For months, I’ve been saying that the Colts are going to win the Super Bowl.
But now that they’re there, I’ve changed my mind.
I think the Saints are going to win.
Intellectually, I still think the Colts will win. But I don’t care. I like the Saints, and I hate the Colts, and I just don’t see how I can pick the Colts to win. “You know what your problem is?” my dad said. “You make your picks based on emotion. You don’t like the Jets, so you pick against them. You like the Patriots, so you always pick them to win.” My editor had a similar observation: “You pick from the heart.”
It’s true. But you know what? Sometimes my heart is right. Not often, but occasionally. Like when the Patriots beat the Rams in the Super Bowl in 2001. Nobody expected that. Except me. I met a friend at a bar in Cooperstown to watch the game. “I’ve got a feeling,” I said. “I think the Patriots are going to win.” Then I covered my mouth. You should never voice such thoughts — you’ll jinx the whole thing. This is why I don’t like to do a lot of trash talking. I feel like it’s a good way to guarantee a loss. Maybe this is just because I’m a Red Sox fan. Even with two World Series victories in the past decade, Red Sox fans are still plagued by a sense of insecurity. You never hear Yankees fans talk about how their team can never do anything right. They’re always confident that another World Series win is just around the corner. I remember the 2004 ALCS, when the Red Sox mounted their improbable comeback. “You know the Red Sox going to lose,” my Yankees fan colleague said. “Yes, probably,” I said.
Sports fans are a paranoid bunch. And since sports is full of David and Goliath stories, and improbably comebacks, it's easy to hope. After all, one day your team could be the one that makes the improbably comeback, the David that slays the Goliath. Most of the time, the best team triumphs. As much as everyone loves the Cinderella stories that make March Madness so memorable, the top-ranked teams usually win. But anything can happen. That’s why you play the games.
Anyway, I’m picking the Saints. Here are some reasons why:
Drew Brees He’s fun to watch, and not very tall, and I like athletes who aren’t very tall. Also, he’s committed to rebuilding New Orleans, which is a cause I believe in.
Scott Fujita An intelligent, talented linebacker. He decided to sign with the Saints because he wanted to help New Orleans.
Marques Colston Selected in the seventh round of the draft as a supplemented compensatory pick, Colston started his first week, and has become a star: He holds the NFL record for most receptions in a player’s first two seasons with 168. Unlike most wide receivers, he’s not an annoying showboat.
New Orleans A great city that never wins anything. After Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans is lucky to have a football team. Wouldn’t it be great if they won? I think they will.
Of course, that’s just my heart talking. But you never know. Sometimes your heart is right.
Got a comment? E-mail me at sfoss@dailygazette.net.
