“Are we there yet?” That was the monotonous question I asked as we entered into New Orleans. We had been driving for almost four hours with the radio blaring on the pre-game show getting pumped for the biggest game in Saint’s history, the NFC Wild Card game. I could not wait to get there, especially since I had only been asked to go just hours before by my uncle. The traffic was congested and the people were everywhere on the streets waiting for the big game to start. Finally, we found a parking spot and maneuvered our way through the crowd of people and bands in order to get to the Superdome. I had never seen so many people in my entire life.

There was a little bit of time before the game, so my uncle, cousin, and I found a restaurant and filled up before the game with the other anxious Saints fans. After we ate, we started to make our way into the Superdome. As we made our way to our seats, I remember seeing thousands of Saints fans dressed in all kinds of Saints apparel and costumes that covered the green shirts of the opposing Philadelphia Eagle fans. Then finally the time had come. My beloved Saints ran onto the field as I screamed “Go Saints” with just about everyone else. As the ball was kicked off, I knew that game time was finally here and butterflies entered my stomach.

The dome went wild as the Saints were the first ones to score with a field goal, which only got me pumped even more as I “high-fived” everyone around me. When the Saints added another field goal in the second quarter, I thought to myself, “Maybe this won’t be as close of a game as I thought.” Just as I thought this, the Eagles came soaring back with a touchdown, but this didn’t put me down. The dome only got louder with people cheering in hopes that this would lead to victory. At halftime, the Saints were only down by one point, and I had yet to sit down. When the Eagles scored another touchdown early in the third quarter, I asked my cousin, “Could this be the same old Saints?” However, they proved me wrong when they came right back with two touchdowns to take the lead again. The Eagles scored again, but the crowd yelled louder and the Saints defense stiffened and didn’t allow another point, leading them to a historical win and a trip to the NFC Championship Game. When the clock ran out, I went crazy and began hugging everyone around, even strangers, in celebration. I can still remember the tears of joy that ran down my uncle’s face as I screamed, “We won” to him. Who would have ever known that the ever-doubted Saints would come up big and win such a big game?

After the game, we celebrated with a few other fans, who like myself were also hoarse and excited because of the Saints huge victory. I couldn’t thank my uncle and cousin enough for letting me attend such a memorial event. I now realize that unexpected things really could happen and that you should never count anyone out, like so many people did to the Saints. This was truly an event that I will never forget in an unexplainable atmosphere that was unlike any other that I have experienced.