Reggie Overwhelmed by New Orleans Reception

I promise this isn't a football only blog, but it is that time of year and it's what I'm passionate about.

Anyway, a really great story here, about what happened as we picked Reggie Bush and his experience in New Orleans afterwards.

The Saints fans reaction to the selection of Reggie Bush was great. There was about 1500 people out at Saints camp and under a tent when the Saints were on the clock and amongst rumors the Saints would trade away the pick to the Jets, the place got quiet and concerned. And when the pick finally came in and Paul Tagliabue announced, "With the second selection in the 2006 NFL draft, the New Orleans Saints select Reggie Bush, Running Back from the University of Southern California." it sounded like an explosion...the fans nearly blew the top off the tent, people were going nuts. It looked and sounded like the Saints won the Super Bowl. Great reaction that had the national media paying attention.

After the Saints selected Reggie Bush, New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson sent his private jet to NYC to pick up our newest Saint and brought him back to NOLA, where he met with the press at the Saints facility. He did his due dilligence by answering questions and took pictures with obiviously beaming General Manager Mickey Loomis and Head Coach Sean Payton. Reggie looked happy and pleased to be there but you could tell it was a long day for him.

After the press conference, the Saints brass whisked Reggie away to have dinner at Emeril's restaurant downtown, where as he stepped inside was greeted with a standing ovation and chants of "Reggie! Reggie!". He spent the next 2 hours surrounded by people congratulating and welcoming him to his new home in New Orleans as he was served his food prepared by Emeril Lagasse himself. General Manager Mickey Loomis said, who was also part of the dinner party: "One step into the restaurant, and it was like everyone knew he was there. I knew when we picked him that it was special, but even I didn't understand the magnitude of it until we walked into that restaurant. Reggie actually thought it was a set-up, that we had put people up to it. But, no, it was just a spontaneous thing. It was electrifying, really, there's no other word."

The next day they took him to English Turn where he was treated like royalty by New Orleanians welcoming him to the city and asking for autographs. People were clapping and chanting again as professional golfers tried to put out amongst the commotion.

Amidst some of the stressful things he and his family has endured lately, Reggie was quoted as saying "All the stuff that's happened," he said, "this helped get it out of my mind. I was able to stop thinking about it. What people here did for me, it was special, and they made me feel special. I'm going to do my best to pay them back."

"There are a lot of good things going on here, and I'm not just talking about with the Saints, and Reggie has enhanced it," Loomis said. "It's a great opportunity for him, for us and for the city."

I tend to agree with him.

Go Saints!!

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