Monday, February 8, 2010

The Heart Finally Wins Out over the Head: Congratulations Saints & the People of New Orleans!

So, I’ve had this problem all my life. You see, usually when confronting most situations or questions, my head and my heart are at odds with each other; whatever my head says, my heart will take an opposite stance. And, for whatever reason, I usually follow my heart.

To follow my heart is to embrace pure emotion over reason, and I do believe in reason. Sometimes my heart is correct, but the vast majority of the time, my head is correct in its intuitions. And this is always heartbreaking to me because between my heart and between my head, I very much prefer my heart; the beauty and imagery and hope offered by the heart is preferable to the stark realism and logic offered by the head.

This dilemma played a part in choosing a winner for this year’s Superbowl. My head said, “There is no way the Saints can overcome Peyton Manning and that offensive machine he leads.” But my heart was enthralled by the narrative offered by the Saints and the city of New Orleans.

Who cannot be swayed by the story of a team representing a city that not so long ago was nearly razed by Hurricane Katrina? Who cannot be moved by the story of a team representing a city of mostly brown people determined to rebuild their city, determined to stay put in that place where their family history, their family roots reach back for generations and generations?

It is that classic narrative theme of man against nature, and sometimes during the whole saga of New Orleans, man against his own pernicious and rapacious proclivities.

But anyway, I chose New Orleans to win. And during the first half, my head mocked my heart for again believing that pure emotion could ever best reason. However, after halftime, emotion made a comeback, and bit by bit, emotion took the upper hand, until at last the gun sounded, and the head feverishly checked its facts and figures to see where it had gone wrong, while the heart leapt in celebration.

I guess this is just my longwinded way of saying congratulations to the New Orleans Saints and the city and people of New Orleans. You deserved this one. Now only if I were a betting man, I would have a little extra change in my pocket this morning.

4 comments:

Denisha said...

SAINTS BABY!! If I were a betting woman, I would have made some change too. Everyone was going for the Colts which was truly logical...they were the best team (and QB) out there. But, as the ESPN guy said (I cannot remember his name), it is the Saints' destiny :) sometimes going with the heart makes life interesting. Dream the impossible dream...

RiPPa said...

I rode the coatails of the Saints all season. Hell, Drew Brees was my QB in 3 out of the 4 fantasy football leagues I joined this year.

Like you it was struggle this week because of my loyalties to the state of Indiana. I went to Indiana University, and upon leaving school, I spent the biggest portion of my adult life there. My ex and my daughter still live there. I even frequented Colts games when I lived in Indianapolis.

So yeah, it was a tough call. But I figured the team with the better defense would win. And I'm glad that my prediction came through.

RainaHavock said...

Yes For the Saints! My dad was talking about betting $1000 on the game damnit i should have taken it!

msladyDeborah said...

I went with The Saints about two hours before the game began. We were at my dad's 80th birthday celebration and I was forced to pick a team. The Saints felt some kind of right in my mind. My male friend gave me all the reasons why they couldn't win. But I knew that NO was going to be the winner. It was a good game and I enjoyed watching it.

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