Pity us, ah pity us, we wakeful.

[Lomax]

Kudos for those who can source the quote.

Tomorrow, I shall suffer sleep deprivation. At approximately 11.30 pm, my time, the Suprbowl will kick off. I shall sit up into the small hours, despite the fact that I will be expected in the office at 8 am the next morning.

Why? Because the New Orleans Saints are playing.

This has nothng to do with Katrina.

I have never been within three thousand miles of America (I don't suppose I ever will); but New Orleans will always have a place in my heart. There are three reasons for this -

1) Louis Armstrong
2) Louis Armstrong
3) Louis Armstrong

American Football was first aired over here back in 1982, and I watched it idly. Then the Saints featured in the Game of the Week at the end of the 1983 season and they blew their chance of recording their first winning season EVER - and I KNEW this was the team for me.

For complicated reasons (TV scheduling, mainly) American Football has declined in popularity over here - but I still keep half an eye on how the Saints are doing. Badly, usually.

But this year.......

WHO DAT?

[Duncan Edwards]

Lomax, I've been to Nwalins many, many, times over the years and still go there on business regularly. Sunday I shall sit in my cousin's home and watch the Superbowl with him. He's a former photographer for the Saints and current Katrina refugee. Fortunately he fled to a "big G0@@*_&^^% pile of bricks" near where I live now. He is such a fan that the cabinet work in his house has little fleur de lis all over it. It would be very bad manners for me to let on that I'm secretly expecting the Colts to win so since I have no dog in this hunt I'll be happy regardless. Good luck, stay true, and remember that the Saints have never gotten this far anyway. It should be a good one.

[Nessie]

I haven't run a gender count in years now but the last time I did, online Quicksandland was 94% male.

Whaddya wanna bet that almost nobody is hanging out here tomorrow?

Enjoy the game. I'll be outside enjoying Nature. All by myself. Or close to it.

Nessie

[jack c]

Nessie,

Perhaps I am a disgrace to my gender, but here it is a half hour before game time, and I am on this forum. Since I am an Eagles fan, and they blew it in the first round to Dallas, I don't really care who wins the Super Bowl, although it stands to be a great game, with the two genuinely best teams making the game.

Are you out on your snowshoes? Even with the aching muscles?

- Jack

[Fred588]

The quicksandfans.com chat room is there for anyone skipping the game. Free cyber pizza!

[Lomax]

The quicksandfans.com chat room is there for anyone skipping the game. Free cyber pizza!

Nope; signing off. Wish me luck.

[Nessie]

Are you out on your snowshoes? Even with the aching muscles?

- Jack

Nahhhh, I wussed out, because both of my thighs hurt from yesterday's frozen-bog explorations (no, you can't get into mud this time of year but I get exercise by exploring around lakesides and checking the dry, frozen foliage patterns for plants that I know grow near mud).

I went to an art museum and filled my mind with beauty. Plus, I got there at one and they closed at five so that was four hours of (easy) walking!

Was it real exercise? I'm not sure. Owww, owww anyway, though, 'cause yesterday was the first time I ever tried showshoes and I walked on them for three hours through snow that was, in places, at least a foot deep.

Happy Super Bowl, everybody. No, you're not a disgrace to your gender. I can name two mud friends of mine who never watch any sports at all, nor ever care what goes on, and one of 'em is the toughest, muddiest, bravest mud partner I ever had...the very pinnacle of manhood. Yes, real men can live football-free lives.

Nessie

[nachtjaeger]

Honestly, I was going to skip it, because I had other plans (Ghost Hunters marathon and computer games.) But my daughter insisted we watch it together. I'm glad I did. It was a really good game- I saw stuff I thought was long-gone from pro football.
And of course the commercials!

[bumberjack]

Well, who dat now?

http://www.nfl.com/

[Duncan Edwards]

Just returned from cousin's house where the tribe had gathered to watch the game. After Manning tossed that interception to Porter the house resounded with "Who dat?" from every corner. Even the dogs barked in celebration.

New Orleans may barely have survived Katrina but I'm not so certain about this. Cousin took a phone call from a friend on Bourbon street shortly after the game was over. It seems that a score of hirsute bar patrons were reenacting the game in their underwear or less. Officiating was being provided by ladies wearing black and gold paint and nothing more. It was his estimation that most would awaken with unexplained injuries that they would never recall recieving. The major concern however is that the city's entire supply of alcohol, never a modest quantity, might be consumed before Mardi Gras. There is an enormous parade planned for Tuesday to welcome the Saints. Survivors will gather in the Superdome.

WHO DAT? DAT BE DEM DER DAMN SAINTS!