On this day in 1966 our beloved Saints were born... (1 Viewer)

[woohoosaint]

...on All Saints Day!
Happy Birthday to us!!!

 

[Madmarsha]

Happy birthday, Saints!

Or as I like to call it Dio De Los Muertos!

 

[saintsgotaring]

HBD Saints Black n Gold to the Super Bowl

 

[Pa.Saint]

I believe all the negotiations took place at the Ponchartrain hotel on St Charles Ave. Me & Alex [RIP] stayed there on the first Hammer & Nails project

 

[Optimistic Ozzy]

And who knew they would give us fits for the coming years, just like a troubled teenager not listening to logic.

 

[Saintman2884]

I believe all the negotiations took place at the Ponchartrain hotel on St Charles Ave. Me & Alex [RIP] stayed there on the first Hammer & Nails project

Most Saints fans should probably thank Hale Boggs, Sen. Russell Long for their diligent, hard-fought, shrewd and in a good way, hard-ball negotiations tactics in convincing a skeptical, perhaps unwary Pete Rozelle of putting two, new NFL expansion franchises in what was then kind of undiscovered territory, NFL teams in the Deep South. Up until the mid-60's, both the NFL and the AFL had mostly avoided expansion into the Deep South due to socio-political issues like the nasty political and physical war against segregation, perception that the Deep South wasnt supportive of corporate NFL teams and more of NCAAF diehard-dominated. territory, which in many respects it still is. The closest proximity the NFL had in terms of teams to the South were the Redskins and the old, Baltimore Colts.

If Boggs and Sen. Russell Long don't play their game of political hardball, insisting on an expansion NFL franchise in New Orleans as the price for Rozelle, NFL and AFL owners merging to form a super-league with a major anti-trust exemption in 1966, a decision that made most NFL/AFL owners near-billionaires overnight.

 

[woohoosaint]

 

[Saintman2884]

And who knew they would give us fits for the coming years, just like a troubled teenager not listening to logic.

Yeah, thats true. But I much rather them be our troubled, angst-ridden, often-irrational decision making NFL franchise.

 

[Turfie]

And all you old timers had to wait 20 years to see a winning record. #respect

 

[texasjefe]

The push to get a team began in 1959.

In 2003, Buddy Diliberto asked Mike Detillier to help him compile extensive research.

Dave Dixon told Detiller:

“The big push to land a professional football team came in 1959 and a committee was formed, The Louisiana Professional Sports, Inc., a group to help land an NFL exhibition game at City Park Stadium and in 1960 that game between the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers drew 16,500 folks. NFL preseason games were not drawing big crowds, even in NFL cities. So I formed a second group, New Orleans Football Club, Inc., and I wanted to bring to New Orleans a professional football team."

 

[NeverGiveUP2]

I still have that cover page also. I was 10 but remember it well. Lawd I’m old . But it’s been a hellofa ride loving this team

 

[Thrillamac]

Been a fan since 1988. Love you saints!

 

[VPCajun]

And all you old timers had to wait 20 years to see a winning record. #respect

Heeeeeyyyy, I resemble that remark!

(I was 12 years old when the Saints came into existence.)

 

[longtime lurker]

The push to get a team began in 1959.

In 2003, Buddy Diliberto asked Mike Detillier to help him compile extensive research.

Dave Dixon told Detiller:

I miss Buddy’s insight and all the interviews he had with the players who helped to bring the NFL to New Orleans. Seems like yesterday. Happy Birthday Saints! Whodat

 

[VPCajun]

Joyeux anniversaire, Saints !