Saints Draft Boil (Crawfish!)

Almost exactly 2 years ago, we became Saints season ticket holders. After 8 years on the waiting list and with only 2 days until our wedding, we considered finally getting the coveted tickets to be our wedding gift from the city. As fun as it was bouncing around the Superdome, seeing the game from different angles and meeting new people, I love having an “address” in the stadium. Even better are the many events open to us including the 2016 Draft Super Boil – a giant Who Dat Nation crawfish boil at the Saints Practice Facility.

For only $20 ($15/13 & under), we got five pounds of crawfish, Zatarain’s Jambalaya, Lucky Dogs, cotton candy, sno-balls, Cokes, Coors Light and Community Coffee. Proceeds from the event went to the American Red Cross, Louisiana Floods Response and the Saints Hall of Fame. We sat in outdoor tents eating while giant TV’s broadcasted our draft picks.

Though the food was good, seeing the training facility was awesome. I’d just been to the compound for an interview on the Black and Blue Report where we discussed the Pelicans and why I love being one of their season ticket holders. I got to see the Lombardi trophy that day but I didn’t get to see where the Saints practice. Basketball is definitely growing on me but I’m a fairly serious football fan so it was pretty cool to see the field filled with players coaching fans as they caught balls, sprinted and tested their skills.

The Bucktown All-Stars played old school favorites as the Saintsations danced with fans then put on a show. But what I liked best was the giant banner with all the names of the players on the 2009 Super Bowl winning team. Only a handful of those players are still playing with the Saints but that team lives vividly in the minds of all of us who thrilled in that stunning victory.

I’d just had my book signing at Jazz Fest the day before. The Secret of the Other Mother: A Charlotte Reade Mystery starts when the Saints are 13-0 that year and ends on Mardi Gras Day after the big win. Writing the book, I had so much fun reliving that moment over and over. Standing in front of that massive victory banner looking at all those names, I was once again transported to dancing in the streets – the whole city wearing black and gold and shouting Who Dats.

The Saints are 50 this year. Seems like a perfect year for a “2 Dat.”