My first Saints game was one to remember

The 2009 NFC Championship Game was a magicial night in the Superdome.

I remember the night of January 24th, 2010, very well.

I got a last-minute ticket from a family friend to see the New Orleans Saints battle with the Minnesota Vikings for a spot in Super Bowl XLIV.

We sat at the top of the Superdome, Sec 614 at the 50-yard line. There was literally not a single seat behind us. Drew Brees and Sean Payton along with the rest of the players looked like ants from where we sat.

However, the environment and the atmosphere in the building that night as a franchise that was pummeled for years by poor performances and then nearly destroyed by the biggest natural disaster in history was incredible. Saints fans finally believed that the greatest prize in football could be theirs.

I watched as Drew Brees led the Saints offense down the field possession after possession with Brett Favre matching him for most of the game. I watched as the Saints defense made life difficult at times for Favre, forcing mistakes late in the game and sacking him on several occasions.

There was a moment where the Vikings were close to the Super Bowl, but a critical interception from Tracy Porter after Favre threw off his back foot led the game into overtime, where the Saints got the ball first and put Garrett Hartley in position to kick a walk-off 40-yard field goal to win the NFC and advance to the franchise’s first Super Bowl.

I had an incredible experience for my first game in New Orleans and will always share in the memories of that night.