> Dear Miami,
>
> The Saints are coming. And so are we, their loyal, long-suffering and
> slightly
>
> discombobulated Super Bowl-bound fans.
>
> While there's still time to prepare -- although a few hard-core Who Dats
> will be trickling in early, most of us won't arrive until Thursday or Friday
> -- we thought we'd give you a heads-up about what you should expect.
>
> First things first: You need more beer.
>
> Yeah, we know. You ordered extra. You think you have more than any group of
> humans could possibly consume in one week. Trust us. You don't.
>
> New Orleans was a drinking town long before the Saints drove us to drink.
> But it turns out beer tastes better when we're winning. (Who knew?) So let's
> just say we're thirsty for more than a championship; adjust your stockpiles
> accordingly.
>
> And look. When we ask you for a go-cup, be nice to us. We don't even know
> what "open-container law" means. Is that anything like "last call"?
>
> It's Carnival season in New Orleans (that's Mardi Gras to you), and we'll be
> taking the celebration on the road. So don't be startled if we throw stuff
> at you as we walk past; that's just our way of saying hello.
>
> Oh, and sorry in advance about those beads we leave dangling from your palm
> trees. We just can't help ourselves.
>
> February is also crawfish season, and you can be sure that more than one
> enterprising tailgater will figure out a way to transport a couple sacks of
> live mudbugs and a boiling pot to Miami.
>
> When the dude in the Who Dat 2010 The National Football League All Rights
> Reserved T-shirt asks if you want to suck da head and pinch da tail, resist
> the urge to punch him. He's not propositioning you.. He's inviting you to
> dinner.
>
> And if you see a big Cajun guy who looks exactly like an old Saints
> quarterback walking around town in a dress " don't ask. It's a long story.
>
> We know that crowd control is a major concern for any Super Bowl host city..
> Our advice? Put away the riot gear.
>
> Reason No. 1: Indianapolis is going to lose, and their fans are way too dull
> to start a riot.
>
> Reason No. 2: New Orleans showed the world on Sunday that we know how to
> throw a victory party. We don't burn cars. We dance on them.
>
> Reason No. 3: Even if we did lose, which we won't, leaving the stadium would
> be like leaving a funeral, and our typical response to that is to have a
> parade.
>
> Speaking of which: If you happen to see a brass band roll by, followed by a
> line of folks waving their handkerchiefs, you're not supposed to just stand
> there and watch. As our own Irma Thomas would say: Get your backfield in
> motion.
>
> And hey, Mister DJ! Yes, we know you've already played that stupid Ying Yang
> Twins song 10 times tonight, but indulge us just one more time.
>
> To us, "Halftime (Stand Up and Get Crunk)" isn't just a song; it's 576
> points of good memories. It's the sound of a Drew Brees touchdown pass to
> Devery Henderson, a Pierre Thomas dive for first down on 4th-and-1, a
> Garrett Hartley field goal sailing through the uprights in overtime.
>
> It's what a championship sounds like. You may get sick of hearing it. We
> won't. Encore, dammit.
>
> Inside Sun Life Stadium, you may find your ears ringing more than usual.
> We're louder than other fans. Seven thousand of ours sound like 70,000 of
> theirs.
>
> Don't believe us? Ask the 12th man in the Vikings huddle.
>
> Some people think it's just the Dome that heightens our volume. But you're
> about to discover a little secret: We can scream loud enough to make your
> head explode, indoors or out.
>
> It's not the roof. It's the heart.
>
> Well, OK, and the beer.
>
> Don't be surprised if there are more Saints fans outside the stadium than
> inside. A lot of us are coming just to say we were part of history, even if
> we can't witness it up close. The Saints are family to us, and you know how
> it is with family: We want to be there for them, whether they really need us
> or not. Because we know our presence will mean something to them, whether
> they can see us or not.
>
> Come to think of it, seeing as how you're taking us in for the week, we
> pretty much regard you as family, too. So we're warning you now: If you're
> within hugging distance, you're fair game.
>
> Hugging strangers is a proud Who Dat tradition, right up there with crying
> when we win.
>
> Most sports fans cry when their teams lose. Not us. We've been losing
> gracefully and with good humor for 43 years. Tragedy and disappointment
> don't faze us. It's success that makes us go to pieces.
>
> Hurricane Katrina? We got that under control. The Saints in the Super Bowl?
> SOMEBODY CALL A PARAMEDIC!!!
>
> So anyway, don't let the tears of joy freak you out. We're just "
> disoriented.
>
> OK. Let's review:
>
> Order more beer. Throw me something, mister. Suck da heads. Wear da dress.
> Stand up. Get crunk. Hug it out. Protect your eardrums. Pass the Kleenex.
> Hoist the trophy.
>
> See y'all at the victory party.
>
> Faithfully yours,
>
> The Who Dat Nation
>
> An open letter to the city hosting Super Bowl XLIV