The Saints Go to Hollywood

Someone needs to come up with a title for this movie we are all watching. It is the old adage about life imitating art on the most mainstream levels: football and cinema. The elements are familiar ones; take one part inspirational “rag-tag group realize the potential within” (Dangerous Minds), one part “local community bonds in the wake of a tragedy” (We Are Marshall), and one part “improbable title run” (Hoosiers), and you’ve got the 2006 New Orleans Saints. A one season turn-around this improbable and viewer friendly has never come around without an entire team of script writers, directors, production crew, and major studio dollars dedicated to shoving the entire package down our throats (I’m half-expecting Sean Payton to take his shirt off a la Matthew McConaughey should the story end with a Super Bowl win).

The fact that NFL fans have so willingly pitched tents in the Saints’ camp may say something more about a collective post-Katrina guilty conscience or the lack of compelling storylines in today’s league, but we may also be witnessing a truly unique event in sports history. Even my grumpy fellow Philadelphians had nothing bad to say about the team that bounced the Iggles from the playoffs this past weekend, a departure from the norm so suspiciously Hollywood, that I can’t help but wonder if we are all just unknowing extras. Films often carry the tagline that they are “Inspired By A True Story,” which means they’ve repackaged the original to be more enjoyable (re: more profitable). However, when you take a look at the storyline, how could it be improved? As far as back-story goes, it doesn’t get much grittier than having your home city wiped out by a natural disaster. New Orleans’ struggle to rebuild itself has been well documented, and the Saints’ success is not necessarily representative of the level of resurgence throughout the region. However, in the wake of an unimaginable tragedy, we all want some sign that things are improving. Throwing our own support behind a team that is helping its fans heal is our own contribution to a situation we feel otherwise helpless to improve.

The team itself set up the stage for 2006 by several decades of marginal existence, just like a sympathetic central character should. There are probably a dozen names one could conjure up from the Saints of days gone by, but they are merely that, names. Bobby Hebert’s existence is only brought to mind when discussing odd pronunciation (George Costanza). Archie Manning has some of the most famous sons in the country. Oh, and they had those linebackers. A smattering of post-season one and outs did little to overcome their status as a mediocre NFL team in a second tier NFL town. Then come the wrath of nature, a year of displacement, new coach, new QB, flash rookies, all of which would be covered in the first 10 minutes of the feature film.

This is an indicator of just how scripted the whole scenario seems. It comes ready-made with a slick glossing over of the details that we all find so tiresome in our own lives. Often, stories are simplified into a galvanizing moment followed by a resolution to succeed that is satisfied by some sort of validation, be it an outright championship or a Rocky I personal victory. Tedious processes = insert montage or ignore completely. I wonder how many Sixers fans were watching the Eagles lose and thinking, “Gee, I wish a storm would wipe out our city so the Sixers would have something to rally around, and we could have our own worst-to-first title run.” Maybe none, but you have to admit that the rebuilding process, stripping a team of its recognizable players and sacrificing current success for the chance to build around Kyle Korver is a pretty bleak process. Screen time is rarely dedicated to the slow decline and desperation that more often precede a moment of self-determination. A single identifiable turning point is part of the formula that makes a movie work. Never mind the nearly thirty new players brought in over the off-season, including a quarterback in Drew Brees that many people thought was a lateral move from Aaron Brooks. The Saints’ obscurity in recent years made the new additions irrelevant, because nobody knew who was on the team before now. Even last year, the team was a nomadic footnote, not a feel-good story. Everyone had the privilege of tuning in right when the miracle was getting underway at that first game back at the Superdome. We were spared the details and stumbled upon a team and a community ready for their close-up.

The cast is a charismatic if unseasoned one. New to this particular stage, Reggie Bush brings a sense of electricity and dynamism that compliments Deuce McCallister’s working man appeal. Everyone knows someone who looks like Drew Brees, which lends a sense of accessibility to his character and the job he does leading the charge. Brash Joe Horn has been around since the old days and his veteran presence lends a connection to the recent and regrettable history of the team. Solid role players form a defensive cast that play the parts required of them without trying to muscle in on the big names’ screen time. Overseeing the operation is Sean Payton, a baby-faced coach that is willing to challenge the conventions of an old man’s league with innovation and guts. Finally, The Fans are playing the sports movie role of girlfriend/wife/family of someone who has unexpectedly found themselves thrust upon the verge of greatness, the anchor that serves as a constant reminder of what this team represents and exactly what is at stake. I can’t seem to find an IMDB.com profile for any of these guys, but I’m sure their agents are on it.

It remains to be seen how the screenplay will unfold. It may well be the case that they come up short to a far superior AFC team, but the journey will have been the victory. Rocky fans know that sometimes there are 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 6th chances. The plot arc may return to earth after this season or be the start of something that is great for years to come. There are a hundred different scenarios, but they have all been played out on the big screen. This should all seem very familiar.