AP Photo - Bill Haber
By Chad Calder | The Advocate
Ryan Lemons doesn’t know about the paper bags.
Born just weeks after the New Orleans Saints’ 2010 Super Bowl victory, he’s known only Drew Brees at quarterback, a high-octane offense and a team that, even in a bad year, will at least give you a win for every loss.
Waiting for a streetcar after Friday’s pep rally for the Saints' NFC Championship game Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams, Ryan’s mother, Shara Stokes, decides to let her son in on a dark chapter in the team’s past.
“The Saints? It was bad,” she explained over the din of a cheerful crowd. “They used to always lose and people still wanted to support them, but they didn’t want to show their face. So they would put a bag over their face at the game and cut the eyes out.”
Ryan stared blankly for a moment, furrowed his brow and shook his head. It just didn’t make sense.
“Yeah, I guess we don’t talk about that,” Stokes said, sharing a laugh with the rest of the family. “Now we’re just excited to be in the conversation, and that we’re not the underdogs. Leave that back there; we don’t want to jinx it.” ...
Full Story - The Advocate
