It's Not All Hate: New Orleans Saints

As fans of the NFL, we know what it is to feel a burning ire for another person simply because their team of choice does not match our own.

When a dyed-in-the-wool fan of one team encounters an opposing team's supporters, love for their own overcomes common sense and produces emotions of extreme intensity. It's part of what makes this game so amazing, and keeps us coming back year after year.

I am the kind of fan that would rather die than wave the flag of another team. I love the Dolphins more than a person should love anything—to the point where I must admit my own personal happiness is inescapably fused to, and wholly dependent upon, the team's success.

I do, however, realize that without the teams that threaten to take away my happiness by defeating the Fins on the field of battle, there would be no Miami Dolphins—there would be no love.

That is precisely why I have decided to write this series, "It's Not All Hate." It is to remind everyone that it is football that we truly love, to thank the fans of other teams for the competitive spirit that drives all of our passions for the game, and acknowledge the fact that the symbiosis between us is what really fuels the sport.

I am going to attempt to say something nice about every single NFL team.

New Orleans Saints

I have no qualms about giving the Saints the respect they deserve (See my slide show of Week One Predictions if you don't believe me). I also respect the Saints fans who were with the team through it all. A resounding victory over the NFC South in 2009 marked just the fourth division title in team history.

It's safe to say that anyone who supported the Saints prior to the 2009 season has to be a true fan.

I almost don't mind that the Dolphins were on the losing end of the last meeting. There was no shame in it for me. With the Fins on top 34-24 heading into the fourth quarter, everyone on both sides knew it would take one heck of a finish by Drew Brees to overcome, what was at one time, a 21-point lead, and that he was most likely up to the challenge.

Right now, Drew Brees is the New Orleans Saints, and everyone knows it. Sure, the team is stacked with several talented overachievers, but this guy is the glue. He makes possible the offense's seemingly effortless cohesion, the absence of which could see the Louisiana bunch fade back into marginality.

I'd also add that the decision to pass Brees over, due to questions about his durability, may have been one of the most costly off season errors the Dolphins have ever made (we took a pass on Tom Brady too—go figure). It seems he has endured just fine.

I also have to mention Reggie Bush. The subject of possibly the biggest draft buzz, prior to Denver seeing Tebow come to town, and not to mention a tremendous athlete, Bush makes up one solid half of a tandem that offers great security on the off chance that Brees' passing game is thwarted.

Defensively, New Orleans is no less impressive.

The Saints have what every team wants on defense. A whole bunch of talented guys who look like they are competing with one another, as much as the other team, to make huge plays.  And they are doing a fine job.

I hesitate to mention any specific names here because I view the group, as a whole, to be one big wet blanket, making it difficult for even the hottest offenses to light up the scoreboard.

There has been a lot of talk of how the Saints can be contenders for another title in 2010—it's pretty much like saying a great white shark is in the running for most dangerous fish. It's a no-brainer.

If Drew Brees continues to play at a super-human level, it seems a fair assumption that the Saints will be making another run at representing the NFC in Dallas for this year's Super Bowl.

While I feel compelled to mention that New Orleans still needs three wins to overtake the Dolphins in the all-time series (which stands at 6-4), I can honestly say that, at present, New Orleans is team who is exceedingly easy to admire.

So there you have it, a Miami Dolphins die-hard conceding to the current greatness of your beloved Saints. That being said—we may recommence our hatred for one another at this time. 

If you enjoyed this installment of the "It's Not All Hate" Series, Go To My Archive to find the others, and more.