Allow me to be politically incorrect.
All of America feel horrible for what transpired in the wake of Hurricane Katrina 17 months ago. But no matter what happens in the NFC Championship game between the heavily favorite 11-6 New Orleans Saints and the 14-3 Chicago Bears, it won't change the deplorable conditions of New Orleans.
The national media has put the New Orleans Saints on the side of Angels and cast the Chicago Bears as Satan's helpers.
It's all everyone wants to talk about. How a Saints victory will lift the city to higher ground. That somehow Reggie Bush will run with the entire city on his back all the way to the promise land.
Hurricane Katrina has nothing to do with football.
Football is a contact sport played by over-hyped, over-paid, juiced-up millionaires.
The result of tomorrow's Saints, Bears game won't change the current landscape of New Orleans. Nor, will it bring back the many New Orleans residents who left to seek a better way of life.
New Orleans today is radically different. All the flavor and diversity prior to Hurricane Katrina is gone. Replaced by a bland version of Atlantic City.
Let me put this in perspective of how ridiculous people are starting to get in the wake of New Orleans' newfound success:
Former New Orleans Saints quarterback Bobby Hebert said that "anyone rooting against Drew Brees and Deuce McAllister isn't a true American."
So, Bobby, let me get this straight. 3 million Chicago Bears fans (including myself) are basically immigrants. Furthermore we have no right in your view to root for the other team because your city suffered a terrible tragedy.
How sad.
Milking the Katrina tragedy to overhype a over-achieving team is beyond deplorable.
Saints fans should be excited. For the first time in their team's sorry history, they're playing for the right to go to the Super Bowl.
And that's where the story should end.
It's about football.
It's about tackling, blocking and scoring points.
It's about scoring a trip to the biggest game in all of professional sports.
Not about Hurricane Katrina.
"How can you not root for this team?" said ESPN's Michael Wilbon.
It's easy, you can.
Had Hurricane Katrina not destroyed New Orleans, I'm sure the mainstream press would treat the Saints as a curiosity instead of the greatest feel-good story to hit this country in ages.
But Hurricane Katrina did happen and regardless if the Saints win the Super Bowl or not, the city will never return to its former self.
To the Mainstream press:
This is not a fairy tale.
It's reality. And I invite you guys to come back and join us.