Unpopular Opinion: Raising NOLA Kids Without the Saints
I know I’m taking my life into my hands by admitting in a blog dedicated to New Orleans moms, but my family is not a Saints family. Before you come at me – we don’t root for another team. Our Sundays are gloriously free of football!
I’d like to say it’s a principled stand against football. I don’t like that there are so many head injuries and people are ok with a sport that has such violence. I don’t like that the NFL covered up its knowledge of the danger for so long. I don’t like that for a while it seemed like every team had a player that was involved in some sort of violent crime – sexual assaults, domestic abuse, and more.
But, our Saturdays are typically wall-to-wall football, beginning with ESPN’s College Game Day. So, well, I’m not that principled.
I don’t have any reasons. And I don’t begrudge people who are fans. Believe me, I know that trying to persuade anyone here to give up their fandom is an effort in complete futility.
Not having to worry about whether the team has solved its quarterback problem (it’s impossible to escape Saintsdom entirely) has a few benefits. My husband (who does our grocery shopping) usually intentionally shops during Saints games since the stores are empty. My mood is up and down on a good day – but it doesn’t depend on whether the Black and Gold have won. I don’t have to worry about football snacks or whether Dish Network is in a fight with whatever network is showing the game or whether our Cox internet is down (again).
The main downside, and it’s a biggie, is that we are not a part of this community. I remember when my kids were small and their daycares or schools had “jersey” days or asked kids to wear their fan gear, my kids were usually the only ones who had nothing to wear (or wore their Notre Dame gear – even worse for them). One kid even had me buy her a shirt just so she wouldn’t be the only one. But, then I’d forget to put it on her.
There is a truly collective spirit on Saints game days. When they happen on a Monday or Thursday, it’s impossible not to feel the excitement. Old ladies wear Saints jerseys to work. I doubt anyone would be shocked if an attorney showed up to court in a jersey on game day. Businesses close early. In a nation where everyone is divided by everything from politics to the cars they drive to the music they listen to, it’s amazing to witness people from all walks of life come together with the same goal – to cheer on their team.
But, if you don’t care about Saints, please know that you’re not alone. You’re not the only one who must look up the score before work on Monday to see if people are going to be in good moods.
Hopefully Saints fans won’t be too upset. I mean, at least I’m not an Atlanta fan.
