Submitted by Jude, Jan 9, 2007 08:54

As with everything that you read in the press these days, the whole story is not being presented.

The author is right on one point, and that is that the job of rebuilding this community cannot be done by a sports franchise. Certainly that is true. What is impossible to measure, is how much this has buoyed the spirits of an otherwise beaten-down population who is still here, who are working on rebuilding their homes and businesses.

I find it interesting that the complete and total sell-out of the Superdome for the entire season is not mentioned once in this article, a first time occurence since the Saints have been in New Orleans. It is just a sign of how important the team is to the people who live in the community and those who do not even (In my area of season tickets, there are people who drive in from Lafayette (2 hours away), and others who fly in from Boston and Houston for games so they can come to support the city and its rebuilding, and so they can support keeping the Saints in New Orleans.

While I don't believe the Hornets will enjoy this kind of support, those who are living in New Orleans right now are making money. It is much more expensive to live here than it ever was before the storm, and if you can be here, it is because you are doing well. Many businesses are doing far better than they ever have before, including anything having to do with construction.

As in all things, with crisis comes opportunity, and hopefully New Orleans will make the most of its opportunity on Saturday night on the football field, and its residents will continue to make the most of the opportunity we have been presented in the coming years of recreating a wonderful American city.

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