seen the box score Tuesday morning and noticed that the Saints won 23-3. However, the final score doesn’t show the true importance that the return of the city’s football team had on the community.

For 30 years the Louisiana Superdome was one of the biggest and loudest sports venues in the country. It has been the venue for six Super Bowls, more than any other stadium, several college basketball Final Fours and other notable sporting and political events.

Although the Superdome sustained millions of dollars in damages due to Hurricane Katrina, its gargantuan size created a refuge for thousands who had lost everything and had nowhere else to go.

With the city facing about $81 billion in damages, the thought of spending $185 million to refurbish the football stadium for the 2006 season might seem preposterous to some. However, rebuilding the Superdome was a vital step in creating a rebirth of the city and its survivors and for the first time in the franchise’s history, the team has sold every available seat to a season ticket holder.

For the 73,003 fans in attendance Monday night, it wasn’t only a football game, it was a chance to unite together and show the resiliency of a city that has been knocked down but is slowly picking itself up off the canvas.

It was fitting that the first people let into the reopened stadium were the 150 first responders to the catastrophic event.

The festivities Monday night were equal to any Mardi Gras or Super Bowl celebration as U2 and Green Day performed prior to the game and the capacity crowd was emotional and energized throughout. But the memory of those who lost their lives and the generosity of those who have worked hard to lend a helping hand weren’t forgotten either.

Yet, for a few hours Monday night the people of New Orleans were able to forget about everything, whether it be the loss of friends, family, neighbors or possessions.

Spike Lee aptly described the reality of the situation and the amount of work that remains when he was interviewed in the Monday Night Football telecaster booth.

“It’s four hours and back to your FEMA trailer,” Lee said.

For those who watched the coverage Monday night, it was a chance to see a group of people who, despite losing their neighbors and possessions, still have their spirit.

The only people rooting for Atlanta were diehard Falcons fans, because the rest of the country was rooting for their fallen peers in New Orleans.

A lot of rebuilding remains, but the city showed Monday night that the tourist sites and the economy are open for business. New Orleans needs the money from tourists now more than ever. The city still has years of recovery ahead, but Monday night was a gigantic first step.

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