This is absolutely a football town. By far, the most popular pro team is the Eagles, even though they've gone the longest without a title. And there was a time, before the new stadium softened the place up, that it was a REAL tough place to play. Remember when Payton had the bus circle the stadium twice so they could have the fans throw snowballs at it?
Now, you can actually go to a game now in a Brees jersey and have a very good chance of getting nothing more than a lot of verbal **** with a little respect blended in. Eagles fans like guys like Brees, precisely because a Brees-type is not Manning or Brady.
And the locals really do know football, and are always keenly aware of their own team's shortcomings. Passionate fans but not football ignorant. A lot of the bitterness and anger comes from the Cowboys, Giants and Redskins winning Super Bowls and still, they wait.
And the recognize know that fans of teams like the Saints have suffered, too, which is how you are OK as a Saints fan around here. Being a Saints fan around here is like being a killer in a prison yard: you don't have many friends, but you get your respect.