I would think that the teams that they would least prefer to see would be
It might be
1. Falcons
2. Falcons
3. Falcons
4. etc..
1. Cowboys
Dallas became 'America's Team' because there was a time that they were the one and only NFL franchise in the entire southeastern United States. That meant they were shown on tv in every single home in about a dozen states - a larger area than any other NFL team possessed. The Saints franchise was born and their performance on the field and in the standings was polar opposite of that of the Cowboys for decades. My guess is that there has to be a huge amount of animosity among the genuine Saints fans about the popularity of the Cowboys in their own neighborhood to this day. Those fans have probably been hearing crap from Cowboys fans for three generations.
All valid and true. Plus when we were called "America's Team" in 2006 Dallas fans went crazy.
We were heckled called Americas throwbacks, leftovers, we have 5 rings your only achievement is making good use of shopping bags, bla bla bla..
The animosity came from them blocking Saints games on TV to show Cowboy games. If you can imagine Patriots games being blocked so they can show the Giants, youll get the hatred. Which we still don't understand because the Dome was always full, even if we did wear bags, we were there. It kind off became a family thing for us to hang out, never expected to win.
2. - 4.
Their division rivals: Atlanta, Tampa Bay, Carolina.
Unfortunately for them these teams are the ones that keep getting shifted around whenever the NFL has a division realignment. While some divisions like the AFC West and NFC East remain intact (despite Dallas not belonging there), these teams keep being moved like pawns on a chessboard - and no rivalries evolve. The Falcons are the longest lasting rivalry and more of a threat, so they get the top place between the three.
We don't have a problem with Tampa Bay fans. Carolina are friendly rivals. We beat up on each other, but their is mutual respect.
We can not stand Atlanta,LOL. Its more cultural than football.
Atlanta considers us to be ancient southern history. A museum city and state, brothers and sisters sleeping together, an occasional animal, organized crime, good old boys, Deliverance but with less educated vocabulary.
NO considers Atlanta to be sell outs of our Southern heritage, manners, culture, and a way of life. They replaced their architecture with strip malls and fast food. You could plop Atlanta over Philly and no one would notice. Southern hostility has been replaced with MTV rap, hip hop untalented gangs of talk rhyming. Something created in the 600 bce , but they think its new. Cant play a single instrument. Their fans are just as liable to burn the BubbleHut than cheer at it.
We don't like each other ,lol
5. Houston
This to me would be the top AFC team they would most not want to see, based on geography. Tennessee would be next - in part because they are the next closest team, in part because they used to be the closest AFL/AFC team.
Actually Houston and Saints fans love each other. Their OC modeling the offense after the Saints. When Katrina happened the Saints became Houston's team as they stayed there.
They wanted the Saints to stay and leave NO, but got Texans instead. And sense they are made fun off equally by Dallas fans, we have a kinship. Weird but true.
7. New York, New York
Sports fans from New England have a specific distaste for any and every thing NY/NJ, but there are a lot of other people around the country that also despise the arrogance of so many people from that area that act superior based on nothing more than being from the nation's largest metropolitan area ('everything is better here' attitude), as well as the media pandering to that larger market.
completely true. I don't think we have ever gone to a game up there and had a good time.
Last time Giants fans laughed at us and said no one ever put 40 on Giants in 2009, welcome to the real world. Again giants fans said it was a fluke, your loser team will be set strait in the Dome in 2011. I don't think they respect our team much.
9. Indianapolis
I'm sure there was a war of words leading up to the last Super Bowl. As I recall from when the Pats and Colts were at the top of the AFC, many of their fans and some of their media can be, well - unlikeable.
We kind of feel sorry for them. They would not talk to us much before or after the SB. Pretty snobby, elitist, we were not smart enough to talk to. To bad, they would have had a better time.
10. Green Bay
They are an NFC rival, both vying for the claim to best team in the NFC. With the Packers it goes a step further because of the best QB debate. Remember how much Pats fans detested the Colts because of the Brady or Manning debates?
I agree this is something the NFL is trying to push. Brees vs Rogers. Some NFC equivalent to AFC. Otherwise we would not play them again, 2 years in a row. That never happens with GB.
But, GB fans are pretty cool. WE are more interested to see how they act if we beat them this season. They did not take the 51-29 beat down we put on them and Rogers in 2008 very well, and we walked our starters off. Some fans said they were really pissed about it.
Im not sure we care much, except the debate that Brees might have been slighted another MVP. Some Saints fans still want an explanation why PM got it when Brees beat his stats. But AR gets it for stats.
12. Patriots
Okay, I will agree that many fans of other teams love to hate the Pats - but I would think that they rank no higher than 12th on a Saints' fans 'most hated' list in regards to who they would most want to not see playing for a Super Bowl in New Orleans.
Id bet good money, if you took a poll of Louisiana 60%, at the least would want NE in the Super Bowl in NO. NE ranks 32, dead last of the teams we do not want in the Super Bowl.
Im pretty positive in saying NO wants the Patriots in the Super Bowl in 2013.
Granted we want them vs US, but we want them there just them same. We just want to play them because we respect them and their fans. Beating the Pats means something. Beating the Seahawks does not mean much to us. Losing is pretty ridicules though, lol.
But you get injuries, and what can you do with a nut job DC that wants to blitz every down, and makes Smith look like a HOF QB.
I really see most fans plotting and looking for the easiest way to win a Super Bowl. But, this just is not in our makeup as fans. We wanted the 49ers last year.
Its hard to understand, but thats the culture. We want the Patriots. We want GB. We wanted the Vikings and the Colts. We want who ever says is better than our boys.
We hear " Sweet, Ravens got knocked out" or " Seahawks took out the Saints" , or " excellent jets took out the Patriots", and we just scratch our heads confused,lol.
Yes, makes it easier, but thats one less thing you can't prove. Better teams lose in the playoffs and lesser team move forward, making it an untrue out come. I don't think we have ever respected that.
NO respect for Tom Brady, BB, and the Patriots as a team didn't exist before 2006 and SP walked threw that door.
Sp schooled us on how to run a team in the NFL, explained that this was how it was done. Said the same things like " just, do your job" to every player. Our success is not a fluke. Its a design by what started in NE and SP copied for 4 years.
Most in New Orleans now this, and when the Patriots fans came and we didn't know what to expect in 2009. I mean usually we are just made fun of by good teams.
An odd thing happened , Patriots lost, but acted like champions. I think you all remember the headlines in NO talking about the Patriots fans and how respectful they were. WE don't forget that stuff, we might be a museum, but were still old south.
I don't think Patriots are making that list, lol
Falcons VS Denver would piss us off,lol, we can't win either way.
Falcons VS Patriots Perfect you can kick their but for us. Remember you owe us one