Fr. Tony prays once again for the Who Dats

Drew Brees praying for a win. Photo: Michael DeMocker

God of All Grace, on this sacred day, the Who Dat Nation comes before you giving all honor and praise to you. Standing proud on the gridiron of life, we are grateful for the many highs and lows of our journey in the National Football League.

As members of the New Orleans Saints family, we are owners, administrators, coaches and staff. We are players, trainers, reporters and fans. We are the Who Dat Nation and have vowed to be united through good times and bad.

More than any other NFL community, we know both the joys and pains of loving our team. We have been to the mountaintop as World Champions and wallowed in the deep valley of a single win season. We have packed a million Who Dats on our streets for a Super Bowl parade and yet have worn bags of shame on our heads when times were rough. Whether flying like beautiful pelicans or stinging like pesky mosquitoes, the one thing we have always done is stick together as one Who Dat Nation Under God.

Today, we cry out to you asking that you keep us united as one. The Who Dat Nation is hurting and needs your grace. It was your love that brought us to Super Bowl XLIV and it will be your love that will bring us back to the top of the league again. Today, let us remember that we are the Who Dat Nation. We are strong. We are blessed. We are proud.

Right now, our team needs your strength and our unwavering support to resurrect their season. With your grace, the New Orleans Saints will rise like a phoenix from the ashes. They have all the pieces they need to be victorious. Now, they need your blessings.

Like the many saints in the kingdom of heaven, we cannot expect our players and staff to be perfect. None of your saints were perfect. Each dealt with their own human flaws and personal limitations. We have come to realize that a saint is just a sinner who fell down and got up. Well, like your heavenly saints, we need our New Orleans Saints to rise up from their troubles and claim their places of glory.

On this day, the entire Who Dat Nation cries out to you for strength. From the original ticket holders who burned beneath the sun at Tulane Stadium to the first grade children who shout 'Who Dat" in our schools, we are all praying that you will once again, bless our boys.

We ask that you bless Tom and Gail Benson and Rita Benson LeBlanc. May they continue to guide the Who Dat Nation along the pathway of success.

Bless our general manager, coaches and staff. Allow them to create ideas and plans that lead to great achievements on the field and in the community.

Bless our players. Help each of them play to the best of their ability while remaining free from major injuries.

And, bless our fans, too. May we do our jobs of supporting our team through the peaks and the valleys of this season. May we never forget from whence we came.

Through the intercession of the heavenly New Orleans Saints, St. Francis Cabrini, St. Katharine Drexel, Blessed Francis Seelos, Blessed John Paul II and Servant of God - Mother Henriette Delille, may the New Orleans Saints bring to the football field, the same courage and faith that these Saints brought to the streets of New Orleans.

With your grace, we will always be one Who Dat Nation under God.

Amen!

This prayer was written for NOLA.com and The Times-Picayune by the Rev. R. Tony Ricard,Director of Campus Ministry, St. Augustine High School, and New Orleans Saints Catholic team chaplain

Fleur D Licious fires up Saints fans

Photo:  Dinah Rogers, Times-Picayune

By Jeff Duncan, New Orleans Times-Picayune

Denham Springs - Edward Becker salvaged one thing from his Katrina-flooded home inChalmette before contractors leveled it in 2005.

The black jumpsuit and sequined cape he'd worn to the New Orleans Saints' preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens on that fateful August weekend were still hanging in the bathroom where he he'd left them three months earlier. He took the muddy, oil-stained outfit to the dry cleaners and made an impassioned plea.

"I told them, I lost all of my pictures and family valuables - I need this," Becker said. "I don't care what it costs me, I want it cleaned."

Because the dry cleaners did their jobs, Becker was able to do his at Saints games again in 2006. Becker, aka super fan Fleur D Licious, returned to the Superdome and the Saints went on to win the NFC South Division and advance to their first NFC championship game.

Today the outfit hangs in the office of Becker's new home in suburban Baton Rouge. He's long-since replaced it with a new custom-made model. But i the Saints Hall of Fame ever dedicates a wing to its celebrated super fans, Becker's original Fleur De Licious outfit will be its Shroud of Turin.

"I'm just a normal Saints fan but I have this addiction to do this," Becker said. "I need to dress up. It's just my passion for the Saints and the city. That's why I saved it (the outfit)."

To those that know Becker well, the Fleur D Licious incarnation comes as no surprise. TheChalmette native has always been a free spirit, the kind of guy who relished the opportunity to dress up at Halloween parties or on '80s nights. He used to haunt the French Quarter as "Doctor Disco" in white leisure suit and patent leather shoes and was famous for his annual Budweiser-themed Christmas parties.

A diehard Saints fan since birth, he'd always had a fascination with super fans Lionel "Da Pope" Alphonso and Mac "The Quack" Cuenca. When he bought his Saints season tickets in 2002, it was an easy transition from Doctor Disco to Fleur D Licious.

"When it came to the Saints, he's always been a diehard," said childhood buddy Kevin Guerrera. "He's always had a history of partying and dressing up so it was no surprise to any of us when he said he wanted to do this. That's Ed."

Guerrera sketched the outfit and the pair glued sequins to the cape with toothpicks one weekend over beers and Saints rally songs.

The outfit complete, Becker just needed a name to complete his super fan persona. After weeks of contemplation, the lightning bolt occurred to him while he was driving home from work.

"Fleur D Licious just rolled off my tongue," Becker said. "I knew right away. That's it. That's what I'm going to be."

The simplicity of the outfit requires just 15 minutes for Becker to make the Fleur De Licious transformation on game days. The stretchy nylon jumpsuit was custom-made for him by a seamstress. The afro, sunglasses and black leather platform boots were special-ordered from online costume outlets.

A massive gold ring and "FLEUR D" belt buckle complete the outfit. He pins a Super Bowl XLIV pin and buttons of Sean Payton, Drew Brees, Steve Gleason and Buddy Diliberto to his jumpsuit for effect.

"As Ed, I'm pretty much a laid-back guy," said Becker, 38. "When I slip into costume, it's more of an aggression. It's time to do my job as a super fan. It's time to get out there and pump these fans up. I'm not that laid back person as 'Fleur.' I'm more like in freak mode."

On game days, he leaves his house before sunrise and makes the 90-mile commute in full costume sans wig. A police officer once pulled him over and informed Becker that his six-inch afro was a potential safety hazard while he was behind the wheel.

"He said it interfered with my driving because I couldn't see the rear-view mirror," Becker said.

Even without the wig, it's hard to miss Becker on the road. His gold pick-up truck sports a personalized "FLEUR-D" license plate and "I Partied with Fleur D'Licious" bumper sticker.

His traditional pre-game routine starts at Allegro on Poydras Street, strategically located across the street from the Dome. He has served as the unofficial master of ceremonies for the bistro's raucous tailgate party for the past decade, stoking the festivities with dance moves and koozie distribution from his perch atop the DJ speakers.

Afterward, he follows the party wherever it takes him, Magazine Street, St. Charles Avenue or the French Quarter. He punctuates the countless photo ops with his unofficial mantra, "I do 12-ounce curls for all of my girls."

"You usually can see Ed long before you get to the party," said Katie Hoffman, the manager at Allegro. "He's become a permanent fixture here. We love him. He's definitely a dedicated fan and is very passionate about what he does."

Becker has missed just one home game since buying season tickets in 2002. A bad case of the flu sidelined him for the Nov. 28 Monday night game against the New York Giants last year.

Unlike many of his super fan brethren who are positioned in the front row of the lower sections, Becker does his work on game days in the upper deck. He sits in Section 633 but his domain extends to three adjacent sections.

He often attends road games in full costume for the entire weekend, creating a scene at whatever bar or restaurant he visits as he did this past weekend in Milwaukee and Green Bay, Wis.

"You get a lot of looks, especially from tourists," he said. "They're just like, 'Whoa, what is this?' I'm not sure some of the cities 'get' New Orleans. I've been called Elvis, Superfly, Jimi Hendrix. You just roll with it."

In New Orleans, his celebrity status is well established. His Youtube videos have a cult following and more than 8,000 people have liked his Facebook fan page. He picks a weekly "Fleur D fan of the week" from the ones who submit photos of themselves with him at games. The winner gets an autographed photo and "Drinkin' it up with Fleur D'Licious" koozie.

A baseball team in Texas nicknamed the Saints invited him to attend a game as their official mascot. Strangers imitate him at Halloween parties. A friend had a son attend games with him one year as Mini-Licious.

"I have fans from all over the U.S.," Becker said. "It's crazy. I never thought I'd still be doing this 10 years later."

Becker tries to maintain a low-profile away from Saints games. He rarely if ever mentions his alter-ego in public and regularly attends LSU games as a normal fan. His clients at John Controls know him as the mild-mannered fire security engineer who programs the fire and security alarm systems at their businesses. His neighbors in the Westminster subdivision of Denham Springs had never seen him in costume until last week when he stepped outside for a session with photographers. The impromptu photo shoot ignited a mini-scene as neighbors raced for their cameras to pose for photos.

"I love having a famous neighbor," said next-door Lisa Madere, while snapping photos of Becker in costume. "He's a great neighbor. Usually the only time I see him is mowing the grass in his bathing suit."

Becker admitted that he almost hung up his cape three years ago after the Saints' Super Bowl title. The endless partying and countless public appearances exhausted him. But an outcry from friends and fans changed his mind. Now he says he hopes to keep going for another decade.

"So now I'm stuck with being Fleur D Licious," he said kiddingly. "It's an addiction and a dedication that we have for the team and the city. Just like the players put on their helmets and their cleats and their uniforms, I slip into my jump suit, pull on my wig and glasses. My job is to get my section and other sections fired up. Just like the Saints job is to go out there and to win for us."

New Orleanians are good losers

Letters to the New Orleans Times-Picayune Editor


BETTER TO WAIT 'TILL NEXT YEAR

Dear Southeast Louisiana,

I know it hurts, but don't mope. Would you have wanted a trip to the Super Bowl this year anyway? Would you have wanted to buy a winter coat in addition to that big ticket and a flight and a night in a lonesome hotel room? Imagine the darkness of an Indianapolis night in February. Horrible.

Picture this instead: The biggest block party in the universe. Trumpets and snare drums audible from outer space. A second-line stretching from Poydras to Buras, Bourbon to Bay St. Louis, St. Charles to the state Capitol. The Mississippi River covered in steam from one million pots of bisque, gumbo, jambalaya, beans, greens and étoufeé
.

Super Bowl XLVII is coming to New Orleans and there's a lot of work to do. Make haste. Catch extra fish. Practice your tambourine. Dance in front of the mirror. Ask your governor for a light rail system.

The best is yet to come. Who Dat!
Chris Slaughter, Oxford, Miss.

PERSPECTIVE ON SEASON

Thanks to Mark Lorando and his uplifting column that gave the members of the Who Dat nation a reality check on the Saints 2011 season.

We truly have nothing to be sad or upset about and lots to look forward to in the coming season.

Thanks to the entire Saints organization for a fabulous year and to Mr. Lorando for putting it all in perspective for us!

Lyn Dickmann, New Orleans

GLASS IS FULL OF MEMORIES

The Saints had an amazing year. Records were broken, and the players played their hearts out. The Who Dat Nation is proud of their Saints.

This season was filled with excitement. The team was the highlight of many conversations.

To that end, I found it disappointing that the only thing a letter writer could say was, 'The Saints still can't break the 49ers jinx' It's a shame that his glass is only half empty.

Johnnie Beter, Kenner

Quarterback Drew Brees may set record for passing

Three years ago, when New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees became only the second quarterback in football history to throw for more than 5,000 yards in a season, he spoke with the first one to do so and the only one to ever throw for more than Brees, Dan Marino. The topic, understandably, was Marino's single-season yardage record of 5,084, which has stood since 1984.

Ted Jackson/The Times-PicayuneNew Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees is 305 away from 5,085 passing yards this season and he is averaging 341 yards per game.

"We talked about it after the '08 season," Brees recalled Thursday. "And at the time it was kind of just like, OK, we made our run at it, and the chances of that happening again are probably really, really slim."

Those chances are looking fat right now. The two might have a different conversation quite soon.

Brees is 305 away from 5,085 passing yards this season and he is averaging 341 yards per game. Consequently, in what has by every measure been an extraordinary season for him, it is Marino's mark that will be squarely in the spotlight when Brees leads the Saints (11-3)against division archrival Atlanta (9-5) on "Monday Night Football."

In truth, Marino's record is imperiled regardless of whether Brees breaks it against the Falcons. Should the Saints have much on the line New Year's Day when they host the Panthers, Brees will be in the lineup and it would be almost impossible for him not to surpass the mark by the end of that game.

Nor is Brees the only quarterback who will be after Marino's record. New England's Tom Brady, with 4,593 yards thus far, also has a good shot at it. But neither Brady nor Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers, whose yardage (4,360) total trails Brees and Brady, are likely to catch Brees.

All of which means the 2012 edition of the NFL record book is likely to show, on that line, "most passing yards, season," one entry, "Drew Brees, New Orleans."

New Orleans Saints' Drew Brees talks about breaking Marino's recordIn his weekly press conference, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees talks about what it would mean to break Dan Marino's passing record and clinch the NFC South division with a win over Atlanta.Watch video

Brees, having gone through this record chase before, has always sounded the same note. He would like the record, he considers the records important, but he wants to win more.

"Honestly, I've really tried to just kind of numb my senses to the whole thing right now," he said. "And just think about winning football games, executing this offense, being as prepared as I can be, focusing on the process and then knowing the result will just take care of itself. I haven't talked with Dan yet here, this season."

Brees has a chance Monday night to etch his name in the record book and clinch the NFC South division crown.

"Does it get much better than that?" he asked.

Records are made to be broken, as iconic athletes who set them from Jack Nicklaus to Nolan Ryan are generally the first to attest. Yet despite changes to football, particularly on offense since Brees was 5 years old in Austin, Texas, and Marino set the single-season yardage record in Miami, the single-season mark has remained.

Saints Coach Sean Payton employed a classic version of the modern football staple -- "it is what it is" -- when asked if the longevity of Marino's record surprised him.

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"I don't know that anything really surprises you," Payton said. "Our game has evolved. I think you're seeing very good quarterback play, which is exciting. I think you're seeing over the last 20 years colleges who throw the ball much more effectively; all the way to the high school level, and that's carried over to our game in a number of ways. Typically, I think, these records in our league all get broken, and some of them just have a longer shelf life than others."

Brees has his own perspective. Like many great players, Brees is something of a football historian. On Thursday he reflected on the various high-octane offenses that helped shape his approach.

"Also one of my favorite quarterbacks of all time, Joe Montana, and the West Coast offense," he said in a discourse that touched on the 49ers, the Chargers, the Bills, the Oilers and the Rams, who set the single-season record for total yardage by a team, which the Saints are likely to shatter in 2011.

"So I think there's been these offenses kind of spread out all over the country," Brees said. "Some West Coast, some Northeast, some down South, yet everybody kind of has their own version and everybody's putting up points and putting up yards. Seems like they were throwing it a lot, maybe not according to today's standards, but it sure seemed like it."

In Brees' time, his analysis is largely correct. That would seem to augur regular assaults on Marino's record, yet before this season the only real threat was Brees in 2008.

"I am a little surprised," said Steve Hirdt, executive vice president of the Elias Sports Bureau, when asked about the longevity of Marino's record.

Statistically speaking, the big numbers in the passing game didn't emerge until the late 1970s. When the NFL had a 14-game season, only Joe Namath ever topped 4,000 yards passing in one season, barely breaking that mark with 4,007 in 1967.

A package of rules changes around 1977 and 1978 carved the first chinks in NFL defensive armor. Before that, the league's best teams usually featured a smash-mouth rushing attack, such as the Larry Csonka-led Dolphins or the Franco Harris-led Steelers. In response to that emphasis, and in an effort to make the game more exciting for fans, the NFL made two rules changes that had a dramatic effect.

The first was a blocking liberalization, essentially allowing offensive linemen more freedom of motion that reduced holding calls.

"Before that was changed, linemen couldn't even extend their arms," Hirdt said. "Afterward, protection got a whole lot better."

The second key change, he said, "was reining in bump-and-run coverage."

Thus, by the time the 1978 season commenced, the NFL had slightly tilted the field in a quarterback's advantage, but they remained level changes in the sense they applied to every team equally. What wound up radically changing the game was an intellectual and physical combination unique to San Diego, in which a coach and a quarterback put offensive football into overdrive.

Commanding an offense designed by Don Coryell, Chargers quarterback Dan Fouts broke Namath's single-season yardage mark in 1979. In 1980, Fouts broke his own record and then for good measure broke it again in 1981, throwing for 4,802 yards in a season. Within four years of the league expanding its schedule and tweaking its rulebook, the benchmark for passing yards in an NFL season increased by nearly 20 percent.

When Marino then broke the 5,000-yard barrier in 1984 his total was only a marginal improvement over Fouts'. Yet, remarkably, it has stood.

All of which can lead to only one conclusion, according to Hirdt:

"If Brees breaks the record, he will have earned it."

Saints players were more outspoken than Brees in saying they want him to break the record, but, like their quarterback, only in the context of victory over Atlanta.

"We talk about it amongst ourselves as far as offensive line goes, but I never heard coaches or him speak about it all, they're just trying to win games," guard Carl Nicks said. "He's so close, we definitely want him to get it. It's history, it's a record that might not last too long seeing how these quarterbacks are playing, but you're part of NFL history and it's a great honor and I would love to tell my kids about it 20 years down the road."

The receivers who gather in many of Brees' passes feel the same.

"We don't really get into it, it's never a deal where, 'he needs such and such yards'; we don't even know," Devery Henderson said. "Actually, we just go out and play. If it happens it happens, but it's good to be part of it."

Wide receiver Robert Meachem echoed Nicks' history reference, but pulled it back to the main task at hand.

"It would be a plus for him and a plus for us if he gets it, but at the same time all we want to do is get the 'w,'" he said.

One man who does know what's up is Marino. The NFL analyst for CBS recently approached Brees about a network segment on his teetering record.

"I respectfully just kind of said let's wait here and just kind of let everything fall into place the way it is and then we'll definitely sit down," Brees said. "I would love to do that."

James Varney can be reached at jvarney@timespicayune.com or 504.717.1156..