By PHIL BARBER
Other than the site of the biggest football game of their lives, New Orleans means different things to different members of the two Super Bowl teams: great food, nonstop music, nice winter weather, crowded streets and perhaps a chance to drop it like it’s hot after (we will assume not before) the game is over.
It means a lot more than that to Ravens safety Ed Reed, who grew up in St. Rose, La., less than a half-hour west of New Orleans.
Reed sees Super Bowl XLVII as a triumph of the spirit after witnessing the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. Like most of America, he watched that drama unfold on television. He was preparing for a preseason game.
“It really hurt my heart to see things like that,” Reed said. “You just wish everybody would’ve got out and got away. But the real point about that is that everybody wasn’t fortunate enough or had the means or transportation or even finances to get their family out. … Or didn’t want to leave, man, because that’s how we are. Like I said earlier, we tend not to want to leave Louisiana: ‘We lived through a bunch of hurricanes, and we’ll get through this one.’ But you didn’t think the levees would break.”
Reed, a certain future Hall of Famer who is playing in his first Super Bowl, saw the best and worst of his former home in the aftermath of Katrina.
“We lost a whole hospital. I don’t know how that happened,” he said. “So it was a lot of bad stuff that happened in this city. But it was a lot of good things that happened, too. Had a lot of people helping people and showing the true heart of Louisiana, and people just opening their doors, just trying to make sure somebody had a roof over their head, man, clothes on their back, food to eat.”
The symbol of New Orleans’ slow, sometimes painful recovery since 2005 is the Superdome. When it was severely damaged by the hurricane, then fouled by the teeming crowd of evacuees who took shelter in the stadium when the streets were flooded, a lot of people argued that the dome should be torn down. Reed wasn’t one of them.
“I didn’t think this building was going anywhere, man,” he said at Media Day, sitting at a riser near one of the sidelines. “This building’s been here for a long time. It’s like the heart of the city. It brings so much energy to the city when our team (the Saints) was winning, and they’re back on track now with Drew Brees and Coach (Sean) Payton, man. They won the Super Bowl. I went to that Super Bowl. Had to be in there to be part of the city. I wasn’t a Raven that day; I was a Saint.”
After a little while, the conversation lightened up and someone asked Reed where he likes to eat in New Orleans.
“Mom’s Kitchen,” he answered, and some reporters murmured knowingly.
Then Reed paused and added: “My mom’s kitchen.”
This is still home to the leader of the Baltimore secondary.
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And the local meteorologist is predicting, yet another hurricane scheduled to hit NOLA, this Sunday …
This one is called “Hurricane Colin”
I love it hurricane Colin!!!!?? LOL!!!
Out here in So Cal, all of the sudden I’m seeing tons of people wearing Niner gear……..brand new Niner gear. Kind of pisses me off.
FRONTRUNNERS!
I still have some near new tshirts from 90 to 96 or so that still fit just like they did back then. I think I’m going with the ‘Fist full of Gold”. Nothing better than showing you didn’t just jump on!
MontanaMan – Do those shirts still fit? :-)
Ya, I have managed to stay pretty close to the same size throughout the years!
Bought three Kaepurnicus jerseys, me, daughter and son. Triple sevens, Jackpot Baby!
Razor – Niiice 7-7-7!! UPS delivered my wife’s Kap jersey today and she had that thing on before Doug Heffernan drove off!
I still have a Rice, and Vernon Davis rookie jersey ..
The #80 and #85 are getting faded ..
Does that count ?
Midwest – That works bro! What are you wearing Super Sunday?
Don’t slam me, but I never thought you needed to buy a jersey to be a 9er fan. I’ll be wearing jeans and a golf shirt. Good times.
Hofe – I’m revoking your man card! You better be yankin my chain. Golf shirt on Niners Super Bowl? Stop foolin Hofe.
Dude, I’m serious. How many fairweather fans (not you) buy jerseys after teams win acting like they were life long fans? I just don’t believe that buying a 9er jersey validates and signifies fandom. Just me bro!
Crabs I bought my Crabtree jersey when we drafted him cause I knew he was going to be a beast.
I bought my Kaepernick jersey a week before he started against the Bears. When I bought it, it didn’t exists. It had to be custom ordered. Now, they can’t keep them on the shelves.
They can’t keep them on the shelves because all of the fairweather fans are buying them. They aren’t lifers. No way no how.
Hofe – I can appreciate that bro.
If you ever change your mind, you owe it to yourself to special order a #36 jersey. ;)
bay – Good stuff man! What’s your gut feeling on Jenkins? Will you be ordering his jersey sooner or later?
Crab, thanks…hold that thought. :) I’ve got World Champion shirts from the 80′s and 94/95 season. All good.
Hofer – Lol……talk to you guys tmrw night. I have to put a practice plan together right now. I’m coaching my 5 yr olds baseball team and our first practice is tmrw. I’ve been watching as much SB coverage as possible and forgot I have 13 kids depending on me tmrw. Go Niners!!
Crab, good luck with your team. All arrows up tomorrow! Maybe I go buy a #36 jersey proving I’m a lifer! lol
I’ll be sporting my #21 jersey. Gore is going to have a huge game.
I still have my all gold Starter jacket. That’s a classic.
Nick,
I have a brand new red Niners Starter jacket that I bought almost fifteen years ago. It’s still in the plastic. It was the last run of the original Starter jackets before they went out of business. I’ve always been afraid to wear it, but it’s bad ass. I had the original gold one in seventh grade, bought it with my paper route money. You knew you were official with the Starter logo on the sleeve.
I’ll be wearing a big ass grin if we get the outcome we’re hoping for!
Thinking about getting a Culliver jersey and walk down the Castro.
Good luck with that Neal :) someone might follow you home and you won’t know their intentions
Not off topic right? :) “When The Levee Breaks” Zeppelin with Neil Young together live! Old dudes now but still kickin some ass! Rock and roll can never die!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aFqjP1iuzY
Quest for 6 baby!!! Who could possibly have it better?
One of my favorite Mighty led Zep songs. But that damn whining cat Neal Young can ruin any song IMO. I never got how he made it so long in the music industry. Wheew! ;-)
MD
You and I certainly can agree with THAT! Even CS&N had to run from it!
NOBADY !!!!!
Crab15
NOOOOBADYYY!!!!!
Willie – Right on brotha!
@ Crabs
I always like your Rock references and links. Boomer on ESPN used to be good with that; he’s slipped some.
OK, my Led Zep story:
Fresh back from Nam I went to see LZ. Having been away for a year and a half I wasn’t aware of how concert effects technology had advanced. So they launch into their first song and a few bars into it they come to a clashing chord that they emphasize with a blast of pyrotechnics over the stage.
In an instant I sprinted up twenty steps and dashed out of the exit before I realized it was part of the show! Jumpy Nam Vet, lol! My ticket stub and a lot of talking got me back in cuz the Security guy was a vet too.
Good story, bro. Tell it again. (Sorry, couldn’t resist)
I laughed when I read it. Appreciate your service, man.
Tuna – Good story bro, you kind of had happy feet like Jim Everette had when Rams playen Niners way back in NFC title game. :) ….Like Rusty said, thanks for your service.
No, Crabs .. I’m not Midwest … just MW..
(Don’t want to use his moniker)
Well ..
.. I’ve got a ton of Niner gear… both old …
and REALLY old !
Just found an old SB t-shirt with Junior Seau and Steve on the front
(it’s holy and threadbare.. but can’t bare to part with it)
But, here, where I live … I’ve got a foot of snow on the ground, and minus 20º outside … so, I’ll probably just go with my Niner logo hoodie sweat-shirt, and my Vernon over the top..
And if need be … my Niner jacket …
Can’t tell you the kinds of looks I get wearing that stuff, no matter the time of year ! lol !
So-o-o-o …
What are you gonna go with ?
MW – Where do you live man, Antarctica?
I was going to wear my Crabtree jersey but Prime Time talked me out of it. Long story. Sorry about the Midwest error.
Well, I’m a retired Bay Area native, living… yes ..
in the mid-west …
(cheaper here ya kno)
We just had a big snow storm dump a foot upon us (earlier this week) .. and it’s way too cold for it to melt away right now …
Nah …
I don’t know what Prime told you… but IMO
I think you should wear the Crabtree jersey ..
After all… you chose the nick … right ?
Crabs is your guy … and you should support him..
I mean… ya don’t wanna jinx anything … right ?
Hey… loved the Led Zep / Neil Young link ..
thanx … I’m a rock n roller from way back ! lol
Was that John Paul Jones on bass ?
MW – You made my night, yes that was JPJ. How about Plant playing guitar?
Enjoy the game Sunday!
Black Dog first concert I ever saw.
Neal – Awesome…..you rock.
Enjoyed the Levee break, with Neil Young.
Hey, Crabs …
You too ! … Here’s hoping I won’t have much of a voice
come Sunday night after the game !
I plan on making the trip to Santa Clara once the new stadium
opens up… just so I can count to 6 !!
Yeah.. never seen Plant pick up a guitar before ! .. But Page
doesn’t look like he’s aged much in that video ..
Neil looks like he spent a week picking out his wardrobe, though !
MW – That performance was in 95, I worded my post wrong.
Crabs, that was a good one! Have you got the the new box set of LZ called Celebration Day with their last concert at the O2 in London? Jason Bonham plays drums on it replacing his dad. It’s a must have for LZ fans.
Space – I don’t have that one but I will get on it bro. Thanks.
Ill be rocking my Throwback Steve Young Jersey. Hopefully that will give CK some of his powers haha
I’ll be wearing my old Roger Craig jersey
And my wife will be wearing # 97 B. Young jersey
Got love this … LOL
I meant Got To love this ….Do you ? Go red and gold!!!!!!